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Deuteronomy 33: Moses' Prophecies to the Twelve Tribes- Blessed Be He Who Enlarges Gad

Introduction and Opening Prayer

Welcome to Bible Study with Jairus. Today we will continue our discussion of Moses' blessing and prophecy regarding the future of Gad, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. We will also explore Jacob's prophetic blessing over Gad, and examine what we can learn from Gad's experience as it applies to New Testament Christian life.

As I have mentioned many times, each story of the twelve tribes of Israel is a story of transformation from sinner to saint. It does not matter how you have sinned or where you started; both Jews and Gentiles are sinners. The book of Romans tells the story of transforming sinners into the many sons of God who come to the glory of God. So, the story of the twelve tribes is a story of transformation, turning different kinds of sinners into the pearl gates of the New Jerusalem.

We have already examined many of Jacob's sons. Today we enter into the prophecy regarding Gad, who was the son of Zilpah, Leah's maid, with Jacob.

Let us ask the Holy Spirit to be with us and teach us. We will begin with prayer.

Heavenly Father, we come to You in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We come boldly to the throne of grace through the blood of Jesus Christ. By His blood, we can come to Your throne of grace to receive mercy, grace, and timely help. We ask for timely help today. We ask for daily manna today. We ask for Your heavenly bread today, because Your Word is bread for us.

Illuminate the Word of God in the Old Testament, the word of prophecy through the mouth of Moses and Jacob. Illuminate the Word of God through the presence of the Holy Spirit within us and upon us. We give glory to the Father and to Jesus Christ the Son, who paved the way for us to ask boldly. The Father gave us the Holy Spirit.

We thank You for sending the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son. We recognize and acknowledge Your continuous presence of the Holy Spirit within us. We ask for the cleansing of the precious blood of Jesus Christ upon our hearts, our mouths, our minds, our tongues, and our ears. Remove all veils by applying the blood of Christ. We further petition and request the anointing of the oil of the Holy Spirit in our ears and in our mouths.

I give all the members of my body as a living sacrifice, as weapons of righteousness, to utter the gracious Word and oracles of God in the name of Jesus Christ. We thank You, Holy Spirit, in advance for Your presence, for Your illumination, and for Your teaching to the people of God today. Amen.

The Story of Transformation

Each story of Jacob’s twelve sons is a story of transformation. Even if you are like Reuben, who committed sins of immorality and fornication, you will experience salvation and become one of the pearl gates in the New Jerusalem.

Or perhaps you are as twisted as Simeon, who thought the solution to his problems was to kill another person. Joseph was his target. So many people today are twisted into thinking that the way to solve their problems is to kill or eliminate others. Simeon was twisted to such a degree that he believed his problem in life was Joseph. He was probably the one who tried his hardest to kill Joseph. Otherwise, we cannot explain why Joseph later bound him up among all the other brothers who went to Egypt.

Growing up in a dysfunctional family like Jacob's was difficult. Jacob favored Rachel and her sons Joseph and Benjamin. I mentioned that his favoritism toward Joseph did not begin when he made the colorful coat. No, it started when Rachel took away the mandrakes from Reuben. It probably started early, perhaps when Joseph was allowed to eat the only egg or chicken at the dinner table. Simeon may not have been allowed to do that.

I read a sermon by Charles Spurgeon. Do not quote me on this because I am speaking from memory, and I may be wrong. He said that the persecution of Cain toward Abel did not begin the moment Cain killed Abel. It began at the dinner table. Every day, Cain made fun of Abel for raising sheep instead of providing the family with produce.

The persecution among God's people always involves a relationship between God's people and God's tools. In Isaiah 19, God mentions that Israel is His inheritance, Egypt is His people (if I remember correctly), but Assyria his handiwork. The word “handiwork” was also translated as “tools” sometimes. Ishmael was His tool as well as Assyria. Ishmael was always a tool for God to chastise Israel. The dynamic relationship among God's people, among those created by God, even within a single family or a church, always includes some people whom Satan uses to instigate persecution against the people of God.

But in His infinite wisdom, God uses all things to work together for the good of those who love Him. Joseph’s brothers meant to do evil. They were instigated by Satan to hurt him, but God meant it for good. God turned the evil into good, so Joseph could be trained and perfected through the persecution. Eventually, he became the ruler of nations.

That is always the dynamic among the people of God. Even in Revelation, you have the greater body of Christ called "the woman" in chapter 12. Then you have the man child, the stronger part of the overcomer, the victor. All the environment God created, all the people around you, are the woman. All believers in the church are the woman. But out of the woman will come a stronger part: those who are firstfruits, overcomers, resurrected members of excellence, as the apostle Paul mentioned.

This does not mean that other members of the body, other members of the woman, other members of humanity will not be saved. No, that is not what it is saying. It is saying that God always works through a remnant, a group of overcomers, to fulfill His purpose. Among God's people, it is always that dynamic.

Jacob’s Dysfunctional Family

In Jacob’s dysfunctional family, there were twelve sons and one daughter. They hated each other. They showed partiality. They had different statuses: the sons of Leah, the sons of the two concubines or maids, and the sons of Rachel. This made for complicated relationships. But through the strife among different wives and children, God used difficulties to transform Jacob from a heel grabber into Israel, who wrestles with God, even becoming the prince of God.

In other words, without so many wives, so many children, and so many struggles in Jacob's life, he would not have experienced the transformation of God. God works through the environment. God hides Himself in all the people and matters in our lives. The dynamic structure of the twelve sons of Jacob, or the Israelites, is a picture of how God deals with any individual today.

You may not have four wives. You may not have twelve sons and one daughter, but you have a complicated life with your own circumstances. God is using that complicated network of circumstances, people, and matters around you to work good in you. You are Jacob today.

Don’t look at your life as easier than Jacob's. My life is not easier than Jacob's. Even I, with one wife, find that God uses marriage to correct and humble me in ways I would never choose for myself. I mean that God sometimes uses marriage, uses our spouses, to correct us. We may not always be joyful when the correction comes through our spouses or the people around us, but that does not mean God is not working through it.

Our lives are as complicated as Jacob's, even if we do not have four wives and twelve children. Perhaps you have four wives through divorces. Life can be complicated.

Through this complicated network of family matters, people, hatred, strife, and fighting against each other, dynamic relationships and characters are being formed. Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian, mentioned in his writing that none of God's people become saved without experiencing suffering. They either become soft toward God and are transformed like Jacob through the circumstances, or they become hardened. They become hard-hearted. They hate God because their prayers for healing, for their parents, for their mothers, or for other requests were not answered. Their hearts become hard.

There are trials and difficulties in life. Through these, you develop character. If God is sovereign, there will be difficult environments, and a difficult network of relationships in life. Your unique characteristics, your way of reacting to your surroundings, are being shaped.

The Character of Reuben

I said that Reuben was probably reacting to his father's neglect toward his mother and toward Rachel's maid. Both were neglected because Leah did not choose to sleep with another man when her husband neglected her. Instead, she tried to give him babies to woo him and gain back his love. That is why she tried to give him babies one after another. After this last baby, she said, "This time my husband will be united with me because I gave him six sons."

Rachel probably had Jacob's attention all the time. To the point that Leah had to rent Jacob for one night to produce Zebulun. That was probably not a pleasant experience when Reuben had to give up his mandrakes to Rachel, becoming the price for his mother to rent his father to sleep with her for one night. It is not a pleasant experience. If I were a child, I definitely would not be proud of this.

Of course, Rachel's maid was neglected as well. In Chinese history, there is a story about a wealthy landlord who had many wives. He could not visit all of them. So, some wives, burning with desire, would find a young man to sleep with. Then the rich man would find out and kill the young man or the concubine. It is an everlasting story in Chinese literature because the Chinese have a long tradition of having many wives. It was the same in biblical accounts.

I think Rachel's maid was neglected. Both of them were instigated by Satan to fall into fornication and defile Jacob’s bed. I have mentioned again and again why Reuben did not sleep with his mother's maid. They were probably closer to him, like family members. But Rachel's maid was more like a distant member of the bigger family. So, his way of reacting to the environment, the suffering, neglect, and difficulty in his life, was fornication.

That is on the surface. But the inward motive was revenge through sleeping with his father's wife, a distant member of the family, to bring humiliation to his father. That was the hidden motive of revenge. "You neglected me, you neglected my mother, I will get back at you."

But Reuben was not one hundred percent twisted into becoming a monster. Even though he fell into fornication, he was not as twisted as Simeon, who tried to kill Joseph, thinking Joseph was the problem. Or that Rachel was the problem. Getting rid of your enemy was the way to solve your own problem. No.

Why? Because Reuben was the firstborn, and firstborn sons in that culture received a special measure of love and attention, at least for a season. Every parent loves their firstborn with a particular tenderness. Jacob would have been no different. Reuben had his fair share of his father's love in those early years, and that early experience of being loved, even partially, kept him from becoming fully hardened.

This is something I understand from my own family. My father was the firstborn son of my grandfather, and he was treasured as a baby. My father told me a story from his childhood in rural China, where in those days the kitchen and the area where horses were kept were sometimes in the same building. One day my father, still a very small child, wandered into that space and cried out, startling a horse. The horse did not actually kick him, but my grandfather, hearing the noise and seeing the horse rear up, assumed the worst and rushed in and beat the horse severely. That was old China, and I am not defending mistreating animals, but the story reveals how fiercely my grandfather loved his firstborn son. He would punish a horse on behalf of that child without a second thought.

But things change. As my father grew older and more siblings came along, that fierce favoritism shifted to a younger aunt and uncle. By the time I was old enough to observe my grandfather, I never once saw him treat my father with that same special tenderness my father had described. Yet my father's account of those early years was vivid and certain. He had been treasured. He knew it. And that early experience of love, even though it faded, was enough to keep something in him from going fully dark. The same was true of Reuben. He sinned deeply, but he was not a monster. He still had enough of a father's love embedded in him to try to protect Joseph when the others wanted to kill him.

Prophecy Based on Character

Many prophecies Jacob gave to his children were based on his observation of their character. Jacob did not give a lot of prophecies arbitrarily. He gave each one based on his observation of how they dealt with the environment in the complicated dynamic of Jacob's family.

Reuben reacted with hatred and fornication toward his father, and he lost his firstborn right. When Simeon was pushed to a certain point, he wanted to kill Joseph. That is my own interpretation from the Bible. I think Simeon was the leader who plotted the scheme to kill Joseph because Joseph later only bound him. Levi was probably just a brother who followed suit, following Simeon and helping him kill. But later Levi changed direction. He became one who stood together with Moses and with God to kill those who worshiped idols. He experienced transformation.

I also talked about Judah. He experienced his fair share of falling, going down to the land of Moab, losing his wife, losing his two sons. This was judgment from God. Three people died in his family, all his loved ones. When he went out to find comfort, he got tricked by Tamar.

In the experience of Judah, and in Moses' blessing to Judah and Jacob's blessing for Judah, I quoted the words of Moses: "God hears the cries of Judah." There must have been a place, a hidden, sacred place where Judah repented. In Judah's life story, he became the mediator between his father Jacob and his son Benjamin. When Benjamin was requested by Joseph to visit Egypt in order to get more food, everyone was afraid. Jacob was afraid of losing Benjamin as he had lost Joseph. Judah rose and said, "Let Benjamin go with me. If Benjamin is harmed, kill one of my sons." He rose up and became a leader among his brothers.

Many of Jacob's prophecies were based on his observation of the characteristics of each of his twelve sons. I mentioned that he prophesied over Issachar. He prophesied that Issachar was someone who loved being quiet, like a donkey, hardworking and willing to carry the load, willing to lie down in the sheepfold, never complaining.

Then I compared this with Moses' prophecy to Issachar, calling Issachar blessed in the tent. I mentioned the characteristics of the prophetic gift. You have to dwell in the tent of God. You have to have a character that is able to remain quiet before the Lord so you can hear the voice of God. One of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament, Elijah, heard the word of the Lord not in the storm, not in the wind, but in the still small voice after the earthquake. You have to be quiet to be able to listen and hear the voice of the Lord. That is a prerequisite of the prophetic gift.

The prophets we read about in the Old Testament are still here among us. But they're different from apostles, or evangelists. Evangelists are the outgoing ones, the life-of-the-party types. They're always talking with people, connecting with everyone they meet, giving high-fives and handshakes all around.

But here's the thing: they probably don't spend the same kind of time in the tent that a prophet does. And when I say "the tent," I'm talking about that sacred space, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the dwelling place of God, the tabernacle where we meet with Him face to face. That's where prophets tend to linger.

To really be still before God—to take on that calling as an intercessor, staying up late while the world sleeps, praying and pleading for God's purposes and for His people—you need to carry something of Issachar's character within you.

Think of it like this: you're willing to be the donkey in the sheepfold. You're content to lie down in that quiet place, carrying heavy burdens that nobody else sees, asking for nothing in return, just giving all the glory to God. That's the heart of it. It's why Jacob spoke that prophecy over Issachar the way he did; he saw that character, that willingness to serve unseen and bear the weight without fanfare.

If you go back to Genesis 49 and read carefully about each prophecy regarding the sons of Jacob, you can trace this hint. Every prophecy regarding each son of Jacob started from the characteristic of that person that Jacob observed in the dynamic, complicated environment of these twelve sons, these four wives, this big family. It’s about how you react to things and how you develop your character.

Look at Judah, too. Jacob watched him transform, really saw who he was becoming, and blessed him for it. He called out what he saw: "You're a lion, a lion's cub, a lioness. You devour the enemy. You overcome."

Here's the beautiful thing; every single one of Jacob's sons received a prophecy shaped by what Jacob observed in their character, right there in the midst of their circumstances. And it's the same for you. Through your own character, through your own one-of-a-kind uniqueness, like a snowflake that God specially crafted, He has a calling that fits only you.

If you want to speak prophetically into someone's life today, start by really seeing who they are, their character, the way God has shaped them. Now, I know prophecy flows from revelation, but here's something I've found: when you can pinpoint what makes someone tick, when you recognize the character God has built in them, you can speak right into that place.

That's the key, really understanding how God created them, how He's been molding their character all along, and how He intends to use that unique shaping for His purposes.

A Personal Example

For example, let me use my own story. In 2015, I left the Local Church Movement, the Chinese evangelical church initiated by Watchman Nee, and moved toward the Pentecostal church and charismatic/prophetic movement. I was eager to pursue the gift of prophecy. I encountered many people who have prophetic gifts.

A couple of months ago, I ran into a lady who is very gifted in the prophetic. When she saw me, she immediately spoke the word of the Lord to me. She said, "I see the sun rising. God will open doors for you for your ministry and financial blessings. Then, she said something that really resonated in my heart. She said, "One of the great characteristics God loves about you is your willingness to take risks when you know it is from the Lord."

The reason this struck such a chord with me is that a few months earlier, God had planted this desire in my heart to reach out to someone, a key figure in the Chinese democratic movement. But the situation around me was pretty threatening; there was real danger, the potential for real harm if I went through with it. Still, it felt like the Lord was leading me, so I stepped out and did it.

Sure enough, the leader of the movement was furious with me, and it created some ripple effects among the people close to me. But I knew it was God, so I took that risk anyway. I genuinely believe God called me to share the gospel with these people, to minister to members of that movement. He gave me that burden, and I felt it clearly from the Holy Spirit, this prompting to speak to him about repentance, especially while he was going through such a hard time. But he wouldn't hear it. He was angry.

I don't know how it will all unfold, but God has shown me that eventually, this person will come to faith. Still, every promise has its conditions—and the condition is repentance. So, I took the chance. I took a great risk, facing a lot of criticism, even among people close to me. I took the chance. I paid the price. Her words really encouraged me.

I am not a smart person, but I am bold sometimes. I am fearful at times, but I am bold if I know it is from the Lord. So, if you want to prophesy over somebody, of course you need revelation. But the prophecy Jacob gave his sons started from his observation of the characteristics of each of his twelve sons.

I mentioned Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Benjamin, Joseph, Issachar, and Zebulun. Today I am talking about Gad. What characteristic do we see in Gad?

I give you this illustration to show you that even when we receive revelation regarding a person, it does not take away our observation of their characteristic, how they react in the environment God created for them, or in the difficult, complicated network of life God has put them in. Jesus told us that nothing is outside the control of God the Father. If there is no permission from the Father God, not even one sparrow will fall from heaven. Every one of your hairs is counted by God the Father. In Romans 8, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us so that all things work together for our good.

What is Gad's most prominent characteristic? Understanding this is essential to grasping the prophecy spoken over him. Jacob's prophecy about Gad, which addresses his future and calling, serves as the seed. Moses' prophecy builds upon this foundation, developing it further. Gad is no longer merely one man but has become a tribe. Thus, Moses' prophecy nurtures the seed planted by Jacob, cultivating it within Gad's destiny and the calling of his descendants.

Jacob's Prophecy Over Gad

Let us read Genesis 49, verse 19 first. It is a very short description, prophecy, or blessing to Gad through the mouth of Jacob. Very short. But in this very short prophecy, we can see the characteristic of Gad that Jacob observed in his time with him.

Genesis 49, verse 19 says: "Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels." Let me read that again. Genesis 49, verse 19: "Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels."

When I was a child, I was slight of frame and lacking in strength, yet I possessed a stubborn resilience. During a scuffle with a village boy, he pushed me to the ground and pinned me beneath him, but still I would not yield. Even with him sitting on my face, I fought back and bit him. Years later, when I told this tale to my daughter, she laughed at the picture it painted. But I want her to understand the heart of it: I never gave up. I never gave up.

I want you to use your imagination and look at the complicated situation Gad lived in. When he was born, he already had four older brothers: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. After four sons were born to Leah and Jacob, Leah could not have any more babies. So, in her constant struggle and fight with Rachel, she came up with the idea: "Let me give my maid Zilpah to my husband Jacob, so he can have more sons through my maid."

I do not know why Leah's strategy was just to give him baby after baby. Maybe babies made Jacob happy because at that time Rachel could not have a baby. So probably Jacob had his fair share of joyful moments with his sons. His sons made him happy to a certain extent. He probably enjoyed the company of his sons and loved them. That is possibly why Leah was thinking, "Okay, give me more sons, make him happier, so I can win over my husband."

She gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob, and Jacob went into Zilpah and had another son. This son was called Gad. Gad is the fifth son of Jacob, but not the fifth son of Leah. He was named Gad which means "lucky" because Leah claimed, oh, I am lucky. I have another son.

Then of course Jacob had another son with Zilpah, named Asher. We will talk about the blessings of Moses over Asher, and the prophecy to Asher by Jacob, next time. But today we are going to dwell on Gad.

Gad's Difficult Position

Imagine the complicated situation and family dynamic that Gad lived in. When he was born, he was not Jacob or Rachel’s favorite. He was Leah’s maid’s son . His four older brothers formed their own tight-knit tribe, a proud and powerful kingdom like lions. Think of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, especially given the fierce natures of Simeon and Levi. When those four brothers came together, they were like a pack of lions. They might have said, "You want to fight with us, Gad? You are just the son of a maid. Even with your lowly status, we might let you join our group. But you have to submit to us and do whatever we tell you to do."

While this takes some imagination, I hope it is a holy imagination. This is a very common situation in big families. When you are not the firstborn and you are not born of the same mother, you are more than likely going to be mistreated.

Some scholars suggest that David was born to a concubine or even a prostitute rather than Jesse's wife. According to this view, that is why he was sent out to the wilderness to tend the sheep. He was not even invited to the family dinner when the prophet Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse's sons. After Samuel had looked at all seven sons, he asked, "Do you have another son?" Jesse replied, "Oh, yes, we do, but he is hardly worth mentioning. It is David, and he is out tending the sheep." Samuel firmly responded, "Call him. If you do not call him, I am not leaving. I am not going through with this." Even Eliab, the firstborn of Jesse, showed a proud attitude when David finally arrived. This kind of exclusion is highly unusual when children share the same mother. Throughout human history, when siblings are born of the same mother, both the parents and older siblings are usually very caring and protective toward the youngest. As a younger brother in my own family, I know firsthand that we are almost always overprotected.

So, David was probably not the legitimate son, or not of the same mother as the other brothers. Not being born of the same mother, even as the maid of Leah, sometimes makes it hard for you to blend in.

Let me use American words because I am an immigrant. I am a Chinese American. I know many immigrants, second generation immigrants, who have a hard time blending into American culture. I have encountered so many second and third generation Chinese who do not consider themselves Chinese. They consider themselves Americans. But when they go out into society, they are told to go back to China. They are not blending in. They want to become Americans. That is why we give second and third generation Chinese Americans the nickname "banana." We call them yellow on the outside but white on the inside. They want to become American. They want to be recognized as American. But when they grow up, they always have a hard time blending in and being accepted as other Americans.

Nowadays it is better, but that is a common experience not only of second and third generation Chinese Americans, but of many immigrant Americans and their children. They do not identify with their parents' home country, whether China, Somalia, or other country. They identify as Americans. But when they grow up in American society, they are ostracized by some Americans. "Go back to China. Go back to Somalia. Go back to Africa. Go back to Vietnam. Go back to Korea." They have a hard time blending in.

When we consider modern American society, which is a diverse melting pot, we can imagine how difficult it was for Gad to blend into his family. He was Jacob’s first son born to Leah’s maid Zilpah and she bore Asher next. Later on Rachel gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin, while Leah had two more sons, Issachar and Zebulun. However, that all happened later. He was the an outsider among the children, and he struggled to fit in. Even though Leah's children sometimes felt abandoned and neglected by their father, they still stood together as four strong lions. They formed a tight-knit pride. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah bound themselves together as one because they shared the same mother. When one said, "Let's go," all four went together because of that maternal bond. They loved each other, acting as a single tribe and a single pride.

When Gad entered this family, he unfortunately became the scapegoat for the other children like his half brother Dan. This is a common part of the human experience that we see everywhere. When I was a child, I noticed this dynamic in school, in our village. It is true now even across American society. Many children are born completely innocent and have no concept of race or prejudice. However, when they witness their parents or the culture around them mistreating certain groups, they learn to pick on those same people at school simply because they are vulnerable. It is a painful cycle. Sometimes, when you are picked on by your parents at home, you end up targeting other weaker individuals. You use them as a scapegoat to deal with your own pain. It is a deeply human, yet heartbreaking, reality.

When the intense hatred and neglect among Leah’s four children bound them together, they certainly were not saints. Was Levi a saint? Was Simeon a saint? No, they were flawed, destructive people. Hurt people hurt people, and sinners sin. Because they felt neglected and mistreated by their father, by Rachel, or by anyone they perceived as an enemy, they took their anger out on others. They were ready to mistreat, bully, and chase down anyone they could use as a target.

Remember, when Gad was born, Joseph had not even been born yet. Eventually, however, Joseph became the ultimate scapegoat for their deep-rooted family problems. At least two of the four brothers, Reuben and Judah, tried to protect Joseph because they were more mature and did not want to break their father’s heart. On the other hand, Simeon, likely alongside Levi, wanted to use Joseph as a scapegoat for his own life frustrations. He simply wanted to get rid of him.

He thought to himself, "If I can just get rid of Joseph, all my problems will vanish." We see this same dangerous mindset throughout human history. It is like thinking that if a group of people eliminate another group of people, their problems will suddenly be solved. No, it does not work that way. When the Chinese people were humiliated and mistreated by Western imperialism, a deep hatred grew. Some thought, "If we get rid of all Westerners and European people to conquer the world, we will regain the glory of China." No, it simply does not work that way. It is the same when Palestinians think that killing Jews, or Jews think that killing Palestinians, will solve their problems. The solution is not to eliminate the people you feel God is using to challenge you.

Sometimes, God allows external pressures, like Ishmael in biblical history, to refine and deal with your character. God is watching to see exactly how you will react. Will you respond with faith, love, and a tender heart, allowing your difficult environment to discipline you? Will you allow it to shape you into a Joseph, ultimately receiving the fruit of righteousness? Or will you become hardhearted like Pharaoh, entirely consumed by hatred? Ultimately, God is watching your heart.

I really can’t imagine when Gad came along, his four brothers were as joyful as Leah was. No. They were going to pick on him, chase him and try to take him down through bullying him. They were going to make fun of him and use him as a scapegoat because Joseph was not born yet. When Joseph was born, he eventually became the ultimate scapegoat. For a season, Gad was the unfortunate one.

The Spirit of Gad: Fighting Back

That is why, in the prophecy of Jacob, which I have mentioned again and again, his prophecy is first and foremost based on his observation of the character of his son and how he reacted to the complicated environment surrounding him.

When Gad was chased by other people, he may have run away for a time, but he didn’t stop there. He fought back. That is the spirit of Gad.

When Simeon, using him as our example of the antagonist, tried to chase Gad, trip him, mock him, and bully him, Gad simply would not tolerate it. He would fight back fiercely. Throughout Gad's childhood, Jacob spent a lot of time watching his sons, and he quickly noticed this defining trait. Gad would not accept being mistreated. He would stand up for himself and push back. That was the resilient, intrinsic characteristic of Gad that Jacob observed from the very beginning.

So, Jacob recorded his prophecy to his son Gad in just one sentence. He said in Genesis 49, verse 19: "Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels."

Perhaps Simeon tried to raid Gad, trip him up, or set him up for failure. Ultimately, however, Gad overcame by fighting back and raiding right back at his enemy's heel. The biblical passage uses plurals here, speaking of raiders and how Gad shall raid at their heels. This phrasing reveals that it was not just one individual trying to bully him. Instead, it was likely a band of attackers or a collective group, perhaps even all four of his older brothers acting together. While Reuben and Judah were relatively better, they were still just kids at the time. They were four brothers banding together, thinking that they could conquer their world if they worked as a team. They viewed themselves as four powerful lions who would dominate the territory, demanding that everyone else submit to their leadership.

Gad completely rejected that demand and fought back every single time. This is exactly what Jacob observed in the character of his son. Jacob recorded this lifelong observation and, flowing from it, prophesied the ultimate destiny and calling of the tribe of Gad. He predicted that while enemies would pursue them, they would fiercely fight back and pursue those enemies to the very end.

We must learn from the powerful spirit of Gad. For too long, the modern church has allowed itself to be pursued and harassed by the enemy. Today, we need to lay hold of that same resilient spirit of Gad. We must fight back, raid at the enemy's heels, and drive the enemy away completely. For the past fifty years or so, the body of Christ has played a purely defensive game rather than going on the offense. We simply cannot live that way any longer. A true revival is coming. The church of Jesus Christ and his body across the world must take offensive measures. We must pursue the enemy's heels and overcome them entirely. That is the true spirit of Gad, and it is exactly the spirit we need today. The church must rise up to chase down its enemies, refusing to let the enemy continue to bully us and wear us out.

Moses' Prophecy: The Development of the Seed

I have finished the first portion of the prophecy on Gad. I gave you a general understanding of how the characteristics of each of Jacob’s sons were reactions to the complicated situations they were in. Character is developed through the environment and your reaction to the environment you are surrounded by.

The second point I gave you is that Jacob's prophecy toward his sons was first based on his observation of the characteristics of his different sons.

Now let us move into the third section. Moses’ prophecy regarding the tribe of Gad is a further development of the natural characteristics and the spiritual seed that Jacob first mentioned. By the time Moses pronounced his blessing, Gad was no longer just a single individual. They had matured into a full tribe, one of the twelve pillars of Israel, and a mighty army of God.

When Moses blessed Gad, he was no longer speaking over a tiny seed. He was addressing a fully grown tree with branches, charting the development of God’s calling on the tribe’s future. It reveals how God purposefully uses every harsh environment and difficult trial to mold Gad and his descendants. Ultimately, this refining process transforms the tribe so they can become a pearl gate in the New Jerusalem. God will use them to usher many souls, both Jews and Gentiles, into His eternal kingdom. You have to view the entire journey from this eternal perspective.

By the time Moses gives blessing to the tribe of Gad, it is no longer an acorn seed. It has become a tree already. You can see the leaves, the trunk, the branches, and all the details. The characteristic Jacob observed in his son Gad eventually developed into a tree, a calling of God for this entire tribe.

Moses continued to prophesy over Gad with words that help us connect all these pieces together. He declared, "Blessed is he who enlarges Gad." It is a powerful truth. God is actively enlarging you, Gad, through your deepest difficulties. We see this pattern throughout scripture; God enlarged Joseph through profound suffering. Personally, God has expanded my own capacity to such a great extent through the trials I have faced. I do not think I could have developed this kind of endurance any other way. While my natural capacity may not be any greater than yours, my spiritual capacity has been greatly enlarged by navigating these difficult circumstances.

When I first married my wife, there were many other young couples in our church. I watched so many of them easily have one baby, then two, then three. They were completely caught up in the busy rush of family life. But I could not experience that. Instead, I spent ten years praying for at least two hours every single day, often spending my lunch breaks in prayer. Sometimes I prayed up to eight hours a day because I would seek God in the morning, at noon, and through the evening. For ten long years, I prayed and prayed and prayed. I consecrated my life, dedicated myself to His service, repented of all my sins, and made promises to the Lord about my future. I would say, "If You bless me with a child, oh, how wonderful that would be."

During that season, my wife and I spent countless hours arguing, filled with tears and sleepless nights. Eventually, we finally experienced a spiritual breakthrough. Sometime later, I talked with my wife and asked her, "If we had not gone through those ten years of suffering, would we have the spiritual maturity we possess today?" I am certainly not comparing myself to you. You may be far more mature than I am, and perhaps you do not need to walk through that kind of suffering. But back then, I was not mature, either spiritually or psychologically. I was simply not ready to be used by God to fulfill the calling He had on my life. I had to go through that painful process, just like so many people in the biblical record who endured long periods of barrenness before experiencing God's miraculous healing.

I went through this. Eventually my wife and I came to a conclusion. We would not trade it for another way, an easier life, an easier path. Otherwise, we would not have the enlargement of our hearts in terms of knowing the nature of God and loving others. Loving through suffering enlarges you.

Even in physical training, we know the rule: no pain, no gain. My trainer always tells me, "The exact moment you feel like you cannot lift the weight one more time, that is the moment you achieve a breakthrough. That is when you enlarge your muscle and build the muscle memory needed to gain more power." When you want to give up completely, that is the exact time you need to push through a couple more repetitions, because that is where the growth happens.

It is the same when you go through difficult seasons in life. When you are caught in a constantly complicated situation, like being the child who does not share the same mother as the four older kids, facing constant exclusion, bullying, and pressure, God is using that environment to expand your capacity. Gad ultimately received that divine enlargement. He rose up, stood his ground, and fought back.

The Lion of Gad

Moses continued his prophecy over Gad in the next part of this verse, declaring, "Gad crouches like a lion." He crouches to find the perfect opportunity to fight back. His older brothers, the four sons of Leah, may have acted like a proud pack of lions trying to tear him down, but Gad learned to crouch like a lion himself to strike back. Moses then used the vivid phrase, "He tears off arm and scalp." This intense, pictorial language describes the fierce nature of Gad’s warfare against his enemies, or perhaps the early friction against his brothers. Because he has the nature of a lion, he crouches, fights back, and completely dismantles the strength of his adversaries.

The body of Christ today desperately needs to pick up this spirit of Gad. For the last half-century, believers all over the world have been pushed onto the defensive, living in a state of defeat rather than going on the offense. We cannot remain passive. We must lift the banner of God, carry the ark of His presence, and pursue the enemy until the victory is complete. We are standing on the edge of a highly victorious season right now. This powerful mandate is found right in Deuteronomy chapter 33, verse 20.

Choosing the Best Land

Moses continues to say in verse 21, "He chose the best of the land for himself." He wasn’t being humble. He chose the best land for himself, for there a commander's portion was reserved.

I am not sure if Moses was referring to the land on the east side of the Jordan River that he gave to the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh. Because Moses continued to say, "And he came with the heads of the people. With Israel he executed the justice of the Lord and His judgments for Israel."

If this refers to Gad getting the land on the eastern side of the Jordan River, he promised to come with the heads of the people, or the leaders, or the fighters, with the other Israelites entering into the good land to execute the justice of the Lord, to kill all the Canaanites, and execute the judgment for Israel. It could be true.

We know in 1 Chronicles 5, verses 18 to 26, that all the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh were taken away by the kings of Assyria, instigated by God because they worshiped idols. They failed at one point, as many other Israelites did.

But do not underestimate the characteristics Gad and his tribe possessed. They eventually would fight back.

The Spirit of Gad Today

Today, many of the descendants of the tribes of Jacob remain in a state of defeat. Many of them are still in captivity. Even the small number of Jewish people currently living in the Promised Land have not yet reached the end-time harvest of God. As the apostle Paul wrote in Romans chapters 9 and 11, the ultimate fulfillment of the whole household of Israel being saved has not yet come. We have not reached that final consummation where all the descendants of Israel's tribes are harvested to become the twelve pearl gates of the New Jerusalem. We are simply not there yet. Many remain in spiritual captivity. Because they have rejected Christ, they do not recognize that the Messiah has already come. They remain bound to a certain extent, because true freedom can only be found in Jesus Christ.

But eventually God will mark the twelve, twelve thousand in each tribe, who will not be harmed. And there will be 144,000 standing in the heavenly Zion singing worship to God. In the vision of God's sea, there are also multitudes of people, both Jews and Gentiles, who will sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb together. We are not there yet. Jews are not saved yet. But eventually they will get there because the spirit of Gad is still alive today.

To the best of my ability, this is how I explain the prophecy of Gad. It begins with Jacob observing Gad's unique characteristics and how he reacted to growing up in that incredibly complicated family dynamic. Through these intense circumstances and difficulties, God works to enlarge the capacity of everyone involved. Over time, Gad picked up the spirit of a true fighter. This warrior identity is explicitly highlighted in First Chronicles 5:18, which notes that the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty valiant men who carried shields, swords, and bows into battle. They are true warriors who know how to fight. They might experience defeat at times, but they will always fight back.

Conclusion: Fight Back

Jacob's final blessing to his son Gad was very simple, yet profound. Let me read this verse again as a conclusion. He said to his son Gad: "Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels."

In America, the church has experienced intense spiritual opposition, feeling pursued and targeted by modern cultural movements such as the LGBTQ movement. When faith-based business owners faced severe legal consequences and the threat of prison for upholding traditional marriage values, many believers felt deeply alarmed. In response, American patriots and people of faith channeled the resilient spirit of Gad, declaring that they would not let their religious freedom slip away. They chose to stand their ground, actively participated in the political process, and ultimately helped elect Donald Trump as president.

Through his leadership, significant efforts have been made to protect this nation, advocate for freedom in countries like Venezuela and Iran, and defend vulnerable Christians being martyred in Nigeria. None of this is a mere coincidence. This perspective transcends standard politics; it is about recognizing that God is stirring up that same courageous spirit of Gad for our modern times. Where believers have previously lost ground, it is time to recover it. The body of Christ must confidently carry this responsibility, rising up to push back as the enemy attempts to wear the church down.

Closing Remarks

Hopefully, this has been an encouraging hour together, and I truly appreciate you tuning in. Personally, I am also striving to lay hold of that resilient spirit of Gad. There are many times when I feel defeated. When I record a broadcast, I believe the presence of the Holy Spirit is near and that I have a genuine word from God to share, and I long for more people to listen. I may not have a large platform, yet I truly believe this message is from the Lord, and I need your prayers. I would be so grateful for your help to repost, like, comment, and share this content with your friends. You can support this work by searching for Jairus Bible World Ministry on Google Maps or by looking up Bible Study with Jairus on Apple Podcasts.

I am currently collaborating with American editors to transform these spoken sermons into polished, well-written podcasts and blogs, and we have already completed a brand-new episode. My ultimate hope is to turn all of this revelation from the Holy Spirit into freely accessible podcasts, blog posts, and books.

This takes time and money to accomplish. I work as a translator to support myself and this ministry. If you feel led to help get these messages out by donating I would be truly grateful.

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Bible Study with JairusDeuteronomy 33: Moses’ Prophecies to the Twelve Tribes — Joseph: Righteous Fruit From SufferingWelcome BackWelcome back to Bible Study with Jairus. It has been a little while since we met last; the holiday season took us out of town for some good family time. But now we are back and returning to our normal schedule. We want to continue our daily Bible study series. We have been working through Deuteronomy, and we hope to finish out Deuteronomy 33. We are also hoping to spend more time on the story of Joseph.

I checked, there is so much in the story of Joseph. We have Jacob’s prophecy for Joseph, and also Moses’ blessing to Joseph. I may eventually get into the full details of Deuteronomy 33 verses 13 through 17 or 18 regarding how Moses blessed Joseph. But before that, I want to continue the thought we began last time. I believe it was the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The Life of Joseph and the Life of BenjaminI mentioned last time that if you don’t have the life of Joseph within you — which represents the freedom in you through the gospel, through knowing the Word of God — then you cannot maintain the freedom outside of you in the land, which is represented by Benjamin. Why do I say that? Because Benjamin is the place where Jerusalem dwells. I talked about the experience of Benjamin; Benjamin is where Jerusalem dwells, where the temple dwells, where the presence of God dwells. In the land of Benjamin, you have the temple and the presence of God.

But when the Israelites fell into idol worship and forsook God, God forsook the temple. Of course God loves the temple. The temple is the presence of God. David wanted to build a temple for God. God told him, “Heaven is my sitting place, my seat, and the earth is my footstool. All of heaven and earth belongs to me. I am too big for your temple. But because you desire to build a temple for me, you deserve my presence. I am granting that wish to you, but not through you. You cannot build a temple for me because your hands have much blood on them, because you are man of war. I will raise someone from your loins, Solomon. He will become a prince of peace. He will build the temple for me and I will dwell among my people. You can come to the temple to worship me, and I will bless you with my presence and many other blessings.”

But eventually, the Israelites fell into idol worship and fell away from God and lost their freedom in the Word of God. In New Testament terms, from a Christian perspective, when you lose your freedom in the gospel, you become a slave of sin. You become a fallen, degraded, perverted, prodigal son. You fall away from the freedom in Christ Jesus, and then you can no longer maintain the outward presence and manifestation of God, which is the New Jerusalem, the temple of God.

So the experience of Joseph represents the freedom within, and the experience of Benjamin represents the freedom without.

The Illustration of EuropeI use the illustration of Europe. Europe was almost fully Christianized. Most of those countries were Christian countries. On the outside, they had the freedom to worship, the freedom to assemble, and the forms of Christian nations. But when the people of Europe lost the essence of the gospel as well as the freedom within through the gospel and the knowledge of the Word of God; eventually they could not maintain the outward appearance of worship, the freedom of worship, and the outward presence of God.

This is not something that only happened to Israel. God allowed Nebuchadnezzar and the Romans to destroy the temple. Of course, God treasured His temple, loved His tabernacle, and loved His presence among His people. In the book of Ezekiel, God showed Ezekiel a vision of His temple, and there were corrupted things within it. And then in that very vision, Ezekiel saw the glory and presence of God depart from the temple. When you cannot maintain the freedom of the gospel and the Word of God within you; when you no longer walk in the freedom that comes from following the law of God; God will not maintain a religious structure on the outside just to make you look good. God would rather abandon a religious institution where there is no longer any presence or movement of the Holy Spirit.

God would rather allow your outward religious freedom and freedom of worship to be destroyed, because you have already lost your freedom within. If you cannot maintain Jerusalem in your heart, the presence of God in your heart, you cannot keep Jerusalem on the outside. I am using figurative language here, an illustration. And I am not only drawing from European history, I am drawing from American history as well, especially the last fifty years.

America’s Fifty Years of Spiritual DeclineWe all know the degradation of faith in America and how it has affected the political realm and the morality of society. I have heard people quote the founder Adams, that the Constitution was written on paper, and it was based on a moral people, and a moral people was based on religion. In other words, if we are going to keep the Constitution and live by the principles of the Bible that are built into it, we must have a moral people. When the morality of the American people falls below a certain standard, you can no longer truly follow the Constitution.

I have also heard from Christian scholars on the right that when Jefferson wrote his famous letter about the separation of church and state, he was writing to a Baptist church. He was saying that America would not allow a state-sponsored church, referring to the largest denomination at the time, the United Methodist Church. I want to be clear; I am not an American expert, so please look this up yourself. I am only using this as an illustration. Jefferson was saying the state should not set up a state Christian denomination or a state religion, as the European nations had done. The early settlers had fled persecution from the Catholic church and later from state churches. That is what Jefferson was addressing. But over time, that meaning was twisted to mean that the church cannot have any influence in society, politics, or public affairs.

We have seen the result. Starting in the 1940s and 1950s, with the removal of the Bible from schools and the banning of public prayer, there came a steady degradation of faith in America, a decrease in the Christian population as a proportion of society, and a decline in moral standards.

Religious Freedom Under ThreatEventually America reached a point where the freedom of worship and religion came under real threat. A Christian couple who owned a cake shop could be sued and face prison simply for not cooperating in making a cake for a homosexual wedding. They were exercising their religious freedom and acting according to their conscience, but the law was twisted to frame it as discrimination. Christians found themselves unable to pray publicly at football games or in stadiums. You face genuine persecution and the danger of losing your religious freedom.

But because a significant portion of Americans are still Bible-believing Christians, not a majority necessarily, but a large number of patriots who believe the Word of God; they have fought back.

Every wise Christian leader knows this is only a temporary window. If there is no revival to turn the tide of spiritual decline in America; if the morality of the nation is not truly changed, the political effort will not last. Without a revival coming to America, you will still eventually lose ground. Because, as I said before, if you do not maintain the freedom within, through the knowledge of God and the gospel, you will lose your freedom without. That is certain. I am giving you the example of Europe, the example of America, and I could give more examples from China, Muslim countries, Venezuela, and other parts of the developing world.

Why Dictatorships Exist: William Penn’s PrincipleWhy do we have dictatorships in China and in so many Muslim countries? I am quoting William Penn’s famous words: if you don’t serve God, you will serve Pharaoh. You will serve a dictatorship. The very reason we have dictatorships in China and so many other countries is because the majority of the people there have not heard the gospel, do not know God, do not have the life of Jesus Christ, and do not have freedom within. That is why they cannot have freedom without. If you look at Christian countries, especially America; why do they have freedom? It is because they have the freedom within. God allows them the experiment of self-governance, because He trusts that, to a degree, they know the Word of God, they know His law, and they will choose good over evil. That is a sign of maturity. America, as part of the body of Christ, is one of the most mature expressions of the body of Christ in the world.

Not only in numbers, with around 67 to 70 percent of the population identifying as Christian in America, compared to only about 6 percent in China, but also in terms of that tradition of faith shaping a people capable of self-governance. Let us set aside the question of quality for a moment and just talk about quantity. If 50 to 70 percent of the population in Iran or any Muslim country were Christians, it would be very difficult for a dictatorship to remain. God would not allow it. The law God has set in the earth would not allow it. If 50 percent of the Chinese population were Christians, I do not believe the dictatorship could last. The very reason people live under darkness and dictatorship is that they do not have freedom in their hearts.

I am Chinese. I know this firsthand. A great many Chinese people have very dark hearts, no morality, no faith. I was once a non-believer myself. I grew up in China. I came to faith after coming to America. I experienced the transforming power of the gospel. I experienced transformation through learning and living in America. I am gaining freedom from my sin and my past. I am gaining freedom of worship outwardly. By coming to America, I not only received the freedom within through the gospel, but I also live in a free nation with religious freedom and freedom of worship, as if I am living in Jerusalem with the temple, and I can still go into the holy temple to worship God. That is two sides of one coin. One side is the experience of Joseph: freedom within. The other side is the experience of Benjamin: a dwelling place of God on earth, freedom of worship expressed outwardly.

But if you cannot maintain your experience of Joseph, the freedom within, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, eventually you will lose the outward manifestation of God’s presence, which is Jerusalem, the holy temple. Throughout the history of Israel, the holy temple was destroyed many times. God allowed it. Jesus Himself said, “Do not talk about this temple; the day is coming when it will be taken away, destroyed, without a single stone left upon another.” Why? Because God will not allow an outward religious appearance to exist without the substance of worship in spirit and in truth, with a repentant heart, a lowly heart, and a humble spirit. God would rather destroy the outward form. God would rather allow European countries to fall into the hands of Muslims. Why? Because they have already lost God in their hearts.

The Never-Changing Principle of God’s DealingsSo, you will be ruled by a dictator or by foreign people. This is the never-changing principle by which God has dealt with the Israelites. If they fall into sin and turn away from worship, God allows other nations to conquer them, chastise them, and bring them low. Then when they call on God in repentance, He saves them. Then they fall into sin again. It is a repeating cycle, and it is the same principle God uses to deal with every nation today.

If a European nation was once a Christian nation that loved God, God blessed them with the manifestation of His presence, with the temple, with freedom, with blessing. But once they lost their internal freedom, God would no longer maintain their freedom without. This is the same principle by which God is dealing with America today. It is the same principle by which He deals with China and Muslim countries. You must have freedom within your heart before you can receive freedom in the land where you live. If you do not maintain the freedom in your heart, you will lose the freedom of your land.

So in America today, we cannot only fight in the political realm. I commend and thank God for what He is doing through this administration and through many Christian leaders in this movement. It is definitely from God. If we cannot bring in revival during this window, we may fall back under a form of dictatorship, because we did not maintain the freedom within our hearts. We did not help American Christians to live free from sin and compromise. We did not transform the trend of spiritual degradation or raise the moral level of society. And it is only when that moral and spiritual foundation is solid that the political system the American founders established can truly function within a sphere of religious freedom, morality, and political liberty.

We Have a Window for Revival — But Not Much TimeWe must use this window. We do not have unlimited time to bring revival to America. To do that, we have to help many Christians to live overcoming lives by actually overcoming their sins. So many Christians in America are still living in open sin. If we can deal with this, the church will experience tremendous spiritual growth and be given tremendous power. There are so many American Christians, including Christian leaders, living in open or hidden sin. If we can address this, then surely revival can come.

This is why I am so burdened to share about the experience of Joseph. How can you experience the life of Joseph? How can you experience God’s dealings through discipline and chastening, and then produce the fruit of righteousness? Hebrews 12 talks about why God the Father disciplines us. Just as an earthly father disciplines his children for their good, the heavenly Father disciplines us so that we can become partakers of His holiness. The Apostle Peter also says: do not be surprised if you experience suffering, because God will test your faith through difficulty so that your faith can become more precious than gold refined by fire. And you will be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. The writer of Hebrews tells us that God disciplines us so that we can become partakers of His holiness.

The church in America is lacking holiness, and that lack of holiness causes us to lack power, not only the outward power gifts, but the inward authority to reign in life, to stand against the enemy, and to put Satan, scorpions, and snakes under our feet. The church lacks holiness and purity. That is why we lack power. And when the church lacks power, the city remains in darkness.

A Personal Testimony: Leaving the Land of CaptivityI shared about my experience in the local church movement in another broadcast. God used that movement to train me for thirteen years. Then God spoke to me to leave. I could not understand it. I did not know where I was going. Why would God ask me to leave a place where people loved me and where I felt safe? I was full of insecurity. But during that time I was reading about the experience of Jacob, and the Holy Spirit illuminated something I had never noticed before: God only spoke to Jacob and told him to leave the land of Padan Aram, the land where his uncle Laban lived, the land of idol worship, after Joseph was born.

If you read Genesis carefully, when Joseph was born, God spoke to Jacob: it is time to go. But why? Why not after Benjamin? Why not after Reuben or any of the other sons of Jacob? Because Joseph’s life represents a life of peace, a prince of peace through suffering. When you have the life of Joseph within you, you cannot stay in the land of captivity. Let me say that again. If the majority of people in China were Christians, they would not tolerate a dictatorship. If the majority of people in Muslim countries knew Jesus Christ, they would not tolerate the false religion of Islam. When Jacob had the life of Joseph. which represents righteousness through suffering, the fruit of peace through God’s chastening, the very thing Hebrews 12 describes, captivity was no longer appropriate for him.

Hebrews 12 is clear: when God disciplines you, it does not feel joyful but sorrowful. But those who endure this chastisement will produce the fruit of righteousness. During my own seasons of suffering, I always returned to this verse. I knew God was dealing with me so that I could produce that fruit within me. I also thought of Paul’s words in Romans: the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. When you have the peace of God, when you have become, through suffering, this prince of peace, when you experience the fruit of peace and righteousness that the life of Joseph produces, you will reign even in captivity. You will reign right there in Egypt.

Then God will not allow you to stay in captivity any longer, because you have achieved your internal freedom. He will surely give you freedom of worship and freedom in the land. The freedom in the heart leads to freedom in the land. When Jacob experienced the birth of Joseph, God said: no more. That season of captivity is finished. I used Laban and your two wives to humble you. Now you have matured enough to produce Joseph. Go back to the promised land where Jerusalem waits, where Benjamin waits, where the life of Benjamin is waiting for you.

In that moment, as I was wrestling with why God had led me to leave my denomination to begin studying in Pentecostal circles, people in my evangelical world did not understand and people I was close to rejected me. It was very painful, but I received the light from God through Jacob’s story. God only asked Jacob to leave the land of captivity when Joseph was born. And I understood: God was beginning to produce Joseph in me. He was training me through suffering so that, at a certain stage, I would have the fruit of righteousness through suffering.

The Life of Joseph: Suffering and BlessingThe life of Joseph is a life of both suffering and God’s blessing. Yes, God blessed him. Jacob loved him and gave him a coat of many colors. But his life was full of suffering. His brothers hated him, wanted to kill him, threw him into a pit, and then sold him to the Ishmaelites. The Ishmaelites were the very people who had taunted and laughed at Isaac, those born of the flesh, not of promise. And yet God mentioned in Isaiah 19 that even Ishmael was His tool. God uses everything, even the cruelty of enemies, to work for the good of those who love Him. Joseph loved God. God used the Ishmaelites to bring him to Egypt.

That was not a pleasant journey. Some accounts suggest Joseph was bound in chains, walking or being led by camel all the way from the promised land to the land of captivity, Egypt. I do not think the Ishmaelites were letting him ride comfortably on a camel. His hands were probably tied. What a picture. And yet God had given him dreams and visions of becoming a ruler of the world. He had to go through suffering to reach his destiny. He was brought to Egypt, put into the household of Potiphar, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, thrown into prison, and the Word of the Lord tested him until God’s timing was fulfilled.

When we do not have freedom within our hearts, we eventually lose the freedom in our land. Joseph, in one sense, was not someone who had lost his internal freedom, and yet even he had to walk through the process of becoming. His brothers, on the other hand, had completely lost freedom in their hearts. They were full of hatred and jealousy. They wanted to kill Joseph. Sometimes we suffer not from our own direct sins, but from the consequences of others’ sins surrounding us. Even Joseph, who lived a righteous life, still had to learn to receive the fruit of righteousness through suffering.

Hebrews 12 even makes this point about Jesus: even the Son of God had to learn obedience through what He suffered and was made perfect through it. If Jesus walked that path, then certainly we need to walk it as well. Joseph’s suffering is directly tied to the revelation of Hebrews 12: through suffering, we become partakers of His holiness. Do not think Joseph was simply better than his brothers. We are all fallen human beings. We all need God’s suffering and discipline to carve His righteousness, His nature, and His fruit into our hearts. We have to allow this process.

I think Joseph may have struggled with pride at certain points, perhaps because of the special, partial treatment of his father. Maybe he was proud. I do not know all of Joseph’s sins. But God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Suffering can bring us into humility. I have experienced a great deal of suffering myself, and it has humbled me, though I am still proud. We are all proud. But through this process, Joseph received the fruit of righteousness.

Joseph Receives His Freedom: Salvation Comes to the House of IsraelAs the book of Hebrews says, no discipline is joyful at the time but feels sorrowful. Yet those who have been trained by it will receive the fruit of righteousness. When God’s time was right, that fruit had fully ripened in Joseph. Joseph received freedom in his heart. He was not full of hatred. Even when Jacob died and his brothers feared that Joseph would finally take revenge, Joseph said: no. I will take care of you. You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many lives, to save you from famine, extinction, to preserve the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and to preserve the line of Judah, through whom one day the seed of righteousness, Jesus Christ, would become the Savior of the world. That was God’s plan. Joseph had come to see it. He knew God had a bigger plan, and his heart was free from bitterness.

When Joseph received that freedom in his heart, salvation came to the whole house of Israel. His brothers were saved. Judah was saved. The genealogy through which Jesus Christ would one day be born was preserved. The mingling of divinity and humanity in the person of Jesus Christ was made possible. The seed of Abraham, which would bring blessing to all nations including the Gentiles, was protected. That is God’s plan. God saved the world through Joseph.

Joseph Reigning in Life Even in CaptivityComing back to our main topic: Joseph represents the life of reigning in captivity. Yes, he was in captivity in Egypt. The Israelites were in Egypt. But because Joseph was there, living as a testimony to God, they had freedom without. When Joseph was alive, the Israelites were not treated as slaves. They were treated as honored guests. But when the freedom of the gospel, represented by the life of Joseph, was gone, when Joseph died and a new Pharaoh rose who did not know Joseph, then the Israelites lost their freedom and became slaves. The Israelites were not slaves the entire time they were in Egypt. They became slaves when Joseph was no longer recognized. The new king no longer knew the life, the testimony or the story of Joseph.

When you do not know Joseph or his story, or don’t follow the type of Christ that Joseph represents, you do not have freedom in the land. The Pharaoh, the dictator spirit, rises up, instigated by Satan, and persecutes the people of God. You lose your freedom in the land. So today, our fight in China, in Muslim countries, is a fight for the gospel. We fight especially for the Chinese elites. Some have received the gospel, but the majority of Chinese elites do not want the gospel. They want political and religious freedom, which they will never truly have without first having freedom within their hearts.

Prophetic Dreams: China, North Korea, and the NationsBut in a prophetic dream, God showed me something. God brought me into the future. I saw a great tent. Inside this tent were Chinese Communist Party officials and social elites. They were celebrating having received the life of Jesus Christ. It was like the scene when Matthew the tax collector received the Lord and threw a feast, inviting all his tax collector friends. I was led by the Holy Spirit to walk through this great tent and I saw the Chinese social elites, the Communist Party officials, celebrating receiving the life of Christ. The message God was showing me was clear: one day, many leaders, social elites, and political elites in China will receive the gospel. That will help transform Chinese society.

God is encouraging me to preach the gospel to Chinese social elites, which I have done over the past few years through a political movement. That movement encountered difficulties because many people still have hardened hearts toward the gospel. But God showed me clearly that through the gospel and transforming work of the gospel among Chinese social elites; there will eventually come political transformation in China, religious freedom, and a great revival. This has been shown to me clearly through multiple visions and dreams.

We also pray for Muslim countries, the 10-40 window. We pray the gospel can be preached and that revival will transform people’s hearts, which will then change the freedom in those lands. I also want to say something about what America did in Venezuela. If you remove a dictatorship, you also free people. Perhaps the revival will come to Venezuela. I hope so. I pray for it. God is working. It is not coincidence that God is removing dictatorships one by one.

This was also shown to me through another prophetic dream. I was taken into the future, to a North Korean embassy in America. In the dream, the embassy of North Korea in the United States stood right next to the embassy of South Korea. North and South Korea were united. I met the Lord there. A North Korean military man came to the Lord and apologized: “Sorry, we were delayed.” I don’t know exactly what this means or when it will happen, whether there will be a political coup in North Korea. But God showed me He is working there. He showed me a revival is coming to North Korea. I pray for the suffering believers in North Korea. I pray for a massive revival and transformation in the hearts and minds of the North Korean people through the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We pray for all nations suffering under dictatorship to receive freedom in Jesus Christ, so they can receive freedom in their land. I pray for America, that revival will come, that hidden sins will be overcome, that purity and holiness will return to the church, and that Christians will receive even greater freedom in their hearts according to the full measure of the gospel they already know. Then we can see far greater political transformation and secure political and religious freedom in this land. We also need to pray for Europe, that revival will return among European people, that they will receive the freedom in their hearts again, and that they will regain the freedom of their land.

That is the experience of Joseph versus the experience of Benjamin. Benjamin represents the ability to maintain a religious structure, a structure of freedom of worship, Jerusalem and the temple. But you must couple that with the experience of Joseph: reigning in life through suffering, having the intrinsic, inward freedom of God through the gospel. You cannot maintain the freedom in the land if you lose the freedom in your heart.

A Foretaste of Moses’ Blessing: Enlarge Your TentI will come back to the prophetic blessing of Moses in detail next time, but I want to give you a foretaste now. Moses’ blessing to Joseph speaks of enlarging his territory. When you experience the life of Joseph, you experience the enlargement of your tent, the enlargement of your dwelling place, the enlargement of the temple within you. Like Jabez of old, who prayed: “Enlarge my territory and bless whatever my hand does” and God, Jehovah, heard his prayer. When we experience the life of Joseph, we experience the enlargement of our tent.

So, in Moses’ blessing, Joseph receives the blessing of the heavens, the sun, the moon, the earth and everything in it. And he becomes a tool to reach the nations, discipline the nations, and chastise the nations.

Basically, it is a prophetic picture of the church in Philadelphia receiving the iron rod to rule over the nations. That is the calling of America today. That is the calling of Christian nations in this hour. We have to enlarge our tent. We have to enlarge our dwelling place, our temple, the tabernacle of God among us. When you experience the life of Joseph, you experience the enlargement of the kingdom of God within you and through you, and you can access all the blessings of heaven, sun, moon, and earth. According to the book of Ephesians, God the Father has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing through Jesus Christ. But why do we not have the authority to rule over nations? Why can we not cast out demons? Because we do not yet have the full reality of the kingdom of God through the expansion of the tabernacle within us, through the life of God in Christ Jesus within us. We are not yet living in the full territory God has promised.

Israel actually has a much larger territory promised to it than it currently possesses, but it cannot rule over that territory because the life, maturity, and power of God’s people is not yet mature enough for God to entrust that authority to them. The life of Joseph is the expansion of the kingdom of God within you through the enlargement of the tent, through the enlargement of the dwelling place of God within you. You have the reality of the kingdom of God within you. Just as Jesus told His disciples: when I cast out demons by the power of the Spirit, the kingdom of God has come upon you. Do not say the kingdom is here or there.

The kingdom is within you. The kingdom of God will expand through you. You may not have yet fully experienced the life of Joseph because you are still living in sin. Whether open or hidden, because you have not yet overcome, God’s kingdom cannot fully expand on this earth through you. God is doing this through you, but He must first expand within you.

This is why I am burdened to help Christians mature in their life of faith, so that you can become Joseph in your spiritual experience. You become a conduit, a channel, a tool through which God expands His kingdom, saving people through you, helping churches through you, helping society through you, transforming this world through you. For God to transform the society of America, or whatever country you are in, He has to expand within you first. You become Joseph in your spiritual experience, and then you become Benjamin, a dwelling place of God, His presence radiating outward through your life.

A Call and a Closing PrayerNext time I will spend more time in the detailed prophecies of Moses toward Joseph, comparing them with the prophecy of Jacob to Joseph, and will show how God revealed to me that America is called to be Joseph today, to be used as the iron rod, as Aaron’s rod, to rule over the nations if we cooperate with God.

I’ve enjoyed this time with you today. I hope you have received something. I want to say humbly that we do not have a large audience or a big platform. But I am sure we have the presence of the Holy Spirit, and that is what matters. If you have found this encouraging, whether you stumbled on this by chance or have been following along, I ask for your help: share it, repost it, leave a comment. I also invite you to go to Google Maps, search for Jairus Bible Word Ministry, and leave us a review. That helps other people find these teachings. Most people, when they see a Chinese face, think: what can a Chinese person teach us about the Bible? But God has raised me up for this hour. I believe that. We have to break through that first layer of prejudice to get the Word of God out.

I will see you tomorrow, Lord willing. God bless you. I pray that you will have the life of freedom within, that you will overcome everything that is still holding you under the influence of the enemy’s power. Reach out and take it. I pray God gives you the strength to overcome sin through suffering, to gain the fruit of righteousness in your life, so that God can expand His kingdom in you and through you. And peace be with you. Amen.

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Bible Study with JairusDeuteronomy 33: Moses’ Prophecies to the Twelve Tribes -Joseph: Enlarge Your Tent and KingdomAmerica as Joseph: The Horn of the Wild OxWelcome to Bible Study with Jairus. We are going to continue our study of Deuteronomy 33, looking at the experience of Joseph and its application to Christians today, and also to nations, especially America. How can the experience of Joseph give us insight into what it means to represent God, to be the horn of the wild ox, to resist and chastise the nations? America should be like Joseph, used by God to represent Him and to maintain His justice in the world.

You may agree or disagree, but this is the reality: America is the strongest country in the world. Many people, even on the right, do not want America to be the world’s police. They want to focus on their own affairs. But the truth is, everyone knows America is the policeman of the world. That is the calling that comes with being the greatest nation on earth. That is the calling of God. You have to maintain justice in the world, because if you do not, the world falls into chaos.

If you do not maintain power, like the horn of a wild ox as Moses prophesied over Joseph and as Jacob blessed Joseph, you lose your authority. That authority is the iron rod that Jesus prophesied about in His letters to the seven churches. If the church overcomes, it will receive the iron rod to rule over the nations. That is the calling of the church. That is the calling of man, as established in Genesis 1:26 and as David revealed in Psalm 8: man is created a little lower than the angels, but God gave him authority to rule over the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and every crawling thing on earth. Eventually, we will crush Satan under our feet. We will have the victory.

Opening PrayerI know God has not yet given me a large platform, but let us learn to be faithful in the small things. I am very grateful for the listeners we have across various platforms. It is like a congregation. I appreciate you tuning in to listen to a Chinese man speaking in a non-native accent. We invite the presence of the Holy Spirit. We invite the help of God to be with us, to enter into the richness of the Word of God, so we can experience its transformation.

Dear Father God, we come boldly to Your throne of grace through the blood of Jesus Christ. We thank You for Jesus, for His blood, His sacrifice, and His finished work on the cross, which allows us to come boldly into Your presence. We are seated together with Christ at the right hand of God. We are His body and His members. We consecrate our physical bodies, our minds, our emotions and wills, our tongues and hearts to You as righteous instruments to bring You glory. We consecrate our whole being to You, that You would fill us with Your glory, with the life of Jesus Christ, with the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. That anointing breaks every rope and every yoke. We pray that in the power of the Holy Spirit, You would bring us into the experience of Joseph and help us to become overcomers. Then we can gain the authority You prophesied to Joseph, the horn of the wild ox, to gore and rule over the nations in the life of Jesus Christ. We humbly ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit to help us and teach us in this hour. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Experience of Joseph and the Experience of BenjaminLet’s get into the experience of Joseph. I have been sharing this over and over, and I need to share it again, because the experience of Joseph represents the freedom of the heart, the freedom within you. The experience of Benjamin represents the freedom of worship, freedom of religion, and freedom in the land. If you do not have freedom in your heart, you cannot maintain freedom in the land.

Let’s look at the example of Europe again. Europe was once almost entirely Christianized. But when the people of Europe lost the gospel and lost the freedom of the gospel in their hearts, in their knowledge of God and His Word, they eventually lost the freedom of worship in their land. We saw it plainly during the Paris Olympics, when France openly mocked Christ and taunted the Last Supper. That was certainly from an evil spirit. And that is why you see nations like England and other European countries becoming increasingly Islamized. When you lose your freedom in the heart through the knowledge of Jesus Christ, you lose your freedom in the land.

This is the principle God set in the Old Testament as well. When the Israelites lost their freedom in their hearts and turned to idol worship, they forgot the law of God. And eventually they lost their freedom in the land. Their land was taken, they were carried away as captives, and their temples and priesthood were destroyed. God would rather see the outward religious structure destroyed than allow it to remain as an empty shell. Whether through Nebuchadnezzar or through the Roman armies, God destroyed His own temple again and again. That is the life of Benjamin; Benjamin represents Jerusalem, because Jerusalem is in the land of Benjamin.

Moses’ prophetic blessing to Benjamin represents the freedom in the land. When you have Benjamin, you have freedom in the land. When you have Joseph, you have freedom in the heart. And when you do not have freedom in the heart, you cannot maintain your freedom in the land.

William Penn’s Principle: If You Don’t Serve God, You Serve PharaohI also quoted what William Penn said, the founder of Pennsylvania: when you do not serve God, you serve Pharaoh. That is why the Chinese people have a dictatorship. That is why Venezuela has a dictatorship. That is why Muslim countries have dictatorships. The majority of their people do not have freedom in the gospel and in their hearts. And without freedom within, they cannot have freedom without.

If you do not have the freedom of the gospel in your heart, you will do worse things. Even the dictatorship, in a certain sense, is used by God to control and chastise a people. For example, in China, if you are caught dealing drugs, you face the death penalty immediately. China suffered deeply from the opium wars and the drug crisis brought by outside forces, and they have a fierce hatred of drugs as a result. Anyone caught dealing drugs, whether foreigner or Chinese, is dealt with immediately. I am not commenting on whether that is humane. My point is that even a dictator can be used by God to enforce a certain measure of justice over a people whose hearts are deeply corrupt.

I can say from my own experience that many people in China have very dark hearts. Sometimes we even joke in Chinese that we cannot live without the Communist Party, and there is some painful truth to that joke, because the hearts of human beings are so corrupt, sometimes it takes a harsh ruler to keep people from doing even worse things. I am not saying there is no hope for the Chinese. There absolutely is hope. But this is the reality of a people without the freedom of the gospel in their hearts.

This was true in the history of Israel as well. The Israelites rejected God and rejected Samuel. They did not want God to rule over them directly. They said: give us a king like the other nations. Samuel was grieved, but God said to him: they are not rejecting you; they are rejecting me. They do not want me to rule over them. But I will warn them: a king will take their sons and daughters, will tax them, and will give them a hard time. The Israelites said: we do not care; we want a king anyway. That is the biblical proof of what William Penn said. If you do not serve God, you will serve Pharaoh. If you reject God as your king, you will get a dictator instead. The best outcome, of course, is a king who is after God’s heart, like David. That is the principle.

So, you must have freedom in your heart to maintain freedom in the land. Why do the Chinese people not have freedom? Because the majority of Chinese people do not have the freedom of the gospel in their hearts. God cannot entrust freedom to people who will use it to destroy themselves and others. But because the knowledge of the gospel has been more prevalent in America, God gave America the opportunity to experiment with self-governance, a right to govern themselves that is almost unique in human history. Every other civilization has had a king, a dictator, or a ruler. America has this freedom because enough of its people have the law of God written in their hearts and have the maturity to choose good over evil.

Jacob, Joseph, and the Journey Out of CaptivityI mentioned my own experience last time and how it parallels Jacob’s experience when I left my previous denomination. God was leading me through a period of trial into a new stage. And I shared that you have to have the life of Joseph within you in order to leave certain seasons of captivity. When Jacob was in the land of his uncle Laban, Laban was a kind of Pharaoh to him in a small but real sense. Jacob was a slave to Laban in a certain way. When you do not have the life of Joseph in you, you are a slave. But when you produce the life of Joseph, you become liberated.

That is why I noticed that God only spoke to Jacob after Joseph was born and told him it was time to leave. The life of Joseph represents a life of suffering that produces a partaker of God’s holiness, an overcomer, a co-king with Christ and ruler on the earth. That is what it represents. And when the Israelites were in Egypt under Joseph’s authority, they were not slaves. They were honored guests of Pharaoh, friends of Joseph. When the land recognized the life and ruling authority of Joseph, the land was free and the Israelites were free.

But when the land no longer recognized the life of Joseph. When a new Pharaoh rose who did not know Joseph, the freedom of worship in Egypt was lost. The entire book of Exodus exists to record Moses going to Pharaoh and saying: let my people go, so they can journey three days into the wilderness to worship God. They lost the freedom of worship in the land of Egypt because the land no longer recognized the life of Joseph. When you lose the life of Joseph, which is the overcoming life in Christ, the life of a co-king who overcomes the world, the flesh, and sin, you will lose your freedom in the land, your freedom of worship, your freedom in the political realm, your freedom in everything.

America was headed down that same path. But we are fighting to save America today. We are trying to use the window God has given us to bring revival to America, to bring the freedom of the gospel into many more hearts, and to keep the freedom of worship in this land. And then we need America to gore the nations like the horn of the wild ox, to gore Venezuela, China, Russia, and all the dictatorships, so that the gospel can be preached among the nations and worldwide revival can come. This is what is happening now. This is what God is doing through America, through this administration, through the political changes in this country, and even through saving Trump from an assassin’s bullet. God is preparing Joseph in America spiritually, to gore the nations so the gospel can go out and bring in a worldwide revival.

The Bones of Joseph: Hope for America and EuropeIf you do not recognize the life of Joseph, you will lose the freedom in the land. But even though the land of Egypt lost its freedom of worship, Joseph’s bones were still there. Joseph knew this would happen. He told his descendants: you must promise me to carry my bones out of Egypt into the promised land, to the cave of Machpelah where my forefathers are buried, where God appeared to Abraham under the oak tree. I must go there with my remains. Bones represent resurrection, because not a single bone of Jesus Christ was broken. When Ezekiel prophesied over the dry bones, they came alive and became a great army for God. When a dead man’s body was thrown into Elisha’s tomb and touched his bones, the man was resurrected.

I am full of hope for America. I am full of hope for Europe. I spent a year studying in London and received the gospel in England, and I carry a burden for revival in Europe. I know Europe has been declining. I know America has been declining. But the bone is still there. The prayers of the forefathers who dedicated Europe and America to the one true God are still there. Their consecration is still there. The life of Joseph is still hidden in the bone. You have to bring the bone of Joseph, the resurrection life of Jesus Christ, into the wilderness journey so you can worship God freely again. That is the whole point of Exodus: to bring the bones of Joseph, the resurrection life of Christ, into a new wilderness journey, so the people of God can regain their freedom of worship and their freedom in the land.

Today, we have to fight in America to bring revival, to bring the resurrection life back to people’s lives, so that Christians can overcome sin. That is the most basic thing. So many American Christians are living in open or hidden sin. Let us not even talk about hidden sin; so many are living in open sin. But we can overcome sin through the life of Christ. We are more than conquerors through Him. The resurrection bone is there. We have to resurrect the bone of Joseph, the resurrection life of Jesus Christ. It is in our spirit. We have to come out of whatever land of captivity is holding us, whether it is sin entangling us, or the world pulling us down, as mentioned in Hebrews 12.

We must walk this journey according to the example of that great cloud of witnesses described in Hebrews 11. We must become partakers of His holiness, as Hebrews 12 calls us to be. Hebrews 11 gives us the testimony of those who have gone before. Hebrews 12 tells us to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles, and to run with endurance the race set before us. It tells us that God the Father disciplines us, just as an earthly father disciplines his children, so that we can become partakers of His holiness. When God is disciplining us, it does not feel joyful; it feels sorrowful. But those who go through this exercise will receive the fruit of righteousness.

Joseph represents that very life, the fruit of righteousness through suffering, by becoming a partaker of God’s holiness. The apostle Peter says the same: do not be surprised if you experience trials and troubles, because God will test your faith, and your faith will emerge more pure than gold refined in fire. And you will be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. The apostle Paul also says: through many sufferings and trials we enter into the kingdom of God. If you want to experience the life of Joseph, the life that becomes co-king with Christ and represents God to rule over the nations with the horns of the wild ox, you have to become a partaker of God’s holiness through suffering.

No one in America wants to talk about suffering. People want to hear about the gospel of financial blessing and prosperity. But you cannot gain holiness without suffering. This is clearly taught throughout the Bible. We have the life of Christ. We have the bones of Joseph buried across America and Europe. I have visited the tombs of saints, the overcomers of past generations. Their testimony, the resurrection life of Jesus Christ working through them. It is all still there. But we have to resurrect it. We have to bring the bones of Joseph back into our wilderness journey through our three-day struggle to worship God, and regain the freedom in the land by first regaining the freedom in our hearts. We must overcome sin. We must overcome the world. We must overcome our enemy.

The Pattern of the Judges: A Constant CycleThe very reason I keep coming back to this, and the very reason we cannot overcome our enemy spiritually or politically, is that we have not yet overcome our sin spiritually. God showed me this clearly: Jacob could only get out from under his Pharaoh, his uncle Laban, after the birth of Joseph. And the Israelites could only be saved from famine and from the enemy’s schemes to destroy them when Joseph ruled over Egypt. The Israelites were honored guests only as long as the life and story of Joseph was recognized. When it was no longer recognized, they lost their freedom and their freedom of worship.

This is a constant cycle, just like the book of Judges. The people worship idols, God disciplines them and raises up a foreign nation to chastise them. Then the Israelites repent and cry out for help, and God raises up a judge to deliver them. Then they fall into idol worship again, and God delivers them to the enemy again. Then they repent and cry out again, and God raises another judge. The entire book of Judges describes this same repeating cycle.

This principle is the same today. Trump is a judge in this hour. God is using him. He is not perfect. Samson was not perfect. David was not perfect. God is using a judge in this hour to deliver His people from oppression. The judge is not God. But if we do not take this window of opportunity to bring in revival in America, if the people of God fall back into spiritual idolatry, God will surely deliver us to the hands of the enemy again. That enemy could be the Democrats, it could be an influx of ideology, it could be Islam, it could be communism, it could be anyone. The problem is always in our own hearts: will we worship the idol or not?

The Ministry of Moses: Resurrecting the Life of JosephGod showed me that Jacob experienced deliverance after the birth of Joseph. And Joseph brought emancipation and deliverance to God’s people. Even the bones of Joseph, carried out by Moses, eventually resurrected the people’s previous experience of freedom of worship. In other words, the ministry of Moses was to resurrect and reproduce the ministry of Joseph. Joseph had died, but his bones were still alive. Moses was called by God to resurrect the experience of the people of God for a new generation. That is what revival is. We need revival because we have lost our influence in the land. The ministry of Moses was to resurrect the ministry of Joseph and carry the bones forward, because the bones represent the resurrection life of Jesus Christ. Not a single bone of Christ can be broken. He will always resurrect.

We fail. We fall. But God will use His resurrection life in Jesus Christ to empower us, to bring us out of captivity, and to restore our freedom of worship in the world. So with that background, let us quickly look at what Moses blessed Joseph with. Deuteronomy 33, verses 13 through 17, can be organized into four sections: first, the blessing of heaven; second, the blessing on and in the earth; third, the blessing of God who dwells in the burning bush; and fourth, receiving the horn of the wild ox, which is the authority from God to gore and rule over the nations. These are the four structures of Moses’ prophecy and blessing to Joseph. Let me read the Word of God and walk through it, because the Word speaks for itself.

Moses’ Blessing to Joseph: The Four StructuresFirst, Moses speaks to Joseph: “Blessed by the Lord be his land, with the choicest gifts of heaven above.” Heaven, heaven, heaven. Because the tent and the kingdom, the experience of Joseph, was enlarged to connect heaven and earth. His blessing reaches beyond heaven, into eternity. So he can, in spirit, become a co-king with Christ. He can apply all the riches God has blessed us with in Jesus Christ, as Paul describes in Ephesians: God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. But why can we not take hold of those blessings, use them, and apply them? Because our kingdom, our territory, our tent has not yet been enlarged enough to reach both heaven and earth. The blessing of Joseph reaches to heaven.

Moses continues: “And with the deep that crouches beneath, with the choicest fruits of the sun and the rich yield of the months, with the finest produce of the ancient mountains and the abundance of the everlasting hills, with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favor of him who dwells in the burning bush.” His blessing reaches the everlasting hills near Jerusalem, not only on this earth but in heaven, beyond time and space. Then Moses says: “May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers. He is like a firstborn bull; he has majesty, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he shall gore the peoples, all of them, to the ends of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.”

So Joseph received the blessing from eternity, from the everlasting hills, the third heaven. He received the blessing of the first heaven: the sun, the moon, and the mountains. He received every blessing in the earth, through the earth, and on the earth. He received the blessing as the firstborn and became the prince among his brothers. And he received the horn of the wild ox. He could represent Egypt, represent Pharaoh, or rather represent God, to rule over the entire earth.

America should be doing exactly this. Whether you agree or not, by removing the dictatorship from Venezuela, America may be freeing those people. The gospel may be preached there more boldly. Christians there may be emboldened to share the gospel and bring revival, knowing that this nation, this administration, supports Christians. That is the function of the horn of the wild ox, to gore the nations.

Jacob’s Blessing in Genesis 49: The Same PatternThis structure is very similar to Genesis 49, when Jacob prophesied over Joseph. The same pattern appears. Let me read Jacob’s blessing to Joseph in Genesis 49 beginning at verse 22. “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring. His branches run over the wall.” This is the pictorial language of a person living in the fullness of God’s life, a victorious life that produces abundant fruit for God. But of course, the enemy will attack you. Verse 23 says: “The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely.” Whenever you have a calling in your life, Satan will attack you. You will go through suffering. But the God of Jacob will help you.

Verse 24 begins to describe how God helped Joseph: “Yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob. From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel, by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills.”

Again we see the everlasting hills mentioned. The blessing of Joseph is beyond heaven and earth. The territory, the enlargement of the tent and the kingdom influence of Joseph, reaches beyond heaven and earth. “May they be on the head of Joseph and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.” He is the prince among his brothers. He became the leader. He became the overcomer who represents God and represents the life of Jesus Christ in the New Testament sense, to rule over the nations, because he has the horns of a wild ox.

I have been to Yellowstone Park and seen the horns of the wild bison. And if you have watched wildlife footage from Africa, you know that the horns of a bull can kill a lion. Today, we desperately need America to become a Joseph spiritually, to gore the nations and resist those who are resisting God. We need to pray for America to bring in revival. We need to pray for Christians in America to overcome their sins. If Christians can do this, the maturity and authority God will entrust to the American churches will grow tremendously. We can bring revival and help spread the gospel to other nations around the world.

I know China will experience this, because God has shown me. But we are not there yet. Not because God does not want it. He does. But so many people do not recognize what God is doing and do not cooperate with Him. We need to pray for China to experience transformation. And we need to pray for America not to compromise with China, but to be used by God as the horn of the wild ox to gore China. In some ways we already are, but God may desire much more. He wants to change the heart of China, to bring freedom of worship there, and to bring the body of Christ in China to a higher level of maturity.

And God showed me that when China experiences this great transformation, political change and revival together, it will have a profound effect on countries like North Korea and Japan, bringing Christian revival there. Then that revival will spread westward through Muslim countries and eventually bring revival to Jerusalem. Perhaps God will return at that time. I know it will take a long time, but remember, America: you are called to be Joseph.

A Call to Remember and a Closing PrayerRemember, American Christians: if you are living in sin today, if you have lost the freedom in your heart and the freedom in your land and in your family, remember that the bone of Joseph is still there. We need the resurrection and the ministry of Joseph to bring about a great exodus through the ministry of Moses. Once more: if you do not experience the freedom in your heart, as represented by the life of Joseph, you cannot maintain the freedom in the land, as represented by the life of Benjamin. You will lose your freedom of worship. You will lose your temple and your priesthood. You will lose everything. But we have the seed of the gospel’s work within us. We must overcome. We must bring the people of God out from under the tyranny of every Pharaoh, whether in America, Venezuela, or China, and into the wilderness journey. Three days to worship God freely. To regain the freedom of worship. I pray for revival in all the world. Amen.

Revival is not an event that happens on a campus somewhere. Revival starts from one person, from you, from me. When we repent of our sins and receive the resurrection life of Jesus Christ, we regain our freedom in our hearts. Then we regain our spiritual influence and can draw others into Christ. When everyone in the church is vitalized and resurrected in the life of Jesus Christ, the church will have revival. And then the nation will have revival. It does not work the other way around. Revival does not just fall from the sky. We love the fire of God, but revival starts with you and me, today, from overcoming sin and every weakness, from now onward, reclaiming the life of Christ and recovering what we have lost in previous spiritual battles.

Thank you for tuning in. Please comment, repost, or share it with your friends if you found it encouraging. And please go to Google, search for Jairus Bible Word Ministry, and leave us a review so we can reach more people. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lord willing.

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Deuteronomy 33: Moses' Prophecies to the 12 Tribes

Rejoice, Issachar, in Your TentsRecap: Zebulun and the Ministry of the ApostleWelcome to Bible study with Jairus. We are going to study Deuteronomy 33 again, looking at the blessing and prophecy Moses spoke over Issachar. Yesterday I talked about the experience and application of Zebulun as the apostle, the sent out one. We looked at Zebulun's character, how he grew up, and how his destiny was predestined by God to bring people, both Gentile and Jewish, to God, to bring the worship of justice up to the mountain of God. That was the experience of Zebulun, and how God determined and predestined that Jesus would begin his ministry in the land of Zebulun. This was a people who were looked down on in the earlier days, but God would bring the great light there. That's also how God called Peter from there to become one of the greatest apostles. The way I bring that into the application for a modern Christian experience is this: all of God's work starts with a humble beginning, and God often hides the greatest revival inside a very humble disguise.

Today we are going to talk about the experience of Issachar, and how his character was shaped. We’ll look at how his father saw him as a person of quietness before God, and how that character was used and transformed by God so that he could hear God's voice, know God's timing, and become a prophet for God among his people.

We will look at how the prophet Silas and the apostle Paul worked together to build the foundation of the early Church. This powerful New Testament pairing is actually mirrored in Moses' ancient prophecy concerning Zebulun and Issachar. In this dynamic, Zebulun represents the modern apostle, while Issachar represents the modern prophet.

Together, these ministries work in harmony to bring glory to God. They call people to the holy mountain to offer right sacrifices, fulfilling the patterns hinted at in Moses’ prophecy. By drawing from the abundance of the sea, representing the Gentiles, and the hidden treasures of the sand, representing the Jews, they gather all of God's chosen people into His kingdom. Finally, we will discuss the character of a prophet and how prophetic gifts should function in today's church. By learning to balance the prophetic and apostolic gifts, we can unlock a more powerful working of the ministry of Jesus Christ in this New Testament age.

Opening PrayerDear Heavenly Father, we come to you, to the throne of grace, in the name of Jesus Christ, through his precious blood. We come boldly to the throne of your grace to receive mercy, grace, and timely help. We acknowledge that the Holy Spirit is the same today as in the past. We recognize that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We recognize that the God of eternity is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What you revealed through Moses in the Old Testament is the same in principle as what you revealed to the apostle Paul in the New Testament. We ask for the cleansing of our members, our tongues, our ears, and our hearts. Circumcise our hearts. Apply your precious blood to our ears, and apply the anointing of the Holy Spirit to our ears and our hearts. Remove every veil, and give us a humble heart to listen to you speaking through the Holy Spirit. We humbly ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit to come and teach us, to bring us into the depths of the word of God, into the innermost desire of the heart of God, and into the love of Jesus Christ, which is the church. Let us learn from the Old Testament and the New Testament, from Moses, from Paul, from Jacob, and from Issachar, the lessons you taught them, so that we can better build up the body of Christ today. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, and we give glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Issachar: A Man Who Understood the TimesI already gave a very brief introduction, but I want to repeat it a little, so you have a better understanding. Basically, we are talking about the story of Issachar, who represents the gift of prophecy, because 1 Chronicles 12:32 says Issachar is a people who had an understanding of the times, so that they knew what Israel ought to do, with two hundred chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command. In other words, they knew what to do. That's very important. This verse is often quoted as proof that Issachar was a tribe who understood prophetic timing and the revelation of God. We have prophetic gifts and we have people in the church today who can hear God's voice.

The prophetic gift is often coupled with the gift of apostleship. The two are meant to work closely together, because in Ephesians the apostle Paul mentions the five great gifts Christ gave the church: first apostle, second prophet, then evangelist, pastor, and teacher. Those are the five major gifts in the body of Christ. Among the first two are the gift of apostleship and the gift of prophecy, and they have to work together.

Paul also mentions clearly that the New Testament church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. He was not referring to an Old Testament structure. He was referring to the church, which is, of course, a New Testament reality, not an Old Testament one. The church in the New Testament is built on the foundation of apostle and prophet.

I want to bring in the story of the conflict between Barnabas and the apostle Paul, and also the way the prophet Silas and the apostle Paul worked together, to illustrate how God built the New Testament church on the foundation of apostleship and prophecy. After that, I will come back to Deuteronomy 33:18-19, where Moses’ uses prophesies over Zebulun and Issachar, as types to point to the same spiritual principle: Zebulun is a type of the apostle, and Issachar is a type of the prophet.

Even in the Old Testament, in order to carry out God's work of bringing all peoples from all nations, both Jew and Gentile, up to the mountain of God to offer right sacrifices, you needed Zebulun, who represents the apostle, or even the evangelist, rejoicing in his going out, working together with Issachar, who represents the prophet, rejoicing in his tents. They work together to bring God's people back to God.

Paul, Barnabas, and SilasLet's start with the apostle Paul, Barnabas, and Silas. Why do I bring this up? Many people know the story of the conflict between Barnabas and the apostle Paul. Barnabas is the one who introduced Paul to the disciples, back when Paul experienced his radical transformation. Paul wanted to become friends with, and have fellowship with, the believers and apostles in Jerusalem, but nobody would receive him. Only Barnabas received him. Scripture clearly records this in the book of Acts.

Barnabas was crucial in bringing the apostle Paul into his destiny. When Paul was led into the wilderness for a season of waiting on God, it was Barnabas who eventually went to where Paul was staying and brought him back onto the stage. I believe Paul was staying in a place called Tarsus.

The book of Acts says that it was Barnabas who went to Tarsus to bring Paul back into ministry, and the disciples finally accepted him. Barnabas was the instrument used by God to establish Paul as an apostle. I believe it's in Acts 13, when the teachers and prophets were fasting and fellowshipping together, that the Holy Spirit spoke to them and told them to set apart Barnabas and Saul to do the work of the Lord. That was Barnabas and Paul’s calling and confirmation of the apostleship.

Later, Saul became Paul, and God used Barnabas and Paul as a pair of apostles. They were both apostles, because in Acts 13, the Holy Spirit spoke to the teachers and the prophets while they were fasting and praying together, telling them to set apart Barnabas and Saul, who later became Paul, to do the work of the Lord.

They began their ministry together as apostles, but later they got into an argument. The argument was about whether they should bring Mark along on their journey, since Mark had left them partway through the first one. Paul did not want to bring him, and Barnabas insisted on bringing him. Eventually they split up.

From that point on, Scripture never mentions Barnabas’s accomplishments again, even though God certainly used him to bring the apostle Paul into the ministry to become the leading apostolic disciple. Many people read this as simply a personnel issue, a disagreement over whether to bring Mark along. But it was actually much deeper than that. I've talked about this before in my study of the book of Acts.

Before this incident happened, Scripture mentions Silas for the first time. If you read the book of Acts, before the argument between Paul and Barnabas, Scripture mentions Silas. Scripture says that Silas and another brother were prophets. They knew the word of God, and they carried a word of prophecy from God.

They were sent to the church in Jerusalem, and they gave prophecy and encouragement to the believers there. The believers were encouraged, and Silas and the other prophet were praised among the brothers. Not only were they prophets, they were men of integrity, and they were praised among the believers.

After they finished their task, the disciples sent them off in peace. But the book of Acts clearly records that the other prophet left but Silas felt he should stay.

I don't know if you remember this detail, but before the argument between Barnabas and Paul happened, God had already prepared Silas to stay in Jerusalem. Silas felt he should stay, though he didn't fully know why. In the next chapter, the split between Barnabas and the apostle Paul takes place.

After that, Scripture never mentions Barnabas again, but it does record that Paul selected Silas. Then they went on their journey to preach the gospel. Later we read the story when Paul and Silas were in prison, singing praises to God, and an earthquake shook the prison. That's what happened afterward. So we have to understand that the conflict between Barnabas and the apostle Paul went beyond a simple matter of who was best suited to travel with them.

It wasn't just about one person. It was about how God would build the foundation of the New Testament church, because according to the apostle Paul, the foundation of the New Testament church has to be built on the gifts of the apostle and the prophet. Scripture never once mentions Barnabas as a prophet. Scripture mentions him as an apostle. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit, but Scripture never calls him a prophet. So, in God's design, the apostle Paul needed to work with a prophet in order to build up the foundation of the New Testament church. Who was that prophet God was preparing? It was Silas.

Before the argument happened, God had already brought Silas into Jerusalem, and Silas and his companion finished their task there. They had a good testimony, and their words of prophecy encouraged the believers there. The other prophet had already left, since the brothers sent him off with a blessing, but Silas felt he should stay. If you don't believe it, go back and read the book of Acts. It clearly happened before the conflict between Barnabas and the apostle Paul.

God was preparing to bring Silas into companionship, into partnership with the apostle Paul, not Mark. In a sense, Paul was following the leading of the Holy Spirit, because he understood, as an apostle, that he needed to work with a prophet. That prophet, chosen by the Holy Spirit, was Silas, in order to build up the foundation of the church. This isn't to say Barnabas wasn't good. Barnabas was a good man according to Scripture, but in a sense his season of ministry had passed.

Barnabas, John the Baptist, and the Land of ZebulunBarnabas represented the previous stage of God's work, preparing the way for the ministry of the apostle Paul. His ministry was similar to that of John the Baptist, who ushered in the ministry of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, once the time for the ministry of Jesus was ready, John the Baptist was killed, and Jesus withdrew to Galilee after John's death and began his ministry as an apostle.

Jesus is the greatest apostle. As we explored yesterday, the land of Zebulun was predestined by God to raise up both the ministry of Jesus and the apostolic ministry of Peter. For a season, God allowed a humble, overlooked people to come from Zebulun, just as Isaiah prophesied in chapter 9. Yet, in that very same chapter, Isaiah prophesied that a child would be born to us.

God's grandest work is always hidden inside a humble beginning. The ultimate ministry of Jesus and the great apostolic foundation of Peter both emerged from the land of Zebulun. That is the essence of apostleship. Ultimately, God determined that this apostolic work, later carried out by the apostle Paul, must be paired with the work of a prophet. While Jesus Christ holds all authority within Himself as both apostle and prophet, He models this beautiful partnership for us.

Everyone else must be paired with a companion. This is the principle of the body, because God does not give all the gifts to any single person. Even the apostle Paul did not possess every spiritual gift. He still needed a partner who carried the prophetic gift, and God provided Silas. His design for building the New Testament church was to bring together the work of apostleship, represented by Paul, and the gift of prophecy, represented by Silas.

After the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas took place, the Holy Spirit recorded through Luke that Paul selected Silas. This was entirely part of God's strategic design. Silas had previously come to Jerusalem, finished his assignment there, and earned a good testimony while encouraging the brothers. The Book of Acts records that the believers sent the prophets off with expectations for them to return home. However, Scripture notes that only Silas felt a distinct prompting to stay behind. This was the direct leading of the Holy Spirit, who was preparing Silas to step into the role Barnabas left behind. By working alongside the apostle Paul, Silas helped build the early Church on the foundational partnership of apostle and prophet, exactly as Paul described in his letters.

Why Apostle and Prophet Must Work TogetherWhy is it so important for apostleship and prophecy to work together? The apostle is like the head of God's building project. He knows the overall design, but he may not be especially prophetic. He needs someone strongly prophetic, like Silas, who can receive a fresh revelation from God at any moment. The apostle represents the law in the Old Testament sense, presenting the character of God, the life of God, and the principle of God through the word of God. The apostles wrote what became the New Testament writings, and the Old Testament law gives us the principled guidance of God. But the prophet receives a living, spoken word from God, a constant, updated, moment by moment revelation that leads us in each new situation.

I always say the structure of the Bible falls into two categories: the character and principle of God, revealed through the law, and the leading of God, revealed through the prophets. That's the overall structure in the Old Testament. You either know the principle of God, as revealed through Moses, or you know the leading of God, as revealed through the prophets. God's principle never changes, but God's leading is constantly changing. You cannot turn God's leading from a previous movement into a fixed ritual or a fixed document, or you will lose the leading of God for this present hour. At the same time, you cannot violate the principle of God without truly knowing the nature of God.

The general function of apostleship is to help the people of God know the principle and nature of God through the word of God. The general function of the prophet is to receive a living word from God, a constant leading that speaks into each different hour. God may give one person a certain leading and another person a different leading, because God's leading is constantly changing depending on the situation.

In the structure of the New Testament church, you have to be tuned in to the principle of God and also tuned in to God’s leading. You cannot violate the principle of God in building a church, and you cannot disobey His leading either, or things will fall into confusion. That's God's design: to pair the work of apostleship, which helps people know God in his nature, with the prophetic voice of God, which brings fresh vision. Without vision, the people perish. The apostle draws the blueprint of God's work, but the prophet leads step by step to finish the building.

Zebulun and Issachar in Moses' BlessingThis same fundamental principle is hinted at and revealed in the prophecy Moses gave regarding the brothers Zebulun and Issachar. I've mentioned before why Zebulun represents the ministry of apostleship. First, Zebulun is the place where the ministry of Jesus began. Who else can compare to that? Zebulun is also the place where Peter’s ministry began. I'm not sure exactly where Tarsus is located; it might be within the region of Zebulun. If that's true, then Paul's ministry may also have started there, though I'd have to investigate that further.

As explained earlier, God predestined Zebulun to be temporarily overlooked. Later, a great light would be revealed to its people. This region is where Jesus began his ministry. After John the Baptist was beheaded, Jesus withdrew from the religious center of Jerusalem. He moved into the despised region of Zebulun and Naphtali near the Sea of Galilee. This area was once called Galilee of the Gentiles.

The ministries of Jesus Christ and the apostle Peter represent two of God's greatest movements. Both began in a place of humble disregard. This humble origin defines the ministry of Zebulun, which represents the ministry of apostleship.

This history provides a convincing argument. No other works compare to the ministries of Jesus and Peter. Yet, both started from Zebulun. Furthermore, Moses' prophecy commands Zebulun to go out with joy and rejoice in their journey

When you go out to start your ministry, to become an evangelist, to become an apostle, you should be full of joy, because you will be working together with Issachar, who stays in the tent like a prophet, praying, interceding, hearing God's voice in quietness and waiting. Issachar is told to rejoice in staying in his tent. He is not the one going out. He is not the apostle. He is the prophet. He didn't do what the apostle Paul did, but he did something the apostle Paul could not do, which is to hear God's voice in a particular way.

I'm not saying the apostle Paul couldn't hear God's voice. He did hear God's voice. Jesus stood by his side, and he had dreams and visions. But the gift of prophecy, the prophetic gift, was much stronger in Silas than in the apostle Paul. Scripture never calls Paul a prophet, but Scripture clearly calls Silas a prophet.

The prophetic gift, the prophetic ministry, is represented by Issachar. As I mentioned, 1 Chronicles 12:32 describes Issachar as having an understanding of the times, knowing what Israel ought to do. They were a prophetic people. And Issachar stayed in the tent. Why? I'll explain this through the prophecy Jacob gave over Issachar a little later, but for now, understand that Zebulun and Issachar worked together.

Together they bring about God's finished work. This is revealed in Moses' blessing over Zebulun and Issachar in Deuteronomy 33:19. “For they shall call peoples to their mountain, and there they offer right sacrifices.” Peoples here does not mean only the Jewish people, but people among the Gentiles as well. I mentioned this from the book of Isaiah, that in the last days, when the Gentiles hear that the Messiah has become king in Zion, they will take hold of the garments of the Jewish people among the nations and say, please bring us to worship your king.

Eventually the Jews will become priests, bringing the Gentiles into the worship of God. Together, Zebulun and Issachar call people to their mountain, which is Jerusalem, Zion, to worship, to offer right sacrifices. And, as I mentioned, they also draw from the abundance of the sea.

This is part of Moses' blessing over both Zebulun and Issachar. I've explained that the sea represents the Gentile world, because Jesus clearly describes, in his parable of the end of the age, a net cast into the sea, gathering every kind of sea creature. The good will be kept and the bad thrown away. In the same way, Jesus says that at the end of the age, the angels will gather both the good and the bad, keeping the good and burning the bad. He was speaking about the harvest at the end of the age.

So, the abundance of the sea refers to the treasure of people, both Jew and Gentile, but especially the Gentiles that Jesus Christ died for. And, of course, the hidden treasures of the sand, in Moses' blessing over both Zebulun and Issachar, refer to the Jews, because the Lord clearly told Abraham that his descendants would be like the stars in the heavens and the sand by the sea.

That is God's calling, and God's principle of pairing, of bringing apostleship and prophecy to work together. This is revealed not only in the New Testament, where the apostle Paul says the New Testament church is built on the foundation of apostle and prophet, but also in the prophecy Moses gave over Zebulun and Issachar. They are prophesied together, as a pair. Zebulun rejoices as he goes out, and Issachar rejoices in his tent, and together they call people to their mountain, they offer right sacrifices, and they draw from the abundance of the sea and the hidden treasures of the sand.

Both the Old Testament and New Testament stories point to the same principle: God's design is to bring apostleship together with prophecy, in order to build up the body of Christ, and to fulfill the work of God, bringing both Jews and Gentiles into the kingdom of God. As I mentioned, the apostle carries the general blueprint, the overall structure of God's design. In a sense, he's like a chief executive, holding the overall blueprint of God's work. That's his responsibility, to make sure the building of God is not deviated from God's design. But he may not have the time, or the gift, to finish every room, because each room is different, and each design is different. You need a prophetic gift to receive God's constant illumination in every matter, regarding every person.

The Danger of Losing Either GiftToday, in many, many traditional churches, the gifts of prophecy are looked down on. Eventually, to the point where the church becomes legalistic and rigid, controlled by doctrine, by man, and by tradition, they no longer have the fresh vision, the fresh word, that comes through the prophetic gift. If you despise the prophetic gift in the church, you will lose vision, and you will perish. On the other hand, if you lean only on the prophetic gift without the firm foundation of apostleship, without truly knowing the word of God, the people of God will also perish, this time for lack of knowledge. They become captive because of a lack of knowledge.

In Hosea 4:6, scripture tells us that God's people are destroyed or taken captive because they lack knowledge. You will perish if you lack the knowledge of God. This essential knowledge comes through apostolic teaching, the law of God, and the Word of God. It is the general structure and principle of God laid out in scripture. This truth is found in the Old Testament through Moses and in the New Testament through the apostles' writings. Without it, you do not know God or His principles.

Furthermore, Proverbs 29:18 explains that when God's people lack vision, they run wild and are cast off. These represent two distinct aspects of God's work. You need vision to keep you from wandering off course. You also need the knowledge of God through apostolic teaching to prevent you from being taken captive.

This is why God designed the New Testament church to be built on the foundation of apostle and prophet. The apostle helps you understand the nature of God and gain the knowledge of God, the principle of God. The prophet helps you receive a vision of God so you don't go astray.

If you don't have the vision of God, like the Israelites during the time of the judges, who simply did whatever seemed right in their own eyes, you'll have no vision at all. In today's New Testament church, a lot of congregations are deeply committed to studying the word of God, but they despise the gift of prophecy, so they lack vision. Eventually the dogmatic teaching, the tradition of men, the religious tradition, blinds their hearts.

Other churches are open to the prophetic gifts, but they don't have a firm foundation in the understanding of the word of God, so they go astray, deceived by evil spirits. This has happened repeatedly in the history of American Christianity. In the 1970s, there was a prophetic movement predicting the return of the Lord Jesus in 1979. People waited for the Lord's coming on a mountain, or became preoccupied with which day the Lord would come, or which day God would send a great earthquake to sink California into the ocean. That's really what happened in the prophetic movement in the United States. Many people believed the prophecy that God would send an earthquake to sink California into the ocean. So, they lost their balance. That covers my first section. I wanted to give you a picture, through the story of the apostle Paul and Silas, and also through the pairing of Zebulun and Issachar, of how God designed apostle and prophet to work together.

When they work together, they not only know the nature of God and the overall blueprint of God's building, they also know what to do in each specific case, because you need a prophet to hear from God, to know what God desires in each different situation. Now, in the second section, I want to talk about the character of a prophet.

The Character of a ProphetWhen I first started learning about prophetic gifts, in the modern prophetic movement, I came from a Local Church Movement that placed a strong emphasis on the teaching gift. Everyone was encouraged to become a teacher, to teach, to speak for God. I was very appreciative of that, because that's where I learned the teaching gift. But after thirteen years there, God led me into a more prophetic movement in 2015. I received a strong baptism of the Holy Spirit, and afterward I began to have prophetic dreams and visions into the spiritual world.

I was eager to learn about the prophetic gifts, so I listened to a lot of teaching on the subject. One prophetic teacher, speaking from his own experience, said that prophetic people are often quiet, sometimes socially awkward. Basically, you're not naturally a people person, not like those called to be evangelists, who are welcome everywhere they go and can talk with anybody. Evangelists are like that. But people called to the prophetic tend to be more introverted, quiet, and socially awkward. They tend to spend more time alone, praying to God, waiting on the Lord, listening for his voice.

I don't know if that resonates with you, but I believe it's true. Issachar had this same characteristic, and his father observed it and recorded it in Genesis 49:14-15. When Jacob was prophesying over his twelve sons, he recognized each one's character, and how God would deal with them in the future. Here is what he observed about Issachar. In verses 14-15 of Genesis 49, he says this regarding Issachar. “Issachar is a strong donkey.” He's strong. A donkey can be stubborn at times, but doesn't talk much, and simply works hard, “crouching between the sheepfolds.” We know that sheepfolds often represent the people of God. The apostle Paul mentions that the law kept Israel within a kind of sheepfold, and in the New Testament we continue to use the image of the sheepfold to represent the church, the people of God. So Issachar was like a strong donkey. He was strong, but not especially violent.

He could be stubborn, but not in a violent way. He wasn't like a wolf that harms the sheepfold, the way Jacob describes Benjamin. Jacob calls Benjamin a wolf, remember? And Issachar wasn't a lion, like Judah, the lion of the tribe of Judah. He also wasn't cunning like a snake.

He was not a snake, a lion, or a wolf. He was considered a donkey, and a donkey could be stubborn, but it could also be quiet, patiently bearing whatever burden was placed on it. That's how Jacob observed Issachar's character, as a donkey.

Jacob continues to describe what he sees in Issachar's character. In verse 15 of Genesis 49, Jacob says that Issachar saw that a resting place was good. That means Issachar was a person of quietness, most likely an introvert. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” If you want to be a prophet, if you want to hear God's word, and you cannot be quiet before God, I don't think you'll be able to hear God's voice clearly.

Even one of the greatest prophets, Elijah, did not hear God's voice in the thunder or the storm, but in a still small voice. If you want to hear God's voice, you have to practice quietness before God, and wait in his presence. This characteristic is certainly revealed in Issachar's life. As Jacob mentions in verse 15, he saw that a resting place was good.

He was a quiet person, resting. He was resting in the sheepfolds among the people of God, crouching there, and the land was pleasant to him. He was enjoying the land God had given him. He bowed his shoulder to bear the load. He was submissive, willing to do hard work, willing to become a servant at forced labor. In China, we often use donkeys to do a lot of the labor. I grew up in a rural area, and I observed donkeys a lot. Sometimes a donkey gets cranky, especially when it sees a horse, but most of the time a donkey is hardworking, without complaint.

It carries a certain characteristic. We often say in Chinese that you serve like a donkey, but sometimes a donkey gets cranky. Still, the majority of the time, a donkey is hardworking, resting, and meek. That's the character trait Jacob observed in his son Issachar. In other words, when God formed Issachar in Leah’s womb, God was forming him to become a prophet one day.

His tribe would become a prophetic tribe, as I mentioned from 1 Chronicles 12:32. They are described as a prophetic tribe. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul reminds us that we are not all ears, we are not all eyes, we are not all mouths, and we should not despise one another. We should work together to bring glory to each other and to the body of Christ, to the building up of God's temple.

How Issachar Was BornHow did Issachar become such a person? Let's look at how he was born. As I mentioned yesterday, Rachel was struggling to have a child. Reuben found mandrakes in the wheat field, and Rachel wanted some of them. Leah was not happy about that.

I mentioned that mandrakes were probably very hard to find, and according to some legend, they were believed to have a medicinal effect that could help with Rachel's barrenness. They were rare. So, Leah's response was, “Is it not enough that you have taken my husband, that you would also take my son's mandrakes?” Rachel agreed.

Leah essentially rented Jacob for the price of the mandrakes. When Jacob came back from the field, Leah told him he had to sleep with her that night, because she had hired him with her son's mandrakes. Genesis 30:17-18 records that God listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob a fifth son. Leah said, “God has given me my wages, because I gave my servant to my husband.” This is why she named him Issachar. Issachar means wages, or reward. This is a fitting picture of the price Jesus Christ would pay to buy us back, because the wages of sin is death. Issachar is also, in a small way, a type of Christ, just as Jesus is described by Isaiah as one led like a sheep to the shearers without complaint. That, too, is a picture of Jesus Christ.

Closing ThoughtsI'll finish this section here. The concluding thought is this: today, God still desires to build up his church by pairing the ministry of the apostle with the ministry of the prophet. This principle is revealed in the story of the conflict between Barnabas and the apostle Paul. It wasn't that God didn't like Mark. No, Mark is never described in Scripture as either a prophet or an apostle.

The Holy Spirit clearly identified Silas as a prophet. God wanted to advance His work into a new stage by pairing Paul's apostleship with Silas's prophetic ministry. This partnership directly led to the prison miracle. As they prayed and worshiped, God sent an earthquake and opened the prison gates. Sometimes, it takes a prophetic presence to bring about that kind of miracle.

An apostle can certainly operate alone, but the power multiplies when apostleship and prophecy work together. This synergy appears in both testaments. In the Old Testament, Moses prophesied over Zebulun. This region represents the emergence of the apostolic gift, as both Jesus and Peter began their ministries there. When those going out cooperate with those staying in the tents, God's Great Commission is fulfilled. Together, they bring all people to the mountain of right sacrifice, drawing from the abundance of the sea and the hidden treasures of the sand. God designed this union of apostleship and prophecy to fulfill His economy, because only Jesus is perfect on His own.

He is both prophet and apostle at once, but God desires that we, in the body of Christ, work with one another. If you carry the gift of apostleship, or the gift of teaching, you should not despise the gift of prophecy. You should humble yourself to listen to other people's prophetic words. And if you are a prophet, don't assume that everything you need is revealed to you directly. You have to learn from apostleship, from teachers, to learn the principle of God.

Eventually, this comes into balance, into the kind of fruit we see in the book of Acts, when the teachers and the prophets, one strong in doctrine, one strong in revelation, came together to fast, and God brought forth great apostles. I hope this has helped us better understand Moses' prophecy here. It's a little deep, but I hope you got something out of it. Please help us by liking, forwarding, commenting, or reposting this teaching, and you're welcome to leave us a Google review on our Jairus Bible World Ministry Google Map listing. Thank you for tuning in, see you next time.

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Bible Study with JairusDeuteronomy 33:26-29: There Is None Like God, O JeshurunIntroduction: Moses' Final BlessingToday we come to the last part of Deuteronomy 33, which is Moses' final blessing to Jeshurun. Jeshurun is a name for Jacob, for the Israelites. It means God's upright ones, God's upright person, the righteous. Moses called the Israelites Jeshurun when he finished his prophecies regarding the twelve tribes of Israel.

We have already seen how Jacob's prophecy was the foundation and the seed, given to each tribe according to the characteristics Jacob observed in his children. He then proclaimed their prophetic future with the help of the Holy Spirit. Now, character may not seem directly related to your future, but we always say your character determines your fate. How does a person form their character? God created each person in a certain way, but it is a mixture of God's creation and pre-selection, the damage of sin working through your family and environment, and your own way of reacting. Those three things cause you to form a certain character.

Then your character shapes your perception. Everybody perceives the same situation differently. Simeon perceived his environment and chose to harbor hate toward Joseph and wanted to kill him. He thought the way to solve his problem was to get rid of Joseph. But Joseph perceived the same environment differently. He said, you meant evil, but God meant good. Your perception of God, of Satan, of yourself forms the foundation of your mind. Your mind determines your behavior. If you continue a certain behavior, it becomes a pattern. The pattern becomes your character. And your character determines your fate. It is not coincidence but a series of linked events and choices.

Based on this foundation, Moses developed his prophecies over the twelve tribes even further. And at the very end, Moses prophesied and blessed all of Israel as a whole. The message was: I have already given you individual blessings, but I know you are going to have a hard time, because you are going to forsake God and forsake His law. When I was alive, you still rebelled and stiffened your necks. When I die, you are going to fall into idol worship. And when you do, God is going to punish you.

But even that discipline cannot take away the love of God. Just as the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. If God gave up His only begotten Son, will He spare anything else? No. The purpose of chastisement and discipline is always growth in life, to know the nature of God, to have fellowship with His holiness, just as Hebrews 12 describes. God will discipline Israel, and He will discipline us, but nothing can separate us from His love.

Part One: A Recap of Jacob's Prophecies Over the Twelve TribesI want to give a brief recap of what we have studied in Moses' prophecies over the twelve tribes of Israel, because this is the crucial foundation for the closing message. The first part of this recap is Jacob's prophecy toward each son, which was the seed. Then Moses' prophecy developed from there. Let me walk through them one by one.

Reuben: The Snare of LustReuben fornicated and defiled his father’s bed by sleeping with Bilhah. Why did this happen? Why Bilhah? Did she seduce Reuben, or did Reuben seduce her, or did they come together mutually? In Chinese we have a saying when dry wood meets fire. When a man and a woman are both filled with fleshly desire, they come together like dry firewood meeting a flame. They are going to burn. I explained in a previous session that Bilhah was likely a surrogate mother. She was given to Jacob by Rachel to produce children, and Rachel clearly said the children would sit on her own lap and be called her sons. So, Dan and Naphtali were probably taken from Bilhah and raised by Rachel.

Think about that situation from Bilhah's perspective. I know many single mothers, and they are remarkable, busy women. If Bilhah had two children around her all the time, would she really have the time or emotional space for a man like Reuben? Yesterday I went to Washington, D.C. for an appointment and had to cut it short to drive an hour and a half back home to pick up my daughter from school. I had to cancel the person I was meeting with. He understood completely and said it reminded him of the same season in his own life. And I only have one child. After four o'clock every day, my schedule revolves around pickups and activities. If you have two children, you are even busier. And in those ancient times there were no piano lessons or tutoring programs, but feeding and caring for two children still consumed enormous time and energy.

So, Bilhah was probably not very busy and very isolated. Jacob likely did not spend much time with her. She was put into a very difficult position. And Satan used that human tragedy, that loneliness and vulnerability, to create an opening. Whether Reuben seduced Bilhah, or she seduced him, or they came together mutually, the Chinese idiom describes it well: dry firewood meeting fire. When you go to a barbecue today, you need gasoline to get the flames going. The picture is clear. Everything in that environment, every difficulty and every tragedy, is part of God's plan to form us into mature sons. God is hidden behind every situation. You have to see the flaming fire behind every bush. Everything that happened to Reuben was not by coincidence. It was all working within the three-part structure: God's hidden plan, Satan's strategy to deceive and destroy, and the human reaction, either through sin or through vision.

The whole Bible operates within this three-part framework. Everything is about God and His nature and His leading, about Satan and his origin and his fall and his strategies in the past, present and future, and about man, created in God's image, given authority, losing that authority through sin, being saved by God, regaining identity, and gaining the final victory. Every situation in life must be examined through these three lenses. What is God's plan? What is Satan doing? And what is my own reaction?

God's plan in the family of Jacob was clear: He wanted to produce the genealogy of Christ through Jacob's descendants. But in the very beginning of the Bible, God never specified which son He would use. Only much later did the Bible reveal, through Micah and other prophets, that from the tribe of Judah would come the Ruler, Jesus Christ. And I want to say again what I have said before: God never said He hated Reuben. He said He hated Esau, but He never said that about Reuben. Reuben's loss was entirely his own fault. He lost not only his earthly blessing as the firstborn but also the heavenly calling to be in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. That is an enormous loss.

There is a saying I heard somewhere, and I am not sure who to give credit to: if you truly know God, you will see the flaming fire in every bush. But if you do not have eyes to see God at work, you will only see the bush, even when the fire is burning right there. In other words, every single day we should be having encounters with the living God. God speaks to us through the Bible, through creation, through birds and animals, through our neighbors, our spouses, our pastors, through all the difficult situations of life. God is constantly speaking. The only question is, do you have ears to hear? Do you have eyes to see behind the human surface, and even behind the activity of the second heaven where Satan deceives and destroys, all the way into the third heaven where God's hidden desire is revealed? You have to be able to see through all three layers.

Joseph could see through all three layers. That is why he could say to his brothers: you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. He could see human wickedness, Satanic strategy, and God's overruling plan all at once. Reuben could not see through those layers. He only reacted with his flesh and his lust toward his situation. And I want to be direct here: that is how men make their biggest mistakes. They stop thinking about anything else and just react to the immediate desire. Hormones, lust, the impulse of the moment. And in Reuben's case, there was also an element of hatred: he resented that his mother Leah was being put to shame, that he and his brothers were being neglected. So he may have used Bilhah not only to satisfy his lust but to humiliate his father in return for the humiliation he felt his mother had suffered. Lust was the surface reason, but inward there was also hatred and the reaction to a sense of being neglected.

Both the lust and the hatred were used by Satan to defile the bed of Jacob. And as a result, Reuben lost his earthly blessing as firstborn and his heavenly blessing of becoming an ancestor of Jesus Christ. That is a lot to lose. I sometimes think about meeting Reuben in heaven one day. What would you even say to him? Reuben might say, yes, I have deep regrets, but God found a way to redeem even me. My name is still on one of the gates of the New Jerusalem. What do you say to that? What can any of us say? Glory to God. Thank you for your grace. Amen.

Jacob summarized Reuben's character as full of lust. He said, you were born when I was at the height of my strength. You were supposed to be my firstborn, the excellence of my power. But your lust became your undoing. You could not control yourself. That is the mistake so many men make today. If you ask Christians what their greatest regret is, many will say: if only I could have controlled myself when I was young, so many of my current problems would not exist. Lust is a bondage for human beings, for men especially. Though it affects women and relationships in all directions, if you were to survey ten men, nine of them would probably say: if I could have controlled my lower nature, I would have avoided so much damage in my life. Even Christian ministers have been disqualified for moral failures, some involving the most vulnerable. Lust, when given room to grow, can take down the mightiest spiritual leaders.

Simeon and Levi: The Snare of RageSimeon and Levi were characterized by Jacob as men of fierce rage. In Chinese we have a phrase, lu nu, which means road rage. You know the feeling: someone cuts you off in traffic and you cannot control the anger that rises up. I drove to California a few months ago. I had not been back in about twenty years, and I was surprised by what I saw. I was driving at the speed limit, not even slowly, and a person just could not control his rage. He cut me off so aggressively that he almost hit me. So many tragedies happen because of uncontrolled anger. You end up in a fight. Someone gets killed. If you could ask people who are in prison today for homicide, the majority would say: if I could have controlled my anger in that one moment, I would not be here.

Simeon and Levi killed people as easily as you would swat an insect. They cut off the tendons and ligaments of oxen. Jacob said, I will scatter you throughout Israel. They could not contain their rage. Of course, Simeon was eventually transformed as well, becoming one of the pearl gates of the New Jerusalem. And Levi distanced himself from Simeon and was later transformed in a remarkable way. His fierceness, when it was redirected by God toward righteous zeal, became something powerful. We see it at Sinai when the Levites stood against even their own family members for the sake of God. Their ferocity did not disappear; it was redeemed and put to holy use. So, the prophecy of Jacob over each son was based on his direct observation of that son's character.

Judah: Repentance and the Genealogy of ChristThen we come to Judah. Imagine being Judah. Two of his sons, Er and Onan, were killed directly by God. This is not something God does often. In the New Testament, there was Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit and died. Uzzah touched the Ark of God and was struck down. The two sons of Aaron who offered strange fire were consumed. Korah and his company who rebelled against Moses were swallowed alive by the earth. God does not kill people frequently or casually. He says plainly in the Old Testament that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked; He would rather they repent. But He clearly states in His Word that He killed Er and Onan. Both of Judah's sons.

Then Judah's wife also died. And Judah went down toward Moab, moving away from the promised land, falling into a compromised state. He wanted to satisfy his desires, and he was ensnared by Tamar in disguise. And out of that morally complicated situation, the genealogy of Christ was preserved. There is a Chinese saying: you carefully plant a flower and it dies, but a willow tree you never intended to plant grows and flourishes. Judah did not set out to produce the line of Christ. It happened out of his failure, his repentance, and God's sovereign purpose working through all of it.

The key character quality I identified in Judah is repentance. Moses wrote in his blessing: Oh Lord, hear the voice of Judah. But how could God hear the voice of Judah if Judah had not cried out in repentance? One of the Chinese Bible translations renders this verse beautifully: Oh Lord, bend down your ear and hear the cries of Judah. That means God had to lower His ear almost all the way down from heaven just to catch the cry of this broken, repentant man. That image of God leaning down to listen is deeply moving. Judah cried out, and because he had a heart of true repentance, God blessed him.

Witness Lee, one of the founders of the Local Church Movement in which I came to faith, taught something that stayed with me: whenever repentance meets God's forgiveness, a building of God is produced. He pointed to David and Bathsheba as the example. David sinned grievously, taking Uriah's wife. Their first child died. But David repented, writing Psalm 51 with its cry for a clean heart and a renewed spirit. He came before God with what he called a broken and contrite spirit, which God will not despise. And God forgave him and blessed the union of David and Bathsheba again, and out of that union came Solomon, the builder of the temple. Repentance plus forgiveness equals the building of God.

If I apply that equation to Judah, it looks like this: the repentance of Judah plus the faithfulness of God equals the producing of the genealogy of Christ. And if I apply it even further, to us today, it goes like this: your repentance, plus God bending down His ear to hear you, plus His forgiveness, equals the Word becoming flesh in your heart. The Word became flesh two thousand years ago in the person of Jesus Christ. But the Word also needs to become flesh in your heart today, to live there as a spiritual life that must grow. When you are born again, you are not immediately mature. You have the baby life of Jesus within you. That life is real, it is the life of Christ, but it is in its beginning stage. You have to grow. You have to be formed. Just as every newborn must grow into adulthood, the life of Christ in you must grow into the fullness of a mature son of God.

Judah’s repentance, plus God bending down to hear the cry, equals the birth of Jesus Christ, whether in flesh physically the first time two thousand years ago, or as a repeated act in your heart today. Judah's character was described by Jacob as milk and wine, as the one from whom the scepter would not depart, through whom the King, the Shiloh, the prophesied Jesus Christ would come. And Judah also became a mediator between his father Jacob and his youngest brother Benjamin. It was Judah who offered himself as surety, saying: if Benjamin is harmed, let it be on me. That willingness to take the place of another is a type of Christ. It was that offer, that act of self-giving from Judah, that finally convinced Jacob to let Benjamin go to Egypt, which then set the stage for the fulfillment of God's entire plan through Joseph.

Judah did not begin as a man of noble character. I mentioned in a previous study on Judah that his scepter, his authority, was lost. The scepter, the ring, the belt, all the symbols of authority and kingship represent what was given to man through Adam and what we lost. Adam lost it. Judah lost it when he chased after Tamar thinking she was a prostitute. He literally handed over his ring and his staff, the very symbols of his authority, to a woman at the roadside. But what came of that encounter, through repentance and God's redemption, he got it back. That is why Jacob prophesied that the scepter would not depart from Judah again.

Dan and Naphtali: Two Brothers, Two Responses to the Same WoundAfter the four sons of Leah, Rachel could not conceive, so she gave her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob, and Bilhah bore Dan and Naphtali. I believe Dan was characterized as a snake sitting in the road, biting the horse's heel and throwing the rider, because he was wounded and twisted by his upbringing. Rachel said she would raise Bilhah's children on her own knees and call them her own sons. So Dan was likely taken from Bilhah and raised by Rachel. He probably believed Rachel was his mother.

But then when Rachel had her own biological son, Joseph, everything changed. Suddenly Dan discovered he was not truly Rachel's son. He felt abandoned, neglected, betrayed, fooled. The whole world seemed to have turned against him. And the four sons of Leah, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, were their own tight group, born of one mother. They were like four young lions who ruled the family territory together. Dan, the son of a maidservant, was an outsider trying to find his place.

I can imagine the kind of conflict that would have erupted. Maybe Dan got into a fight with the sons of Leah. Maybe they taunted him: you are the son of a maid, not Rachel's real son. How dare you act like you are one of us? He defended Rachel, and they threw it back in his face. I once interviewed an American woman who had adopted a Chinese girl. They had a wonderful relationship for years. But when the girl reached her teenage years, she suddenly cried out at her mother in public: you are not my mom! And she went through an intense and painful period of trying to find her biological parents. She eventually traveled to China, spending significant money, trying to trace her origin. All the orphanage had was her name and her birthday, because she had been abandoned on a bridge. They never found her birth parents. The trauma, the emotion, the identity crisis of growing up as a Chinese-American orphan adopted into an American family: it is intense and not easy. Many adoptees need to know where they came from and why they were given up. They have to hold onto hope that even if their birth mother could not keep them, she still loved them.

If Dan went through something similar, if he found out his real mother was Bilhah and not Rachel, and especially after Joseph arrived and Rachel poured all her love into her own biological son, Dan would have felt cast off and betrayed on every side. The world hates me, so I will hate the world. I will hide in the road like a snake. I will bite the heel of the horse and throw the rider. I will try to hurt everyone who passes by. That is Dan's character: not evil for the sake of evil, but a wounded person lashing out from a place of profound rejection.

Naphtali went through the same experience as his brother, born of the same mother, raised in the same household, experiencing the same rejection. But he watched what Dan became and said: “I do not want to be like that. I went through this too, but I am not going down that road.” Either you follow the destructive pattern of those around you, or you go the opposite direction. Naphtali chose the opposite.

Naphtali was described by Jacob as a swift deer let loose, who gives beautiful words. I see his character as someone who experienced the deep joy of forgiveness. When you choose forgiveness instead of bitterness, when you release what was done to you, something breaks free inside. I experienced this myself. Before I came to faith in Jesus, I could not forgive a relative who had deeply hurt me. After I received Jesus, I wrote that person a letter of forgiveness. I poured out love toward them. And what I felt afterward was exactly like a deer suddenly let loose, free and full of a joy I could not contain. Some translations of Naphtali's blessing say he gives beautiful words, glad tidings, blessing words, not just fawns but blessing from the mouth. When you are filled with forgiveness, you become full of glad tidings for everyone around you.

Gad and Asher: Fighter and PeacemakerAt that point, Leah decided she was not going to be left behind. She gave her own maidservant Zilpah to Jacob, and Zilpah bore Gad and Asher. Now Gad belonged to the tribe of Leah in a general sense, but he was not born from Leah herself. So, he probably experienced a kind of discrimination within his own tribe. The family of Jacob was like a family with a Republican side and a Democratic side, all living together and fighting constantly. When I was working as a reporter in Los Angeles, I interviewed a Democrat who told me Republicans are selfish, do not care about immigrants, have no love. Then I interviewed a Republican who shot back: why don't you give healthcare to everyone in the world? You are a hypocrite. They fight. Every country has its left and right. Every family has its factions. Jacob’s family had the party of Rachel and the party of Leah, and even within those parties there were further divisions between the sons of the wives and the sons of the maidservants.

Gad belonged to Leah's side by association but was not one of Leah's own sons. So, there were tensions from multiple directions. Jacob described Gad's character as someone who would be raided by raiders but would raid at their heels in the end. Gad is the fighter who gets knocked down and gets back up swinging. He does not stay defeated. I am not certain exactly what battles Gad had with his brothers, but based on the household dynamics, he must have fought on multiple fronts. And Moses developed that further in his blessing.

Asher was described by Jacob as producing royal delicacies, food worthy of a king's table. Moses developed Asher's calling much further into something beautiful: a ministry of reconciliation. Asher is the most blessed among his brothers. Every brother loves Asher. His food is dipped in oil. His sandals are made of iron and bronze. And Moses says his days will be like his strength. I explained in detail in a previous teaching on Asher's blessing: when the brothers dwell together in unity, when the dew of Hermon falls, when the holy oil pours from Aaron's head down through his beard and down to the hem of his garments, Asher is the feet. The anointing of the Holy Spirit fills the entire person all the way from the top of the head to the very bottom of the feet. When Asher's feet are dipped in oil, it means the unity of the Holy Spirit, the unity in Christ Jesus, the unity of brothers, has saturated this person from head to foot. Asher represents the ministry of reconciliation, the person so pure and so blessed that the brotherhood gathers around him in unity.

How can your feet be dipped in oil? The oil has to flow all the way down and pool there. Andrew Murray, the great South African preacher from a couple of centuries ago, asked why there is so much disunity among denominations and so little unity among the people of God. His answer was that we lack the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He compared the Holy Spirit's outpouring to a rising tide. When the water level is low, every rocky shoreline separates this bay from that bay, this pool from that pool. Each body of water has its own fish, its own people, its own work of God. But when the tide of the Holy Spirit rises, the way a tsunami raises everything, all those separating rocks and shorelines disappear beneath the flood. Every separated group is reunited by the water covering everything. Habakkuk said the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. The work among the twelve tribes of Israel is not finished. The work among the body of Christ is not finished. We are all works in progress. We all need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We all need the growth of life in Jesus Christ.

I should not forget to mention Issachar and Zebulun, because God remembered Leah and gave her two more sons, and also a daughter, Dinah. Issachar was described by Jacob as a strong donkey crouching between its burdens, someone who found rest was good and the land pleasant, and who bent his shoulder to carry the load. Moses' blessing says he will rejoice in his tents. The character I see in Issachar is the stillness of a prophet. You have to be still and quiet before God to hear His voice. The donkey is content to rest and to carry. Then Zebulun was described by Jacob as one who would dwell at the shore of the sea and become a haven for ships. Moses said he would go out rejoicing. And I brought in Isaiah 9, which prophesied that the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, though held in contempt for a time, would in the latter days see a great light, a people sitting in darkness would see a great light dawn upon them.

This was fulfilled when Matthew 4 records that after Jesus heard of John the Baptist's beheading, He withdrew from Jerusalem into Galilee, into the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. The religious center despised Galilee. They said: no prophet comes out of Galilee. What good thing can come from there? And that attitude is still with us today in different forms. What great word can come from a Chinese person? People judge books by their covers. But God has always raised up the greatest movements from the most despised places and the most unlikely people. I compare Issachar and Zebulun to the prophet and the apostle working together to build the foundation of the New Testament church. In Moses’ words, calling people to worship God on the mountain and bringing in the harvest from the sea of the Gentiles and from the sand of the Jewish nation.

Joseph and Benjamin: The Greatest Promise Requires the Greatest TrialThen we come to the sons of Rachel. When God finally remembered Rachel and opened her womb, the greatest promise came alongside the greatest battle. Joseph was one of the greatest instruments God ever used, and the preparation for that calling required one of the greatest trials any human being has ever endured. Joseph is not an exception to this principle. Anyone who is called to be greatly used by God must go through a proportionally deep process of preparation. I went through ten years of what felt like spiritual barrenness, with countless prayers that seemed to go unanswered. If your calling is among the greatest, your battles and trials will be among the fiercest. That is not a punishment. It is preparation.

When Joseph was born, everything changed for Jacob. God spoke to him: it is time to leave Padan Aram, the land where Laban is your captor, your Pharaoh. You have experienced the life of Joseph being formed within your household. Now you can leave captivity. Joseph’s life represents the freedom that comes through the gospel, through Jesus Christ, through God. When you have that life, you can leave whatever is holding you captive, whether it is represented by Egypt, or Padan Aram, or Pharaoh, or Laban. And you can go toward Jerusalem, where you will produce Benjamin, because Benjamin is born on the way to Jerusalem and Jerusalem is in the land of Benjamin. Benjamin represents freedom in the land, the outward freedom of worship.

I have said this again and again: if you do not have freedom in your heart, you cannot maintain freedom in the land. William Penn said it: if you do not serve God, you will serve Pharaoh. That is why the Chinese serve a dictator. That is why the Muslim world serves dictators. That is why Europe is losing its freedom. That is why America has known freedom: because a significant portion of its people have had the freedom of the gospel in their hearts. When that inner freedom erodes, the outer freedom will follow.

Part Two: Why Moses Closes with These WordsThat is the first part of the recap, the characters of the twelve sons and the development of Moses' prophecy from Jacob's foundation. Now we come to the second part: why does Moses close with these particular words after finishing his prophecy over all twelve tribes?

Moses says: there is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in His majesty. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy before you and said, Destroy! So Israel lived in safety. Jacob lived alone in a land of grain and wine, whose heavens drop down dew. Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs.

To understand why Moses says this now, we have to bring in Romans 8. When you hear this interpretation of Romans 8, you will see the perfect connection with Moses' closing words.

Romans 7 and 8: The Problem and the AnswerPaul's experience in Romans 7 is that he cannot overcome the sin living in his flesh. He knows what is right, he wants to do what is right, but he keeps doing what he hates. He discovers he is free from the law of sin and death through the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. But this freedom does not come automatically. You still have to set your mind on the things of the Spirit in order to experience life and peace. If you set your mind on the flesh, you have death. The problem is that believers tend to set their minds on the flesh. Like Reuben, like all the tribes of Israel, like modern Christians, we drift back toward the flesh. Rage and lust are among the two greatest reasons men commit crimes, break up their families, and ruin their testimony. If you asked ten men in any church what their greatest ongoing struggle is, most of them would name one of those two things.

So the people of God, whether ancient Israel or the church today, keep setting their minds on the things of the flesh rather than the things of the Spirit. They do not understand God's calling to bring many sons into glory, which is what Romans 8 is building toward. All creation is groaning and yearning to see the sons of God revealed, because when the sons of God come into their full inheritance and glory, all creation will be released from the bondage it has been under since the fall. But we do not care about that. We are occupied with the temporary pleasures and the immediate sins of the flesh. We do not care what creation is waiting for. We do not care what God's eternal plan is. Even with the Holy Spirit living within us, we resist Him. Galatians 5 says the flesh and the Spirit are in direct opposition. The Holy Spirit wants to bring you to conviction, repentance, and transformation. But your flesh says no, I am not doing this. Even after receiving Jesus, even as believers, we resist the Holy Spirit's leading. I have done it many times myself. I feel ashamed to say it, but I have deeply experienced resisting the Holy Spirit. Receiving Jesus into your heart is one step. But the Holy Spirit wants to bring you into further growth from that point forward, and our flesh resists that growth.

Paul says: do not quench the Holy Spirit. But we do quench Him. He is in us but unhappy, like a fire that has been smothered. So, Romans 8 continues by describing what happens next: the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words, too deep for human language, but not too deep for God.

The Conversation Within the Trinity: A RevelationWhen I received the revelation of this passage, I understood it something like this. When we are not setting our minds on the things of God, when we are living in fleshly sin and resisting the Holy Spirit's leading, the Holy Spirit goes before the Father and speaks. He says something like: Father, what are we going to do with this person? I have spoken to him again and again. He keeps quenching me. He keeps rebelling against my leading. I have warned him many times, and he just does it anyway. He cannot seem to overcome his sin. What are you going to do?

The Father says: well, we are going to need to arrange some discipline. Let some difficulty come his way. Let his circumstances speak to him in a way he cannot ignore. Let someone close to him confront him, or let something go wrong that gets his attention. I am not describing God as an angry punisher. I mean this the way Hebrews 12 describes it: as a loving Father disciplining His children for their good. I can give you a small personal example. The Holy Spirit once very strongly told me not to do something, not to carry a heavy load of packaged grass. I was doing it out stubbornness. The Holy Spirit strongly told me “no”. I went ahead anyway because I was stubborn. I hurt my lower back. I have a lot of experiences like this. I am not proud to share them, but the principle is real. God arranges circumstances to discipline us when we will not listen to the Spirit.

Then Jesus Christ, our Advocate, our Lawyer, speaks on our behalf. He says: Father, do not do more than he can bear. You love him. If you press too hard, he will not be able to hold up under it. Do it precisely. Give him the lesson, but do not break him. And the Father agrees: we will not break you. We will give you what you need, but we will give you grace alongside it. There is a Chinese saying: the ear of the grain will not break the stem. If you have seen rice or heavy grain growing in a field, the grain ear can be very heavy, but the healthy stem does not break under it. A good plant holds the weight. That is what God does with us. He loads us with trials calibrated to our capacity. The difficulty will not break you, because breaking you was never the purpose. The purpose is the fruit of righteousness.

So out of the Holy Spirit's unspeakable groanings, God the Father arranges the discipline, and Jesus Christ is always pleading and strengthening you through it. You will experience suffering. That is what Romans 8 is describing when it talks about continuous suffering in this present age. And then, as if in direct response to the danger that suffering will make us doubt God's love, Paul writes the great conclusion: no, nothing can separate us from the love of God. Once you have suffered, once someone you prayed for died, once God did not heal you or deliver you the way you asked, the temptation is to think: does God really love me? Paul addresses this directly. He says: do not doubt the love of God. If God gave His own Son for you, will He spare anything else? He will give you all things. But you have to grow to the level of maturity where God can trust you with those things. You cannot receive everything automatically. You have to grow into it.

And so the dynamic is this: your flesh resists the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit intercedes with the Father, the Father arranges discipline, Jesus pleads for you and strengthens you through the trial, and the result is growth. The result is maturity. The result is the fruit of righteousness. And in the end, Paul says with full confidence: all things work together for good for those who love God. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Not death, not life, not angels, not rulers, not things present, not things to come, not height, not depth, not anything in all creation. That is the absolute final word.

Moses' Closing Words to Israel: The Same MessageThis is exactly what Moses is saying to Israel in these final verses of Deuteronomy 33. Moses is about to die in chapter 34. He has finished blessing each tribe. And now he speaks to the whole nation with his last words. He essentially says: I know you. I know what you are going to do. When I was alive, you still rebelled. When I die, you are going to do even worse. God's severe discipline is waiting for you. There are centuries of it ahead. But do not lose heart. Do not ever forget who God is, and do not ever forget who you are. You are Jeshurun. You are the upright ones. That is what God calls you, even knowing everything you are about to do. You are called to be a holy nation, a treasured people, a light to the world. You are His testimony. And there is no one like your God. He rides through the heavens to help you.

I want to share something from a prophetic experience I was given. I was taken into heaven in a prophetic revelation. I saw Jesus and we chatted briefly. There was a woman serving there, helping newcomers understand what they were experiencing. It was like a welcome center of heaven and people who came to heaven will go through this door to heaven. They see Jesus first. After meeting with Jesus, we were ushered into this welcome center. My spirit was allowed to be there and observe for what felt like a couple of hours, asking questions. At one point, I caught a glimpse of something moving at tremendous speed in the background. I was told it was the Father. He was riding on something, and He passed so quickly that I only saw a blur, like smoke. I did not see His face or form. I saw Jesus face to face in that experience, but the Father passed too quickly for me to take in. I was deeply impressed and also a little disappointed that I had not seen more.

The woman who was serving there told me something important. She said that God does not need a vehicle to travel. God Himself moves with infinite speed. But whenever God travels, His vehicle always follows Him. It is the opposite of us: we have to go where the vehicle takes us. God moves first, and the vehicle follows. I do not know whether the vehicle is carried by the four living creatures or what exactly it is. I only saw something like smoke. That was that fast. And the Bible clearly speaks of God riding His cherubim, riding through the heavens, in many places throughout Scripture.

When you are in the middle of a desperate situation, praying and feeling like God is far away and moving slowly, the truth is He is faster than light. God can hear your prayer, make His decision, and be at your side in what feels like an instant. A thought, a cry, a desperate reaching out, and God is already there. I once saw a video of a woman standing on a beach who wrote the name of God in the sand in her own language and asked, is there a God? The wave came in and stopped at the edge of that writing. Then she wrote the word God, and the water immediately rushed over that place. It was a small and quiet miracle, but the message was clear: God heard the question of a heart reaching out and responded in that very moment. When you are saved, He rides through the heavens to help you. I was given a couple of experiences like that.

Moses continues: the eternal God is your dwelling place. This means that despite everything, despite your rebellion, your idolatry, your failure to set your mind on the things of the Spirit, the eternal God is still your home. You have to overcome the tendency of your flesh toward idol worship because the eternal God is your dwelling place. And underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrusts out the enemy before you. Your idols are nothing. Israel will live in safety. Jacob will dwell alone in a land of grain and wine, and the heavens will drop down dew. Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? The shield of your help and the sword of your triumph. Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs. As David said in Psalm 110: my Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. Israel will receive the final victory.

Conclusion: Do Not Lose HeartMoses' final word to the whole tribe of Jacob is this: you are going to go through severe trial and discipline. It may last for a very long time. But do not, do not ever forget who God is. Do not forget who you are. And God will eventually bring you back and bring you the victory over your enemies.

This is the same message as Romans 8. The problem, for ancient Israel and for us today, is immaturity. We do not set our minds on the things of the Spirit. We pursue the things of the flesh. We commit spiritual fornication. We go after idols whether they are the literal idols of ancient Israel or the idols of money, status, lust, and rage that occupy our minds today. So, we need discipline. The Holy Spirit, the Father, and the Son work together to bring that discipline, and to hold us through it, and to bring us out the other side as overcomers. Eventually God's purpose will be fulfilled. Eventually you will become an overcomer. Eventually many sons will enter into the glory of God and all of creation will be released from the bondage it has been groaning under since the fall. That is what Romans 8 promises and that is exactly what Moses was pointing to.

The fundamental issue is that we are not yet mature enough. The Israelites were babies spiritually. They could not consistently follow the law. They even had a veil over their hearts. So they needed discipline. And during that discipline, do not lose heart. Do not lose heart about who God is. Do not lose heart about who you are. And do not ever, ever doubt the love of God in Christ Jesus.

That is all for today. I hope you received something. Tomorrow we will hopefully finish Deuteronomy 34, the last chapter. Then we will seek God's leading about whether to move into Joshua or something else. Thank you for tuning in. Please pray for this ministry. Share this teaching, comment, and repost it. And please write us a Google review by searching Jairus Bible World Ministries on Google Maps. Thank you very much. God bless you.

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Bible Study With Jairus – Deuteronomy 26:12–15

When Love Becomes the Law: Caring for God’s Presence and God’s People

Deuteronomy 26:12–15 (ESV)

12 “When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled,
13 then you shall say before the LORD your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion out of my house, and moreover, I have given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all your commandment that you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.
14 I have not eaten of the tithe while I was mourning, or removed any of it while I was unclean, or offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the LORD my God. I have done according to all that you have commanded me.
15 Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.

When Moses spoke these words, God’s chosen people were standing right on the edge of a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses understood the nature of the human heart and how easy it would be to forget God’s blessings once the people were surrounded with the comforts of the Promised Land. Chapter after chapter, he repeats the law to the people, not just as a set of instructions or rules, but as a merciful warning against drifting into cycles of rebellion and sin. And right at the end of this powerful warning, he summarizes the law with two key commands that will help God’s people love God and their neighbor.

Deuteronomy 26:12–15 as a “Turning Point”

The book of Deuteronomy is often misunderstood as a book of merely laws and regulations. But Moses shaped it with great care. He built the book with a clear center, framed by what comes before and what comes after. The book of Deuteronomy contains a long section of warning sandwiched between two words of blessing. Just like a sandwich has a piece of meat in between two pieces of bread, Moses begins his final discourse with a word of encouragement in the first few chapters, then warns the people not to abandon the law of God, and ends the book by blessing the people and giving prophetic promises.

Moses begins by reminding the people of their journey through the wilderness and the lessons they learned there, especially the lesson of faith. When God first promised the land of Canaan, the first generation failed to enter. Not because the land was impossible, but because they did not believe. Only Joshua and Caleb trusted that God would give them victory. Moses was aware of their faith and the lessons they learned from their parent’s failure in the wilderness. That was the first piece of bread.

In the middle of the book, Moses patiently repeats and reinforces God’s law. He warns the second generation not to forget the Lord once they enter the land of abundance. Moses reiterates all the laws and the wonders of God and warns the Israelites to follow the law.

Deuteronomy 26:12-15 comes at the very end of the long middle section of the book. It is placed at the end of the long warning, right before Moses begins to bless the people. This passage plays a pivotal role in Moses’s discourse. In this passage, he summarizes the law the same way Jesus did in Matthew 22:37-39. In essence, he tells the people to love God and love their neighbors.

• Love God. When Moses commanded the people to take care of the Levites, he was in essence commanding them to demonstrate their love for God. The Levites took care of the presence of God and helped the people communicate with Him. So taking care of the Levites was the same as showing love to God. Giving a tenth of your possessions to the Levites, or to the church in today’s terminology, is a clear sign that you love God.
• Love people. Taking care of the widow and the sojourner is a way of loving your neighbor as yourself.

After this admonition, Deuteronomy begins a section of blessings and curses, showing the consequences of obedience and disobedience. He ends the book by speaking blessing over the tribes of Israel, the final piece of bread in the “sandwich.”

Blessing: Promise After Repentance

In the book of Judges, God’s people did not trust God or obey him. They neglected the entire law. They did not love their neighbors as themselves or take care of the Levites. Instead, they lived according to their own selfish desires. Their society fell into chaos.

During this time period, Naomi and her family left the land of Israel and no longer cared for the Levites. In the land of Moab, Naomi’s husband and two sons died as a consequence for their sins. If Naomi and her husband had not abandoned their duty to take care of the Levites and to love God with their whole hearts, they would not have lost these three men from their household.

As a consequence of their sin, Naomi was now a widow and a sojourner. But then she repented. She no longer wanted people to call her Naomi, which meant “sweetness,” but to call her Mara, which meant “bitterness.” She acknowledged that the Almighty made her life bitter.

Ruth suffered from the consequences of the sins of her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law. But she chose to go along with Naomi in repentance.

The laws in Deuteronomy 26 were specifically designed for a person like Ruth, both a widow and a sojourner. When Ruth arrives in the land of Israel, Boaz obeys these commands. He takes care of Ruth and Naomi, who are widows and sojourners. Because of his obedience, he becomes the ancestor of King David, who becomes the ancestor of the Messiah.

Similarly, if we take care of the widows and the sojourners today, Jesus Christ will be born in their hearts. The word of God will be embodied and made flesh in their personal lives. Such a wonderful picture of salvation!

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a wonderful picture of restoration. It reminds us that redemption is possible, even after disobedience. Even if God’s people disobeyed his commands given in Deuteronomy, and were cursed for their disobedience, God still invited them to repent. When they turned back to him God would restore them in his loving kindness.

Boaz demonstrated love for God and people. The law was fully fulfilled in his life, and he ushered in the era of kingship (1 Samuel).

Two Wilderness Lessons: Faith and Obedience

Before Israel could inherit the promise, they had to learn what the promise required. Through many trials and tests, God taught them the importance of faith and obedience.

Faith

The first generation heard God’s promise, but they responded to the spies’ fearful report with fear of their own. They fixed their eyes on the giants in the land instead of trusting the God who had brought them out of Egypt. The promise was real and it never changed. All it required was faith to be received.

Their unbelief angered the Lord, and that generation wandered in the wilderness for forty years until it passed away.

The second generation begins to respond differently. When they face opposition, they do not remain in unbelief. They turn toward God in prayer. Their posture shifts. They begin to seek the Lord instead of shrinking back. They have learned, at least in part, that promise and faith are intertwined; that God’s promise becomes inheritance only when it is met with trust.

Obedience

The second wilderness lesson is obedience. However, rather than obeying, the people of Israel often respond with rebellion. As soon as Israel enters the land of Canaan, this pattern of rebellion begins to surface and it continues across generations. Scripture is clear: unbelief rarely stands alone. It is often joined to rebellion.

We see this clearly in the life of King Saul. When Saul rebelled against the Lord, the prophet Samuel confronted him with sobering words: “Rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23). Rebellion is not just stubborn disobedience. It is a turning of the heart away from God, replacing trust with self-reliance.

The writer of Hebrews echoes this warning when reflecting on Israel’s wilderness failure. They did not fall because God’s promise failed, but because of two intertwined sins: unbelief and rebellion. They would not trust God, and they would not submit to Him. Together, unbelief hardened their hearts, and rebellion sealed their fate.

Scripture consistently links rebellion with idolatry because whatever replaces trust in God eventually claims the heart’s allegiance. This is why Israel’s story becomes so painful after they enter the land. They do not fully remove the idolatrous nations in the land. What remains unconquered does not disappear or stay neutral. It becomes a snare. The idolatry that Israel tolerated eventually began to shape them, and their rebellion left unaddressed turned their hearts away from the Lord.

Despite the disobedience of God’s people, God mercifully raised up priests to guard worship, kings to lead in obedience, and prophets to call the people back whenever the cycle began again.

God’s Three Pillars:

Priesthood: the presence of God

God’s original intention began with the priesthood. He desired a people who lived near His presence, governed by priests who worshiped, obeyed, and shared responsibility.

God’s presence in the Old Testament was never just symbolic. It was real and overwhelming. Fire, cloud, and voice revealed His holiness. At Mount Sinai, the people were frightened. They asked Moses to speak to God on their behalf, because they knew they were not yet ready to stand fully before such holiness. The distance didn’t exist because God was unwilling to be close. It existed because the people were not yet ready. Sin made direct closeness unsafe, so God, in mercy, provided a priesthood to help them learn what it meant to live near a holy God.

But this distance was never God’s final design. God was preparing a people who could live near His presence without fear, without the mediation of priesthood. As Peter later writes, God’s intention was always a royal priesthood. His desire was never that a few would approach Him on behalf of many, but that all His people would be transformed so that they could enter His presence. Because of Christ’s work on the cross, we no longer need a human high priest to stand between God and the people. With Jesus as our High Priest, human leaders no longer mediate between us and God. Instead, they shepherd, teach, and guide people into direct fellowship with the Lord.

Today, we as believers are called to live as priests. We can have daily fellowship with God, offer our lives as living sacrifices, and carry His presence into our ordinary, everyday lives.

In the Old Testament, a strong priesthood centered God in the life of the nation. It anchored their lives in worship and obedience. But when that priestly center weakened, self-rule began to rise, and authority slowly detached from submission to God. They slowly drifted away from him, one neglectful action at a time. Before long, people began living by what feels right instead of what is true.

When Israel cared for the Levites, they were putting God first. When the Levites were honored and supported, worship stayed strong. And when worship stayed strong, people remembered who God was and who they were as a people. But when the Levites were neglected, worship weakened. And when worship weakened, remembrance slowly faded.

When the priesthood was strong, Israel did not need centralized political power. God Himself was their King. But when God’s people neglected the priesthood, the people demanded a human king to lead them.

Similarly, when believers neglect their priestly calling and rely on others to stand between them and God, spiritual life begins to weaken. Even then, God remains merciful. He raises human leaders to guide, teach, and exercise authority. Today, we often refer to these leaders as pastors or elders. In the Old Testament, this same dynamic gave rise to the second pillar: kingship.

Kingship: Responsibility and Authority

Kingship provided structure, responsibility, and protection when personal devotion alone was not enough. Kingship emerged when self-rule increased and direct submission to God weakened. It was God’s way of providing structure and protection when the people could no longer govern themselves through shared devotion and worship. Yet this authority was never meant to replace priesthood. It existed to serve priesthood, not overshadow it. The purpose of kingship was to guide the people back toward maturity, helping them rediscover obedience, humility, and closeness to God.

When authority is healthy, it points people back to God rather than positioning itself in God’s place. In this way, leadership becomes a gift of mercy, not control. It helps the body grow until the people themselves are once again anchored in God, living not through borrowed faith, but through a restored, personal walk with Him.

Like a full moon that reflects the light of the sun, kingship was intended to reflect the loving authority of God to the people. The moon provides light and stability to God’s people.

Kingship still matters today. In the New Testament, believers are called co-kings with Christ. That doesn’t mean domination. It means responsibility. Authority exercised under submission to God. Every believer carries kingship within their own sphere, at home, at work, in culture, and in community.

When the priesthood is strong, daily fellowship with God anchors both people and leadership. But when that priestly life fades, kingship begins to falter. And when leadership falters, influence quietly slips away. Culture never remains empty; it always fills the vacuum. Scripture shows us that kingship can be righteous or corrupt. The same is true today. We can reflect God’s light like a lamp on a stand, or hide it and allow darkness to spread.

Kingship isn’t about power. It’s about stewardship. It exists to serve the priesthood, protect people, and point hearts back to God. When exercised rightly, it stabilizes a people and prepares the way for restoration.

Kingship fails when it forgets the priesthood and it succeeds when it serves it.

Prophetic Witness: Light in Dark Times

Prophetic witness is the last pillar in God’s pattern because it functions as a correction. That means prophetic witness is a necessity. It emerges when order has broken down and truth must be spoken clearly again.

In the Old Testament, whenever prophets appear, they reveal the spiritual state of the nation. Their voices signal that something has broken and needs to be restored.

Prophecy is God’s mercy at work when the priesthood has faded and leadership has failed. It is the voice that interrupts decline and invites return.

When a king reflects God well, he provides stability and clarity to the nation, like a bright full moon reflecting the sun and lighting up the midnight landscape. On a clear night with a bright full moon, you don’t see many stars. The moon’s light fills the sky. But on a dark night, when the moon is hidden or dim, the stars suddenly become visible. Similarly, when kingship fails, God raises up stars (prophets) to shine in the darkness. The darker the night, the brighter the stars appear.

King Ahab is a clear example. He was one of Israel’s worst kings. Instead of reflecting God’s authority, he led the nation into spiritual darkness. And in that darkness, God raised up one of the brightest prophetic voices in Scripture: Elijah. Elijah didn’t appear because times were good. He appeared because they were dangerously dark. Imagine living in Ahab’s time without Elijah. That gives us a sense of how serious the failure of leadership had become.

In modern history this pattern is evident in Germany. Before Nazi Germany rose to power, Germany was widely considered a Christian nation. Yet many believers failed to exercise moral and spiritual responsibility. Kingship, leadership, influence, and accountability had collapsed. And into that darkness, God raised a prophetic voice in Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Like John the Baptist, he didn’t perform miracles, but he spoke truth. He warned the church that tolerating injustice would eventually lead to its own destruction.

Paul teaches that the prophetic voice belongs to the whole church, not just a few. Prophecy is not fortune-telling, but truth-telling. Peter reminds us that Scripture is the surest prophetic word, and its message is always Jesus. The Apostle John says that the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. That means every believer can exercise a prophetic gift in everyday life. We speak light into darkness. We awaken hope where hearts have grown weary. Sometimes prophecy sounds as simple as truth spoken in love. Sometimes it is a reminder that God has not abandoned His people. It is the courage to say what needs to be said when others choose silence.

God puts light in the mouths of His people, refusing to let darkness have the final word.

The Law Fulfilled in Love

We often treat Deuteronomy as a book of laws. But at its core, it is a heart-forming book about remembrance.

Deuteronomy 26:12–15 is where everything finally comes together. After all the repeated warnings and instructions, Moses brings Israel back to what matters most. The law was designed to reveal love as its center.

The Levite was set apart because he had no land, inheritance, or any independent means of provision. His portion was the Lord Himself. Caring for the Levite was not charity. It was the covenant of love made visible.

To care for the Levite was to honor God’s presence among His people. The Levites represented worship, teaching, and the daily life of faith. When they were cared for, worship remained strong. And when worship was healthy, the people thrived in their identity. They remembered who God was, and they remembered who they were. Loving God meant guarding the place where faith was formed.

But covenant love did not stop there. To care for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow was to love your neighbor in practical, everyday ways. These were people without protection, power, or security. In a land built on family lines and land ownership, they had no safety net. God deliberately placed them at the center of Israel’s obedience to reveal His heart.

How a people treated the vulnerable showed whether they truly understood grace. Love for God was never meant to remain at the altar. It was always meant to spill into daily life, shaping how His people treated those most easily overlooked.

Later Jesus summarized the entire law so simply: love God, and love your neighbor. Everything else flows from that center.

What’s striking is what comes next. After obedience comes prayer. The people say, “I have not forgotten. I have obeyed.” This isn’t self-praise. It’s alignment. They’re saying, “God, Your priorities are my priorities.”

And from that place, they ask for blessing. “Look down… and bless.”

Blessing flows from alignment. When God’s presence is honored and the vulnerable are cared for, the land becomes more than productive. It becomes reflective of God’s heart.

Deuteronomy 26:12–15 reminds us that obedience was never meant to replace relationship. The law exists to protect love. Love for God. Love for neighbor. And when love is restored, blessing naturally follows.

That’s the heart of the law. And it still is.

Reflective Questions

• What does “guarding God’s presence” look like in my ordinary, daily life?
• What small areas of neglect have slowly weakened my spiritual attentiveness?
• Where has comfort dulled my remembrance of God’s faithfulness?
• Where has God entrusted me with light that I have kept hidden?
• Who are the “easily overlooked” people in my life right now?
• What would it look like for me to “tend the lamp” again this week?

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Today, I bring before you a heart that has grown hard through neglect and quiet rebellion.
I submit it again to Your Word and to the call to love my neighbor.

Forgive me for the silence where truth should have been spoken.
Forgive me for the moments I chose distance over love,
and for the times I refused to remain rooted in Your way.

Awaken in me my first love,
the love that surrenders everything,
the love that stays faithful,
the love that reflects Your own.

Let that love breathe life into the places I have neglected.
Restore what has been left unattended.
Teach me again how to tend the lamp you entrusted to me.

I return to You.
I choose love again.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

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Deuteronomy 33: Moses' Prophecies to the Twelve Tribes

Dan, the Lion's Cub Springing Out of BashanWelcome and Opening PrayerWelcome back to Bible study with Jairus. We continue our study of Deuteronomy 33, Moses' prophecy concerning the tribe of Dan. We will look at Moses' words alongside Jacob's earlier prophecy about Dan, and consider what God's salvation looked like in Dan's story. I pray the Holy Spirit gives us understanding. Let's start with prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you humbly. We need your help. We need the Holy Spirit to bring us into the experience of Dan, into his prophecy, and to show us how sinners like Dan can receive your transformation and salvation, until we become a pearl gate in the New Jerusalem. We ask Jesus Christ to cleanse us with his precious blood. We ask the Holy Spirit to anoint us with oil. We ask the Heavenly Father to bless this hour. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

The Story of Rachel, Bilhah, and Dan's BirthAccording to Genesis 30, Leah had already given birth to four sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, before her womb closed for a time. Rachel, meanwhile, could not conceive, and it grieved her deeply. She told Jacob, “Give me children, or I will die,” and Jacob grew angry with her, since the matter was not his to decide.

So, Rachel gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob as a wife, that she might bear children on Rachel's behalf. When the first son was born, Rachel named him Dan, saying, “God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son.” Her humiliation, in other words, had been removed. Later Bilhah bore a second son, Naphtali, of whom we will speak another time. Rachel said of him, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”

The rivalry between Rachel and Leah, and the pain, neglect, and strife that surrounded it, formed the environment these children grew up in. It is worth pausing here, because our character is often woven together with our fate.

Character Shapes FateWhy do we spend time examining the character of each of Jacob's sons? Because God created each of us with a unique nature, yet how we respond to our environment, especially a difficult one, shapes who we become. Joseph is the clearest example. He suffered as much as any of his brothers, yet he understood his suffering completely differently than they understood theirs. He knew his brothers meant him harm, but that God meant it for good. He could see God's purpose behind human sin and failure.

His brothers, especially Simeon, could not see past their immediate trials. They decided Joseph was the problem, and that killing him would solve it. God made us free agents with free will, and the way we interpret the world we are given, the lens we choose to look through, shapes our character and our future. Had Joseph not chosen to see God's hand at work, he would surely have taken revenge on his brothers after their father died. He did not, because he understood that God's will stood behind even the sinful behavior of the people around him.

Being born into a complicated, painful family often bends a person's understanding of the world, sometimes into a mindset that Satan can use to build a stronghold within them. Hatred works that way. With that in mind, let me offer some imagination about why Reuben may have slept with Bilhah and defiled his father's bed.

Imagining Dan's Early EnvironmentNeglect and a kind of functional divorce can leave a wife bitter, but having children nearby often gives comfort. When I worked as a reporter in Los Angeles, there was a neighborhood we nicknamed “Second Wife Village.” Many corrupt officials from China bought expensive homes in America for their second or third wives, women who were, in effect, mistresses supported by stolen money. These men would visit occasionally, but their children largely grew up without a father's presence. If you are aware of the Chinese community in Lost Angeles, you understand what I’m talking about.

Even so, many of these women managed to build a life around their children. A woman can often bear the absence of a husband if she has a child, sometimes more than one, to pour her love into. But take the child away from her, and that becomes far harder to bear.

With that in mind, consider Genesis 30 again. When Rachel proposed giving Bilhah to Jacob, she made the terms plain: Bilhah could bear the child, but the child would belong to Rachel, would sit on Rachel's knee as her own. In effect, Rachel took Dan, and later Naphtali, away from Bilhah, since both boys were named by Rachel, not their birth mother.

I spent ten years without children before finally having what felt like a miracle child, and during that time I met many people connected to fertility clinics and heard many stories about surrogates. Sometimes a surrogate carries another couple's child for nine months and grows attached, and separating from that baby is agonizing. Bilhah's case was harder still. These were her own children by blood, yet by agreement they would never truly be hers.

If Bilhah had been allowed to raise her own two sons herself, she may well have had no need to seek comfort elsewhere. Instead, it is possible that grief, neglect, and unmet longing left her vulnerable, and that both she and Reuben were exploited by this vulnerability to defile Jacob's bed. Many single mothers manage well when they can pour their love into their children. But take the children away, and the loss becomes unbearable. There are many single mothers in America that love and care for their kids. That, I believe, was Bilhah's experience: two sons taken from her because, by agreement, they belonged to Rachel.

Growing Up Among Four Older BrothersSeen this way, Dan was the firstborn son in Jacob's household outside of Leah's own children. I mentioned yesterday that Leah's first four sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, arrived almost as a single pride of young lions ready to conquer the world. I do not know exactly how Dan fit into that group, but I suspect it was not easy. Perhaps this offers some insight into how Dan grew up: how he responded to a difficult family situation, how his character was shaped, how he later fell, and how God eventually worked salvation through him, all of which Jacob seems to have observed and folded into his prophecy.

Character Traits and the Seed of ProphecyThe character traits Jacob observed in his sons became the seed of the prophetic blessings he gave them. Take Issachar, for example. Jacob saw in him the quiet patience of a donkey, and prophesied accordingly. Moses later built on that seed, blessing Issachar to rejoice in his tents alongside Zebulun, one carrying an apostolic calling and the other a prophetic one, together drawing Jew and Gentile alike to the mountain of God.

First Chronicles 12 even records that the men of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do. You can see how a single observed trait develops, generation after generation, into a fuller calling. God spoke over Zebulun not only through Jacob's blessing and Moses' prophecy, but also through Isaiah in chapter 9, who foretold that Galilee, once a place of contempt, would become the very region from which the ministries of Jesus and Peter emerged. Contempt and humiliation, in other words, can become the starting point for God's greatest work.

The same pattern of development shows up in Dan's story. I have already offered a picture of the environment Dan may have grown up in, based on Genesis 30 and common human experience. Now let's turn to Jacob's prophecy itself, and ask the Holy Spirit for further light.

Jacob's Prophecy: Dan Will Provide Justice (Genesis 49:16-17)Jacob said, “Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a snake by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider tumbles backward.” This is vivid, mysterious, prophetic language, and it deserves some unpacking.

Why would Jacob say Dan will provide justice for his people? I believe Jacob's blessings, in every case, were rooted first in what he observed in his sons growing up within a large, complicated, and often painful family, itself a small picture of the wider human world: a field of sin, neglect, hatred, and misunderstanding. Yet without anyone fully seeing it, God was already preparing, out of this difficult and sinful family dynamic, a seed of salvation. Eventually a Savior would come from the tribe of Jacob to save the world, and all twelve tribes would one day experience God's transforming power and become the pearl gates of the New Jerusalem.

I doubt anyone living in Old Testament times, or even most Jewish people today, holds this full revelation, that the twelve tribes will one day become the twelve pearl gates of New Jerusalem, gates through which both Jew and Gentile enter the mountain of God to worship him. Jacob may have grasped part of this. He was a prophetic man who had encountered God many times, through the suffering of his life, the tension of four wives, twelve sons, and one daughter, and the long process of maturing through pain. By the end of his life he could bless even Pharaoh, the greatest ruler of his day, and speak prophetic promises over his own sons. So in some measure, Jacob may have understood that humanity's temporary suffering leads, in God's hands, toward eternal salvation.

The Nature of True JusticeJustice is always tied to injustice; wherever there is a cry for justice, an injustice has already occurred. I imagine that as Leah's four sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, were growing up, they did not always act righteously toward their younger brothers. There may well have been bullying. And wherever injustice exists, a need for justice follows.

We see the same pattern in American history: real injustice was done to Native Americans, and African Americans. Nobody honestly denies this. But where do we find true justice? Consider a case that made headlines: an African American man was reported to have said, after killing a white woman from Ukraine, that he had “killed another white girl.” That is not justice. That is injustice compounding injustice. True justice is never found simply in harming the person, or the group, that once caused harm. Even given a long history of injustice done to African Americans, killing a woman simply because she is white, without even knowing her nationality or her story, is not justice. It is revenge.

Here is the key distinction: injustice creates a genuine need for justice, but true justice never comes from revenge or hatred. It comes only from the righteous judgment of Jesus Christ and God our creator.

Given this pattern, it seems likely that Dan grew up experiencing real injustice himself. Perhaps he was taken from his mother, Bilhah, as I described earlier. Perhaps he was mistreated by his older brothers. Out of that kind of wound, a person typically responds in one of two ways: by seeking revenge, which seems to have been Simeon's path, or by becoming someone God uses, imperfectly, as an instrument of justice on behalf of others, as we later see in Dan's descendant Samson.

Dan Among the Twelve TribesJacob continues by naming Dan as one of the tribes of Israel, which carries its own quiet mystery (Genesis 49:16). In Revelation, among the 144,000 sealed from the twelve tribes, Dan is notably absent. Many scholars believe Dan was cut off from that number. And yet in the end, Dan still appears among the pearl gates of the New Jerusalem. Somehow, mysteriously, Dan is preserved even after apparently being cut off. What happened to Dan in childhood, and what he had to pass through afterward, both seem bound up with this eventual salvation, brought about through Jacob's prayer over him and, no doubt, others.

The Viper by the Road (Genesis 49:17)Jacob's language here is a prophetic picture: Dan as a snake by the roadside, a viper along the path, striking at the horse's heels so its rider falls backward. Picture Dan struggling against his four older brothers, perhaps riding ahead on horseback while Dan, smaller and pushed to the margins, waited by the road like a snake, ready to trip them up. Perhaps his brothers once chased him on horseback, only to be outwitted by him in the end. Whatever the precise memory behind the image, it likely reflects how Jacob observed Dan dealing with his brothers inside that difficult family.

Dan's Later History: The Danites and the Idols of MicahHistory bears this pattern out. Dan's tribe would later lose the land originally allotted to them, wander in search of new territory, and, according to the book of Judges, forcibly take a priest and idols from Micah's household, killing many people along the way. The tribe of Dan gained a reputation for ferocity. When Micah's household pursued them to recover what had been stolen, Dan's answer was blunt: we are fierce people, we show no mercy, do not push us further or we may kill you and no one will ever know.

That same characteristic, biting like a viper, seems to have been present even in Dan's early dealings with his own brothers, and it eventually spread into open harm against his own kinsmen, God's own people. Dan's tribe did not simply lose their land. They also became, in the north, a leading center of idol worship, home to one of the golden calves that drew Israelites from as far away as Dan itself to bow before an image instead of God. Given the whole of this story, it becomes clear that Dan experienced, and caused, a great fall. That is precisely the condition that calls for salvation.

From Injustice to True Justice: The CrossAfter describing Dan's character and his calling to bring justice for God's people, not through revenge or hatred toward his own brothers, Jacob's prophecy touches something universal. Whether we are white, black, Asian, or any other background, we are all part of one humanity, all made in the image of God. Our real fight is not against flesh and blood but against the ruling authorities of darkness, as Paul writes. Yet however we were raised, and whatever injustice we may have suffered, whether as an African American in America today or as Dan among his brothers, the first instinct, born of human failure, limited understanding, and a poor grasp of God's wisdom in suffering, is to answer injustice with more injustice: to seek revenge. I believe that was Dan's temptation as well. In a sense, his prophetic calling, to bring justice for God's people as one of Israel's tribes, was meant to redirect that very impulse.

I am an immigrant, and as an Asian and Chinese American I have experienced discrimination too. But the way we pursue God's justice cannot be by creating fleshly injustice against those who wronged us. Every sinner starts out this way, believing the sword is the answer. That is why Peter drew his sword, and why Jesus told him to put it away: those who live by the sword die by the sword. True justice comes only through the justice of God, made visible when Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross. There, the justice of God was fully satisfied, and because of it, our sins can be forgiven. The deepest injustice ever committed against a human being, what was done to Jesus Christ, became the very means by which God's justice and our reconciliation were accomplished. He bore all our sin and injustice. Apart from that, God could not reconcile with us, because the wages of sin is death. But Christ accomplished our redemption and became, in himself, the righteousness and justice of God.

So, the calling on Dan, to bring justice to God's people, was never a calling to create more injustice. Yet that is exactly the mistake Dan seems to have made. Even Moses, called to lead Israel out of Egypt, could not do so by killing an Egyptian, and when he tried, his own people rejected him, saying, “Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” The injustice done to us can only be redeemed through the justice of God found in Christ. That is a hard lesson to learn.

Jacob's Cry for Salvation (Genesis 49:18)This realization seems to be what brings about the one truly unique moment in this part of Jacob's prophecy. Unlike his words over any other son, Jacob suddenly cries out: “Lord, I long for your salvation. I look for your deliverance.” I do not know whether Jacob glimpsed the person of Jesus Christ before his incarnation, though Jesus himself said that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, and Paul writes that the spiritual Rock, who is Christ, accompanied Israel through the wilderness. Whether or not Jacob saw Christ directly, in this moment he clearly acknowledged, through all the suffering, sin, strife, and hatred surrounding him, and through humanity's habit of answering injustice with more injustice, that he needed a Savior.

This is really the trajectory of the entire Old Testament. The law and the prophets, Paul tells us, find their conclusion in Christ. Long before that fulfillment came, people sensed it and cried out from the heart, “Lord, I need your deliverance.” That itself is a prophetic declaration, a foreshadowing of the dead being called to minister justice. We are all, in that sense, dead in our need, and yet Paul reminds us that one day we will judge angels. Our true enemy was never each other, not black against white, not Jew against Gentile, not Joseph against his brothers, but the fallen spiritual powers who deceived Adam and have deceived humanity ever since. When we finally grasp that we are the body of Christ, many sons among many sons, we will enter into the glory that will be revealed when Christ himself is revealed, and all creation, groaning under corruption, will finally be set free, as Paul describes in Romans 8.

Every person eventually reaches a point, as Paul confesses in Romans 7, where they say, “I am a wretched man; I need a Savior.” Dan's experience, his calling to minister justice, and his tendency to pursue it through more injustice, were all seen by his father Jacob, who prophesied that Dan, above all, needed deliverance. That impulse toward revenge was never going to accomplish what God intended.

Moses' Prophecy: The Lion's Cub from Bashan (Deuteronomy 33:22)This brings us to Moses' own prophecy, given here in a single striking sentence: “Dan is a lion's cub, springing out of Bashan.” Bashan was ruled by King Og, a place associated with a demonized people, made in God's image yet given over as tools of evil, who refused every chance to repent. God eventually used Israel to bring judgment on them and establish justice in that land, since they had rebelled against him and allied themselves with evil.

Yet out of that very place, Bashan, Moses prophesies that Dan will spring forth like a lion's cub: a picture of the mature body of Christ, of the many sons of God coming into the fullness of their calling, victorious and reigning as co-heirs with Christ. This lion's cub is a young king, destined to represent the body of Christ in judging the fallen powers. Bashan itself stands as a picture of a fallen earth full of fallen people, over whom God nonetheless brings justice through his own people, just as the Canaanites represented the wider world of demonic influence that God will ultimately judge through his church, the victorious overcomers who carry his justice into an unjust world.

That is the meaning of the lion's cub springing out of Bashan. It tells us that Dan, though seemingly cut off, will be restored among the tribes of Israel and stand as one of the pearl gates of the New Jerusalem, bringing justice at last to an unjust world.

Closing ThoughtsToday, we as the church, as God's people, are called to carry that same justice into our own unjust world. But the way we carry it is never through revenge or through inflicting fleshly injustice on those who have wronged us. It is through becoming, like Dan, a lion's cub springing out of Bashan: co-heirs with Christ who will one day represent God, as many mature sons, in judging the fallen powers, even as we ourselves are brought into his eternal kingdom and glory.

I hope this gives you a little more insight into this prophetic picture. I will see you next time. Thank you for joining us.

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Bible Study with JairusDeuteronomy 33: Moses' Prophecies to the Twelve TribesAsher: Let His Feet Be Bathed in Oil (Verses 24-25)Introduction: From Jacob's Observation to Moses' BlessingWelcome back to Bible study with Jairus. Today we are going to look at the prophecy concerning Jacob's son Asher, both the blessing Jacob spoke over him and the blessing Moses later spoke over him. Jacob said that Asher's food would be rich, and that he would provide delicacies fit for a king. That blessing was rooted in something Jacob had observed firsthand: Asher's life was marked by being a peacemaker, by bringing good food to the table, and by serving others with a generous, hospitable spirit.

Moses took that same observation and developed it even further. In his blessing, Moses declared that Asher would be the most blessed of all the sons, favored by his brothers above the rest. He would be the peacemaker, embodying what the Apostle Paul later calls the bond of peace in Colossians 3, the peace of Christ ruling in the heart, the bond that holds us together as one body.

We are meant to live together in unity as brothers and sisters in God's family. As the psalmist says, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. But the honest truth about Jacob's family is that unity was not the norm. It was a household full of strife. Yet God's calling for his people was never strife; God's calling was to bring unity out of struggle and conflict. In time, God blessed the unity of his people, just as Psalm 133 describes: blessed are those who dwell together in unity, for it is like the precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robe. It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forevermore. In other words, the outward picture is beautiful, but underneath there was real tension between the tribes. Still, God's calling was always to bring them into unity.

When God's children walk in unity, they receive a blessing from on high, pictured by that oil flowing from the head of Aaron, down through his beard, down to his garments, and finally to his feet. In his prophetic blessing over Asher, Moses built on Jacob's earlier observation of Asher as a peacemaker, someone who cooked good food and brought delicacies fit for a king, much like a mother in the home whose cooking becomes an act of peacemaking. We see a similar pattern with Stephen in the book of Acts. When strife arose among the believers because the widows were being overlooked and were not receiving food, the apostles set apart Stephen and several others who were full of the Holy Spirit to handle that need. Through their service, they became peacemakers, and the word of God grew because unity was restored.

Those who supply food, whether physically or spiritually, often become peacemakers in this way. Stephen was a peacemaker. In the same spirit, Moses developed Jacob's prophecy of Asher as the one who brings food to the table, calling him the most blessed among his brothers. We know that Joseph held a unique place among his brothers and received a remarkable blessing of his own. But why does Moses call Asher the most blessed and the most favored of all his brothers? Because Asher's ministry, fundamentally, was the ministry of a peacemaker. When a peacemaker dwells among God's people, when brothers live together in unity, that oneness releases great power for God's people. Both the Old and New Testaments echo this truth. There is an old saying, using a Chinese illustration, that a single chopstick is easily broken, but when chopsticks are bound together, they cannot be easily broken. One can put a thousand to flight, but two can put ten thousand to flight. The power of unity is immense.

Unity, Reconciliation, and the Power of the SpiritThis is the power of reconciliation, and it is the ministry pictured in Asher. The power of unity, built on the bond of love in Christ Jesus, whether among the tribes of the Old Testament or within the church today, becomes a powerful weapon in the hands of God's people. Out of unity comes blessing from on high. Out of unity comes a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In both Testaments, the ministry of Asher is the ministry of the peacemaker, the bond of love and peace that produces unity. Once that unity is established on the firm foundation of Christ's revelation, even Jesus' own teaching reflects it: he told Peter that we should forgive our brother seventy times seven. He also told Peter that he was a rock, but it was the revelation Peter spoke, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, that became the true rock and foundation of the church, and the foundation of its unity. A church built on this foundation, built on this ground of oneness in Jesus Christ, is one against which the gates of Hades shall not prevail.

So, with the ministry of Asher, building on the prophecy Jacob gave through his observation of his son's character, Moses developed this into a fuller blessing. Most blessed of sons is Asher, Moses says. Let him be favored by his brothers. That means everyone loved Asher; he was the most favored among his brothers. And further, let his feet be bathed in oil. This recalls the picture from Psalm 133, where oil was poured on the head of Aaron the priest and flowed down to his beard, then to his robe, and finally saturated him all the way to his feet. The poetic image of Asher's feet dipped in oil shows that he carried the ministry of reconciliation and unity so completely that, from head to toe, he was saturated with it. He was accepted by every one of his brothers, even amid so much strife elsewhere in the family. His was a ministry of unity and of consolation. Out of this ministry, the tribes of Israel would become one great army of God.

That is why Moses continues, saying that the bolts of Asher's gate would be iron and bronze, so that no enemy could break through, and that his strength would equal his days. Think about the situation in America today. There is a rise of antisemitism, and some say we can support the Israeli people but must never criticize the Israeli government, while others say we must understand the strategy of the enemy: if Satan can break the bond between the nation of Israel and Christians, he can far more easily move against all Judeo-Christian, Bible-believing people of God. So, we must be careful, and we must seek balance. Yes, criticism of a government's policies is legitimate, and yes, we should continue to pray for the salvation of the Jewish people, who are not yet saved. But we must understand the strategy of the enemy and work toward unity between Jewish people and Gentile Christians, especially here in America. We cannot allow that bond to be severed.

Let us go further still. Imagine if all Christians, whatever their tradition (high church or low church, this denomination or that, Protestant or Catholic), all Bible-believing, Jesus-believing Christians, dwelt together in unity. Can you imagine the power of God we would receive, the blessing from on high, the beauty of a church about which Jesus said the gates of Hades shall not prevail? Just as Moses described, when God's people walk in unity, their gates have bolts of iron and bronze, and they are full of power. Their days are full of strength, whatever number of days they are given, just as it was said of Caleb. They are full of strength and full of power, able to overcome the kingdom of darkness through unity. This is the revelation we are considering today regarding the ministry of Asher.

Colossians 3 and the Call to Unity in the ChurchI want to return to Psalm 133 and also bring in Colossians 3. I will say more about this passage later, but here the Apostle Paul addresses the strife present among the members of his church and exhorts them toward unity. In Colossians 3:12-15, he writes, put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Just as there was strife and hatred among the children of Jacob in that dysfunctional family, a picture of the brokenness of this world, there has also been strife within the church of God, whether in Corinth or in Colossae. But Paul reminds them: remember who you are. You are God's chosen ones. In Colossians 3:12, the Jewish people are described as God's chosen, called to be a holy nation; strife or not, that calling remains. Likewise, we as Christians are chosen, holy, and beloved. There may be strife in the church, but we must remember that the ministry of Jesus Christ is reconciliation.

Paul encourages believers to put on, as one would put on clothing, compassion, kindness, love, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another when there is a complaint, just as the Lord has forgiven us, so we must forgive. And above all these, he says, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace, and be thankful. This is a beautiful illustration from Paul about the unity of the church. We experience strife, but we are called to put on the compassion and oneness of God, and above all, his love, that we might walk in this unity in Jesus Christ, in harmony.

This is a fitting picture for the Old Testament Israelites and for the ministry of Asher. Asher's ministry is a type of reconciliation and unity, for the reasons already given: he was known as someone who put food on the table, food that was good, even fit to be called a king's delicacy. Jacob first observed this, but Moses' prophecy went further, describing Asher as the most favored and most blessed among all his brothers. Everyone loved Asher. And his feet would be dipped in oil, a continuous picture of the blessing of oil flowing on the heads of brothers dwelling together in unity. When you dwell together in unity, you gain the power to stand against your enemy. Your gate has bolts of iron and bronze, and your strength matches your days.

That concludes the introduction to today's revelation. From here, we will move into the first section, returning to a principle we have outlined before

The Twelve Tribes: A Story Still UnfoldingIn this first section, I want to reiterate something the Holy Spirit has shown us about God's dealings with the twelve tribes. Each of the twelve sons of Israel carries a unique story of salvation, a story of turning from sin and being transformed by the life of God into a living stone of the New Jerusalem. As I have said before, their stories are not yet finished, even in the New Testament. They remain a work in progress. The tribe of Dan offers a clear example. In Revelation, when the angel marks 144,000 from the twelve tribes on their foreheads to protect them from harm, Dan is conspicuously absent from that list. It seems likely that Dan went through some particularly difficult trial. Yet eventually, Dan is restored and appears again as one of the pearl gates of the New Jerusalem.

Even from the story of Dan alone, we see that the work of Jesus Christ in this tribe was not yet finished, because the New Jerusalem is still being built, made up of both Jews and Gentiles, founded on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ. In the end, there are twelve pearl gates bearing the names of the twelve tribes, and twelve foundation stones bearing the names of the twelve apostles.

As Gentile believers, we too are precious stones, though we were once made only of dirt, full of impurity. Yet through trial, that impurity is refined into something unique: a distinct kind of stone, shaped by our particular struggles, each one becoming a singular expression of God's glory. In the same way, each tribe of Israel is being transformed into one of the twelve pearl gates of the New Jerusalem. Eventually, in the cornerstone of Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles, living stones from the Old and New Testaments alike, are being built together into a spiritual temple. As the Apostle Peter says, we are all part of a royal priesthood, called by God.

So, the transformation of the twelve tribes of Israel is not finished; it is still underway. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 9 through 11 that when the full number of the Gentiles has come in, all Israel will be saved. The work of God in the twelve tribes is not complete. It may be temporarily paused, much like an app running quietly in the background on your phone, but God is still at work. Many of the promises given to the tribes of Israel remain unfulfilled. At least ten of the tribes effectively disappeared from history, scattered among the nations, yet they will be called back to Israel one day.

So what is the work God is doing among the twelve tribes? Beyond making them the pearl gates of the New Jerusalem, God is bringing them into unity, and bringing Jews and Gentile believers together into one building, the New Jerusalem. But the present reality is that there is no unity yet; there is strife. And that strife runs all the way back to the constant struggles within Jacob's own family, which was, in every sense, a dysfunctional household: one father, four wives, twelve sons, and one daughter.

Two Rival Camps: Leah and RachelWithin that family, there were at least two rival camps. The first was the camp of Leah, who had four sons of her own: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. I have described them before as something like a gang of four, four lions on the prowl, determined to conquer the world. Leah's camp also included sons born to her maidservant Zilpah, who, though not born of Leah directly, were still counted as part of Leah's tribe.

On the other side was the camp of Rachel, the wife Jacob loved most but who, for a long time, could not have children. Eventually she received sons through her maidservant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali. I have imagined, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, that Dan and Naphtali had a difficult childhood, raised in some sense apart from their birth mother, sitting on Rachel's knees as she gave them their names, belonging fully to her in that legal and emotional sense. Perhaps, in moments of conflict, when they fought for their place beside Rachel, Reuben, Levi, Simeon, and Judah taunted them, telling them they were the sons of a maidservant, not true sons of Rachel, accusing them of overstepping, of not truly belonging.

Dan may have received Rachel's affection for a season, but he surely lost that special place once Joseph was born; I doubt Rachel had much attention left for Dan after that. And so Dan became twisted, in a sense dehumanized in Jacob's eyes, often described almost as a serpent. I have described Dan's character as someone hardened by hatred, looking for ways to wound others, shaped by injustice into a desire for revenge. Jacob's prayer over Dan reflects this: 'I wait for your salvation, O Lord.' Jacob understood that injustice had indeed been done to Dan, but also understood that injustice cannot be answered with more injustice, that violence cannot be met with more violence, that the wound must instead be met with deliverance.

Naphtali, by contrast, seems to have learned a different lesson from the same family pain. Consider an illustration from recent history: Donald Trump has said he never drank alcohol, smoked, or used drugs, not because he claims to be perfect, but because his brother died from alcoholism, and that loss shaped him deeply. He raised his own son, Barron, the same way: no drugs, no smoking, no drinking, and excellence in school. When your sibling has gone through something devastating, you either follow the same path, or you choose, deliberately, to become the opposite.

I once watched a documentary about an African American man who had killed someone and was serving time in prison. In the interview, he explained how he ended up there: his older brother had been a respected gang member on the street, someone he idolized as a kind of hero. When his brother was killed, he wanted revenge, and he followed in his brother's footsteps, eventually becoming a gang member himself, and ultimately killing someone else to prove he, too, could be the one in charge. That is one example, drawn from real human experience, of how grief and admiration for a sibling can lead someone further into the same destructive pattern. Donald Trump's story is the opposite example: his brother's death from alcoholism led him in the entirely opposite direction. It is something we see in many dysfunctional families. Some children repeat the pattern, continuing cycles of dysfunction or divorce. Others determine, often painfully, to break the cycle, to turn the curse in their family into something different.

In a similar way, Naphtali, watching what hatred and constant family strife had done to those around him, chose forgiveness instead. I have described Naphtali's calling as something like the ministry of the gospel itself: receiving forgiveness, receiving the joy of salvation through forgiveness. I have shared before how my own heart was once full of hatred before I came to Christ, as though a snake were biting me from within, full of poison. But when I received Jesus Christ, that hatred was released, and I was set free, free like a doe, like a mother deer leaping for joy, full of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The Wisdom of Balance Amid StruggleWe see this pattern of two opposing camps in many places. In America, there is a left and a right, blue and red. In every human society, there are at least two competing factions, locked in ongoing struggle. In China, during the Cultural Revolution, there was a left and a right, with a leader, sometimes a dictatorship, sometimes even a king, working to balance these struggles and to maintain order between them. I am not describing this in a purely negative light; this kind of balancing is, in its own way, a form of wisdom. God works in a similar manner, not through deception or manipulation, but through wisdom.

So in the ongoing struggle within Jacob's family, God intervened. When Jacob loved Rachel and Leah felt unloved, God stepped in. Seeing that Leah was unloved, God blessed her with children, four sons in succession. Each time she gave birth, she rejoiced: 'I have a son, Reuben.' 'Now I have another, Simeon.' 'I have Levi; now my husband will be united to me.' 'I have Judah; now I will praise the Lord.' Rachel, meanwhile, was not at peace. We see in this story the struggle between two sisters playing out in real time. Rachel had Jacob's love, but no child, while Leah had children but felt unloved. Early in Genesis 30, Rachel finally cried out to Jacob, 'Give me children, or I will die!' That is a striking, desperate plea. The tension between the two sisters had become fierce and dramatic. Jacob, understandably frustrated, responded, 'Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?'

At this point, Rachel devised a plan, perhaps a human idea, but one God allowed to unfold. She gave her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob, so that Bilhah's children would, in effect, be counted as Rachel's own. 'Then I will win this struggle with my sister,' she seems to reason. 'She has four sons and boasts of it every day. I will have sons too.' Bilhah bore two sons, Dan and Naphtali, whose characters I have already described. As I have mentioned often, Jacob's prophetic blessings over his sons were rooted in his observation of their character, observations later confirmed and expanded through prophetic anointing. He is steady, like a donkey that bears heavy loads, quiet by nature, eventually becoming attentive to God's voice because he learned to be still.

When Dan was born, Rachel rejoiced, declaring in Genesis 30 that God had judged her, that he had heard her voice and given her a son. Even though she had not borne the child herself, God had stepped in through her maidservant, and she recognized his hand in it. When Bilhah bore a second son, Naphtali, Rachel declared that in her struggle with her sister, she had won. She had only two sons compared to Leah's four, but she held the favor of Jacob, while Leah, despite her four sons, still lacked it. It was, in a sense, an even contest.

At this point, the rivalry intensified further. Leah, seeing what Rachel had done, said, in effect, 'You came up with this idea? I never thought of it, but I can do it too.' She gave her own maidservant Zilpah to Jacob, and Zilpah bore Gad and, later, Asher, the very son we are focused on today. Gad was the first son born outside of Leah herself, though he remained counted within her tribe; he may well have endured some teasing or rivalry from Leah's other sons. Jacob observed of Gad that he would be attacked, but would turn and attack his attackers at the heel.

When Asher was born, the struggle between the two camps, we might playfully call them Democrats and Republicans, though every culture has its own version of left and right, was still ongoing. But the calling that emerges through Gad and especially through Asher points beyond that struggle entirely. Within the tensions of differing opinions among the tribes, Gad's particular calling, through hardship and struggle, was to produce a kind of unity rooted in the unique ministry of Jesus: the ministry of reconciliation.

Without Jesus, there is no true reconciliation. When the Jewish people do not yet receive Jesus, there can be no full reconciliation with the Palestinian people, because the Palestinian people likewise lack peace apart from Jesus Christ. If both Jewish people and Palestinians were to receive the ministry of reconciliation found in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, they would become one body in him. The very fact that strife persists between Jewish and Gentile peoples, between Israelis and Palestinians, testifies that neither side has yet fully received the light of God found in the reconciling work of Jesus Christ. God allows struggle and strife to occur, but his calling does not end there. It calls us higher, calls us to be built together into one body in Christ through the ministry of reconciliation found in Jesus. That is precisely the ministry pictured in Asher.

Mandrakes, Rivalry, and the Hidden Hand of GodThe family rivalry continued. Rachel, growing desperate, saw that Leah's son Reuben had found mandrakes in the field, and she pleaded for some, believing, as some traditions suggest, that mandrakes had properties that might help with fertility. Mandrakes were likely rare, not something one could simply find again easily. Leah, understandably, was indignant: 'You have already taken my husband; now you want my son's mandrakes as well?' The tension between the sisters was so intense that even something as small as a plant became a flashpoint. Rachel, desperate enough, agreed to trade a night with Jacob for the mandrakes.

So, for a season, perhaps as long as three years, Leah regained access to Jacob. When Jacob came in from the field, Leah went out to meet him and said, in effect, 'You must sleep with me tonight, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes.' God again stepped in to maintain balance: Leah conceived again, bearing Issachar, and the following year, Zebulun. Counting carefully, this period likely spanned at least three years, since only one child could be born each year. Even if Jacob was not constantly with Leah during this time, she clearly had ongoing access to him across this span.

Meanwhile, God stepped in again on Rachel's behalf. Once Leah's season of bearing children had ended, the narrative shifts to highlight God's hidden purpose at work through all of this human striving. Without this struggle, Leah would not have borne so many children, and without those children, we would not have the foundation for the twelve pearl gates of the New Jerusalem. Just as Joseph later understood, looking back on his own suffering, that his brothers had meant evil toward him but God had meant it for good, we must learn to see God's divine purpose at work behind human suffering and struggle. God is good. God was using even painful circumstances to produce overcomers, people who would ultimately rule alongside him and bring salvation to entire nations, whether the Jewish people or the people of Egypt.

Through the rivalry of Rachel and Leah, God produced the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem. Think of it like the work of a builder. The book of Hebrews tells us that Abraham, when he received the promise, was looking forward to a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. As God shapes the living material for that city, the gates of the New Jerusalem, he allowed the suffering and strife between Jacob, Leah, and Rachel to take place, so that he might shape the very material he would later use to build the New Jerusalem.

I am reminded of a quote often attributed to Martin Luther, comparing human suffering to letters set backward on a printing press. In that moment, the letters appear reversed and meaningless. But when the printing is finished and you turn the page over, you find a beautiful poem of God’s creation. In the midst of suffering and strife, we rarely perceive God's purpose. But when the process reaches its completion, we will see the beautiful design God has woven through human suffering, through strife, through struggle, through pain, ultimately producing the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem. Without the twelve stones, there are no twelve gates. Without the struggle of Rachel and Leah, perhaps neither would have had children at all; and we see something similar today, where many simply choose not to have children. Yet God uses even human suffering to accomplish his wonderful work.

The Birth of Joseph, the Birth of BenjaminEventually, when Leah had borne all the children she would bear, God remembered Rachel, and she gave birth to Joseph. Joseph was a single son, yet so significant that Satan stirred up at least ten of his brothers in an attempt to harm him. We know that Reuben and Judah made some effort, in varying degrees, to protect him, but Scripture is largely silent about the other brothers. Most likely, they simply remained silent witnesses, much as Christians today often do. We hear of evil things happening and choose to look away. We hear of a Nigerian Christian murdered for their faith, and we stay silent, telling ourselves it is not our concern, that no one is paying attention to Africa anyway. We hear of a Chinese Christian killed for their faith, and again we stay silent, telling ourselves no one cares about China. This same posture, I am better off staying quiet, I do not want to provoke Simeon, he might kill me too, has played out across human history, beginning right here in the family of Jacob.

In this ongoing family struggle, Rachel had another son, Joseph. The birth of Joseph likely came at a real cost to Dan and Naphtali, who probably lost much of whatever attention and affection they had once received. Later, Benjamin was born, a birth marked by deep sorrow, as Rachel died giving birth to him. By this point, however, Jacob had already come to understand God's larger work taking shape within his family through all of this struggle. He recognized Benjamin as the final son of this particular family configuration, and somehow understood, prophetically, that Benjamin would eventually represent the dwelling place of God, the New Jerusalem, where the temple would stand. As the son of Jacob's right hand, Benjamin would point toward the consummation of God's work among the Jewish people, ultimately bringing in both the earthly temple and the heavenly New Jerusalem, the eternal dwelling place of God and humanity together.

By the time Benjamin was born, Jacob had already grasped the shape of God's work among the twelve tribes, and that understanding shaped how he prophesied over his sons. Of Asher, he said, in essence, 'You make good food, just as I do; I cook a fine stew, and when my brother came home hungry, I fed him well. You, too, make good food, even delicacies fit for a king.' Throughout all the struggle and strife recorded across the Old and New Testaments, Scripture never records Asher doing anything wrong or harmful. Asher's role was, fundamentally, a mystery of reconciliation. He made good food. He made people happy. He made his father Jacob happy, and very likely made his brothers happy as well. He could prepare food fit for a king's table, in other words, he had a gift for making nearly everyone around him content.

Asher's Full Blessing in Moses' ProphecyMoses continued to develop this picture, declaring that Asher was the most blessed of Jacob's twelve sons, the most favored by all his brothers. He would be like Aaron, bringing unity, carrying the blessing of God that comes like the dew of Hermon, like the anointing poured from on high, flowing from the head down through the beard, down to the robe, and finally to the feet, until his whole being was saturated with the oil of God, the oneness of the one Spirit. His ministry was a ministry of oneness, a ministry of reconciliation. All his brothers loved him; he was the most favored among them, and no one held anything against him, because he humbled himself, brought food to the table, made even the king's table glad, and served everyone around him with genuine humility.

This is exactly the picture Paul gives us in Colossians 3: you are God's people, his chosen ones, holy and beloved. Put on a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, and patience, bearing with one another in love. If you have a complaint against another, forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. And above all this, put on love, the bond that holds everything together in perfect harmony, and let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you are called to that peace. In this kind of unity, this ministry of reconciliation pictured so beautifully in Asher, the twelve tribes find their oneness. When brothers finally dwell together in unity, the blessing of God flows from on high. Their gates are made of iron and bronze; no enemy can break through them. Their strength matches their days; they are full of mighty power, full of the power of God, able to overcome every enemy. That is where Moses' prophecy regarding Asher comes to its conclusion.

It is worth remembering that Moses' blessings to the twelve tribes are not arranged in the order of their birth. Rather, they are arranged according to a kind of spiritual consummation, culminating in the ministry of unity represented by Asher: the ministry of loving one's brothers and sisters, the ministry of being beloved by every member of one's tribe, the ministry that brings God's people into unity and, ultimately, enables them to overcome their enemies. This is, fittingly, where Moses' prophecy comes to rest, because Moses built upon Jacob's earlier prophecy and developed each tribe's unique calling more fully. The twelve tribes of Jacob's family were, throughout their long history, marked by struggle, by deep and constant hatred, by violence between brothers severe enough that the tribe of Benjamin was nearly wiped out entirely at one point in the book of Judges. There were even wars between the northern and southern kingdoms, conflicts that extended far beyond the original rivalry among Jacob's twelve sons.

And yet, can we say that the twelve tribes of Israel are, in the end, one people, one chosen people of God, one body? Yes, we can. In the same way, the church today, Catholic or Protestant, high church or low church, whatever the denomination, is called to be one. We are holy. We are chosen. We are meant to be one unit, to receive the ministry of reconciliation found in Jesus Christ. Jews and Palestinians alike are called to receive Jesus Christ, to be reconciled to God and reconciled to one another. There is no reconciliation possible outside the ministry of Jesus Christ. This is the ministry of Asher.

The blessing of Moses over the twelve sons of Israel ends, fittingly, with the blessing of Asher: the ministry of unity, the ministry of reconciliation, the ministry of blessing from on high, the one loved by all his brothers, called the most blessed among them all. Everyone loves Asher, and his feet are bathed with oil, saturated with the oil of God's unity, the same oil that flows from the head of Aaron, down through his beard, down through his garment, and finally to his feet, saturating the whole person and making the many into one body. Jews and Gentiles, in the same way, are meant to become one body of Christ, built together into the New Jerusalem.

The Spiritual Rock and the One Body in ChristThis transforming work for the Jewish people was already present in seed form in the Old Testament. Jesus said that Abraham rejoiced to see his day. When David wrote, 'The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet,' Jesus used this very passage to challenge the Pharisees, pointing out that while the Messiah is indeed a descendant of David, David himself called him Lord. Even Moses, the Apostle Paul tells us in First Corinthians, was accompanied by the spiritual rock that followed Israel through the wilderness, and that rock was Christ. All of Israel passed through the same cloud and through the same sea, and all were baptized into one body through that same Spirit. We, too, are one body in Christ. Amen.

I have to say, this is a revelation I had not considered quite this way before today. I believe this is something the Holy Spirit brought to light as we studied together, this picture of Asher's quiet, personal ministry. His father observed him simply bringing food to the table, making good food, bringing joy to his family, able to prepare a delicacy fit for a king. He made everyone around him happy, even bringing joy to a king's table. Everyone loved Asher. And Moses, building on that, declared him the most blessed among all his brothers, beloved by all, and full of the oil that represents unity, the ministry of reconciliation, the ministry of oneness. Out of that unity comes blessing from on high, and from that blessing comes a gate the enemy cannot overtake, bolts of iron and bronze, strength equal to one's days, full of power, full of might, able to overcome the enemy for God's purposes.

I am grateful for what the Holy Spirit has shown us today through this fresh look at the ministry of Asher. I did not anticipate this revelation before we began; it came as we studied together, and I give all glory for it to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Thank you for joining us today. If this teaching has been meaningful to you, please consider sharing it, leaving a comment, or writing a review for Jairus Bible World Ministry on Google Maps; it genuinely helps more people find this teaching. We continue to work through real obstacles and unfamiliarity to get this word out, but I believe the presence and revelation of the Holy Spirit has truly been with us today. Thank you, and I hope to see you again, the Lord willing, next Monday.

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Bible Study with Jarius – Deuteronomy 33:6
Let Reuben Live: A Study of Pride, Loss, and Redemption

“Let Reuben live, and not die, but let his men be few.” – Deuteronomy 33:6

Why Reuben Matters

Moses proclaims prophetic blessing over the twelve tribes of Israel in Deuteronomy 33. These blessings are not sentimental farewells. They are spiritual verdicts, prayers, and revelations that expose both human failure and divine mercy.

Each tribe carries a distinct story. Each reveals a different way humanity falls, and a different way God saves. Together, the twelve tribes form a complete testimony of redemption — how sinners are confronted, judged, humbled, and ultimately restored by grace.

Today, we turn to Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.

Reuben is not often preached as a hero. His story is uncomfortable and forces us to look honestly at pride, self-deception, and the devastating cost of unchecked desire. But it also reveals something powerful: God’s refusal to abandon a fallen son.

Many believers may see themselves in Reuben. We fail in the same ways time and time again. But let us turn to the story and look into the light of hope found there.

Knowing God’s Nature, Not Just His Acts

Before we examine Reuben’s failure, we must understand a foundational principle of this study: Knowing God’s nature is essential to spiritual stability.

Many believers know what God does, but do not truly know who God is. They know His miracles, His commandments, His blessings — but not His heart.

Many believers know what God does, but far fewer know who God is.

When we only know God’s actions, faith easily becomes rule-following. Religion and practice replace relationship and love. Obedience becomes external rather than internal. This is how idol worship begins, even inside the church.

Knowing God’s nature protects us from falling and reveals His principles. It guards us from pride and from falling into religious legalism. When we know Him in this way, we gain a deeper and fuller understanding of how God views sin, repentance, judgment, and grace.

Without that knowing, even sincere believers can slip into religious legalism or idol worship. We may think we are serving God, while actually serving our own pride, our own standards, or our own image of righteousness.

This is why Scripture consistently calls God’s people not just to obey, but to know Him.

Knowing ourselves and our sinful nature is the next big thing. We must understand our fallen human nature. Knowing God and knowing ourselves are the keys to understand the prophetic word toward the twelve tribes by Jacob and Moses. In both of their prophecies, Jacob and Moses pinpoint the goodness of God and individual characteristics, even failures of each tribe. But their fates do not stop there. These prophetic words also point to their redemption of their future. There are three pillars to understand the prophecies regarding the twelve tribes of Israel: God’s goodness, our fallen nature, and God’s redemption. Only through these lenses, can we understand their prophetic futures.

A Warning from the Pharisees

Consider this familiar scene from the Gospels that illustrates the danger of legalism.

When a sinful woman washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, the Pharisees were offended. According to the law, she was unclean. According to their religious standards, she should have been rejected. The Pharisees knew the law. They knew the rules. From their perspective, this woman was unworthy. Their judgment was based on external behavior and religious standards.

Jesus, however, revealed the heart of God. He did not excuse sin, but He recognized repentance, humility, and love. Where the Pharisees saw a violation, Jesus saw a transformed heart. This moment exposes a dangerous truth: You can follow religious rules and still be completely blind to grace.

It is possible to defend religious correctness while actively resisting God’s grace. Without knowing God’s heart, even sincere believers can oppose the very work God is doing. In the case of the Pharisees, they missed the heart of God, and they did not know their own fallen nature. Hence they also missed the prophetic future of this woman. When an amateur sees a gold mine, he only sees dirt. When a professional miner sees it, he discovers gold.

When the Pharisees saw only a sinful woman, Jesus saw the prophetic future of a beautiful member of the body of Christ. The Pharisees only saw the dirt, but Jesus saw the gold. Jesus saw a bride without any wrinkle and a royal priesthood. Our perspectives about God’s heart, our fallen nature, and God’s redemption plan determine if we understand any prophecies. Prophecy is about the future; it may require us to see through the dirt of the past (and even the present) to find the gold of the future.

Pride: The Veil Over the Heart

At the root of Reuben’s story is pride. Pride convinces us that we see clearly when we do not. It places a veil over the heart, making us think that self-examination is unnecessary. Pride is what causes us to feel offended rather than repentant when we are corrected. We consistently think that we are really “not that bad” and devise all kinds of excuses to ignore the seriousness of the harm we cause because of our bad choices and selfish sin.

Pride blinds us to God’s heart and His principles of righteousness and truth. When pride governs the heart:

• We excuse our sin
  • We underestimate its consequences
  • We resist accountability
  • We confuse confidence with righteousness

Pride does not merely lead to failure. It hardens the heart against repentance. This is the spiritual environment in which Reuben fell.

Pride is a false identity; it cannot handle negligence and humiliation. Thus pride leads to hatred. Reuben’s story and my homeland’s story of pride are similar. China was proud. The Chinese name for China literally means “Central Kingdom” and Japan was always associated with the word “small” in the Chinese history. China proudly called herself “Big China” and called Japan “Small Japan.” This concept lingers even today. My Japanese student in China told me a story. She did not recognize a huge Chinese spring onion as spring onion, so she asked a Chinese chef “What is this?” The Chinese chef proudly said, “This is BIG SPRINGONION, you don’t have this big spring onion in your small Japan, do you?”

Pride is a way China tries to disguise the humiliation of almost being conquered by this small Japan. Pride is what lingers today, with the blessing of yesterday.

Why was Reuben full of pride? Because he was the first born? Or because he was the son of the first wife of his father? He may have thought he was entitled to everything. Maybe the pride, negligence, and humiliation from Jacob and Rachel toward Leah, Reuben, and his brothers caused them to harbor inner hatred in their hearts. He may have been resentful to his father.

Bilhah, the maid of Rachel was also neglected by Jacob. Her two sons were taken away by Rachel. Satan utilized their hatred to commit the sins against Jacob. On the surface it was lust that caused their sin, but in their hearts it was hatred due to negligence and humiliation.

Pride is a façade; it is a false identity. Our real identity should be in the Son of God. I believe ancient China worshipped the one true God, but she has fallen to idol worship. This is why God allows humiliation to come upon her.

Humiliation can lead to hatred, but it also leads to humbling. China still uses national pride to control and mobilize Chinese people. Whenever there is a crisis for the government, they utilize Japan as a threat and pass humiliation. They claim that only their leadership united the Chinese people to defeat Japan. But this narrative of "defeating Japan" under Communist Party guidance is built on a false foundation — a false identity.

China must turn to find God and become a Christian nation—a nation with a true identity.

Pride is not unique to a specific group of people. It is a human sin in its nature. It does not only happen in countries without knowledge of the Gospel like China, it also happens to countries that have historically had Christian roots. Today the greatest danger for the Christian West is pride. This is a false identity. We linger in the pride of yesterday’s familiarity with God, but we forget the intimacy with God that we need today. Our true identity in Christ will make us humble before God and become more closely united with him. This will protect us from falling away from any entitlement as Reuben who lost his birthright even though he was the firstborn.

Reuben the Firstborn

Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn son. By birthright, he stood first in authority, inheritance, and responsibility. The firstborn was meant to carry a spiritual symbol of leadership and priestly authority.

Yet Reuben committed a grave sin. He defiled his father’s bed (Genesis 49:4, 1 Chronicles 5:1 ESV), violating covenant order and moral boundaries. This was not a private mistake. It was a spiritual rebellion.

As a result, Reuben lost what could not be recovered by human effort:

• His birthright
  • His authority
  • His inheritance
  • His place in the lineage of Jesus Christ

Jacob’s words in Genesis 49 over Reuben are severe. Scripture does not minimize the cost of sin.

“Sinning” is synonymous with “being lost in identity.” We sin when we forget our identity as children of God. The moment that the prodigal son in Luke 15 lost his identity, he sinned. The moment he realized he was the son of his father and that his father was rich, he stopped sinning.

Sinning is a coping mechanism for those who have lost their identity. Just like using drugs, alcohol, and being addicted to pornography is a coping mechanism to ease pain, sinning is a temporary coping mechanism for those who are lost. Reuben lost his identity! Losing his birthright is just a picture of the fact that he lost his identity.

There is no sin in the first three chapters of the Bible in Genesis or in the last three chapters of the Bible in Revelation. Sin is only temporary in time and there is no sin in eternity. We are on a journey where sin is present with us. But just because sin is temporary does not mean it does not have consequences, even huge consequences.

Consequences Written into History

Reuben’s failure echoed through generations: His tribe became small. His influence diminished. His legacy was marked by instability.

Most significantly, Reuben lost the heavenly blessing of becoming part of Christ’s genealogy. The firstborn position passed to his brother, Joseph. “His birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son” (1 Chronicles 5:1b ESV).

This is a sobering reminder: Grace does not eliminate consequences. God forgives, but sin still causes irreversible damage. Yet the damage is not the end of the story.

“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 ESV). It is true for us today and it was true for Reuben then.

Moses’ Prayer: Let Reuben Live

When Moses blesses the tribes in Deuteronomy 33:6 (ESV), he speaks a short but powerful prayer: “Let Reuben live, and not die, but let his men be few.”

This prayer reveals the heart of God beyond the judgment of the law. Reuben deserved total annihilation, but Moses asks that God, in His mercy, would let him live and limit his punishment.

Notice that the consequence remains. Moses does not ask God to restore Reuben’s birthright. He does not reverse history. Instead, he intercedes for mercy on Reuben’s behalf.

Generations later, something remarkable happens. Reuben’s descendants do not remain passive. They search their hearts. They repent. They rise up to fight alongside the other tribes for God’s kingdom. And their story shifts from failure to faithfulness.

In the final vision we find in Scripture, Reuben is not missing. His name is included on the pearly gates of New Jerusalem. “And on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed” (Revelation 21:12 ESV).

How can humiliation bring forth real humility? How does a curse become blessing? It takes time to realize and it requires God’s illumination. God not only works through words, but also through circumstances. That is called the discipline of the Holy Spirit. God will allow you to go through troubles until you come to repentance. It takes time and it also takes another life. It is the life of Christ, and it is the life of a pearl.

From Sinful Son to Pearly Gate

A pearl is formed through irritation and injury. What begins as a damaging wound becomes something beautiful through patience and transformation. Reuben’s story follows this pattern.

What began as disgrace becomes an entrance into glory.

This reveals a deep truth about salvation: God does not merely forgive sinners. He transforms them into gateways of grace for others.

Imagine Reuben talking with his brothers on the pearly gates of New Jerusalem. Reuben says, “I thought I was the firstborn and that I should receive all the attention. But both me and my mom were neglected. Negligence caused me to harbor hate toward my father and my aunt Rachel. I defiled the bed of my father with Bihah. I lost my earthly blessing, and I missed the opportunity to become an ancestor of Christ. God would not have deprived me of this blessing if I had not sinned.” Simeon says, “My heart was full of hatred toward Joseph, and I thought the way to solve my problem was to go rid of Joseph. I lost that blessing too.” Levi says, “I blindly followed Simeon, I killed many people. I lost the blessing too.” Judah says, “I also lost my identity by leaving the land of Judah. I got lost in the land of Moab and my wife and two sons died. It is God’s chastisement to me. I would’ve never made it into the genealogy of Christ without Tamar. She is more righteous than I.” Reuben says finally, “Brothers, thank God! We are all here now and our names are all written on the pearl gates of New Jerusalem. God is good. What Satan meant for evil, God used for good. He used our pain to transform us while Satan tried to use it to demonize us. Finally, God has won! We are transformed to the living stone of God’s temple. Praise God!”

Failure Does Not Define You

Reuben’s story speaks directly to believers who carry shame: Failure is not your identity. Sin is serious. Consequences are real. But repentance and grace open a future that the law and judgment alone would close. Salvation is not determined by human theology or religious reputation. It is judged by God, who sees the heart. Through Christ, sinners become sons. Broken stories become testimonies. Loss becomes purpose.

I am a living illustration of this truth. When I came to London to study, I encountered the Gospel on the street. I heard people were mimicking the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in a play and the word of the Gospel pierced my heart. I realized I was a total failure. I was broke and had no money to finish my schooling. I was sinful to betray those who loved me. An English sister, Emma, told me about Jesus and asked me to receive him. She prayed for me, “I pray a group of loving Christians will surround you in America.” I came to America and almost became homeless. But God answered Emma’s prayer to send a group of Christians to help me.

I was saved through the Gospel because others acted as pearl gates in my life — believers who carried the message of salvation and opened a way for grace to enter. I testified to my parents, and they were baptized in the name of Jesus. I became the pearl gate to bring them into New Jerusalem.

This is the calling of the church. This is also the calling of the Jews in the end time as God says in the time of restoration, all the Gentles will grab the clothes of Jews to beg them to bring them to worship God in Zion (Zechariah 8:22-23). We are not saved merely for ourselves. We are shaped to become entrances through which others may encounter Christ.

A Call to Share the Word

If this message has touched your heart, I invite you to partner in spreading the gospel.

Please consider leaving a Google review for Jarius Bible Word Ministry. Like, comment, forward, and share this message so that it may reach others.

The platform may be small. Language may feel limited. But the Holy Spirit is not limited.

Let all those like Rueben, all who have fallen into the snare of sin and death, rise again through the grace of God to live anew for truth and righteousness through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let us be the gates through which others are led into the heavenly kingdom.

Devotional Reflection

Reuben confronts us with uncomfortable honesty. Pride blinds. Sin destroys. You will face consequences. This is a truth that applies to all of us, no matter the sin. Pride is a presumption of who we are not, and it is a false identity. Sin is a coping mechanism and an acronym for losing your identity.

Yet grace persists. Jesus Christ is the oyster and we are the pearls. Though his wounds and ours, we will become the gate of God’s city. Sinners can come in if they repent and the king of the earth will bring forth the glory to the city (Revelation 21:24).

If you are carrying regret, ask the Holy Spirit what He may be redeeming through it. Loss is not always the end. Sometimes it is the beginning of transformation.

Reflection Questions

1. Where might pride be preventing honest self-examination in your life?
2. What consequences of past choices are you still carrying?
3. How does Moses’ prayer for Reuben reshape your understanding of grace?
4. In what ways could God be transforming your failure into a doorway for others?
5. What would it mean for you to live as a “pearl gate” of salvation today?

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Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 24:10–18LAWS ABOUT JUSTICE TOWARD THE OPPRESSEDScripture Reading“When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not go into his house to collect his pledge. You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. And if he is a poor man, you shall not sleep in his pledge. You shall restore to him the pledge as the sun sets, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you. And it shall be righteousness for you before the LORD your God.

You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets, for he is poor and counts on it, lest he cry against you to the LORD, and you be guilty of sin.

Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.

You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow’s garment in pledge, but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. Therefore I command you to do this.”

Deuteronomy 24:10–18 ESV

IntroductionToday’s passage discusses justice for the fatherless, the widow, the poor, and the immigrant. Before we dive into this topic, I want to connect this passage to the current situation in America.

Today, the American church is deeply divided in their attitude toward immigrants. Some Christians quote this passage and others to show that we should be loving towards immigrants and other neighbors. This is clearly taught in the Bible. But other Christians argue that Satan can use our false sympathy to welcome many immigrants whose beliefs are not in line with Christian values. These Christians argue that if we are not aware of Satan’s schemes, our nation may eventually become like Europe, heavily influenced by Islam. This division among Christians contributes to the political and cultural division in society at large.

As Christians, how should we interpret this passage in Deuteronomy? I am hoping to interpret it from the perspective of the three pillars of the Bible: Priesthood, Law and Prophets. I pray that this understanding will help us to maneuver the difficult situation in the world today.

Three Essential Pillars for Understanding Old Testament TruthSome years ago, a survey revealed that many people do not read the Bible simply because they do not understand it. This statement is supported by a common Chinese saying: “Those who have the privilege of reading the Old Testament often never make it past Exodus, and those who read the New Testament rarely go beyond Romans.” After Exodus, readers encounter laws, rituals, and regulations that feel dense and difficult. Similarly, in the New Testament, after Romans, the depth of doctrine can appear overwhelming and complex.

If Chinese Christians, who are some of the most hardworking Bible readers in the world, still struggle with these passages, how much more do many Americans struggle! This is understandable. The Bible is not a book that can be rightly understood without the help of the Holy Spirit and proper instruction. As you read this article, I pray that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, will teach you all things (see John 14:26).

To help us understand this passage in Deuteronomy, I want to share three pillars that are essential for understanding the Old Testament and, by extension, the whole Bible.

If you asked me to summarize the entire Old Testament, I would say three things: Priesthood, Law, and Prophets.

1. The largest portion of the Old Testament describes the priests and the temple they served. The priests not only took care of the temple of God and maintained the dwelling place for the presence of God, but also helped the poor, the weak, and the sojourners. In the New Testament, Peter says that we as believers are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).
2. Another large portion of the Old Testament describes the law given by Moses. The law reflected the nature of God, who cares deeply for those who are weak and deprived. In the New Testament, Paul says that the law has been written on our hearts as the law of spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2).
3. Another significant portion of the Old Testament contains the writings and stories of prophets. The ministry of the prophets was to help the people of God find His will in each unique situation. God specifically said that he would decide each case individually, not allowing a child to die for the sins of their fathers or vice versa. The prophets helped bring this individualized, situational wisdom to the people. Like the prophets of old, New Testament believers are anointed by the Holy Spirit, who guides us (1 John 2:27).

Understanding these three pillars will help us understand the Old Testament, specifically the passages we are reading today. When we encounter a passage, it is very helpful to ask three questions to better understand it.

• Priests: How can we fulfill our priestly duty by helping this person with their needs and bringing them closer to him?
• Law: How is God’s nature shown by this passage? How can we help this person understand the nature of God?
• Prophets: What is the unique situation here and how is God leading the person?

We will examine the Deuteronomy passage using these three aspects. Understanding our present-day priestly ministry, awareness of God’s nature, and attentiveness to God’s leading will help us to not only grasp the meaning of this passage but also apply it to our everyday experience.

Note: You may wonder why we are not including the kings in this summary. Please understand that the kingship was set up when the Israelites failed to function as priests to God. The book of 1 Peter uses the words “royal priesthood,” indicating that priesthood and kingship have been reunited as one in the New Testament (1 Peter 2:9). So we are treating them as one entity.

The PriesthoodFirst, we must understand the important role of priests. One of the roles of the priests in the Old Testament was to take care of the temple, perform the sacrifices, and assist with worship. They maintained the house of God, the dwelling place for God’s presence. Today, the body of Christ, the church, is also the temple of God on earth (Ephesians 2:21-22). Our individual bodies are also described as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Bible says that sinning against our body is sinning against the Lord, since our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, if we are joined with a prostitute, we are one body with the prostitute, but if we are joined with the Lord, we are one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17). Our holiness and unity are important. We must take care of the unity of Christ’s body and the purity of our individual bodies.

In order to remain holy, and tend to the presence of God among us, we must fulfill our priestly duty to deal with sin. In the Old Testament, sin was atoned for through the blood of animals, which covered their sin. In the New Testament, the blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin. However, we must also confess and turn from our sin and live holy lives so we can be a pure dwelling place for God’s Spirit. We must first be clean and holy ourselves so we can become mediators on behalf of others.

However, many Christians in America today are not fulfilling their priestly duties. They are living in sinful habits and are unaware of the presence of God. They not only experience personal moral failures, but also mistreat the weak, the poor, the widow, and the sojourner, which is considered sin in the eyes of God. When individual Christians neglect their priestly duty to confess their personal sins and experience the presence of God in their personal lives, it will be difficult for the church at large or the body of Christ as a whole to experience a strong sense of God’s presence.

Taking care of our personal holiness and tending to the presence of God in our lives is only one aspect of the duty of the priesthood. We must also take care of others and intercede for them. It is commonly known that Old Testament priests had to help their fellow Israelites prepare their sacrifices. It is hard to imagine a good priest refusing to help an Israelite offer their sacrifice to the Lord. But it’s less commonly known that priests were also required to take care of widows, orphans, poor people, and foreigners. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus denounced the priest who refused to help the man who was beaten almost to death by a thief (Luke 10:31).

Similarly, as a holy priesthood, we must take care of people’s physical needs so that they can get closer to God. One Chinese preacher stated that the love and care we show to unbelievers helps prepare them to receive the gospel. Just like a Chinese cook must warm the pot before adding the oil and the other ingredients, we must love people to prepare them to receive Christ’s truth. Showing love and care is like warming the pot.

We can draw several other analogies from this metaphor. On the one hand, if we don’t love people, it is like throwing ingredients and oil into a cold pot. The pot will not be pre-warmed and the food will not cook correctly. The person will not be receptive to the gospel. On the other hand, if we love people with purely human sympathy without sharing the Word of God through the Holy Spirit, it is like adding ingredients to a burning-hot pot with no oil in it. The ingredients will scorch and will not cook properly.

However, when we warm our listeners with the true love of Christ, their hearts will be prepared to receive God’s word. For example, when we preach to Chinese students on U.S. campuses, we first warm their hearts by loving on them. Then we preach the gospel to them from God’s word. As a result, many receive Jesus Christ into their hearts. This model is followed by many Christians around the world and by Jesus Christ Himself. He first walked beside the disciples on the road to Emmaus for eleven miles, listening to their grief and warming their hearts, before he explained God’s word and helped them understand the meaning of his death and resurrection. Similarly, in the book of Acts, the apostles appointed godly men to provide food for the widows who were being neglected. After this event, the book of Acts reports that many priests believed in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 6:7). I do not believe this is a coincidence. I believe the priests’ hearts were warmed by this demonstration of love to the poor and needy. Since priests were commissioned to serve both God and man, they were touched by the apostles’ and evangelists’ acts. As the priests saw the Christians caring for the poor, the priests’ hearts turned to Jesus.

If we want to understand the Word of God, we must view it through the lens of priesthood. As good priests, God wants us to serve both God and man. We must strike a good balance between loving people and maintaining the holiness of God. Loving people without maintaining the holiness of God’s temple will lead to corruption. American churches who demonstrate love and kindness without maintaining a high standard of morality will eventually become woke. On the other hand, churches who focus only on God’s standards may run the risk of disobeying God’s command to love the poor, the immigrant, and the needy.

The LawSecond, we must understand God’s nature as revealed in these laws. God revealed his standards in the Old Testament law, including this passage. But God’s intention is not to just reveal who he is. He also desires that we become partakers of his holiness. God wanted the nation of Israel to be "a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). Jesus taught us to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). If we only stop at knowing who God is, we will fall short. God not only desires that we know who he is, but also that we become like him.

Understanding the law of God means not only knowing his nature but also imitating his nature. If we study the law of God but ignore the compassion of God, like the Pharisees did, we will totally miss the mark. However, if we emphasize only God’s love without balancing it with his justice, we will also miss God’s heart. In order to love immigrants in a balanced way, we need to understand God’s heart and become like him.

One time a Vietnamese Christian brother told me, “My daughter does not like immigrants, even though she is the daughter of an immigrant. Many second- and third-generation immigrants do not welcome new immigrants because they think these immigrants will take up their resources.”

I replied, “Through God’s mercy, we were allowed to come to the United States as immigrants. Apart from this opportunity, we may never have had the chance to get saved or to gain a Christian education which has enabled us to serve God and his church in such a powerful way. Furthermore, our kids would not have had the opportunity to be born in this wonderful country.”

So when we come to some passages like this, we should seek the heart of God as revealed in these laws. If we don’t understand the heart of God, we may end up becoming legalistic. Even if we can recite the verses word for word, we may not grasp the true meaning. Just like the Pharisees, we may need Jesus’ corrective words: “I desire compassion [for those in distress] and not [animal] sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13 AMPL).

The ProphetsNow that we understand the heart of God and the holiness of God, we must ask ourselves, “How can we become holy as he is?” To answer this question, we need the ministry of the prophet. The prophet provides guidance in each unique situation with the goal of helping us partake in the holiness of God.

God loves justice and will not pardon sin, but God also wants his judgement to be carried out according to his leading in each individual instance. His word says, “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin” (Deuteronomy 24:16). In other words, we do not legalistically judge people without looking at the unique situation.

When we forget God’s instructions in this area, we “judge the book by its cover,” or judge the son by the father. I was certainly a victim of this. My father began his career as a peasant laborer in a brick factory, was later put in charge of the storage units in this factory, and was later promoted to the level of accountant in this factory. He took some college-level classes and later got a job as an auditor in the local county government. He got the job through pure luck and with the help of some relatives. But he soon discovered that his training and education was not enough for this new job. Since he was not good at his job, he was ridiculed and bullied, and his colleagues pointed fingers at me behind my back. I was very hurt and humiliated by that. If I was deeply hurt by being ridiculed for my father’s incompetence on the job, imagine how much humiliation a son would receive if his father had actually committed crimes. That is why God’s word instructs his people to deal with each situation individually and not to make broad, sweeping conclusions.

A story I heard from a Latino-American pastor illustrates this point perfectly. This pastor said that after his father came to the U.S. illegally, he was captured by a patrol officer. The officer asked him why he had come here illegally. He said he had been called by God to come to America to preach the gospel to many Latinos. The officer happened to be a Christian as well. To test if the man was telling the truth, the officer asked him to recite Psalm 23. He recited it perfectly and the officer let him go. This is a perfect example of God’s leading in this unique situation.

Application and Devotional ReflectionImmigration is a controversy that has torn apart the fabric of American society and of the world as a whole. But understanding the law and the individual leading of God in this chapter will help guide us today.

God commands justice, but He also commands compassion. He protects the poor, the worker, the widow, the orphan, and the sojourner. A father is not punished for the sin of a son, and a son is not punished for the sin of a father. This teaches balance.

We must hate sin, but we must love people. We cannot hate immigrants. But we also should keep our sovereignty. During my one-year stay in London, I observed the strong influence of Islam. This showed me that Satan may be attempting to destroy Christian civilization in America through mass immigration. So we need a balance. Each situation must be handled with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

If individual Christians neglect their priesthood, we fail to warm unbelievers’ hearts in preparation for the gospel. Revival does not start with numbers. It starts with the presence of God in individual lives. If we fail to take care of individuals, the church becomes weak. If the church becomes weak, society falls into darkness. We must take care of our priesthood.

Second, we must learn the law of God and allow it to transform us. If we don’t know God’s nature through the law, we will fail. But if we become legalistic and lose the compassionate heart of God, we will also fail.

Third, we must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit without resisting Him. We should be open to the prophetic voice through the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit and the sure word of prophecy in the Bible (2 Peter 2:19). Regarding the immigrants, we must have the heart of God toward the sojourners but also be aware of Satan’s strategy to destroy our Christian heritage through mass immigration.

The three pillars of the Old Testament (priesthood, law, and prophets) can provide guidelines for our Christian lives today. We must take care of God’s presence and take care of others, we must know the holiness of God and demonstrate the compassion of God, and we must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit at all times. If we apply these three principles, we will not only understand the Bible better, but we will also live out the heart of God.

Reflection Questions1. What is the function of priesthood in the Old Testament? What does it mean for believers today? 1. How can we understand the holiness of God expressed in law without losing God’s compassion, like the Pharisees did? 2. How can we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in each situation without becoming legalistic? 3. How do the ministry of priest, law, and prophet function in today’s church?

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Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 32:48-52The Nature of God and the Leading of God Scripture Reading“That very day the Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for a possession. And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. For you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.’”

(Deuteronomy 32:48–52 ESV)

Moses’s Death Reviews the Nature and the Leading of God

Deuteronomy 32:48–52 records one of the most sobering moments in Scripture: Moses is called to ascend Mount Nebo, to see the Promised Land from a distance, and to die without entering it. This moment is not merely about judgment; it is a revelation of something deeper — the distinction between the nature of God and the leading of God.

Moses knew God. Scripture affirms this. He knew God’s ways, His holiness, His righteousness, and His standards. Yet in this final act of his ministry, Moses missed something crucial: not only the nature of God, but the leading of God for that specific moment.

This tension forms the heart of this message.

The death of Moses sits within a larger redemptive context. The first generation of Israelites was promised entry into Canaan, yet they died in the wilderness. Scripture is clear that this was not because God failed to keep His word but because the people hardened their hearts in unbelief.

God remained faithful and unchanged. He is immutable, constant in His nature and purpose. Humanity however is mutable, living in time and subject to change. God who stands both within and beyond time relates to humanity progressively, which often makes His dealings appear unpredictable to finite minds.

To assume we can fully comprehend the ways of an infinite God is itself a form of pride. His nature is revealed, but His leading must continually be discerned.

Understanding God’s nature guards us from rebellion. Understanding God’s leading guards us from presumption.

God’s attributes do not change. His holiness, faithfulness, mercy, and justice remain constant. Yet the way He leads His people may differ across seasons and generations. If we assume that God must move tomorrow exactly as He did yesterday, we risk resisting His present work.

At the same time, assuming we can always predict or interpret God’s leading apart from humility is equally dangerous. The balance is found in continual dependence on the Spirit of God.

Moses, the Rock, and the Two GenerationsThe background is familiar. In the wilderness of Zin, Israel lacked water. The first time this occurred, God commanded Moses to strike the rock. Moses obeyed. Water flowed.

This act was deeply symbolic. The rock represented Christ, the spiritual Rock who was struck once to bear God’s righteous judgment on behalf of sinful humanity. The anger was not released upon the people, but upon the Rock. This prefigured the cross.

Years later, the same situation arose. Another generation. Another moment of thirst. But this time, God’s command was different. Moses was instructed to speak to the rock, not strike it.

Instead, Moses struck the rock again.

This was not merely disobedience. It was a failure to discern that God’s leading had changed, even though His nature had not.

God’s rebuke of Moses was severe because Moses was not merely an individual. He was a representative. His actions shaped Israel’s understanding of who God was.

At Meribah, Moses struck the rock in anger when God had commanded him to speak to it. That act mattered not only because of disobedience but because it misrepresented God’s holiness before the people.

Scripture later reveals the typological meaning of the rock.

“For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.”

(1 Corinthians 10:4)

The rock was struck once. It was not to be struck again. Moses’ second strike disrupted the divine picture God was communicating. Christ would suffer once, not repeatedly.

Moses’ Plea and the Larger Redemptive Picture

Moses pleaded with the Lord to enter the Promised Land, but God refused. This refusal was not rooted in cruelty but in revelation.

Moses functioned as the mediator of the Law. The Law reveals God’s holy standard and exposes human inability, but it does not grant inheritance. Scripture later makes this distinction clear.

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

(John 1:17)

Entrance into God’s promise is ultimately by grace, not works.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

(Ephesians 2:8–9)

Moses was allowed to see the land, but Joshua led the people into it. Joshua’s name shares the same Hebrew root as Jesus and functions as a typological pointer. The Law reveals. Grace brings in.

Joshua’s name means “Jehovah becomes our salvation.” The purpose of Moses’s ministry was to prepare for the ministry of Joshua. The purpose of the law was to set up God’s standard and reveal His nature. The ten commandments reveal who God is in His holiness and how God wants people to interact with Him and their fellow human beings. He gives us a standard regarding our dealings with God and people. Another function of law is to point to Jesus Christ, who is “the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4).

The First and Second Generation: Law and GraceTo understand this, we must distinguish between the two generations of Israelites.

The first generation represented the old man — rebellious, unbelieving, and unable to enter God’s rest. God’s leading toward them was severe because the purpose was death to the flesh. That generation had to die in the wilderness.

The second generation represented something different. They still complained. They still struggled. But they represented the weakness of the flesh in the regenerated man. God’s leading toward them was not to destroy, but to sustain, nurture, and bring them into the Promised Land by grace.

Moses treated the second generation the same way God treated the first. That was the mistake.

He understood God’s nature, but he missed God’s leading. We can see the same thing happening in the modern church. When I was a new believer, the more mature believers in the church were very patient with me and showed me a lot of grace. I was zealous to serve God but also lived according to my fleshly nature. But these believers understood that transformation takes time, and they gave me space to grow. Likewise, God understood that it would take time for the second generation of Israelites to be transformed. On the outside, they often acted the same as their fathers had. But inwardly, they had already experienced circumcision of the heart. This is similar to the experience of New Testament believers. Our sin has been dealt with on the cross, but it takes time to overcome the habit of living in sin.

The Locomotive Illustration: Position vs PracticeThis distinction can be illustrated with the image of a locomotive.

When a train’s engine is shut off, the train does not stop immediately. It continues to move because of momentum. In the same way, when a believer is crucified with Christ, sin is dealt with positionally. Yet habits, patterns, and practices may continue for a time.

Spiritually, the believer is dead to sin. Practically, the flesh still needs to be put to death through the Spirit. This is why Scripture teaches that believers must walk by the Spirit, even though they already live by the Spirit. Paul mentions that we need to put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit (Romans 6:13). In other words, sin has lost its power in the spiritual realm because Jesus Christ already took care of it on the cross. But in our everyday lives, the deeds of the body and the habits of the flesh are still strong. The locomotive’s engine has already shut off, but it will take a while for it to come to a complete stop.

This is why God’s leading for a believer is different from His leading for a nonbeliever. But Moses failed to recognize this distinction.

God dealt with sin by putting it on the cross, where Jesus bore the wrath of God in our place. There is no room for negotiation. This is why God told Moses to strike the rock. Paul clearly states that the spiritual rock accompanying the Israelites was Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).

But God’s approach toward the second generation of Israelites—and toward believers who have found new life in Christ—is much gentler. He asks Moses to speak to the Rock, which symbolizes applying Christ’s work on the cross to our lives. It takes time and repetition. It requires the patience of a father or a nursing mother. When I had my child, a seasoned parent from my Bible study shared some parenting advice with me. He said, “Children won’t absorb your advice or instructions the first time you tell them. They will forget what you say, and you will have to keep reminding them. But don’t get upset. Just keep repeating yourself. Eventually, they will internalize what you are saying.” This is so true. God knows that our flesh is strong, but He is willing to patiently guide us into the abundant life of Jesus Christ.

Sabbath: Nature and Leading TogetherThe Sabbath perfectly illustrates the principle of God’s nature and leading.

The Sabbath reveals the nature of God — God rests. God is peace. Humanity needs rest because God Himself rested. Yet the Sabbath also reveals the leading of God. In the Old Testament, Sabbath observance preserved Israel from worldliness and idolatry. In the New Testament, Jesus declared Himself Lord of the Sabbath. He healed on the Sabbath. He placed mercy above ritual.

The nature of God did not change. But the leading of God did. Those who clung rigidly to the rule missed the movement of God. How can we understand the balance between the nature of God and the leading of God in regards to the Sabbath? When the people of Israel were totally focused on the world and on idol worship, God asked them to keep the Sabbath. The purpose of the Sabbath was to distinguish Israel from the surrounding nations full of idol worshipers and to separate them from the busy lifestyle of the world. Sabbath required them to stop working one day a week to seek God and worship Him only. This ritual helped the Israelites become a holy people dedicated to God so that God could use them to bring the Savior into the world. God’s heart was to save mankind through Jesus Christ, who would be born from the nation of Israel.

But in the New Testament, God’s leading regarding the Sabbath was different. Because the Pharisees were completely focused on outward conformity and religiosity, Jesus challenged their mindset by breaking the Sabbath. He realized that they no longer cared about other people. They only cared about making sure people followed their rules. They didn’t care about the woman who was bound by Satan for eighteen years. They only cared about making sure Jesus didn’t break the law by healing that woman on the Sabbath. Jesus rebuked them by saying, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” (Luke 14:5 NIV) He also said, “Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?” (Luke 13:15 NIV) Jesus called them hypocrites. He also called himself the Lord of Sabbath (Matthew 12:8).

The Sabbath laws reveal the nature of God. He is compassionate and wants to save humanity. That is His nature. Even though His leading was different in each historical period, it always served the same purpose: to bring this compassion to mankind. God strictly required the Jews to keep the Sabbath so they could be a holy nation and bring Jesus Christ, the seed of holiness, into the world. But after Jesus Christ came to earth, God’s leading was no longer bound by the rituals of the Sabbath. Instead, his compassionate desire to save humankind allowed people to bring healing and compassion to others on the Sabbath. The nature of God had not changed, but His leading had. And the Pharisees totally missed it.

Moses also likely missed the fact that God’s leading had changed. He may not have realized that the ministry of Joshua represented a new phase of God’s leading. God had used Moses to prepare for the ministry of Joshua, but now it was time for Moses to step down. He would die physically, but the Promised Land would endure. Similarly, the Law came to an end, but Jesus Christ lasts forever. The Sabbath was temporary and could now be broken, but compassion and love will never go away.

The Apple Tree Illustration: Nature Cannot Change, Growth Can Be ChokedAn apple tree will always produce apples. It cannot produce pearls. That is its nature.

Yet an apple tree can be prevented from bearing fruit — deprived of sunlight, water, nourishment, or choked by stones and thorns.

In the same way:

• You cannot change the nature of God
• You cannot change the life God has placed within a believer
• But you can hinder its growth through disobedience, presumption, or pride

Sin may not cost a believer eternal life, but it can cost manifested presence, spiritual vitality, and anointing.

Presumption always costs something. Once you are born, your biological relationship to your father can never be reversed. Even if you rebel against your father, you cannot change the fact you are his son. But you can definitely lose your experience of fellowship with your father. People debate whether Christians will go to hell if they sin after becoming a Christian. I tend to believe they will not lose their salvation, since Jesus said clearly that no one can snatch believers out of His hand (John 10:28). But this does not mean there is no discipline in heaven. And if we sin, we may lose our experience of fellowship with God here on earth. Moses’s rebellion may not have cost him eternal life or his reward in heaven, but it certainly cost him his earthly life, his ministry, and his anointing. When a Christian sins, they may not lose eternal life, but they will lose their experience of God’s presence in their life.

The story of Moses has an important lesson to teach all Christian leaders today. We can never change the fact that we are children of God, just like we cannot change the nature of an apple tree. But our lack of obedience can hinder our growth. We must cooperate with God, the experienced gardener, and allow him to remove all the hindrances to bearing fruit. Just like an apple tree needs sunshine, fertilizer, water and pruning, we need God to prune us.

God’s leading often involves a pruning process. The Israelites’ forty-year wilderness journey was a pruning process. When God told Moses he could not enter the promised land, God was pruning him so that one day he could appear with Elijah to talk with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. The household of Israel is currently going through a pruning process so that one day, the whole house of Israel can be saved when the number of the Gentiles is fulfilled.

Humility and God’s LeadingTrue humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.

Moses’s failure was not rooted in immorality, but in assumption; assuming that what worked before must work again. This is the danger of spiritual maturity without continued dependence. The Bible tells us that Moses knew God’s way and His nature, but this did not mean that Moses would get it right every time. In this situation, I believe he failed to understand God’s leading.

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humility is what keeps a servant sensitive to God’s current leading.

As Watchman Nee famously said, we are not working for God; we are God’s work. We are His masterpiece.

I was born in a poor Chinese farmer’s family. My wife always said: “Who will listen to you preach in English?” I had low self-esteem. I couldn’t overcome it because of my background. When God called me to preach internationally in English, I struggled: “God, I’m just a little Chinese potato [an average, insignificant person]. How can I do this?”

But God continued to patiently lead me, transform me, and empower me. Today I am confident—not because of me, but because of Jesus Christ who empowers me. In the same way, God led the second generation of Israelites (and new believers in our current age) with grace and empowerment. God gives grace to the humble and empowers us to do the mighty things we cannot do on our own. God is looking for humble vessels. We need to humble ourselves so God can give us strength.

God is raising up men and women of God from third world countries to do His work. These countries used to receive spiritual help from the West. But now, God has shown me that a massive movement from China will transform the world. The revival will not only spread to nearby countries like Japan and North Korea, but it will also bring transformation to Muslim countries and even Israel. The Chinese revival will bring the fire back to Europe and America and help revitalize their faith. Do not despise what God is doing in this present time, and do not miss the new movement of the Holy Spirit today.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: A Living GodGod identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — not because He led them the same way, but because He led them differently.

• Abraham was called to leave the idol worshipping land
• Isaac was called to stay in the promised land
• Jacob was led through brokenness and transformation by going down to the land of idol worshippers again

Same God. Different leadings.

God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. A living God leads living people in living ways. That is why Jesus says that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the God of the living (Matthew 22:32). God leads each person differently. Abraham prayed for God to spare Sodom and God was willing to negotiate with him about it. In the end, however, Sodom could not be saved because it was violating God’s nature of holiness. But Lot could be saved because God was willing to lead Lot to salvation. Moses’s pleas to enter the good land were not granted, but God was willing to bring him back after a season of pruning. God may have said no to you yesterday, but He may say yes to you today. The times and seasons are shifting, so don’t lose heart. Simply ask God again for what you desire.

I met a Korean prophet in 2018 and asked him what about the leading of God for my translation business. He said, “You should not put too much time into it.” But recently, God raised up Christian marketing firms to help me in this regard. I asked the Lord, “Are these new firms from You?” I realized God’s leading had changed. Since I needed more resources to support my ministry, God was willing for me to spend some time developing my business. Even if God said no to you once, don’t conclude God will always continue to say no to you on this matter. You must discern the changing seasons and the new ways God may be leading you.

The New Jerusalem: Golden Street and the RiverIn the New Jerusalem, the main street is made of gold. It represents the unchanging nature of God’s holiness, righteousness, and truth.

But flowing through the city is a river, ever moving, ever fresh. This represents the leading of the Holy Spirit. The golden street is a boundary, like the law. The river flowed down the middle of the main street. It flowed within the boundaries of the street of gold.

Just like the river could not leave the street of gold, we cannot leave the guidance of the unchanging nature of God. But within these boundaries, the Spirit leads each believer uniquely.

On the top of the mountain is the throne of the Father and the Lamb. Out of this throne flows the river of the water of life. If you follow the golden street or the river, both will bring you to the throne of God. The nature of God and the leading of God is essentially one and the same.

The Danger of Misunderstanding the Leading of GodGod’s new movements throughout history have often been resisted by the very people who were most confident they already knew His will. The Pharisees defended the Law yet missed Christ. Reformers were opposed by institutional religion. Spirit-birthed renewal movements were frequently condemned before later being understood.

The issue is not tradition. The issue is confidence without discernment.

To assume we know God exhaustively is itself a form of pride.

History shows that when God moves, those who rely solely on structure, tradition, or past revelation often resist Him.

The Pharisees knew Scripture yet rejected Christ.

The early church wrestled with Spirit led expansions that challenged Jewish boundaries.

Reformers were condemned before being understood.

Spirit-birthed renewal movements were dismissed as error before bearing fruit.

The danger is not reverence for truth.

The danger is confidence without discernment.

To assume we know God exhaustively is not maturity. It is pride.

Closing Devotional ReflectionThis passage is not asking whether we know correct doctrine. It is asking whether we remain leadable.

Moses knew God. Israel knew God’s power. The Pharisees knew God’s Law. Yet each, at different moments, resisted God’s present leading.

The Spirit was given so we would not repeat that pattern.

Moses saw the land but could not enter. Not because God was unfaithful, but because Moses applied yesterday’s leading to today’s situation.

The danger for every generation is not immorality alone, but spiritual presumption — assuming we know how God must move next.

To walk with God faithfully, we must hold tightly to His nature while remaining deeply sensitive to His leading.

Take time to sit with this passage and allow the Spirit to search your heart.

Moses’ life reminds us that long obedience does not make us immune to momentary presumption. Leadership does not remove the need for dependence. Experience does not replace listening.

God remains faithful, holy, and purposeful, even when His ways confront our expectations. He invites His people not merely to know Him, but to follow Him.

Reflection Questions

1. In what ways can familiarity with God’s past dealings create assumptions about His present instructions?
2. How can emotional pressure or frustration cause even mature believers to misrepresent God’s character?
3. What practices help you remain attentive to God’s present leading rather than relying solely on past experience?
4. How does understanding the finality of Christ’s finished work shape your approach to obedience and repentance?
5. Are there areas where your position in Christ is secure, but your daily practice still needs greater yielding to the Spirit?
6. For those in leadership or influence, how can private intimacy with God be matched by public faithfulness in representing Him?
7. What does sensitivity to the Spirit look like in ordinary decisions, not only in moments labeled spiritual?

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Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 33:1–5Knowing God Through Intimacy, Not Just Knowing About HimScriptures:

1 This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death.

2 He said,

“The Lord came from Sinai

and dawned from Seir upon us;

he shone forth from Mount Paran;

he came from the ten thousands of holy ones,

with flaming fire at his right hand.

3 Yes, he loved his people,

all his holy ones were in his hand;

so they followed in your steps,

receiving direction from you,

4 when Moses commanded us a law,

as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.

5 Thus the Lord became king in Jeshurun,

when the heads of the people were gathered,

all the tribes of Israel together.

Deuteronomy 33:1–5 ESV

Knowing God Through Intimacy, Not Just His ActsMoses begins his final blessing not by speaking about Israel, but by revealing the nature of God Himself. He describes who God is before he speaks about what God has done. This is intentional. Moses speaks this way because Moses knows God.

Unlike the Israelites, who often knew only the acts of God, Moses had encountered the person of God. He had seen God’s glory and stood in His presence. And so, when Moses speaks, he speaks from revelation of God’s personal presence, not merely from experience of God’s acts.

This contrast exposes a recurring problem among God’s people. There is a difference between knowing God and knowing about God. Many of the Israelites could recount miracles, deliverance, and provision, yet their hearts remained distant. They knew what God could do, but not who God was.

This pattern is not unique to them. It mirrors the condition of many believers today. We may have heard about God, experienced His acts, or benefited from His mercy, yet still lack a true understanding of His intrinsic nature.

True faith is not formed by information alone. It is formed by revelation. To know God is far more than being aware of what He does. It is to encounter who He is.

That is why Psalm 103:7 says, “He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.” Moses knows God’s ways and God’s character from personal experience. So when he introduces us to who God is, we’d better pay attention.

I once heard a wise saying from a successful businessman who is also a Chinese Christian church elder. He said, “A bald man will never be able to convince someone to buy hair growth supplements.” What he meant was that if we have not personally experienced something, it will be very hard for us to convince others about it.

But the opposite could also be true. We could hear someone talking from personal experiential knowledge, and yet we may not have ears to hear. Just like Jesus told his disciples, “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” (John 3:12) This is what happened with Moses. Even though he spoke about God’s character from an intimate, experiential knowledge and personal relationship with the Lord Jehovah, the Israelites did not believe his words. Instead, they rebelled against his commands, even when Moses was still alive.

It’s important not to judge the Israelites, because we could easily make the same mistake. We often let God’s words slip right past us. Instead, we must learn to come to God with the same intimacy as Moses did.

Moses often waited for God to speak. He waited on Mount Sinai, Mount Seir, and Mount Paran. Can you relate to Moses? Can you imagine what he might have been feeling? Have you ever waited on God for a long time, hoping to hear from Him? Have you prayed and fasted and hoped to receive an answer to your prayer? Have you begged God earnestly for years to give you the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Have you trusted the Lord for something He promised would come to fruition in your life? Have you experienced the gracious appearance of God after waiting on Him?

If you have, then you know how it feels to wait on God. You may have felt anxiety as you doubted whether He would show up for you. You likely felt excitement when he came and spoke to you.

We often hear people say, “God is never late, but he is never early. God is right on time.” I don’t think God was already there waiting for Moses when he arrived on Mount Sinai, Mount Seir, or Mount Paran. It was the opposite. It was Moses who had to wait upon the Lord—sometimes for many days and nights!

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalms 27:14)

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” (Psalm 37:7)

“…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” (Lamentations 3:25)

There are so many verses in the Bible about waiting on the Lord. “Waiting on the Lord” is the lost art of worshipping God with intimacy. It is especially scarce in today’s world, where people’s attention is often consumed by social media and other digital distractions.

Imagine you were Moses waiting on the Lord. I can picture Moses waiting for hours and hours, day after day on Mount Sinai, Mount Seir, and Mount Paran. Then suddenly, the Lord appeared!

Our passage of scripture compares God’s appearance to a sunrise. If you have ever gotten up early to see the sun rising, you can understand Moses’ excitement. You waited in the cold, dark night, watching expectantly for the dawn. You kept your eyes on the horizon, wondering when the sun would appear. Then suddenly, the sun jumped out from behind the horizon or out of the sea! Can you feel the excitement? If you can picture that excitement, then you can easily picture the excitement Moses felt when God appeared to him.

“The Lord came from Sinai

and dawned from Seir upon us;

he shone forth from Mount Paran;

he came from the ten thousands of holy ones,

with flaming fire at his right hand.”

Just like the sun jumped out from behind the horizon, God appeared to Moses with splendor! Not only did God appear to him, but also tens of thousands of holy ones. Just like an entourage of fans and bodyguards always follows a celebrity wherever they go, God always has an entourage. The cherubim are always surrounding him. He never appears to us alone!

This passage talks about the joy of waiting on God and experiencing His appearance. God says in 2 Timothy 4:8 that he rewards those who love his appearance. If you have never waited on the Lord or experienced His appearance, you are missing out on one of the most exciting experiences in the world! Don’t let Moses’ words slip past you. Pay attention and seek the personal presence of God!

God Revealed in Deuteronomy 33 Verses 1-5In Deuteronomy 33:1 -5, Moses presents God as the One who comes in glory and fire, surrounded by holy ones, yet who lovingly holds His people in His hand. This God is both majestic and intimate, holy and loving, powerful and faithful.

Moses does not present God merely as a miracle worker, but as a covenant-keeping King who reigns among His gathered people. Because Moses had encountered God personally, he could reveal God accurately.

Those who know only the acts of God often follow Him for benefits. Those who know God Himself follow Him out of love, surrender, and trust. Knowing God transforms the heart. Knowing about God can leave the heart unchanged.

The Bible tells us that Jacob saw a vision of two camps[1]: one camp of angels in heaven, and another camp of Israel on earth. Jacob knew what this vision meant. It meant that heaven was open for him and that God and the angelic armies were with him. Jacob was not the only one trying to get back to God’s promised land. It was God who had been leading him this whole time and who continued to lead him. And not only God was with him, but also His angels. God is the Lord of Hosts—the Lord of Angel Armies. He has a big entourage!

Moses saw the same vision, so he said,

Yes, he loved his people,

all his holy ones were in his hand;

so they followed in your steps,

receiving direction from you,

when Moses commanded us a law,

as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.

Thus the Lord became king in Jeshurun,

when the heads of the people were gathered,

all the tribes of Israel together.

The Lord is the Lord of the heavenly hosts, and he is also the King in Jeshurun. He is the King in heaven, and he is also the King on earth! He has two camps! Heaven is his throne and the earth is his footstool (Isaiah 66:1). Nothing in heaven or earth is hidden from God’s sight (Hebrews 4:13). But the problem is that heaven is closed for some of us. But it should not be that way. Heaven can be open for us if we wait on the Lord! Moses waited upon the Lord on Mount Sinai, Mount Seir, and Mount Paran, he saw heaven open and the Lord appear.

In these five verses, Moses was simply recounting his experiences of seeing the Lord’s appearance after waiting upon the Lord. I have waited upon the Lord many times and seen his appearance in the spirit. I know what I am talking about and I know what Moses was experiencing here.

Understanding the Heart of ManScripture does not flatter the human heart. Jeremiah declares that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. This means that without divine revelation, people can engage in religious activity and still misunderstand God completely.

The Law was never given as a means of earning righteousness. It was given to reveal the holiness of God and expose the true condition of man. Before the Law shows us what is wrong with us, it reveals who God is.

The law also shows us our sinfulness. The Hebrews described our inward pull toward sin as the Yetzer Hara, the bent of the fallen heart. Left to ourselves, we do not naturally choose God. We are not morally neutral. We are fallen.

Paul affirms this reality when he says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. None is righteous. None seeks after God by their own strength. When this truth is ignored, people begin to believe they are good simply because they are religious.

This was the error of Israel, and it remains a danger for believers today.

The reason we only know God’s acts instead of his ways is because we have a veil over our hearts. In 2 Corinthians 3:14-17, Paul explains that when the Israelites read the Old Testament, a veil lies over their hearts. But whenever they turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (ESV).

In order to remove the veil from our hearts and find intimacy with the Lord, we need to behold the Lord. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (ESV).

The law is meant to give us a vision of the coming Savior and of heaven. But we don’t always see this vision clearly. Paul says that the law is like a guardian or teacher who takes care of school-aged children. Sometimes a parent tries to help their children grasp the parent’s true heart and vision, but the child has a hard time grasping it. For example, I send my daughter to Chinese classes and encourage her to learn Chinese well. But she resists my instructions and complains about it. “Why do I have to learn Chinese since I live in America?” she asks. I reply, “God promised me that there will be a great future revival in China. I will be given a huge responsibility during this revival. I want to be able to pass the baton on to you one day.” But she does not care, and she just goofs off in the Chinese class. To her, it is a waste of time. She is still young, but I hope she will eventually understand my calling. I need to wait patiently for her to grow up. In the same way, the law is a schoolmaster that waited patiently as Israel grew to maturity.

Right now, we are still waiting. All creation is eagerly waiting for the “revealing of the sons of God” and the time when “creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:19, 21). Many saints in heaven are waiting for us to finish the spiritual race so that they too can receive their rewards (see Hebrews 11:39-40). When we don’t realize this, we are just children with veils over our hearts. When we have a veil over our heart, we do not know God’s ways and we lack a vision of heaven. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” KJV). The purpose of the law is to give us a vision of heaven.

Law, Self-Righteousness, and DeceptionWhen the Law is misunderstood, it becomes a tool for self-justification rather than revelation. We imagine that obedience earns sanctification or that moral effort secures right standing with God. In doing so, we misunderstand both the Law and ourselves.

This deception explains why many believers remain trapped in cycles of sin and confusion. We admire God’s power but resist His nature. We know His acts but not His ways.

Israel wanted deliverance without transformation. They wanted freedom from Egypt, yet their hearts longed to return there. God, in His love, refused to leave them unchanged. He revealed Himself not only to rescue them, but to re-form them.

True maturity in the faith begins when the believer moves beyond surface knowledge and into a deep, reverent understanding of who God is.

How can we move from head knowledge into heart knowledge? Simply by spending time with the Lord and waiting on Him. The Lord will illuminate our hearts and help us remove the veil and transform us into the image of God in Jesus Christ. We will experience one degree of glory after another. Moses had to cover his face so the glory wouldn’t fade away. But the glory that shines on us in the face of Jesus Christ will never fade away!

We need to spend time with the Lord! We need to wait upon the Lord! I don’t think Moses would have known God so intimately if he had not waited upon the Lord. He waited, waited, and waited on this mountain or that mountain. He waited until the Lord appeared!

During my ten years of infertility, I prayed daily during my lunch hour in a park near my workplace in Washington, DC. I would pray to God, “When I walk to that big tree, appear to me there!” When I walked to that tree, the Lord did not appear there. I then told the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, “I will say ‘Father, I love you’ one hundred times, ‘Jesus, I love you’ one hundred times, and ‘Holy Spirit, I love you” one hundred times. Please appear to me there.” Nothing happened. In a prophetic conference in 2016, a woman from England came to me and said, “I don’t know you and I don’t know why, but I feel that God is telling me to give you this message: There was a moment of time when you prayed to God and poured out your heart to him. Those prayers were so raw and so genuine, he heard all of them. He just wanted me to tell you he was very delighted with it.” It immediately brought back my memories of those days and those prayers, those times of waiting upon the Lord! In this case, God did not speak to me face to face, like He did to Moses, but he spoke to me indirectly through this lady. Either way, God rewarded me for seeking His face.

Grace, Repentance, and the Knowledge of GodWhen God’s nature is misunderstood, grace itself becomes distorted. Some see grace as permission to sin rather than power to be transformed. But a heart that treats grace lightly has not yet encountered God deeply.

Grace does not minimize sin. It reveals its weight and then supplies the mercy that leads to repentance.

Jesus illustrates this clearly in the account of the woman with the alabaster box. As she wept at His feet, the religious leaders judged her. But Jesus, perceiving their hearts, declared that the one who is forgiven much loves much.

This was not a statement about forgiveness being measured in portions. It was a revelation of the human heart. When a person understands the depth of sin and the reality of their fallen nature, true repentance is born. Conviction deepens. Love intensifies. Worship becomes sincere.

Those who believe they possess their own righteousness often remain hardened. But those who know they have none are drawn into genuine dependence on God. Paul later confessed that he once persecuted the Church in the name of God. He had religious zeal, but he did not yet truly know God.

Knowing God and Walking in His WillKnowing God is not optional for the Christian life. It is essential. It is only through knowing God that believers learn to walk in the Spirit rather than in the flesh. Galatians teaches that the flesh and the Spirit are in opposition.

Israel failed not because God was unclear, but because their hearts remained untransformed. They held tightly to God’s acts while resisting His nature. Yet God, in His mercy, continued to reveal Himself, desiring not just obedience, but relationship.

To know God is to be changed by Him. The story of the twelve tribes of Israel is the story of being transformed from sinners to saints who are worthy of having their names written on the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem. To understand the prophecies given by Moses to the twelve tribes, we must understand God’s nature and our own hearts. These are the two fundamental principles that help us understand Moses’s prophecies. Moses knew the nature of God and he also knew the character and personality of each tribe, just as Jacob knew each of his sons. Jacob’s prophecies for his twelve sons were based on his observations of their hearts, their character, and their behaviors. His prophecies were the seed that led to the eventual destiny of each of the twelve tribes. Similarly, Moses’s prophecies were the development of the prophetic calling or destiny of each tribe given by the Lord.

A Closing Prayer

Father,

We confess that we often settle for knowledge about You rather than true knowledge of You. Reveal Yourself to us. Expose the deceitfulness of our hearts and lead us into repentance that produces life. Teach us to see Your grace not as a license to sin, but as power to be transformed. Draw us beyond familiarity into reverence, beyond information into intimacy. We desire to know You, not merely what You do.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection Questions

• Have I settled for knowing about God rather than knowing Him personally?
• Do I view grace as transformation or permission?
• Has my understanding of sin produced repentance or self-justification?
• Have you waited upon the Lord and experienced his personal presence? Has he appeared to you or spoken to you?
• Ask the Lord to reveal His nature to you, not just His works.

[1] “Mahanaim” means two camps

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Bible Study With Jairus - Deuteronomy 33:23The Story of Naphtali: Learning to Respond Redemptively in a Fallen WorldDeuteronomy 33:

23 And of Naphtali he said,

“O Naphtali, sated with favor,

and full of the blessing of the Lord,

possess the lake and the south.”

Some of the twelve sons of Israel receive more attention than others. For example, preachers and teachers frequently mention Joseph and Judah, Rueben and Benjamin, and even lesser-known sons such as Dan. These sons receive attention because of the prophecies made about them by Jacob or Moses. But we rarely hear much about Naphtali, even though he is also a son of Jacob whose name will one day appear on one of the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem. Like the other sons of Israel, Naphtali went from being a sinner to being worthy of having his name written on one of the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem. So let’s learn a bit more about him. Naphtali deliberately chose to get rid of hatred, forgive others, and saturate himself with the favor and blessing of the Lord. When Moses blessed Naphtali in Deuteronomy 33:23, he said, “he shall take possession of the sea and the south” (BSB). This refers to an enlargement of his kingdom’s influence. “The sea” is often used to refer to the Gentiles, and “the south” usually refers to Jerusalem. (Naphtali’s land is in the north.) When Jacob blessed Naphtali in Genesis 49:21, he said that Naphtali was like “doe set free that bears beautiful fawns” (NIV). In other translations, it says, “He uses beautiful words” (NKJV). This beautiful imagery reminds us of someone who receives the joy of forgiveness and becomes a happy preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As we dive into the story of Naphtali, we will see how he suffered from abandonment, how he watched others become dehumanized with hatred, how he chose to forgive and take a different path, and how he eventually became a person full of joy because of the salvation power of the Lord. The story of the transformation of the twelve tribes of Israel is still a work in progress, and their ultimate destiny will be fulfilled when they finally become pearly gates in the New Jerusalem. Similarly, the story of the tribe of Naphtali is not yet complete, but his territory will eventually expand to the sea and the south. He will bring the glad tidings to the Gentiles, leading to the salvation of the whole house of Israel.

Progressive Revelation and God Speaking in StagesOne of the great truths that Scripture teaches is that God reveals Himself progressively. He does not reveal everything at once, but unfolds His purposes over time.

At one point, God spoke through Jacob, a dying father blessing his sons in Genesis 49. Later, God spoke again through Moses, a covenant mediator standing at the edge of the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 33. These were not disconnected moments. Moses’ words were not a contradiction of Jacob’s prophecy. They were a continuation.

This reveals something profound. God’s redemptive story unfolds in stages, across generations, according to His eternal purposes.

Hebrews 1:1 reminds us that long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.

God was not finished with the twelve tribes when Jacob spoke. He was not finished when Moses spoke. And as Paul explains in Romans chapters 9 through 11, God is still at work even when His people experience seasons of hardening, discipline, or divine restraint.

Jacob spoke as a father shaped by relationship and observation. Moses spoke as a prophet shaped by covenant and destiny. Together, their words form a single redemptive thread. The prophecies of Jacob toward his sons are seeds and based on his observations of the unique personality and character of each of his sons. Moses’ prophecies are his prophetic declaration of the future of the twelve tribes of Israel. Some of these may only be fulfilled at the end of the age. This teaches us that God does not discard previous revelation. He builds upon it.

The story of the twelve tribes is not static. It is transformative. It is still moving toward redemption.

Some may ask why the Old Testament matters when we live under the New Covenant. The answer is simple. Scripture is not divided in intention. It is one unified revelation inspired by the all-wise God. What was concealed in the Old Testament is revealed in the New, and what is revealed in the New was already present in seed form in the Old.

Dan and the Image of the SerpentJacob describes Dan with chilling imagery in Genesis 49:17. He calls him a serpent by the way, a viper by the path.

This is prophetic language. A serpent does not confront openly. It hides. It waits. It strikes from concealment. Venom is not loud. It is stored.

Scripture does not explicitly explain how Dan became this way. What follows is inference, not doctrine, but it is inference guided by the symbolic language Scripture itself employs.

Dan, just like his brother Naphtali, was born into a fractured household. His biological mother was Bilhah, a maid. His legal mother was Rachel. His identity was complex and likely contested. In a home marked by rivalry, favoritism, and emotional displacement, identity easily becomes a battlefield.

I can imagine words spoken carelessly. “You are not really Rachel’s.” “Your mother is a maid.” I can imagine affection shifting when Joseph was born—Rachel’s biological son, the beloved child of promise described in Genesis 37:3. I can imagine comparison slowly fermenting into resentment.

Hatred rarely arrives fully formed. It is nursed. It is fed by silence, neglect, and unresolved wounds.

The image of the serpent fits a heart that learned to survive by suspicion. A heart that chose to strike before being struck. A heart that internalized pain until it became poison.

To be honest, I have felt this myself. After being wounded deeply by a relative, I sensed bitterness creeping into my heart like a serpent. Quiet. Patient. Waiting. Wanting revenge. My own experience helps me understand Dan not as a villain, but as a warning.

Again, this is inference, but it is an inference consistent with biblical symbolism.

A Fallen Household and Divergent ResponsesJacob never intended to have four wives. His desire was to marry Rachel alone, as seen in Genesis 29. Yet deception, cultural practices, and human weakness led to a fragmented household. Scripture does not endorse this structure. It records it honestly.

This story teaches an important lesson. We live in a fallen world and fallen things happen, even when we never intended them to.

Neither Dan nor Naphtali would have wanted to be born in such situations, nor did their father imagine having children in such disordered circumstances.

In situations like this, it is important that we trust the Lord to make the best out of our mess. He has the power to make us into people with great impact according to his will if we yield our free will to him.

Back to our thought process.

From this disorder came rivalry, competition for affection, identity confusion, and moral failure.

Reuben’s sin with Bilhah in Genesis 35:22 reveals the moral disintegration that can occur when boundaries collapse. Scripture does not excuse his sin, but it does show us the environment in which it occurred.

Dan and Naphtali shared the same origin, the same mother, and the same broken system. Yet their responses diverged. They were both taken away from their mother Bilhah and raised by Rachel. Both of them may have experienced the shock of finding out they were not biological children of Rachel, but her maid. They likely watched as Joseph took their place as the most beloved. They all had to deal with the fact their older brother Reuben slept with their mother. What a sense of shame, negligence, and abandonment they must have felt when they found that out! According to Genesis 49:17, Dan became like a snake, full of hatred. Perhaps he was demonized with hatred. On the other hand, I imagine that Naphtali said to himself, “I am not going to be like Dan. I know that what happened is not fair. But I choose to be released from the bondage of hatred. I choose the freedom of forgiveness.”

Dan became associated with deception and idolatry, as seen in Genesis 49:17 and Judges 18. Naphtali, however, was described as a deer let loose (Genesis 49:21) and later as “abounding with favor” and “full of blessing” (Deuteronomy 33:23)

Same environment. Same pain. Different responses.

This teaches us a sobering truth. Circumstances may shape us, but they do not define us.

Naphtali was called “doe set free that bears beautiful fawns” (NIV). In other translations, it says, “He uses beautiful words” (NKJV). I was like Dan before I was saved. I felt the snake was biting my heart and released the venom through me to intend to hurt others who hurt me. I was full of hatred. After I was saved, I released my forgiveness toward this relative and received the joy of God’s salvation and forgiveness. I became full of peace, abounding with the favor of God, just like Naphtali was.

God uses a beautiful picture to describe those who receive the joy of salvation through God’s forgiveness of them and their forgiveness of others. He says they are like a deer who jumps for joy, surrounded by many fawns, giving forth the beautiful words of the gospel. There is no better way to describe the blessedness of forgiveness!

Pain as Refinement Through JosephJoseph’s life shows us that suffering can either harden the heart or purify it. Betrayed by his brothers, imprisoned unjustly, and forgotten by men, Joseph nevertheless chose forgiveness. In Genesis 50:20, he declared that what others meant for evil, God meant for good.

In the same way, we can be confident that through our pain, God is building something remarkable for His glory. The Bible shows us time and time again how God uses difficult things to bring out the best in us. I know it is easier said than done, but we can trust God to do the same for us.

Peter says we are refined like gold in the fire, burning at intense heat. But we aren’t consumed, we are refined.

Paul clearly says in Romans 5 that hard times produce endurance, a kind of faith that is long lasting and beyond this world.

We should learn to trust the Lord with our pain and difficulties, allowing him to use them to make us and mold us. He is the potter, and we are the clay.

In the lives of Dan and Naphtali, pain became a refining fire. But what emerged from that furnace depended on each man’s heart.

Naphtali chose freedom. Dan chose concealment.

In the same way, our response to our pain will determine the outcome. We can choose to respond like Naphtali, submitting our pain to the Lord and not choosing to conceal it or seek vengeance. Vengeance is of the Lord! Hallelujah.

God’s Ongoing Redemptive WorkPaul teaches in Romans 11 that Israel experienced a hardening—not because God failed, but because God was working. The story pauses, but it does not end. Discipline serves as a tool of restoration.

The Old Testament does not conclude without hope. It finds fulfillment in Christ. What was concealed is now revealed.

God is patient with people. He is patient with processes. He is patient with hearts still learning how to respond rightly.

As a matter of fact, God is still completing his work of uniting the Jews and the Church, building them together into the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is not yet present here on earth. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel are not yet written on the twelve pearly gates. Metaphorically speaking, the pearls are still being formed inside the oyster of suffering. The redemptive story of Naphtali is not complete; it is a work in progress.

Where is the tribe of Naphtali today? Based on the Biblical record, only two tribes survived when the Northern kingdom disappeared. Those tribes were Judah and Benjamin. Currently, the other ten tribes of Israel are spread out throughout the world, and some of them are in the land of Israel today. But God will eventually call them back and mark them as members of the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7. Naphtali is among those who are marked, but Dan is not there. Dan was lost as a tribe, but his name eventually made it onto one of the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21. Dan went through many trials and tribulations between Revelation 7 and Revelation 21.

We are in the end times, but we are not yet seeing the great disasters described in the end of Revelation 6 regarding the sixth seal. This passage says, “There was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place” (Revelation 6: 12-14).

In order to become a pearly gate in the New Jerusalem, Dan went through many trials. Naphtali was spared from these trials. This reveals a simple truth. We can either repent now, like Naphtali, or repent later after going through hell and back, like Dan. I choose to be like Naphtali: to forgive all those who hurt me. To let it go. To acknowledge that they meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. Going through trials, pain, and refining fire is unavoidable in this life. But it is the way God chooses to refine us so we can eventually become pearls and precious stones in the New Jerusalem.

Naphtali and the Favor of GodMoses declares in Deuteronomy 33:23,

“O Naphtali, sated with favor,

and full of the blessing of the Lord,

possess the lake and the south.”

This blessing is striking not because it is loud or dramatic, but because it is quietly redemptive. Moses does not describe Naphtali as dominant, feared, or forceful. He describes him as satisfied.

This is not the language of struggle. It is the language of rest. Naphtali is not striving for blessing. He is resting in it.

Yet this satisfaction was not born from ease. It was forged in a broken household and within a fallen world.

To my knowledge, the Bible never says anything bad about the tribe of Naphtali. They do not commit terrible mistakes or horrible acts. The Bible does use negative imagery to describe Dan, calling him a snake. This is because Dan later worshipped the golden calf. As a result, Dan’s name was cut off from those who were marked in Revelation 7. Similarly, Benjamin was almost cut off from the twelve tribes because of the tribe’s sinful acts, as recorded in the book of Judges. But the imagery Jacob used for Naphtali is positive. He describes him as a deer. Similarly, Moses blesses Naphtali as someone sated with the favor of God and full of the blessings of the Lord. Even the Lord has nothing bad to say about him.

Together with the land of Zebulun, Naphtali forms part of the land of Galilee. In Isaiah 9:1, God said that even though this land was formerly disgraced, a great light would shine forth from it. Matthew quoted this prophecy as a way to confirm the ministry of Jesus and the ministry of Peter, which both began in Galilee. Naphtali was a seaport that was heavily used for fishing, and now it would become a port for bringing people into the Kingdom of God. Peter became a “fisher of men” in the land of Galilee.

Moses blesses Naphtali by saying he will inherit the lake (or sea in some translations) and the south. We know that Naphtali’s land is in the north, yet his destiny is to possess the sea and the south. The sea may represent the Gentile people who will come into the kingdom at the end of time. The south may refer to Jerusalem, which is in the south. It also may refer to the Jewish nation as a whole. When Naphtali experiences God’s salvation and the joy of His forgiveness, this tribe may spread God’s glad tidings to the sea, to the Gentile nations, to the south, to Jerusalem, and to all the Jews.

God promises that one day the whole house of Israel will be saved, after the number of the Gentiles who will be saved is complete. Perhaps this future salvation of Jews will begin with the tribe of Naphtali and then spread among the nations to bring the Gospel back to the Jews. You never know. God promises that one day he will gather all Jews from all corners of the earth and bring them back to the Holy Land. As the recipient of God’s favor and blessing, Naphtali surely will be a part of this prophetic future. They will surely bring glad tidings via the sea to the world, and bring the Gospel to the south, which is Jerusalem.

Devotional Reflection

Lord,

Search my heart.

Expose the places where pain has taught me to hide.

Heal the places where wounds have taught me to strike.

Teach me to run free like Naphtali.

Teach me to rest in favor rather than fight for validation.

I give You my history.

I surrender my reactions.

I choose Your process over my defenses.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflective Questions* Where have I allowed pain to coil inside my heart rather than releasing it to God? * Do I respond like the serpent or like the deer when I am wounded? * Am I hiding, striking, or learning to trust? * What would it mean for me to be sated with favor rather than driven by resentment?

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Bible Study with Jairus – Deuteronomy 33:12

The Journey of Benjamin: From Wolf to Dwelling Place of God

The Prophecy of Benjamin

Let us explore the story of Benjamin through the prophecies spoken over him. Moses declared that Benjamin was “the beloved of the Lord,” one who dwelt in safety, surrounded by God all day long, with God dwelling between his shoulders (Deuteronomy 33:12 ESV).

This is prophetic and poetic language. It points to Benjamin as a person and to his inheritance and calling in the Promised Land.

Canaan, which later became Israel, was divided into twelve portions and given to Jacob’s sons: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, along with Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Levi, rather than receiving land, was set apart for the priestly line.

Geographically, the land of Benjamin sat between Judah and Ephraim. Jerusalem itself lay within Benjamin’s territory. Zion, the dwelling place of God, and later the tabernacle and temple, were all located there.

Benjamin’s calling was bound up with worship. His tribe was associated with the place where God and humanity would meet. The physical geography reflects a spiritual truth: Benjamin’s destiny was to be a carrier of God’s presence.

Yet this destiny did not emerge from an easy beginning.

Difficult Beginnings

Benjamin’s beginning was marked by sorrow. He was born on the road, during Jacob’s return to the land of promise. His mother Rachel died in childbirth. With her final breath, she named him Ben-Oni, “son of sorrow.”

Jacob immediately intervened. He renamed the child Benjamin, “son of the right hand.”

This moment reveals two perspectives. Rachel named her son based on her experience of grief, loss, and death. Doubtless, Jacob felt these things too. But he did not move downward into despair; he moved upward toward the land God had promised. Benjamin’s renaming was Jacob’s refusal to allow sorrow to define his son’s future.

And so Benjamin entered the world at the intersection of grief and hope. And throughout his life, he carried both.

Jacob’s Prophecy

Near the end of his life, Jacob gathered his sons and spoke prophetic words over them. Some of these words were expansive and filled with promise, others, not so much.

His words over Benjamin in Genisis 49:27 are brief:

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
in the morning he devours the prey,
and at evening he divides the spoil.”

This is far from a gentle blessing. In biblical imagery, the wolf often represents cunning, selfishness, and predatory instinct. It is not a flattering picture. Wolves are strong, intelligent, persistent, and driven by appetite. They survive and take what they can.

Jacob was naming a real character issue in his son. Benjamin was strong-willed, stubborn, and self-focused. Jacob did not offer a blessing or messianic prophecy. He named what he saw.

This begs the question: Why would Jacob see Benjamin this way?

Backstory

Benjamin was the youngest son. By the time he was born, Jacob had already endured betrayal, exile, rivalry, and reconciliation. He had loved deeply and lost painfully. When Joseph disappeared years later, Benjamin became the last remaining son of Rachel, the wife Jacob loved most.

Scripture makes clear that Jacob favored Rachel’s sons. That favoritism shaped the family profoundly. When Joseph was gone, Benjamin became the center of Jacob’s fear and affection. Jacob guarded him intensely. When famine forced the family to consider sending Benjamin to Egypt, Jacob resisted, fearful of losing him as he had lost Joseph.

This kind of protection shapes a person.

Being the youngest often means growing up shielded. Older siblings carry responsibility earlier. Younger ones are guarded by both their parents and their siblings. This does not make a person morally inferior, but it does affect formation.

Jacob’s fear-driven protection likely produced both security and limitation in Benjamin. Overprotection often delays maturity and favoritism can foster self-orientation. These are human patterns observed across cultures and families.

These fear-led oversights that allowed self-centeredness and immaturity in Benjamin to thrive may have been the ultimate cause of the wolfish characteristics Jacob saw in Benjamin.

From Individual to Tribe

Biblical prophecy often unfolds beyond the individual and into the life of a people. Jacob’s words over his sons were not merely personal assessments; they were seeds planted into future generations.

When we later encounter the tribe of Benjamin in the book of Judges, we see troubling patterns. The tribe demonstrates fierce loyalty, stubborn resistance, and violent refusal to repent even in the face of national collapse. The tribe is not weak. It is strong. But its strength lacks surrender.

This shows a continuity of traits—intensity, persistence, resistance to correction—that echo Jacob’s imagery.

The wolf survives. But survival without humility leads to destruction.

Understanding Character Through the Sons of Jacob

Each of Jacob’s sons carried a unique character shaped by love, neglect, trauma, and family dynamics. We will explore a few of them:

• Reuben, the firstborn, struggled with lust rooted in resentment and emotional neglect. Yet because he had experienced some of his father’s love, he was not fully hardened. He tried to protect Joseph.
• Simeon, however, became deeply demonized. His hatred toward Joseph did not begin with the colorful coat. It grew slowly from childhood favoritism and unchecked jealousy.
• Levi, influenced by Simeon, committed violence, but later chose God decisively. He represents the will transformed. Through obedience, he received blessing.
• Judah failed but repented. He became a mediator, a foreshadowing of Christ, willing to sacrifice himself to restore relationship between father and son.

Each failure became a pathway for transformation. Hatred never solves the problem. Killing the perceived enemy never brings healing. Jesus taught us to love our enemies, because the real problem is never another person, but a heart disconnected from God.

Parallel Gates

God does not discard broken people. He transforms them into what might be called parallel gates.

A parallel gate is a life God uses to bring others into reconciliation, freedom, and worship. No two gates are the same. Each reflects a unique mixture of personality, failure, and redemption.

I shared my own experience as the first Christian in my family. Through my testimony, my parents were brought toward the kingdom. If I had not received the gospel, they would not have had that access. Likewise, someone else was a gate for me.

We are all called to become such gates.

Transformation Into Living Stones

Through the Spirit’s work, we are not only made into parallel gates, but living stones. Each stone is different in color, composition, and brilliance. When refined by fire, it retains its uniqueness while revealing God’s glory.

Jacob’s twelve sons were different and unique. The twelve apostles were also different and unique. God does not erase personality. He redeems it. And Benjamin’s story must be understood in this light.

Worship Requires Inner Freedom

Before Jacob could return to worship freely, he had to experience transformation through Joseph.

Joseph’s life shows a stark dichotomy of ruling while in captivity. He ruled outwardly in Egypt, but inwardly his life was the continuation of Jacob’s spiritual journey. When Jacob matured spiritually, Joseph was born, and through Joseph, Jacob himself reigned.

Freedom must first exist in the heart. Without inner freedom, outer freedom leads to corruption.

This pattern is visible throughout history. Where the gospel and truth spread, freedom increases. Where they are absent, oppression grows.

Jacob’s journey was upward, toward Jerusalem, toward worship. Rachel (his wife), representing the flesh, was going downward. She named Benjamin Ben-Oni, “son of sorrow,” but Jacob renamed him Benjamin, “son of the right hand.”

This renaming declared Jacob’s spiritual direction: upward, toward worship, freedom, and God’s presence.

Joseph represents freedom in the heart.
Benjamin represents freedom of worship.

You cannot worship freely without inner freedom.

The Spoiled Son

After Joseph disappeared, Benjamin became Jacob’s emotional anchor. Scripture records Jacob’s reluctance to let him go, fearing loss above all else.

Spoiling does not arise from cruelty. It arises from fear. But fear-based protection often produces self-centeredness and stubbornness.

But spoiling breeds self-centeredness. In my own life as the youngest child, I saw how favoritism shaped selfishness and stubbornness. Benjamin likely developed similar traits.

By the end of Jacob’s life, he saw clearly. His final word over Benjamin named this reality: a wolf, driven by appetite, unchanged from morning to evening.

Hope Within the Wolf

Yet Jacob’s prophecy is not the end of the story. Moses’ later blessing reveals God’s final word. The wolf would become the dwelling place of God.

This is grace.

Benjamin’s stubbornness, selfishness, and strength were not erased. They were transformed. The same shoulders that once carried self-interest would carry the presence of God.

Benjamin’s story reminds us that our destiny is not determined by our beginnings. God transforms character, not by removal, but by redemption.

The wolf becomes beloved.
The spoiled son becomes sanctuary.
The stubborn heart becomes a dwelling place for God.

This is the journey of Benjamin.
And in many ways, it is our own.

A Closing Devotion

Benjamin’s story reminds us that God does not wait for perfection before calling a place or person His dwelling. He does not demand the removal of our sinful traits before He moves in. Instead, He enters what already exists and begins the work of transformation from within.

The wolf was not erased. He was redeemed.

This is how grace works. God does not bypass our history. He redeems it. He does not discard the parts of us that are rough, excessive, or ill-fitted. He reshapes them into something holy.

Benjamin teaches us that worship is not born from flawless character, but from inner freedom. And inner freedom comes when we allow God to dwell where we once guarded ourselves most closely.

The sin that once defined us does not have to imprison us.
In God’s hands, we can become his sanctuary.

Reflection Questions

1. Where in your life have you felt labeled or defined by your worst traits rather than your potential for transformation?
2. What part of your character feels most “wolf-like” right now—stubbornness, self-protection, independence, or appetite?
3. Have you ever tried to change yourself by removing traits, rather than offering them to God for redemption?
4. In what ways might God be inviting you to experience freedom in your heart before seeking freedom in your circumstances?
5. Where do you sense God asking to dwell more deeply in your life—not after you change, but as you are?

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Bible Study with Jairus – Deuteronomy 33:18–19
Rejoice, Zebulun, in Your Going Out:A Study of Humiliation, Dwelling, and Mission

Why Zebulun Matters

We are continuing our study of Deuteronomy 33. It is Moses’ blessing to the twelve tribes of Israel. Each tribe carries a distinct story, a distinct failure, and a distinct expression of God’s salvation. None of them are interchangeable. Together, they form a complete testimony of how God transforms sinners into sons, and sons into living stones in His eternal dwelling.

Today, we turn our attention to Zebulun, the last son of Leah.

Zebulun is a tribe many believers know almost nothing about. Judah is familiar. Issachar is often celebrated for discernment. Joseph’s suffering and exaltation are widely preached. Benjamin is remembered for strength and warfare.

But Zebulun? Most Christians struggle to describe his calling at all.

That lack of familiarity is itself revealing. Zebulun’s story is not obvious. It does not announce itself. It requires careful listening, patient interpretation, and spiritual insight. And yet Scripture preserves three separate prophetic witnesses concerning Zebulun: from Jacob, from Moses, and from Isaiah. When Scripture speaks about something three times, it signals an invitation for us to pay attention.

Zebulun’s calling is especially important for believers who have experienced humiliation, obscurity, or contempt, because his destiny is forged precisely through those conditions.

A Map of Salvation

To understand Zebulun, we must first understand the role of the twelve tribes as a whole.

The twelve tribes are not merely ethnic divisions. They are prophetic stories of salvation. Each tribe represents a different human failure and a different aspect of God’s redemptive work. Taken together, they reveal the full arc of salvation history.

The apostle Paul makes this clear in Romans. Whether Jew or Gentile, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:9–23 ESV). Yet salvation does not end at forgiveness. It moves toward transformation, maturity, and glory. Scripture uses different Greek words to describe this progression: children of God, heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ, mature sons.

Romans 8 tells us that creation itself is waiting for the revealing of these sons. When they enter into glory, creation will be liberated from corruption.

This story reaches its climax in the New Jerusalem.

In John’s vision, the city has twelve gates, and each gate bears the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Each gate is made of a single pearl. No one enters the city except through these gates.

This tells us something crucial: God’s work with Israel is not bypassed in the New Testament. It is fulfilled. Jews and Gentiles are joined together into one new humanity, built upon Christ the cornerstone.

The pearl itself explains the process. A pearl is formed through injury. When an oyster is wounded by a foreign irritant, it does not reject it violently. Instead, it releases life, layer upon layer, transforming pain into beauty.

Israel wounded Christ. Christ responded with life.
From that wound came a gate of salvation.

Zebulun must be understood within this framework.

Zebulun as a Dwelling Place

Zebulun was the last son born to Leah.

Leah lived with rejection. Jacob loved Rachel but merely tolerated Leah. Her sons were born into a household filled with rivalry, neglect, and emotional imbalance. Zebulun did not enter a peaceful family story. He entered a painful one.

His name means “to dwell” or “to honor.” After giving birth to Zebulun, Leah declared that now her husband would dwell with and honor her (Genesis 30:19–20 ESV).

This is not accidental language.

Later, Scripture uses marriage to describe something far greater than human romance. Paul explains that marriage is a mystery pointing to Christ and the church, the union between God and humanity. Zebulun’s very name carries the idea of divine dwelling, of God making His home with people.

Zebulun was born with a purpose already inscribed into his identity. He was destined to be associated with God’s dwelling, even though his beginnings were marked by rejection and obscurity.

Calling does not erase pain. In fact, calling often grows out of it.

Jacob’s Prophecy: Life at the Shore

Jacob’s blessing over Zebulun is brief:

“Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea;
he shall become a haven for ships,
and his border shall be at Sidon.”
(Genesis 49:13 ESV)

At first glance, this sounds unimpressive. No royal authority, overflowing abundance, or promises of dominance.

But Jacob is not speaking in one-dimensional terms.

Zebulun is placed at the edge.
At the border.
At the sea.

A harbor is not a throne room. It is exposed and vulnerable. It is often looked down upon by those who live inland. Harbors are messy places where people come and go, cultures mix, and stability feels fragile.

Yet harbors are essential.

Jacob reveals Zebulun’s destiny as a gateway tribe. He is positioned where Israel meets the nations. Sheep find refuge there. Ships launch from there.

Zebulun is not called to rule from the center.
He is called to send from the edge.

Moses’ Prophecy: Call the Peoples

Then Moses clarifies Zebulun’s calling in Deuteronomy 3:18–19:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out…
They shall call peoples to the mountain;
there they shall offer right sacrifices.
For they draw from the abundance of the seas
and the hidden treasures of the sand.”

Here, Zebulun’s mission becomes explicit.

His joy is found in going out and calling the peoples, not just Israel. His inheritance comes from both sea and sand.

In biblical imagery, the sea often represents the Gentile nations. The sand recalls God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the sand on the shore.

Zebulun is called to gather both.

This aligns perfectly with Paul’s teaching in Romans 9–11: The salvation of the Gentiles and the salvation of Israel are not competing stories. They are interwoven. God uses one to provoke the other, until both are brought into fullness.

Zebulun stands at that intersection.

Isaiah’s Prophecy: From Contempt to Light

Isaiah reveals the cost of this calling:

“In the former time he brought into contempt
the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
but in the latter time he has made glorious
the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.”
(Isaiah 9:1b–2a ESV)

Before glory comes humiliation.

Zebulun’s land becomes Galilee, a region despised by religious elites. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth [located in Galilee]?” (John 1:46 ESV) was not an idle question. It was a cultural judgment.

Yet Isaiah declares that this very place would see the great light first.

And Matthew tells us plainly that this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus began His ministry in Galilee, in the region of Zebulun. From there, He preached repentance and called fishermen like Peter and Andrew. From there, the kingdom of God began to spread.

God hid His greatest revelation in the most despised place.

Zebulun Fulfilled in Christ

Jesus embodied Zebulun’s calling.

He lived by the sea, gathered fishermen, called the nations, and revealed divine light even in the confines of human humility.

Zebulun’s destiny was never about prestige. It was about mission.

Pattern for the Church

Zebulun’s story continues in the church today.

God repeatedly chooses people and places marked by humiliation to initiate revival. He strips away pride. He dismantles false strength. He prepares vessels that will go out with joy, not domination. And often his vessels are found in the most unlikely and humble places.

Growing up in rural China, I experienced much humiliation. Even after coming to the United States, I often felt shame and embarrassment. My wife and I saw couples in the church having children, one after another, but we could not. I perceived this as humiliation. I went to a Korean minister to ask for prayer. He told me, “God has a plan to use you in the future. You are going through the same trials as Hannah, Rachel, Rebecca, and Sarah went through in the Bible. God has a plan for you.” This was confirmed to me when God spoke to me in January 2016. He told me that I would have a child that year and that my ministry would be initiated by Him. He also promised me that he would use me greatly if I humbled myself before him.

Sometimes I discuss with my wife, if we could do it all again, whether we would choose to avoid the pain and humiliation or if we would choose the hard path. We agree that we would not have achieved the spiritual maturity we have today without experiencing those sufferings. Some people told us that God was not giving us children as a punishment. But it was actually God’s work in us to help us grow and become vessels that he could send.

This pattern of humiliation and preparation is visible across history and across cultures. And Zebulun is another reminder of this truth.

A Modern Zebulun

There are people and nations in our world today who are deeply despised. China is one of them.

As a Chinese person living in the United States, I sometimes feel that the Chinese people are among the most despised groups in the world. Some second-generation Chinese Americans even feel ashamed to acknowledge that they are Chinese. Koreans, and even people from Taiwan or Hong Kong, sometimes distance themselves from being identified as Chinese.

This attitude exists partly because China is a communist country, but also because of China’s history of defeat in wars against Western imperial powers and Japan. In the past, China took great pride in being the strongest power in the East. Over the past few hundred years, however, she has lost that sense of dignity and honor.

Is there a purpose behind this history of humiliation? I believe there is. God has revealed to me that He has a great plan for China. God allowed contempt and suffering to humble the nation, and through this humbling, He is preparing to build His church in China. God is preparing China for a great spiritual revival.

When this revival happens, God will send out millions of missionaries from China to Japan, Muslim countries, Israel, Europe, America, and many other parts of the world to help bring renewal and revival.

During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, a Chinese believer named Ye prayed to God, asking whether the Chinese church had a future and why God allowed such severe persecution against it. God sent an angel to tell him that He had a wonderful plan for the Chinese church, which would unfold in three steps.

The first step was to dismantle the existing structures of the church. The second step was to rebuild. Then, when a new generation within the Chinese church was ready, God would pour out His Holy Spirit upon them, and revival would come to China. The third step would be to send Chinese Christians to preach the gospel in regions where it has lost momentum, especially in Europe and America.

God has a great plan for China, and China can be seen as a modern example of Zebulun. God has allowed, and continues to allow, persecution in China as part of this purpose.

Persecution has purified the church. Suffering has created resilience. God is raising a people who will go out with rejoicing, not from pride, but from humility.

Just as Galilee was once dismissed, God is again raising voices from unexpected places to call the nations back to worship.

Zebulun is not the tribe of kingship or prosperity.
It is the tribe of sending.

Rejoice in Your Going Out

Zebulun’s call still stands.

To those shaped by humiliation.
To those placed on the edge.
To those sent rather than celebrated.

Rejoice in your going out.

God’s dwelling place is still being built.
His gates are still being formed.
And His light still rises from unexpected shores.

Devotional Reflection

Zebulun speaks gently but firmly to those who feel unseen. God often chooses the shoreline, not the center. The edge is where movement begins. The harbor is where God prepares people to go.

If your life has felt like “former contempt,” ask the Holy Spirit what He may be preparing through it. Humiliation is not disqualification. It is training.

Zebulun’s command is not merely to go, but to rejoice in going.

Joy is simply an agreement with God’s purpose.

Reflection Questions

1. Where do you feel most on the margins right now?
2. What experiences of humiliation may have shaped you for mission rather than disqualified you?
3. What “shoreline” has God placed you on that could be a launching point?
4. Who might God be calling you to gather from the sea or the sand?
5. What would it look like to rejoice in your going out?

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Bible Study with Jairus – Deuteronomy 33:12

The Journey of Benjamin: From Wolf to Dwelling Place of God

The Prophecy of Benjamin

Let us explore the story of Benjamin through the prophecies spoken over him. Moses declared that Benjamin was “the beloved of the Lord,” one who dwelt in safety, surrounded by God all day long, with God dwelling between his shoulders (Deuteronomy 33:12 ESV).

This is prophetic and poetic language. It points to Benjamin as a person and to his inheritance and calling in the Promised Land.

Canaan, which later became Israel, was divided into twelve portions and given to Jacob’s sons: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, along with Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Levi, rather than receiving land, was set apart for the priestly line.

Geographically, the land of Benjamin sat between Judah and Ephraim. Jerusalem itself lay within Benjamin’s territory. Zion, the dwelling place of God, and later the tabernacle and temple, were all located there.

Benjamin’s calling was bound up with worship. His tribe was associated with the place where God and humanity would meet. The physical geography reflects a spiritual truth: Benjamin’s destiny was to be a carrier of God’s presence.

Yet this destiny did not emerge from an easy beginning.

Difficult Beginnings

Benjamin’s beginning was marked by sorrow. He was born on the road, during Jacob’s return to the land of promise. His mother Rachel died in childbirth. With her final breath, she named him Ben-Oni, “son of sorrow.”

Jacob immediately intervened. He renamed the child Benjamin, “son of the right hand.”

This moment reveals two perspectives. Rachel named her son based on her experience of grief, loss, and death. Doubtless, Jacob felt these things too. But he did not move downward into despair; he moved upward toward the land God had promised. Benjamin’s renaming was Jacob’s refusal to allow sorrow to define his son’s future.

And so Benjamin entered the world at the intersection of grief and hope. And throughout his life, he carried both.

Jacob’s Prophecy

Near the end of his life, Jacob gathered his sons and spoke prophetic words over them. Some of these words were expansive and filled with promise, others, not so much.

His words over Benjamin in Genisis 49:27 are brief:

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
in the morning he devours the prey,
and at evening he divides the spoil.”

This is far from a gentle blessing. In biblical imagery, the wolf often represents cunning, selfishness, and predatory instinct. It is not a flattering picture. Wolves are strong, intelligent, persistent, and driven by appetite. They survive and take what they can.

Jacob was naming a real character issue in his son. Benjamin was strong-willed, stubborn, and self-focused. Jacob did not offer a blessing or messianic prophecy. He named what he saw.

This begs the question: Why would Jacob see Benjamin this way?

Backstory

Benjamin was the youngest son. By the time he was born, Jacob had already endured betrayal, exile, rivalry, and reconciliation. He had loved deeply and lost painfully. When Joseph disappeared years later, Benjamin became the last remaining son of Rachel, the wife Jacob loved most.

Scripture makes clear that Jacob favored Rachel’s sons. That favoritism shaped the family profoundly. When Joseph was gone, Benjamin became the center of Jacob’s fear and affection. Jacob guarded him intensely. When famine forced the family to consider sending Benjamin to Egypt, Jacob resisted, fearful of losing him as he had lost Joseph.

This kind of protection shapes a person.

Being the youngest often means growing up shielded. Older siblings carry responsibility earlier. Younger ones are guarded by both their parents and their siblings. This does not make a person morally inferior, but it does affect formation.

Jacob’s fear-driven protection likely produced both security and limitation in Benjamin. Overprotection often delays maturity and favoritism can foster self-orientation. These are human patterns observed across cultures and families.

These fear-led oversights that allowed self-centeredness and immaturity in Benjamin to thrive may have been the ultimate cause of the wolfish characteristics Jacob saw in Benjamin.

From Individual to Tribe

Biblical prophecy often unfolds beyond the individual and into the life of a people. Jacob’s words over his sons were not merely personal assessments; they were seeds planted into future generations.

When we later encounter the tribe of Benjamin in the book of Judges, we see troubling patterns. The tribe demonstrates fierce loyalty, stubborn resistance, and violent refusal to repent even in the face of national collapse. The tribe is not weak. It is strong. But its strength lacks surrender.

This shows a continuity of traits—intensity, persistence, resistance to correction—that echo Jacob’s imagery.

The wolf survives. But survival without humility leads to destruction.

Understanding Character Through the Sons of Jacob

Each of Jacob’s sons carried a unique character shaped by love, neglect, trauma, and family dynamics. We will explore a few of them:

• Reuben, the firstborn, struggled with lust rooted in resentment and emotional neglect. Yet because he had experienced some of his father’s love, he was not fully hardened. He tried to protect Joseph.
• Simeon, however, became deeply demonized. His hatred toward Joseph did not begin with the colorful coat. It grew slowly from childhood favoritism and unchecked jealousy.
• Levi, influenced by Simeon, committed violence, but later chose God decisively. He represents the will transformed. Through obedience, he received blessing.
• Judah failed but repented. He became a mediator, a foreshadowing of Christ, willing to sacrifice himself to restore relationship between father and son.

Each failure became a pathway for transformation. Hatred never solves the problem. Killing the perceived enemy never brings healing. Jesus taught us to love our enemies, because the real problem is never another person, but a heart disconnected from God.

Parallel Gates

God does not discard broken people. He transforms them into what might be called parallel gates.

A parallel gate is a life God uses to bring others into reconciliation, freedom, and worship. No two gates are the same. Each reflects a unique mixture of personality, failure, and redemption.

I shared my own experience as the first Christian in my family. Through my testimony, my parents were brought toward the kingdom. If I had not received the gospel, they would not have had that access. Likewise, someone else was a gate for me.

We are all called to become such gates.

Transformation Into Living Stones

Through the Spirit’s work, we are not only made into parallel gates, but living stones. Each stone is different in color, composition, and brilliance. When refined by fire, it retains its uniqueness while revealing God’s glory.

Jacob’s twelve sons were different and unique. The twelve apostles were also different and unique. God does not erase personality. He redeems it. And Benjamin’s story must be understood in this light.

Worship Requires Inner Freedom

Before Jacob could return to worship freely, he had to experience transformation through Joseph.

Joseph’s life shows a stark dichotomy of ruling while in captivity. He ruled outwardly in Egypt, but inwardly his life was the continuation of Jacob’s spiritual journey. When Jacob matured spiritually, Joseph was born, and through Joseph, Jacob himself reigned.

Freedom must first exist in the heart. Without inner freedom, outer freedom leads to corruption.

This pattern is visible throughout history. Where the gospel and truth spread, freedom increases. Where they are absent, oppression grows.

Jacob’s journey was upward, toward Jerusalem, toward worship. Rachel (his wife), representing the flesh, was going downward. She named Benjamin Ben-Oni, “son of sorrow,” but Jacob renamed him Benjamin, “son of the right hand.”

This renaming declared Jacob’s spiritual direction: upward, toward worship, freedom, and God’s presence.

Joseph represents freedom in the heart.
Benjamin represents freedom of worship.

You cannot worship freely without inner freedom.

The Spoiled Son

After Joseph disappeared, Benjamin became Jacob’s emotional anchor. Scripture records Jacob’s reluctance to let him go, fearing loss above all else.

Spoiling does not arise from cruelty. It arises from fear. But fear-based protection often produces self-centeredness and stubbornness.

But spoiling breeds self-centeredness. In my own life as the youngest child, I saw how favoritism shaped selfishness and stubbornness. Benjamin likely developed similar traits.

By the end of Jacob’s life, he saw clearly. His final word over Benjamin named this reality: a wolf, driven by appetite, unchanged from morning to evening.

Hope Within the Wolf

Yet Jacob’s prophecy is not the end of the story. Moses’ later blessing reveals God’s final word. The wolf would become the dwelling place of God.

This is grace.

Benjamin’s stubbornness, selfishness, and strength were not erased. They were transformed. The same shoulders that once carried self-interest would carry the presence of God.

Benjamin’s story reminds us that our destiny is not determined by our beginnings. God transforms character, not by removal, but by redemption.

The wolf becomes beloved.
The spoiled son becomes sanctuary.
The stubborn heart becomes a dwelling place for God.

This is the journey of Benjamin.
And in many ways, it is our own.

A Closing Devotion

Benjamin’s story reminds us that God does not wait for perfection before calling a place or person His dwelling. He does not demand the removal of our sinful traits before He moves in. Instead, He enters what already exists and begins the work of transformation from within.

The wolf was not erased. He was redeemed.

This is how grace works. God does not bypass our history. He redeems it. He does not discard the parts of us that are rough, excessive, or ill-fitted. He reshapes them into something holy.

Benjamin teaches us that worship is not born from flawless character, but from inner freedom. And inner freedom comes when we allow God to dwell where we once guarded ourselves most closely.

The sin that once defined us does not have to imprison us.
In God’s hands, we can become his sanctuary.

Reflection Questions

1. Where in your life have you felt labeled or defined by your worst traits rather than your potential for transformation?
2. What part of your character feels most “wolf-like” right now—stubbornness, self-protection, independence, or appetite?
3. Have you ever tried to change yourself by removing traits, rather than offering them to God for redemption?
4. In what ways might God be inviting you to experience freedom in your heart before seeking freedom in your circumstances?
5. Where do you sense God asking to dwell more deeply in your life—not after you change, but as you are?

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God's End Time Plan_End Time #Prophecy 6 #China Revival #China will become a democratic nation

God often uses my former Chinese college in my prophetic dreams. One night, in another dream, I was dropped through the chimney of my former school’s kitchen. There is no chimney in my college, so I think this chimney might have represented the preaching of the gospel. My appearance represents believers in Christ. Just like Santa came through a chimney with gifts, the gospel will be preached to China as Jesus’ best gift of eternal life. Unfortunately, the people who were in the kitchen were so shocked by my sudden ‘dropping by’ that they strongly resisted me. I was pushed back.

In the next scene, I found a big tree near the roof. I slid it down to the ground. When I reached the ground, fierce battles started, and I was tossed back and forth. Eventually, the victory was won, and I found myself lying in a reclining chair conversing in peace with two friends. One friend was a coworker of mine in China who is currently a communist party member. The other is the alumni Christian workmate I mentioned earlier. This scene is prophetic to me as it shows that one day Chinese society will receive reconciliation among different people. Is that enough though? Does God want more for China? I believe so.

Chinese Dissidents: Thank you for Preaching the Gospel

There was another prophetic dream that God used to start shaking my understanding regarding the political arena. In that dream I was riding a bicycle, and some Chinese dissidents were chasing after me on bikes. It includes a Christian dissident that I know through my work to cover the Chinese dissidents. He is a Christian, but he is also a very active Chinese dissident. I did not know what they wanted to do to me, so I rode faster. I felt fear in the dream and my intention was to stay away from them. Eventually, they reached me and stopped me. The leader of this group of people said to me, “Thank you for your preaching and the books you wrote. These really helped us to succeed in our pursuit of a Chinese democracy.”

I looked at them with astonishment. They were in their mid-fifties, and I was in my midforties when I had this dream. Puzzled, I said to them, “How could I have helped you since I am younger than you?” In the next scene, we were in the Christian Brother House I used to live in near the University of Southern California. It was there that I was baptized to be a Christian. Although the leader’s face in my dream resembled only one democratic leader of real life, I know this person was meant to represent the whole Chinese democratic movement. He also represents the future leader of China who may be a Christian in God’s mind. The group of them were chatting with us in a Christian atmosphere. I felt that the love of brothers was among us while we were fellowshipping in the hallway. Later, I realized this was a prophetic dream meant to remind me that God is calling me to preach the gospel to these groups of people and be part of this democratic process in China. I represent believers in Christ in this dream. This real person I saw in the dream is a Christian and a Chinese dissident. I am not saying he will be the future leader of China, but God may choose a Christian to be the leader of the New China. This is a prophetic message.

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God's End Time Plan_End Time #Prophecy 5 #China Revival #Communism is about to end

In March 2020, I was taken into a vision. This was the most vivid 3D-type vision I have had thus far. In it, I saw a great revival happening in China. It was bursting out all over! People were dancing, celebrating, and worshiping God all over the streets of China. In the next scene, I was brought into a heavenly meeting where many saints in glory, including Chinese and Westerners, were meeting. There was a Chinese lady who gave me a tour of the place and she specifically told me that this revival was something she had never seen when she was on Earth. In the end, angels had bound an evil political spirit, and I saw that a great political change would come to China after this great revival. I was so surprised to see the evil political spirit bound. I asked the angel in great surprise, “Is this the CCP?” The angel told me, “Yes.” I saw that China becomes a democratic nation, and they will worship God.

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God's End Time Plan_End Time #Prophecy 4 #China Revival #Third Church in China Will Change China Politically

Chuck Pierce also writes about the ‘Third Church’ that arose after the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. He talks about ‘Three Self Churches,’ and ‘House Churches’ to describe the other two churches in China. The Three Self Churches are government authorized churches under the principle of self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation. The “House churches” are underground churches that refuse to join the Three Self Churches. Pierce records his prophecies about the Third Church in China as follows:

“For I have chosen you for such a time as this. The leaders of the Third Church will be like the Mordecai’s at the gates of city after city. You will begin to hear the plots of the enemy that are working in entire cities. I have caused the Third Church to arise because this is the third day. You will be ushered into political arenas to open the gates of My glory to come in. You will understand My times and seasons. I am going to remove the trauma of your birth. For the trauma in the Third Church in its birth will now become the foundation of its destiny to change the political course of this nation. Fear not, for those enemies of your past will become an entryway to your future. It is the resources structure of your influence of this church that will redirect the course of the Middle East. This will be the church leadership that forms a path through hostile nations and paves the way back to My city, Jerusalem. Today I am putting the anointing of David upon you. Stake your claim for the future!”

Chuck Pierce, God's Unfolding Battle Plan: A Field Manual For Advancing the Kingdom of God, Chosen Books (Bloomington, Minnesota), 2014, page 213 of 231, Kindle.

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God's End Time Plan_End Time #Prophecy 3 #China Revival #The Great China Revival is Coming

Although I have no idea how this great revival of China will happen, on the last day of 2017, I was taken into heaven in a prophetic dream. An old Chinese lady, whom I did not initially recognize as the Lord, appeared to me. We flew for quite a while together. Then we entered the skies above China. I was able to see houses of many Chinese people living there, but the houses had no ceiling. As we flew, I could see multitudes of people living in these houses. Then I was brought into heaven near a window. Through that window, I could see a multitude of people entering heaven by elevator. Just at that moment, a cherub flew over me and I saw the Chinese lady as the Lord. He showed me a few people and they looked like generals of the Church, probably from the past. He then asked me, “Do you want to be like one of them?” Shocked, I said, “Yes, I’m willing, but my flesh is weak.” Immediately, I started sobbing. During this encounter with the Lord, I heard a company of Chinese people singing a very beautiful Chinese hymn to us.

This encounter gave me a sense of urgency to prepare myself as I know something big is coming soon. Not only I knew it was God who led me on the journey to get trained in both gifts of the Holy Spirit and formal theological training but God is still challenging me to deal with my flesh and earthly drives to be a better person so God can use me. I knew I was weak in some of my flesh, so I sobbed uncontrollably before Jesus saying, “I am willing in spirit but my flesh is weak.” Jesus did not rebuke me or encourage me further, but he allowed I heard the singing of the Chinese saints! Those Chinese saints in glory long far this revival and it was proved to me in another prophetic encounters in March 2020. A Chinese saint who led me to tour of one of the heavenly gatherings regarding the revival of China told me this revival is the greatest revival so far and it exceeds any revivals she saw when she was on earth. The saints in the glory are waiting, the saints in the glory (both Chinese and the Wester Missionaries to China) are actively participating God’s plan to usher in this great revival, I felt the baton has passed on to me and I need to run my race.

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God's End Time Plan_End Time #Prophecy 2 #China Revival #God’s Three Steps of Work in Chinese Churches

Brother Ye grabbed my hand and said to me, “Child, God told me that the Chinese church will have a bright future.” Brother Ye continued to say, after many prayers, God told him the purpose of the trials over these several decades in China was three threefold. The first step was to demolish; the second step to restructure and rectify; and the third step was/is to reverse the preaching of the Gospel from China to the places where the Gospel and the Word of God have been degraded, which is Europe; and to places where the Gospel lost her original essence, which is America.

In the process of restructuring and rectifying, God will raise a group of new people. If the new people are not prepared, the new date will not arrive. Then brother Ye ended this by giving me a Chinese poem, “The new year and new date must arrive, those who are faithful do not need to worry; the great revival is coming now, Hallelujah the glory is great and mighty.”

This poem was told by an angel to Ye. Brother Ye often cried for the Chinese church and often prayed for the future of the Chinese church. One day an angel appeared to him and told him these words. The angel mentioned that the new date is prepared for the new man. The new date will not arrive if the new man is not ready, so the restructuring and rectifying period is crucial. God is using all kinds of ways to select those who belong to Him. If the new men are full for the number, God will use these new men to revive the Word of God. Those who self-proclaim as spiritual and lovers of the Lord, or are prideful, will be abandoned to the side.

All who receive God’s favor are not those who think themselves righteous, but whom God deems as righteous. At that time. God will empower them with the power of the Holy Spirit. They will always remain meek and humble no matter how greatly God uses them. They just consider themselves useless servants and thus are the proper vessels for God.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #deuteronomy 18-16 We Should Hear God's Voice Directly

Just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ When God spoke from Mount Horeb, the mountain shook and the Israelites were afraid. So the people told Moses, “We don’t want to hear God directly.

We want you to stand in for God and tell us what He says.” Why? Because God is holy and his voice requires us to be holy as well. This is not just an Old Testament story; it is still true today. Many Christians do not want to hear from God directly because they know it would cost them something. They would need to get right with God or get rid of sins or hindrances in their hearts. So instead, they say, “I will go to church and listen to the pastor. I will even tithe or volunteer my time. But DON’T touch ME.”

They feel that their church involvement fulfills their obligations as Christians, but they don’t want to be involved in anything that might threaten their favorite sins. This is a sign of immaturity, and it is the same problem the Israelites had. Paul says that the Israelites were spiritual babies who needed the law as their schoolteacher and guardian. For the same reason, the American church is NOT as powerful as it was supposed to be. Many believers are happy to listen to a substitute for God so they can remain babies in their spiritual walks. If we want to have a greater impact for the Kingdom of God, we must grow toward maturity.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy chapter 27 verse 4 The End of Law is Christ

And when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you today, on Mount Ebal…

God asked the Israelites to announce the curses on Mount Ebal and blessings on Mount Gerizim. But have you ever wondered why Moses asked the Israelites to set up the stone tablets of the law on Mount Ebal instead of Mount Gerizim? Why was the law associated with curses and not with blessings? The answer becomes clear when we look at the teaching of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament. Paul mentioned that the purpose of the law was to condemn, but the purpose of the New Testament was to fulfill the law. If the law had not forbidden covetousness, Paul would not have known he was covetous (Romans 7:7). In other words, Paul felt the law condemned him because he could not follow the law. But he also said that if we live in the Spirit and bear His fruit, there is no law against us. Wow! Even Moses understood that his ministry was to condemn. This is why he commanded the Israelites to set up the stone tablet of the law on Mount Ebal. He understood that there would be another prophet who would rise up and his ministry would fulfill the law. Whenever we fail to follow the law, it motivates us to cry, “I need a Savior who can save me from sin!” Just as Paul said, the ultimate fulfillment of the law is Christ. We must pray for all the Jewish people who still follow the law, that they would realize that they need a Savior.

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Bible Study With #Jairus # Deuteronomy 22-1 How God’s Words Affect the Culture

You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother.

When I first came to America from China, I was pleasantly surprised at how kind Americans are toward strangers. If my car broke down or I was lost (before the days of GPS), warm-hearted strangers helped me find my destination. On the other hand, when I ran into similar situations in China, people deliberately gave me inaccurate directions. I am not saying that everyone in China will mislead you, but it is common. Why? Because many people are twisted in their minds and want to hurt other strangers. Why are they twisted to such a degree? Why do they want to do these evil things? Because of the godless culture in China. They lack the Law of God and the Word of God, which transforms hearts, minds, and cultures. Imagine how dark the culture would be if you had not had the Law of God or the Word of God for thousands of years!

The relatively high level of morality in America today is due to hundreds of years of the Word of God transforming society. America not only has a 249-year old history of trying to follow biblical principles, but their European ancestors were also influenced by the Gospel for thousands of years before the United States became a nation.

In this verse, God instructs the Israelites to be kind to strangers and return their lost ox or sheep. This law’s impact on the culture cannot be underestimated. America, please value what you have today. If you continue to ignore the Word of God, the culture will grow darker and darker. The descent into darkness may be quicker than you would ever imagine.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 21 15-17 – Reuben Could Beget Jesus

If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved, then on the day when he assigns his possessions as an inheritance to his sons, he may not treat the son of the loved as the firstborn in preference to the son of the unloved, who is the firstborn, but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.

Since most people today don’t practice polygamy, what principles can we learn from this passage? God is righteous and just, and he has sympathy toward the wounded and downtrodden. Jacob had two wives, and he favored Rachel and disliked Leah. Jacob also favored Joseph, and eventually Joseph got a double portion of the birthright. But it was not Jacob who took the birthright away from Reuben and gave it to Joseph. It was Reuben who defiled his father’s bed and lost his right of the firstborn. God promised that Christ would come as the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But only later in the Bible does it mention that Christ would come as the lion of the tribe of Judah. Did Reuben ever have a chance to become the ancestor of Christ? I think it is possible. But he and his two other brothers all sinned, so they missed the chance. Judah and his two sons also sinned, but Tamar helped Judah fulfill this prophecy.

I believe that God would not have taken away Reuben’s birthright if he had not sinned. God would not have allowed those who hated the unloved wives to take away the firstborn son’s birthright. But Reuben sinned and lost his own birthright. He slept with Rachel’s maid. Why? Because the negligence of his father Jacob produced hatred in Reuben’s heart. This hatred, plus his lust, caused him to sin, and he lost out on one of the greatest blessings on earth: being in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Reuben missed out on so much blessing!

Today, we may think we are the sons of Leah who are not loved by people. Will we allow our hatred to twist our hearts so that we lose out on our blessings as the sons of God? Will we receive double loss, like Reuben, or double blessing, like Joseph?

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 21-11 How to Deal with Evil Spirits and Our Flesh

...and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you desire to take her to be your wife,

Why did God ask the Israelites to kill all the people in the seven tribes of Canaan, but then allowed them to take other captive women as wives?

We must understand that the Old Testament deals with two different kinds of enemies. First, the seven tribes of Canaanites represent evil spirits and those who give themselves completely to the possession of evil spirits. They are the enemies of God. These people were to be totally extinguished.

Other groups of people, including the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, and the Midianites, were all instigated by Satan to fight against Israel. God clearly asked the Israelites to take a detour to avoid fighting with the Moabites and the Ammonites, since God gave these lands to the descendants of Lot. But they attacked Israel anyway, so God eventually punished them.

Today we also have two different types of spiritual enemies. First, we have evil spirits, which we must resist. The Bible says that if we resist Satan, he will flee from us. There is no negotiation in this area. We must conquer them.

Second, we have our flesh. We must deal with the flesh through Christ’s work on the cross. Sometimes, it takes time and detours to deal with the flesh.

We must remember this difference when we confront conflicts in today’s church. If we hate our brothers who are behaving in a fleshly way and try to “kill” them, we are in trouble. We must have patience and grace in dealing with the flesh when it shows up in our lives and in others’ lives.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 21 Verses 1-2 – We Should Not Harbor Hatred

If in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess someone is found slain, lying in the open country, and it is not known who killed him, then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure the distance to the surrounding cities.

In the Old Testament, the way to deal with unsolved murder cases was to find the closest city and bring a heifer to sacrifice in the upper stream near this city. We know that the Old Testament is a picture of the New Testament reality. So how can we apply this passage to our spiritual lives today? God gave Israel these instructions because he knew that an unsolved murder cause would cause ongoing strife, assumptions, and accusations between cities and tribes. In the same way, Christians today often speculate, doubt, and judge each other. There are many unsolved issues in our lives, even though they are not as serious as murder. We are often quick to judge and thus lose the peace and unity among Christians. We should always remember to apply the blood of Christ to our conflicts. Like the heifer who died near the stream, Christ bore our sins on the cross. He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). He has removed the hatred between Jews and Gentiles, as well as the strife and disunity between different denominations and groups in the body of Christ. Revival is coming, and we must maintain the unity of the body of Christ in order to usher in and steward this great revival (Ephesians 4:3). When someone does something that seems hurtful, we should not make assumptions and judge them. We don’t know the full story behind every act. We should forgive and apply the blood of Christ to solve all the conflicts in our lives.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 20-1 - Fear hinders our faith in God

“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

Many Christians do not realize that they are in a spiritual war. Every day, our enemy is like a lion who waits to devour us. The business of life will wear out the saints of God (see Daniel 7:25). To win the spiritual war, we must remember that God is with us, as Jesus said. Jesus promises he will be with us until the end of the age. He also promises us that when two or three of us gather, he will be among us. We have to constantly remind ourselves that God is with us and the victory belongs to the Lord.

But the omnipresence of God won’t guarantee the real, manifested presence of God in our lives. Even though God promised the Israelites that He would be with them, He also clearly told them He would not go with them to battle because they were disobeying Him. We must rid ourselves of any sins or hindrances that keep us from experiencing God’s presence.

Deuteronomy 20:2-9 encourages the Israelites not to fear their enemies. Fear hinders our faith in God and thus our spiritual battles. All fear, including fear of the enemy and fear of man, is not from God. Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:7 that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of courage, love and a sober mind. The Apostle John also says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). The presence of God and faith in God will bring victory over our spiritual enemies and our circumstances.

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Bible Study With #Jairus # Deuteronomy 19 21 - the principle of God and the leading of God

21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

This verse gives instructions on dealing with false witnesses in the Old Testament. These individuals wanted to hurt their brothers by making false accusations, so God told Moses to punish the false witnesses to the same degree and in the same way that they wanted to hurt their fellow Israelites.

This verse illustrates the difference between the principle of God and the leading of God. Some of the instructions in the Bible are universal principles of God. For example, the Ten Commandments and other Old Testament laws reveal eternal principles: do not kill, do not murder, do not bear false witness, etc. However, some of God’s words through the prophets are not universal principles. Instead, they are His leading to people in different times, places, and situations. Differentiating between God’s principles and leading will help us understand the Word of God better. On the one hand, we should not stray from the principles of God.

On the other hand, we should not become too rigid in adhering to the leading of God that applies to past situations. Unfortunately, we often make both mistakes. Sometimes we abandon the principles of God and fall into sin. Other times we are too rigid in following the leading of God, and we fall into legalism. Even when following a universal principle of God, we still need to discern the leading of God in each unique situation. When the Pharisees legalized God’s laws and lost the essence of his instructions, which is to love God and man, they received a rebuke from Jesus.

Also, when they tried to test Jesus’ adherence to the law by asking Him if they should stone the woman caught in adultery, Jesus still used wisdom and nuance to deal with this situation. The religious leaders wanted to follow the law, which said to stone the woman. But they had lost the essence of law, which says that mercy triumphs over judgement (James 2:13).

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Bible Study With #Jairus # Deuteronomy 19 8-9 – We Should Continue to Build Our Cities of Refuge

And if the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers— provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the Lord your God and by walking ever in his ways— then you shall add three other cities to these three,

Have you ever wondered why so many prominent Christian leaders fail? Similarly, why do so many Christians stop growing in their spiritual lives and lose their influence? I believe these verses have something very important to teach us.

God commanded the Israelites to build cities of refuge. The more they expanded their territory, the more cities of refuge they needed to build. Otherwise, they risked being too far away from the city when they committed an accidental sin.

Cities of refuge represent taking refuge in Christ. As fallen human beings, we often sin because of our flesh and the influence of the world. Most of the time, our sins are not intentional choices to live in the indulgence of sin. Instead, they are committed accidentally. Since Christ bore our sins on the cross once for all, our sins can be forgiven if we flee to him for refuge (Hebrews 6:18). When we flee to him for safety from the lust of the world, God will bless us and give us greater influence.

However, as God enlarges our territory through ministry success, we must not forget to build more cities of refuge. The more we expand our influence, the more we need to take refuge in Christ. If we fail to run to Him for protection by pursuing deeper fellowship with Him, we will be taken over by the enemy when we commit accidental sins. Just like Noah covered the ark with pitch to protect it from leaking and rotting, we must run to Christ for protection. Otherwise, the invasion of worldly corruption will sink our boat.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy18 22 – We Should Nurture Our Prophetic Gifts

When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

False prophecies have a negative impact on the reputation of modern prophecy. When many charismatic prophets inaccurately predicted that Trump would win in 2020, it was a slap in the face for the modern prophetic movement. Many people began to accuse this movement of hype and inaccuracy. This kept many people from embracing the modern prophetic movement. In addition, famous prophets said that Los Angeles would sink into the Pacific Ocean, and that never came to pass, either.

I still believe that the modern prophetic movement is from God and that God is reintroducing the gift of prophecy to the modern church. But I do agree that we need to examine the movement by the accuracy or inaccuracy of their prophet words. The accuracy of the prophecies given by Brandon Biggs about Trump’s assassination stirred many believers and non-believers alike to listen to his prophecies. Many believers who formerly did not believe in the gift of prophecy became convinced. We need to strive to grow both in our spiritual lives and in the accuracy of our prophetic gifts so we can help the modern prophetic movement gain credence. In this way, we may usher in the great prophets mentioned in the book of Revelation. I don’t believe these prophets will just drop from heaven; they will grow to maturity as the church nurtures their prophetic gifts.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy18 10-11 - Rebellion is like the sin of divination

“There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead.”

These practices are not common in the United States, since the gospel has been rooted in society for many years. However, they are widely practiced in idol-worshiping countries such as China, India, and many African and Latin American countries. In either case, there is a universal principle behind this command. We should seek God as the source of our prophetic revelation and guidance instead of seeking evil spirits. Saul, the King of Israel, used divination to speak with the deceased Samuel because the Lord was no longer speaking to him through dreams, prophets, or the Urim.

However, Samuel rebuked Saul and told him that “rebellion is like the sin of divination” (1 Samuel 15:23, BSB). Before Saul sinned by seeking evil spirits, he had already broken God’s law in other ways. Today, many Christians may not practice divination outwardly, but they may violate the principle inwardly. If they are disobedient to God in any way, it is as sinful as divination. It shows we have idols in our hearts and are not allowing Christ to rule as King in our hearts. We must learn to be obedient to the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit, so we can hear from God and follow His prophetic guidance in our lives.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 17 18-20 - The Qualities God Required To Be Kings

“And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.”

Long before God used Samuel to select the first king for Israel, God gave Moses the following rules for the kings (Deuteronomy 17). As future rulers in Christ’s kingdom, we can apply these principles to our hearts with the following application questions.

1. The king must be “one of your brothers” from Israel (vs. 15). Jesus is our brother, and he should be our king. Is it true that Jesus is ruling in your heart, or is the world ruling your heart?
2. The king must not go back to Egypt to acquire more horses for himself (vs. 16). Do you feel the pull of the world to go back to your past life instead of allowing your mind to be transformed through your wilderness experiences?
3. The king should not have many wives (vs. 17). Solomon had many wives and that led him to drift away from God and start worshiping idols with his many wives. Do you have idols in your heart?
4. The king should not gather excessive silver and gold (vs. 17). This does not mean we need to have a poverty mindset; it simply means we must not be greedy. We should use our money to make friends for the Kingdom.
5. The king must copy the book of the Law and read it every day so he will continue following God’s commandments and stay humble. How many Christians have a habit of reading God’s word every day?

If we apply these five requirements in our daily lives, we will rule and reign with Christ. We may not be literal kings right now, but we will have a sphere of influence. We can rule our own lives and influence our families. How we behave as kings will impact our children and many others around us.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 17 8-9 -How Should We Make Difficult Decisions?

“If any case arises requiring a decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to the place that the Lord your God will choose. And you shall come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall consult them, and they shall declare to you the decision.

In the Old Testament, people went to the Levitical priests and the judges to seek answers and guidance in their lives. Today, we have laws and courts that help us make decisions in matters of justice. But who can help us make decisions in other areas of our lives? Here are some principles that will help us understand God’s guidance.

1. Does it violate a basic moral standard? If not, we can proceed to the next point.
2. What does our conscience say? God’s word that God is greater than our conscience. If our conscience does not condemn us, God will not condemn us either (1 John 3:20). For this reason, we should not ignore our conscience.
3. Tune in to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle John says we don't need others to lead us; the anointing of the indwelling Holy Spirit will teach us (1 John 2:27).
4. If we don't have clear guidance from the Holy Spirit, we must check our decision against God’s word and the principles that show the character of God.
5. We can check if we have bad feelings, or “desolations,” in our hearts. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will give us bad feelings to warn us about a certain action. We should never ignore them.
6. If we have no bad feelings, we should check with family, friends and the body of Christ. If they are all against our plan, we'd better think twice. This often means God is trying to speak to us through the body of Christ to bring balance to our lives.
7. Are there obstacles in the environment? God often uses our circumstances to lead us or stop us from doing things.

If we have taken the above precautions, we will avoid most mistakes. We must remember that the Holy Spirit leads, and Satan pushes. We should not make rushed decisions. Instead, we should always wait on the Lord to give us answers. We must have faith that if we have followed the principles above, the peace of the Lord will eventually guide us on the right path.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #2Kings 13 19 – We Should Never Give Up

Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”

In this chapter, the prophet Elisha had fallen sick and was about to die. The King of Israel was crying, since he knew he was about to lose the best weapon that Israel had. Elisha asked the King to shoot an arrow out the window. “This is the Lord’s arrow of victory,” Elisha said. After he shot an arrow, Elisha told him to strike the ground with the remaining arrows. Elisha did not tell the king how many times to strike the ground. He stopped at three. Elisha was angry with him not striking the ground five or six times. If he had, he would have completely defeated Syria. But now, he would only strike them three times.

Let’s apply this story to our everyday lives. Imagine you are facing a difficulty, like the king faced the Syrian army. You heard the voice of God, just like the king heard the voice of the prophet. When the Holy Spirit prompts you to do something, you quit when you don’t see a result. Why did the king quit before the prophet asked him to stop? For the same reasons we often give up on the things God asks us to do. Of course, we should make sure that God is really calling us to do something before we start it. But if God has initiated something and he has not asked us to stop, we SHOULD NOT STOP. Sometimes I become discouraged when I do not see immediate results in the ministry God has asked me to do. This verse encourages me to NOT STOP what God has asked me to do. If God has not asked me to stop, I SHOULD NEVER GIVE UP!

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Bible Study With #Jairus #2Kings 6:33 – We Should Be Humbled Before God

And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

In 2 Kings 6, Elisha saved the king’s life several times by giving him intelligence about the King of Syria. When the Syrian army ambushed Elisha because of his Spirit-directed spy activity, God struck them with blindness. This gave the king of Israel an unexpected opportunity to kill the army of his enemies. However, Elisha asked the king of Israel to spare the Syrian army. Instead of killing them, Elisha prepared a feast for them and allowed them to go home.

Later, Syria came back to attack Israel after a period of peace. The Assyrian king besieged the city, causing a famine in Samaria. The famine was so severe that the people began eating their own children. This greatly angered the king, and he sent a messenger to kill Elisha. Why was he so angry with Elisha? Why did he accuse the Lord of causing this? Perhaps because God did not allow him to kill the Syrian army in the first place. The king thought that if he had killed the Syrians earlier, he could have avoided the current situation.

In the next chapter, God did a miracle. He chased away the Syrian armies, and the Israelites plundered their abandoned camps, solving the problem of famine. However, since the King of Israel did not show genuine repentance, Elisha soon announced a seven-year famine after this rescue.

What can we learn from this story? We can learn from the king’s response. The king’s first reaction to tragedy was to blame the Lord. He said, “This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” This statement contains a half-truth. God really was using the Syrians as a tool to chastise Israel. However, the king’s focus was off. He should have said, “How have I sinned against the Lord so that he sent the enemy again?”

When we face trouble, we should examine our hearts. Will we blame God? Will we accuse the Lord? Or will we humbly ask God what he wants to teach us? Our reaction to the trouble shows our heart.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 17:7 - New Testament believers need to be stricter in dealing with sin in our lives

The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

At first glance, this Old Testament law seems cruel. But I believe it has an important lesson for us today. Many times, we as New Testament believers need to be stricter in dealing with sin in our lives.

Many Christian leaders have fallen into sin in the prime of their influence and at the peak of their ministry. If the church was willing to deal with these sins in their early stages, instead of harboring these leaders’ sins, it would save these influential leaders from falling. If Christian leaders were tougher on themselves and dealt with their sins instead of hiding them, it would cause less damage to the people around them.

We need to be ruthless in dealing with sins. Even if it is difficult, we need to be “cruel” toward the sins that violate our conscience, the law, or the Word of God. If we are ruthless in eliminating sin from our lives, we will have more victory and influence in this world. We will face less problems down the road, and we will have a greater impact on the world for the glory of God.

This passage does not give us permission to point fingers at someone else. Instead, it encourages us to be ruthless in dealing with our own hidden sins. It also motivates us to compassionately help our fellow brothers and sisters overcome their sins and weaknesses.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Numbers 2:2 - Facing God but not the Enemy

The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.

When the twelve tribes of Israel set up their campsite in the wilderness, God told them to “camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.” When I first read this passage, I assumed the purpose of this formation was to protect the tent from enemy attack. By surrounding the tent on every side, they would be better informed of enemy strategies and better positioned to defend the tent from attack. In this scenario, it would make sense to camp facing outward in order to be alert to enemy activity.

However, the Bible does not tell us this. Instead, it says the tribes were to camp facing inward, toward the tabernacle. The tent of meeting represented the presence of God. It contained the ark of the covenant, where God spoke to Moses from above the Mercy Seat. Furthermore, it was the place where the priests and Levites brought offerings to God and brought the presence and guidance of God to the people. When the people positioned themselves toward the tabernacle, they could focus on God and receive His guidance.

Instead of facing outward, so they would be prepared to react to threats, they were supposed to focus on the presence of God.

This is a great picture of the Christian life. So many times, we focus on issues, ministry needs, and enemy attacks instead of focusing on the presence of God and His guidance. If we are reactive to the problems around us, we will lose focus and will not win the battle. But as we focus on the presence of God and His word, we will gain victory over our enemies.

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He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He. NKJV

God is a God of faithfulness and truth. Although American culture values honesty and truth, many cultures do not. Presenting God as a God of truth may mean very little to cultures who do not value honesty. For example, in the Chinese culture I grew up in, lies and deceitfulness are common business practices. It is the only way to succeed in the business world. How can you do business if you cannot lie? Even after immigrating to the USA, I continued to receive spam messages from Chinese people trying to cheat me. I am not saying that everyone in China is a liar, as there are many good and honest people in China. But deceitfulness is certainly common in this godless culture. In this type of culture, honesty is viewed as a weakness instead of a truth.

On the other hand, honesty is valued in American society. Honesty is rewarded more in America than it is in other countries. People in America often trust you initially but will never trust you again if they find out you are lying to them. America values honesty, which is why it attracts talented people from around the world. These people may not have been successful in their own countries, but they can succeed in America’s honesty-based culture. For example, a hard-working creative artist cannot succeed in China because their art or digital property may be stolen overnight. But they can succeed in America because America protects their creativity and intellectual property.

As a God of truth, God cannot lie. Who do you think has more power: God, who cannot lie, or Satan, who has lied from the beginning? Many people may think that Satan’s lies have more power than God’s truth. After all, he deceived one third of the angels and tricked our ancestors, Adam and Eve. In addition, when we look at the society we live in, we may think that Satan’s lies are very powerful. After all, he has trapped quite a few people in lies. But in the end, when Satan is cast into the lake of fire, we will realize that the God of truth has all power over the god of all lies.

Often, we struggle to overcome our sin and failure because we cannot break free from the strongholds the enemy has created through the lies we believe and practice. The more we understand God’s nature as a truthful and honest God, the more our lies will be dismantled, and the more we will be delivered from the bondage of the enemy.

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The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice, A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

Moses said that God’s work is perfect! Can you say the same thing from the bottom of your heart?

Many people struggle with this idea. For example, people who believe the lie of transgenderism think they are trapped in the wrong body or that God made a mistake in creating them as a man or woman. They would struggle to say that God’s work is perfect.

But they are not the only ones. Many believers who have experienced hardship, neglect, abuse, or betrayal would also find it difficult to say God’s work is perfect.

So how could Moses say this? Because he had an easy life? Definitely not. He faced the difficult task of leading a rebellious, doubting people who often revolted against him. He even faced rejection from his own brother and sister! Yet he could say that God’s work was perfect.

Why did the Israelites struggle to believe this? Because of their corrupted view of God. In Deuteronomy 32:5, God called the Israelites a “crooked and twisted generation” (ESV). Since I grew up in a godless country like China, I can relate to this. Many people in China are twisted and crooked in their minds. They do not value human lives at all. When I was growing up, the older generation told stories of killing their newborn girls in their chamber pots. Although infanticide is longer allowed in modern China, there are still massive amounts of abortions and human trafficking. The people’s minds are so twisted that they do not value every human life as created in the image of God. They cannot say God’s work is perfect.

After 400 years of slavery in Egypt, it is not surprising that Israelites had a slave mindset. When the ten evil spies reported that there were giants in the Promised Land, the Israelites wanted to stone Moses and choose new leaders to take them back to Egypt. They could not say God’s work and guidance were perfect! Instead, they wanted to return to Egyptian slavery!

The journey in the wilderness served the purpose of making their crooked minds straight. As we allow God to transform our minds, we can finally say “His work is perfect.” Perhaps in Deuteronomy, when they were about ready to enter the Promised Land, they could finally believe these words. Perhaps this is why Moses told them this message at the end of his life. Perhaps they finally had ears to hear and minds to believe that God’s work is perfect.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 4 Part 1 God is Our Rock

The Rock, this work is perfect, for all his ways are perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

What does it mean that God is our rock? For many of us, when we speak of God as our rack, we are simply repeating what we have heard others saying. However, it is a completely different thing to experience this for ourselves in our own lives. Let me illustrate by sharing an experience from my life. When I was saved in 2002, I began to witness to my parents and share the gospel with them. But my mom was very committed to Buddhism and idol worship, and my father was a strong atheist. In our country, it is not easy to witness to family members. In fact, many people are even persecuted for sharing the gospel. Even in America, a so-called Christian country, it is not easy to bring back a prodigal son or daughter.

For ten years, my wife and I struggled with infertility. This made things worse. My mom told me she would not believe in Jesus, since she had not seen God answering our prayer to bless us with a baby. I didn’t know what to say, but I just kept trusting in the verse that says, “the one who believes in him will never be put to shame” (Romans 9:33). This verse is quoting Isaiah 28:16, which says, “whoever relies on it [the precious cornerstone] will never be stricken with panic” (NIV). I simply told my mom that I would continue to trust my God.

In 2016, God told me I would have a baby that year. I told my mom about this promise, but she did not believe it. When the promise was fulfilled, my mom was shocked. She was so amazed by this miracle that she decided to believe in Jesus’ name and get baptized. Because of my experience, I can say from experience that God is my rock. He is the rock of my salvation.

Why and how can Moses say that God is a rock? What was his experience with God being a rock? The Bible tells us that Moses told his father-in-law, Jethro, about the mighty acts of God. However, this did not happen right away. When Moses originally left his father-in-law to go back to Egypt, he took his wife and son with him. But later, they went back to be with Jethro. Perhaps Moses’ wife, sons, and father-in-law doubted God’s power to deliver them from Egypt. If not, why would his wife and sons have gone back to be with their family instead of going with Moses to Egypt?

However, after God successfully delivered the Israelites from Egypt, Jethro brought Moses’ wife and sons to meet him. Then Moses told his father-in-law what God had done to miraculously free them from Egypt. At that point, Jethro believed in Jehovah and offered sacrifices to God.

Do you think it was easy for Moses to witness to his father-in-law, a Midianite priest who worshiped a foreign God? Was it easy for Jethro to accept Jehovah as the real God, the Rock? No. Even Moses’s own brother and sister despised him. However, God’s mighty acts performed through Moses helped his family believe.

The promise of God always starts from a tiny seed. But this seed will grow into a miracle if we keep believing God’s promise and steward it well. As a result, we will have a powerful testimony of God being our rock.

Not only did Jethro place his trust in Jehovah, but an entire group of Midianites also went on the journey of faith to the Promised Land. One of their descendants is Jael, who later killed Sisera. Witnessing to your family members and bringing back the prodigals is not easy. But if you keep trusting him, you will be able to testify that God is your Rock. He who trusts in him WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME!

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 3 For I will proclaim the name of the Lord

For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God!

We trust that when we call, others will answer.

• If we call our mom, we will get food, comfort, and love.
• If we call our teacher, we will get help with math and reading.
• If we call 911, we will get assistance from first responders.
• If we call our dog, he will come running and wag his tail.
• If we call a person’s name, we will get the person himself.

We have confidence that we will get a response when we call the names of many different people and even animals. But we often neglect the fact that when we call on the name of the Lord, we will get the reality of the Lord’s presence.

In Genesis, we see that in the third generation of human existence, during the lifetime of Enosh, people began to call on the name of the LORD (Genesis 4:26). The name “Jesus” means “God is our salvation.” If we call on the name of Jesus, we will get the salvation of God.

Moses knows this fact from personal experience. He also expects the Israelites to have a proper response to the name of God. For example, if a herald announced that a great king was approaching, people would kneel and give them honor. In the same way, Moses expects that when he proclaims the name of the Lord, the Israelites will respond by “ascribing greatness to our God.” When we proclaim the name of the Lord, we will bring God’s greatness into our awareness.

As humans, we experience the personal presence of God through his acts. If we have never experienced the miraculous acts of God, it is difficult to associate the name of the Lord with the greatness of God. When Abraham first built an altar between Bethel and Ai and called on the name of God, he did not fully understand God’s greatness. He immediately went down to Egypt and almost sold his wife. God was faithful to save Abraham from the Egyptians, even though Abraham was not faithful. Then Abraham returned to the same altar, offered sacrifices, and once again called on the name of God. His experience of God’s power in Egypt deepened His understanding of God’s faithfulness. It helped him understand what it truly meant to call on the name of God. This is why he again called on the name of the Lord to ascribe greatness to his God.

This is one reason that God revealed Himself to Moses as “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” God gave Moses similar experiences that helped him understand God’s greatness in the same way as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did. Before Moses went to Egypt, he did not tell his father-in-law what he was about to do in Egypt. Moses only told him about God’s greatness after God rescued His people from Egypt and brought them through the Red Sea. When Moses declared God’s mighty deeds and his awesome wonders to Jethro, he ascribed greatness to the Lord. He accepted Jehovah as his God and offered sacrifices to God right on the spot. This is another example of Moses declaring the name of the Lord and others ascribing greatness to Him.

Many Christians today cannot connect the name of God with the greatness of God. If we proclaim the name of the Lord, they don’t react by ascribing greatness to the Lord. Why? Because they need to experience God through his acts and deeds. Why don’t we have these experiences? Because we haven’t asked for them. The Bible says, “Ask, it shall be given to you.” Why don’t we ask for these experiences? Because experiencing God’s power may cost us something, so we often avoid it.

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 2 The Law is like Rain

May my teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and like showers upon the herb.

To help you understand this verse, I want you to close your eyes and imagine the four pictures that Moses points in this verse. He likens his words to rain, dews, raindrops, and showers to water the plants and provide for human life on earth.

First, please imagine you are watching rain drizzling against a windowpane, falling from the sky, and gently dropping to the ground. Second, please imagine drops of dew on the grass when you walk out of your house in the morning. Thirdly please imagine raindrops on a bush or plant. You can see the drops that still linger on the tip of a blade of grass or on the leaves of a water lily. Fourth, please imagine gentle showers falling on your garden so you don’t need to water them.

In this verse, Moses painted a picture of the law as a nourishing dew or a gentle, life-giving shower. He did not liken his words to storms, floods, typhoons, or tsunamis. But in the later portion of this chapter, Moses warned the Israelites about the chastisement that would come upon them if they didn’t heed his gentle words. If they rejected the gentle rainfall of his word, they would experience the flood of condemnation. The law brings life, but if you disobey the law, it becomes a curse and a source of condemnation.

The Law first teaches and admonishes before correcting and disciplining. A good parent will speak gently at first, but will later discipline the child if they don’t obey. In the same way, the law protects and teaches us when we are spiritually immature (Galatians 3:24). Paul made it clear the law is good, but the person who cannot follow the law is the problem. Is the mother wrong to discipline her child? Most of the time, it is the children who are in the wrong.

Ultimately, Moses reminded the Israelites that God would one day have compassion on His people. After their time of discipline was over, God would again have compassion on them. No punishment or chastisement or anything else can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:38-39). Moses did not mention Jesus’s name in this passage, but he alludes to the coming Savior. The Apostle John said, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17 ESV).

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Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 1 Heaven and Earth are awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ

“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.”

We often say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” In Deuteronomy 32, God gives the people of Israel a poem filled with pictorial language. Understanding pictorial language will help us grasp the prophetic and poetic language of the Bible. Since many of God’s truths are from the spiritual realm, a picture or metaphor can help us understand them. For example, the imagery of the heavens and earth listening to Moses’ words gives us a powerful picture that helps us understand God’s hidden plan.

Deuteronomy 32 is a poem God gave through Moses to remind the Israelites of three important truths:

• God’s faithfulness to them
• The consequences if they rebelled against God
• God’s promise to restore them after their future punishment was complete.

Why is God punishing the Israelites, the nation he calls his “firstborn son”? First, the Bible tells us that God the father disciplines his sons and daughters, just like earthly fathers discipline their children out of love (Hebrews 12:6-7).

But why did Moses command the heaven and earth to listen to his warnings to the Israelites? Because this poem was not just for the Israelites. God had a hidden plan to redeem all of creation. One day, His son would come to earth as an Israelite. He would accomplish redemption through His death on the cross and resurrection. In this way, he would “bring many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). God’s plan is clearly revealed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8. All of creation is eagerly waiting for God’s sons to receive freedom and glory so the creation can also be set free from corruption (Romans 8:18-25).

But the Israelites didn’t know God’s hidden plan to redeem all of creation. As spiritual infants, they were prone to worship idols, like a sheep who is prone to wander from its shepherd. The Israelites needed to be disciplined so they would remain holy, set apart to God until the promised Messiah would be born through the tribe of Israel. This plan was about the Jew—but it was not only about the Jew. It was about bringing many sons to glory through Jesus Christ so that all creation could be freed from bondage. That is why Moses called heaven and earth to hear this poem addressed to the Israelites. The whole creation was longing for the birth of Jesus Christ to redeem them! Is it too much to say Moses was pointing to Jesus Christ in this chapter? Not at all! Jesus made it clear to the disciples on the road to Emmaus that all the writings of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets point to His death and resurrection!

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Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 20 (part 3) Overcoming the Second Death

In Revelation, 20, we see that only a small group of believers has the privilege of reigning with the Lord for a thousand years. Among believers, there are those who overcome and those who do not. The believers who overcome share in the first resurrection and are rewarded by reigning with the Lord for a thousand years in the millennial kingdom. After they overcome, the second death has no power over them (20:6).

We are all children of God, but not every child can overcome and become a king. Though all people are created equal by God, yet we are born into unequal circumstances because we grow up in different countries and families. For instance, I was born into a poor farming family in China, and my daughter was born into a middle-class family in America. Both of us are equal in God’s eyes, because we were made in His image. However, our starting points in life are not the same. She started her life journey much farther ahead than I did. Similarly, according to the truth of the Bible, there is no hierarchy among believers, yet there are differences in the degree of life to which they can attain. I believe that those who started out behind have a more difficult time overcoming spiritually.

What will happen to believers who do not overcome? Will they have another opportunity to overcome in the future? The Bible does not explicitly answer this question. Personally, I believe they will have this opportunity. However, one thing is certain: those who do not share in the first resurrection may still be subject to the second death.

Sister Lai Wangxiulan has written several books and testimonies about her visions. She shares that God told her that disobedient Christians are held in certain valleys, where they study the Bible and are urged to repent. If they repent, they will proceed to Paradise; if not, they will be sent to the Lake of Fire. If this revelation is true, then both sinning Christians and those who have not accepted the Lord may have the opportunity to learn about God and repent. If they choose to repent, they can avoid the second death. This second death is eternal death in “the lake of fire” (20:14).

In Matthew 25, Jesus discusses the judgment of the sheep and goats. The Lord said that the people who treated believers kindly (sheep) would enter the kingdom prepared for them by the Father from the foundation of the world. Meanwhile, the people who treated God’s children poorly (goats) would be cast into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:33-41). We are uncertain whether this judgment of the nations takes place during the millennial kingdom or at the Great White Throne. My personal understanding is that it occurs at the Great White Throne judgment. If this judgment took place during the millennial kingdom, then it would be impossible to have a rebellion at the end of the thousand years. Therefore, it must take place at the Great White Throne judgment.

So, how can a person avoid the second death? I believe there are three possible ways to avoid eternal punishment.

• Being an overcoming Christian in this life.
• Being a Christian who does not overcome in this life, but continuing to repent and overcome in the afterlife. This is possible because the Bible mentions the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, which seems to be different from the Lake of Fire (Matthew 25:30).
• Treating God’s children kindly and being included in the “nations” who are judged by God in Matthew 25. These people will enter God’s eternal kingdom and be free from the harm of the second death.

Christians Who Overcome Today Will Reign with the Lord in the Millennial Kingdom

Who are the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 14:1? Are they merely Jews who have been chosen and sealed with the seal of the living God (Revelation 7:4)? My understanding is that the 144,000 sealed from the twelve tribes are those whom God has chosen to be saved and to be spared from certain disasters. This term may also refer to those who overcome.

In Revelation 14, God specifically states that the 144,000 are “redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4). If they are the firstfruits, then they may represent the first group of overcomers. If there are firstfruits, then there are also later fruits, which suggests that other believers may have an opportunity to overcome later on.

It is also possible that this term refers to the saints who appear in glory with the Lord Jesus at His return. They will reign with Christ for a thousand years and will not be harmed by the second death. The Book of Jude says, "It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, 'Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him'" (Jude 1:14-15). This reveals that those who come with the Lord will execute judgment with Him upon sinners. This aligns with the scene described in Revelation regarding the coming of the millennial kingdom.

Revelation 20:4 says, "Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." Note that several groups of people are mentioned here. The first group consists of those to whom the authority to judge was given. This group is not explicitly described as martyrs, so it may include believers who have overcome throughout the ages. The structure of the verse, in which the first and second parts of the verse begin with the words, "I saw," indicates that John is seeing different groups of people. These individuals, as overcomers, will receive the future reward of reigning with the Lord in the millennial kingdom for a thousand years and will not be harmed by the second death.

To those of us who are still facing the daily pressures and temptations of present life, these promises may sound like fairy tales. They may seem like a distant and unrealistic dream. However, if God opens our spiritual eyes, we will realize how glorious these promises truly are. Moreover, this passage reminds us that our current life is our only opportunity—or at least our best opportunity—to overcome. The suffering and trials we experience in this life are excellent opportunities for us to achieve victory. Suffering is often grace in disguise. If we can embrace the hardships and trials of this life, break free from the corruption caused by worldly desires, and partake more and more in the divine nature, we will be filled with the life of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4). In doing so, we will escape the second death, become the firstfruits of God’s redemption, and potentially have the opportunity to reign with the Lord for a thousand years in the future. May God open the eyes of each and every one of us.

Christians Who Do Not Overcome on Earth May Have the Opportunity to Repent in the Afterlife, But They Will Endure Much Suffering

Will some people have the opportunity to repent in the afterlife? Will Christians continue to grow, mature, and learn? Will there be an intermediary period after death in which people’s final fate is still undecided? These have always been controversial questions. This controversy is illustrated in the multiple interpretations of the parable of the ten virgins. In this parable, five virgins run out of oil and are excluded from the wedding feast. Some denominations teach that these five virgins were never saved, while others believe they were Christians who lacked spiritual oil. In other words, they were saved but not overcomers. In this view, Christians can still repent after death. In the afterlife, immature Christians are disciplined in darkness until they repent.

I believe that both the Catholic and Protestant traditions have embraced extreme positions on this issue. On the one hand, the Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of purgatory, which led to the sale of indulgences. On the other hand, Protestantism rejects the existence of Purgatory and denies the possibility of post-death discipline for believers. Both extremes have led to erroneous teachings. The teachings of the Catholic church led believers to purchase indulgences to get their loved ones out of Purgatory. Protestants were concerned that corrupt clergy were charging excessive amounts for indulgences, so they overcorrected by denying Purgatory altogether. However, this led Protestants to believe that they will automatically go to heaven through faith in Christ. As a result, they sometimes see no need for spiritual growth, learning, and repentance in this life. Both extremes can lead to unhelpful distortions of the truth.

I believe that after believers enter eternity, they will have the opportunity to continue learning and repenting. If there is sin that was not dealt with while alive, it will not be simply erased upon entering eternity. Instead, they must continue to repent and be filled with Christ’s life.

The blood of Christ has cleansed us from sin once and for all; this is an indisputable fact. However, we need to continually apply the blood of Jesus Christ and His salvation to our experiences. The former frees us from the second death, which is the Lake of Fire; the latter helps us grow in holiness. When we believe in Jesus and accept His cleansing blood as payment for our sins, we are saved. We become God’s children, and no one can snatch us out of God’s hand. Even when we occasionally give in to sin and transgressions, we do not lose our salvation or need to be saved again. The common teaching that we can lose our salvation has instilled fear in many believers throughout history, but I believe this view is incorrect.

However, if a believer willfully sins after receiving the knowledge of salvation, I believe this is a totally different situation. We cannot bind God by our understanding of His word. He is alive, and His word is alive. We cannot decide who goes to hell and who does not based on our own human interpretation of God’s word. Instead, the living God will decide each person’s eternal destiny based on His own just character. Hebrews 6:4-6 says, “It is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt” (6:6). And in verse 8, it says, "but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned." From these scriptures, we see that God will punish people who have tasted His words yet refuse to repent from their deliberate sin and rebellion. When these people allow thorns and thistles to grow in their lives, they will be burned. We cannot take salvation lightly or ignore God's sanctification.

I believe that some people who do not overcome in this life will receive discipline and come to repentance in the afterlife. However, this will not be an easy process. The Bible says these people must pass through much suffering. Suffering and discipline will be the means of repentance that frees them from the harm of the second death.

It is delusional to believe that we can indulge in the pleasures of sin in this life and yet escape all suffering in the life to come. The Bible says that our works will be tested by fire, and “if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Corinthians 3:15). People who live an irresponsible life on earth will experience suffering in the life to come.

Consistently Show Kindness to God's Children: Care for Even the Least of His Followers

Although God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4), the reality is that not everyone has the opportunity to hear the gospel and be saved. Unfortunately, some people will never hear the gospel. But as Paul stated, their conscience acts as their guide. Paul said, “To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life” (Romans 2:7). The Israelites, living under the law, will be judged according to the law (Romans 2:12). However, the situation is different for Gentiles who do not know the law (let alone the gospel). Paul says, “When Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them” (Romans 2:14-15). From this passage, as well as the passage about the sheep and goats in Matthew 25, it seems that some people may be granted eternal life because they follow the guidance of their conscience in how they live. However, if people do evil (which not only includes mistreating Christians, but also harming God's creation), they may not enter God's Kingdom. Paul says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). These are clearly people who do not follow their conscience or the law of the spirit. They cannot inherit the Kingdom of God—unless they believe in Christ and repent. Revelation 21:8 more explicitly states, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." Revelation 21:27 also mentions, "But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." These are the people outside the city mentioned in Revelation 22:15: "Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." This is likely referring to the Lake of Fire. In the Old Testament, the last chapter of Isaiah also describes a similar scenario regarding the end times. Isaiah 66:22-24 says, "For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord. And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh." Not only will the Lake of Fire still exist in the new heavens and the new earth, but believers will periodically go out to view the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against God and who are suffering in the Lake of Fire. I do not know what my feelings will be at that time, but this passage says that all flesh will abhor them. We may end up loving what God loves and hating what God hates.

It is evident that those who follow their conscience and treat others kindly will ultimately receive God's reward and escape the second death. On the other hand, those who live in sin without repentance will face the consequences of the second death. The Bible does not give a definitive answer about whether people will have a chance to repent after death. Personally, I have had some prophetic dreams in which my unsaved relatives were given an opportunity to hear the Gospel and study the Scriptures in the afterlife. I believe it’s possible that God did not immediately cast them into the Lake of Fire. Even if such a possibility exists, I believe it is reserved for those who did not have a chance to hear the Gospel and repent in this life. However, no one should allow this possibility to create apathy in this life. We should not ignore the importance of repentance in this life by assuming there will be another chance to repent in the afterlife. Instead, we should embrace the possibility that God’s grace for our loved ones may extend beyond this life.

Conclusion

The second death is the ultimate and final type of death, characterized by eternal suffering in the Lake of Fire. In His justice and love, God gives different people opportunities to receive eternal life. Those who hear the Gospel and accept it will not only be saved but will also have the opportunity to overcome and be victorious. After their victory, they will not only escape the second death but may also have the chance to reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom for a thousand years. Because of God's justice, people who have not heard the Gospel may still have a chance to hear it in the afterlife. God will judge them according to their conscience. I believe that people who treat God's elect and His creation with kindness will be allowed to enter the eternal kingdom.

Everyone has the opportunity for salvation, and everyone has the chance for victory. Our salvation is freely given, as long as we accept the cleansing of Jesus Christ’s blood by faith. However, victory requires spiritual growth and the willingness to pay a cost. If we are willing to pay that cost, our reward will far exceed anything we can imagine. I hope that all people will seize the opportunity in this life not only to believe in the Lord but also to overcome. For those who are less fortunate, including relatives who have passed away without hearing the Gospel, do not lose hope. God's justice will not allow a good soul to enter hell. Not only have I personally seen in prophetic dreams that deceased relatives can continue to hear the Gospel and read the Bible in the afterlife, but the same idea is confirmed by the testimonies of many prophets. There are also many scriptures which suggest that individuals will be judged by their conscience, indicating that these individuals may still have a chance. However, we do not teach or encourage people to reject the Gospel in this life or to indulge in sin based on the assumption that there will be another chance. We can never be sure that we will have another chance—especially for those who hear the Gospel in this life and still reject it. So we should take every opportunity we have to trust in Christ and apply His resurrection power to our lives.

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God's End Time Plan/End Time Prophecy Part 1 - Jesus told me he will be back when the New Jerusalem is built up.

Why do I think the Lord's return is not imminent? In this first reflection, I will share my understanding of God's end times plans. I believe God has a heart for worldwide revival, but it will take longer than we thought. We are living the last days, but we don't know when Jesus will return. Is it possible that it is still several hundred years away?

In 2004, two years after trusting Christ as Savior, I had an encounter with Jesus in a revival meeting. The leaders of the revival meeting were encouraging believers to dedicate their lives to God, but I was not willing. I did not believe Jesus’ second coming was true. But finally, I knelt down to pray, “Jesus, if you reveal yourself to me and help me understand your second coming, I will dedicate my life to you.” That very night, I had a dream. In the dream, two people were fighting for access to my heart. I believe it was the Lord fighting against Satan. One of them was stronger and he took my heart. I physically felt the pain of this person grabbing my heart. The next day, I no longer struggled to dedicate myself to the Lord. Instead, I did it willingly. During the meeting, I suddenly saw the heavens open. I saw Jesus and heard him saying, “When the body of Christ, the New Jerusalem, is built up, I will come back.”

So many people are talking about the Lord’s imminent return, but my argument is that it is not as imminent as some think. The Lord is longing for the maturity of the Body of Christ so that he can marry a mature bride. But we are far from maturity. It is not we who are waiting for the Lord’s return, but it is the Lord who is waiting for our maturity.

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Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 21 (part 5)

The Gemstones of the New Jerusalem Symbolize our Horizontal Fellowship with the Saints, While Israel's Pearls Symbolize our Vertical Fellowship with God

What is the New Jerusalem made of? The walls are made of jasper, the city is made of pure gold, and the twelve gates are made of twelve pearls. Furthermore, the foundations of the city’s walls are adorned with twelve kinds of gemstones (Revelation 21:18-21). Jasper, gold, gemstones, and pearls are the four building materials used in the construction of the New Jerusalem. Since jasper is a type of gemstone, there are essentially three materials: gold, gemstones, and pearls.

Gold symbolizes the nature of God. In the Old Testament, gold was used in the construction of the temple and in the making of the Ark of the Covenant. These examples show that gold represents God’s uncreated nature. The streets of the New Jerusalem are also made of pure gold. I believe that gold represents God’s heavenly purity, which is contrasted with human earthiness. We were created from the dust of the ground, and clay cannot transform into gold. Even though Peter said that our faith, which is tested by fire, will become more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7), we will always be created beings. We can never become as majestic, pure, and powerful as God is. Even when our lives are refined in fire to separate the gold from the rock, we cannot rival God’s holiness. God is pure and holy, like gold. Part of the New Jerusalem is made out of gold, which means that God Himself is an integral part of the city. The throne of God and the Lamb is at the center of the New Jerusalem. The presence of gold in the New Jerusalem reminds us that God is our tabernacle.

The walls and gates of the New Jerusalem are made of various gemstones and pearls. Pearls symbolize our vertical fellowship with God, which is made possible through the wounds of Christ. Like an oyster that secretes a pearly liquid when it is wounded by the piece of sand inside its shell, we are transformed by the suffering of Christ. The pearls represent the twelve tribes of Israel, which reminds us of our vertical fellowship with God and the transformation we undergo after experiencing His salvation.

The gemstones represent the apostles who provide the foundation for our growth in Christ. As we build each other up in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:11), we are built together as living stones that form a part of Christ’s temple (1 Peter 2:5). Christ is the cornerstone that connects both Jews and Gentiles in one holy temple. In the same way, the cross of Christ unites believers with each other and reconciles God and man (Ephesians 2:14-17).

While we have never seen clay turn into gold, we have seen clay transformed into gemstones under high pressure, and we have seen sand turn into pearls after the oyster is wounded. When we personally experience God’s life-saving grace and salvation, we are transformed into individual pearls. And when we are built together with other believers in Christ, we become different kinds of gemstones. Since each believer has undergone a different kind of suffering and transformation, we manifest as different kinds of gemstones. This is why the foundation of the city wall has so many different colors on display.

The New Jerusalem, as God’s dwelling place, is made up of both human and divine building materials. It contains gold, which represents God’s uncreated nature. It also contains gemstones and pearls, which represent the created, yet transformed, human nature. The New Jerusalem is the mutual dwelling place of God and man. It represents Immanuel, God with us.

The Literal and Symbolic Meaning of Eternal Dwellings

The descriptions of the New Jerusalem can be confusing at first glance. Is the New Jerusalem a literal city with literal houses? Or is it a completely metaphorical place that represents our bodies, our relationships, or other types of spiritual realities? I believe it is both.

The New Jerusalem is both material and physical, literal and metaphorical. Both aspects are equally real and valid. Today, the spiritual world is invisible to us. As a result, it seems less real. People often think that the visible, material world is the real one, and the unseen spiritual world is false. This is because their spiritual eyes have not been opened. The Bible tells us that the visible world is not the true reality; it is just a shadow. The invisible spiritual world is the true reality (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Let’s look at an example of how the New Jerusalem is both literal and metaphorical. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul tells us that we will one day lay aside our earthly tents and receive a house from God. This house is not made by human hands, but is eternal in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1). In this passage, Paul is clearly talking about laying aside our physical bodies and receiving spiritual resurrected bodies. Paul says, “For indeed in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened, not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:2-4). Paul is saying that we long to be free from the limitations of the flesh and to put on the dwelling from heaven, which likely includes a spiritual body. In this passage, the word “house” means “resurrection body.”

However, God will also give us literal houses, or dwelling places, in heaven. Jesus mentions that His Father’s house has many rooms, and he is preparing a place for us (John 14:2). I believe that this is also true. In addition to having individual resurrected bodies and garments, we will also have houses to live in, and a city in which to reside—the New Jerusalem. This New Jerusalem is our eternal dwelling which descends from God out of heaven. It is our house not made by human hands, eternal in the heavens. In the past, I was taught to doubt the existence of material houses in heaven. However, in a vision, God showed me the house of a saint in heaven. Now, I believe that when people go to heaven, they will have material houses. However, the material things in heaven surpass our current understanding of material things. For example, after the Lord’s resurrection, He could not only pass through walls but also eat fish, demonstrating that His resurrected body transcends our comprehension.

Furthermore, the idea of clothing is also used in several ways. Revelation 21:2 says, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Since we know that the church is the bride of Christ, the Lamb’s wife, we can conclude that the New Jerusalem represents believers. The New Jerusalem is our collective dwelling place, and it is also adorned with spiritual clothing. Here on earth, we may think we are clothed, but we are actually naked and exposed before God. The Bible tells us, “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). In heaven, we will put on heavenly clothing and be fully prepared as Christ’s bride. In this passage, the idea of clothing is used metaphorically to describe the beauty of the city and the adornment of Christ’s bride. However, the idea of clothing is also used in a literal way as God describes the clothing of individual believers (Revelation 7:9).

The New Jerusalem is not only a spiritual building but also a material one. Revelation 21 clearly reveals that the city and streets of the New Jerusalem are made of pure gold. The walls are made of jasper, the gates are made of pearls, and the foundation of the city walls is made of various precious stones. These beautiful materials should not be seen merely as metaphors but as real, tangible materials. However, these tangible materials may also be alive in a sense that we do not currently understand. Therefore, the construction of the New Jerusalem may be an organic unity of both physical and spiritual building materials.

The Pearly Gates Symbolize Our Vertical, Personal Experience of God’s Salvation

According to Revelation 21:12, the twelve gates of the city are inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. I believe that the twelve gates not only represent Israel, but by extension, Jesus Christ. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). Salvation came through Jesus Christ, a descendent of Israel. The Israelite Torah points forward to the coming of Christ, and Christ is the fulfillment of the law and prophets (Romans 10:4). As a result, the twelve pearly gates certainly symbolize Christ. Salvation is only found in Christ, but God chose to bring his salvation through the twelve tribes of Israel.

Salvation comes from the Israelites. Salvation was made possible through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, who became an Israelite. Without the Israelites, there would be no Jesus, and without Jesus, there would be no salvation. Therefore, the twelve gates, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, symbolize the collective human connection with God in a vertical sense.

Let me share another metaphor that helps me understand the relationship between Israel and our salvation to Christ. The Israelites are like the physical cables that bring internet signals into your home. The signal is then decoded in a modem and router. They turn the signal into a wireless connection. Finally, the signal is received by hardware on the phone or computer that interprets the signal. Without any of these elements, it would be impossible to connect to the internet.

In a similar way, Israel is like the cable that brings the signal into the home. Christ is like the router and modem that translates the Israelite heritage into a form that all of us can accept. But we need personal faith (like the hardware and software on a device) to receive the signal Christ brings. Through the connection of faith, we can connect with Christ, and through Christ, we connect with God.

Without the Israelites, it would be impossible to connect with Christ and God, just like it would be impossible to connect to the internet without a physical cable. This is what Paul is referring to when he talks about the blessing of Abraham: “So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14). Today, as Gentiles, we receive the blessing of Abraham through faith in Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

In the construction of the New Jerusalem, God continues to remind us that the history and heritage of Israel were necessary for our salvation. They are the gate, or portal, into the presence of God. The twelve pearly gates of the New Jerusalem, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel, are the way we enter God's holy city.

The Pearly Gates and Gemstones Symbolize Transformation

The twelve gates are twelve pearls (21:21). Pearls are formed when a piece of sand becomes stuck inside an oyster shell. The oyster is wounded by the sand and begins to secrete a substance called mother-of-pearl that coats the sand and transforms it into a pearl. Similarly, when the Lord Jesus was wounded on the cross, he secreted life-giving fluids that not only provided forgiveness for our sins but also opened the way for transformation. Through his death, we can be transformed into something brand-new, like pearls.

The Bible reminds us that Jesus was literally pierced for our salvation. Quoting an Old Testament passage, the Apostle John says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced” (John 19:37, cf. Zechariah 12:10, 13:6). Christ was pierced by His own countrymen, and one day those who pierced Him will look upon Him with sadness and grief. But there will be some who will look on Him with faith, just as the Israelites looked upon the bronze serpent lifted by Moses to receive salvation (John 3:14).

The Israelites were not the only ones responsible for piercing Jesus. Every person is responsible for nailing Christ to the cross. Our sins caused His wounds. However, His precious blood flowed forth from His wounded body, cleansing us from our sins and transforming us into pearls. Pearls represent the transformation of sinners into saints.

The twelve tribes of the Old Testament will eventually be transformed into individual pearls. We, as individual sinners, will be transformed into pearls after undergoing personal salvation and spiritual renewal. Even though there is a collective sense to this renewal, it is also a very personal story between God and the individual. No one else can write our story for us. Each of us must come to God personally through Christ, our mediator.

Similarly, gemstones are also the result of transformation. Under specific conditions, certain types of minerals can be transformed into gemstones. For example, clay can be transformed into garnet through intense heat and pressure. Similarly, we humans, who are made of dust (1 Corinthians 15:47-57), can be transformed into gemstones through intense pressure and fiery trials. The difficulties, sufferings and trials we face will ultimately change us into gemstones for the new Jerusalem, God's building.

Gemstones Also Symbolize Our Fellowship with Other Saints in Christ

Not only are we transformed on a personal level, but we are also built together collectively as living stones in God’s holy temple (1 Peter 2:4-5). We need to join with other believers to become the large gemstones that will form the foundation of the city walls. We are built upon the Lord Jesus, who is the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22), the foundation stone (Isaiah 28:16), and the top stone (Zechariah 4:7-9). He connects Gentiles and Jews—all believers—and builds them into a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. In addition to experiencing personal salvation, we must also allow God to build us together into the New Jerusalem.

God's will for us is not merely for individuals to be saved, but for us to be built together to become a holy city that displays His wisdom, greatness, and glory to the universe. The New Jerusalem is God's ultimate expression of these qualities. God’s life not only saves us, but it also transforms us into various types of gemstones. These gemstones include jasper, sapphire, chalcedony emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth and amethyst—twelve types of gemstones in total. As we experience God’s many-colored grace (1 Peter 4:10), we join with other believers to become a beautiful spectrum of gemstones in the walls of the New Jerusalem.

Fellowship with God and with Saints is the Most Important Aspect of Eternity

What will we do for all of eternity? Aside from enjoying the various blessings that God has prepared for us, we will spend a great deal of time drawing closer to God and having more fellowship with Him. Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). How can we be perfect as the Father is perfect? It will require an eternity of continuously drawing near to the Lord, being filled with God's holy nature, and being perfectly transformed into His image.

In addition to fellowship with God, we will also spend time in fellowship with the saints. We will continue building one another up for all of eternity! Even here on earth, we are richly blessed when we gather with other believers for fellowship and mutual encouragement. As we learn from each other’s stories and testimonies, experience each other’s love, and build each other up, we gain a richer experience of God’s many-colored work in their individual lives, which is a very beautiful thing. The fellowship we experience here on earth will be even richer when we reach the New Jerusalem.

Conclusion: We Must Strive to Experience Salvation and Edification

Today, every Christian must strive to experience God's salvation and edification. The word edification comes from a Latin word that means “to build.” We must not only seek to experience personal salvation (a vertical relationship with God), but we must also seek to be built together with other believers (horizontal relationships with other believers). In this way, we will be built together into the New Jerusalem. Only when we continuously experience vertical fellowship with God and horizontal edification with the saints can we “be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19). This is the ultimate goal of the New Jerusalem—being filled with all the fullness of God.

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Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 21 (part 6)

What Preparations Do We Need to Make to Enter the New Jerusalem?

What preparations do we need to make to enter the New Jerusalem? First, we must be filled with the life of Christ internally, and second, we must manifest the righteous deeds of Christ externally.

In Revelation 21, the New Jerusalem descends from heaven. This is only possible because the bride is prepared for her Heavenly Husband. The Bible clearly states that the New Jerusalem is the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9). The Bible also says that the bride must be spotless (Ephesians 5:27). To prepare for her Bridegroom, the bride is clothed in fine linen, which represents the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8). When this happens, the New Jerusalem (the bride) can descend from heaven.

The New Jerusalem does not need the light of the sun or the moon, for it is illuminated by the glory of God, and the Lamb is its lamp (Revelation 21:23). God’s life dwells within the city, and his light radiates outward, just like our inward purity manifests in outward righteousness. When we are saved by faith, we become the external manifestation of God's righteousness. Jesus Christ redeems our hearts at the moment of salvation, forgiving our sins because of His righteousness. As He continues to sanctify us, we begin to manifest His righteousness outwardly. What is true on the inside becomes visible on the outside. Not only are we justified positionally, but we are also filled with God’s righteousness dispositionally. Like the New Jerusalem, we manifest God’s glory outwardly. The New Jerusalem is absolutely not just a city descending from heaven; it is also a picture of the mature bride of Christ, whose righteousness is visible externally and not only internally. If it is true that the New Jerusalem cannot descend from heaven until the body of Christ becomes mature, we must seize every opportunity to mature spiritually to hasten the coming of the New Jerusalem.

Our Outer Lives Must Match Our Inner Lives: Justification by Faith and Clothed in Fine Linen

We often say, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” This saying reminds us that what is inside the book is more important than the cover. Similarly, we often say that we should avoid judging people by external appearance—height, weight, clothing, etc. We are told that these external differences are not essential to the inner life. Instead, what matters is character and inner qualities.

However, I believe we do need to pay attention to appearance and image. When buying a book, customers will judge a book by its cover. And as humans, our external appearance has a big impact on the way we are perceived. As the Chinese saying goes, “Clothes make the man, and saddles make the horse.” This means that an individual’s clothing does have an impact. A well-groomed appearance not only improves a person’s outward image and presentation, but it also reflects the person’s internal character. A person with a sloppy appearance is probably irresponsible on the inside, while a person who takes good care of their physical appearance is probably well-mannered and diligent on the inside, too.

Similarly, the bride of Christ will be clothed in pure white linen. This linen is not only her literal clothing, but it also represents the righteous deeds of the saints. The white linen is the outward manifestation of God's righteousness in the lives of the saints. In addition, the old heaven and old earth can be compared to a dirty garment that is taken off and cast aside (Hebrews 1:12). Following this train of thought, the new heaven and new earth are like a beautiful, new garment for the bride of Christ. Peter says that righteousness will dwell in the new heaven and new earth (2 Peter 3:13). This righteousness is seen in the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is an elegant bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. She is filled with the righteousness of God and Christ on the inside and outwardly expresses His righteousness for all to see.

When we are invited to a formal event like a wedding, we should not wear casual jeans and flip flops. If we do, we will feel extremely awkward and wish we could disappear into the ground. In the same way, we cannot enter the marriage feast of Christ without a formal wedding garment. Even if we force our way in, we will be cast out for being dressed inappropriately. This is clearly explained in Jesus' parable in Matthew 22:11-13.

Just like a person’s external image and presentation reflects their internal qualities, the bride of Christ needs to have an external righteousness that matches her internal justification. External defilement is a manifestation of internal impurity, as Jesus stated in Matthew 15:11-20. Those whose spiritual garments are defiled cannot be part of the New Jerusalem.

If God has chosen us to be part of the New Jerusalem, our personal immaturity as Christians will delay the maturity of the body of Christ, thereby delaying the descent of the New Jerusalem from heaven. If the bride of Christ (synonymous with the Church, the body of Christ, and the New Jerusalem) is not filled with God’s light within and God’s righteousness without, then the New Heaven and New Earth will not descend from heaven, and this age will not come to an end. Every saved Christian is a part of the bride of Christ. We each need to manifest God’s righteousness in our lives so that we are prepared to meet our heavenly Bridegroom.

After Salvation, Victory Is Still Needed to Be Fully Prepared to Enter the New Jerusalem

When will the New Jerusalem be fully prepared for her heavenly husband? Is it when the number of Christians reaches a certain number of completion? Let’s look at some passages that seem to point in this direction.

• Paul said that when the number of Gentiles is complete, God's salvation will come to all of Israel and they will be saved (Romans 11:25-26).
• When speaking to the souls of the martyrs under the altar, God says that judgment will not come until the number of martyrs is completed (Revelation 6:11).
• The Lord Jesus told us that the gospel of the kingdom must be preached to the whole world before the end will come (Matthew 24:14).

Clearly, completed numbers are important to God. However, these completed numbers do not necessarily mean that everyone gets to be in the New Jerusalem, just like not every football player gets to be a part of professional football teams. However, a large number of Christians is required in order to produce a smaller number of highly-qualified Christian overcomers, just like a large number of football fans is required to produce a smaller number of excellent players. In the United States, a large base of football fans creates widespread interest in the sport. As a result, many students practice, train, and compete, and champions are produced. The wide base of football fans produces a great number of candidates for the team, but only a few excellent players are chosen. In the same way, I believe that the total number of Christians must reach a certain number in order to create enough high-quality overcomers to form the foundational group for the New Jerusalem. When this number is reached, there will be enough overcomers to create the New Jerusalem.

I believe that the believers who enter the New Jerusalem are the firstfruits, those who reached maturity and victory most quickly. Perhaps there will be other believers who will dwell in darkness, in a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:13). Revelation 21:24 clearly makes a distinction between people who live in the city and those who visit: “By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.” This indicates that some people, including the kings of the earth, do not dwell in the New Jerusalem. However, they will walk by its light and “bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations” (21:26). Since these kings are allowed to enter the city, they must be considered good, because “nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false” (21:27).

This absolutely does not mean there is a class distinction among God's chosen people—not at all. Every person has an equal opportunity to enter the New Jerusalem, but not every Christian takes hold of these opportunities or achieves victory in their spiritual life. In the letters to the seven churches, Jesus pointed out the trials each church would face, and described the rewards they would receive if they overcame the challenges. The churches each faced unique trials and were promised unique rewards. However, there was a common theme in all these promises: those who overcame would become part of the New Jerusalem.

One reason for the degeneration of the churches in Europe and America is the overemphasis on evangelism and neglect of discipleship. This leads to an increase in the number of Christians, but a lack of adequate teaching and maturity. Many Western churches do not emphasize the importance of suffering, overcoming trials, and the discipline of the Holy Spirit. These teachings are not well-received in the Western world, but they are indispensable to spiritual growth. In order to experience deep revival, build up the church, and prepare for the New Jerusalem, the church must reach spiritual maturity through the discipline of the Holy Spirit and suffering.

The New Jerusalem, Abraham, and the Great Cloud of Witnesses Are Waiting for Our Maturity to Enter the City

In Revelation 21, we learn that the New Jerusalem not only includes New Testament believers represented by the apostles whose names are written on the foundation, but also Old Testament saints represented by the names of the twelve tribes written on the gates of the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is a city made up of saints from both the Old and New Testaments. They are witnesses of faith and vessels of God's glory, displaying God's glory, authority, and power in the world and throughout the universe.

However, these believers are waiting for today’s believers to mature so that they can all become part of the city at the same time. In Hebrews 11, God says that Old Testament saints are like runners in a relay race, continuously setting an example of faith for those who follow them. These Old Testament overcomers “all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). The passage mentions that Abraham chose to live in tents “because he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Apart from this verse, the Bible does not tell us anything about Abraham’s vision of this future city. However, I believe this city is the New Jerusalem.

The New Jerusalem includes saints of all ages, including the overcomers of both the Old and New Testament. Since this city includes the overcomers of all ages, they cannot receive what they hope for without the addition of the overcomers of today. “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40). What is the “better thing” that God has prepared for us? It must be the New Jerusalem. When today’s believers mature to the point that they can become a part of the New Jerusalem, then all those who have died in faith throughout history will also become part of this city.

Conclusion: We Urgently Need the Growth of Life and the Manifestation of Righteous Deeds

In the letter to the church in Laodicea, God makes the following promise to the overcomers: “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name” (Revelation 3:12). This is the Lord’s promise to individual overcomers. When a person experiences this type of victory, the name of the New Jerusalem is written on him or her and they become a part of the manifestation of the New Jerusalem.

By the time we reach Revelation 21, the church as a whole has overcome, or at least a group of overcomers has emerged. The bride is now prepared to meet her husband, Jesus. The preparation of these overcomers brings about the descent of the New Jerusalem. As each believer is filled with the life of Jesus Christ and God on the inside, they will manifest the righteousness of God on the outside. Only then will they become victorious overcomers who manifest God’s purpose in Christ for the universe.

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Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 21 (part 4)

The New Jerusalem: An Ever-Expanding Dwelling Place of God

Throughout the Bible, God dwells with His people in a tabernacle or temple that mirrors a heavenly reality. In the Old Testament, God asked Moses to build the tabernacle according to the pattern God showed him on the mountain (Hebrews 8:5). Similarly, when David gave his son Solomon instructions for building the temple, he told him, “Every part of this plan was given to me in writing from the hand of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 28:19, NLT). The word “tabernacle” is also found in some translations of the book of John, describing how Jesus Christ became human and lived among us, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). The concept of God dwelling with man finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Jerusalem, a place where God and humanity dwell with one another.

The entire New Jerusalem is essentially an expanded version of the Old Testament tabernacle and temple. Its glory surpasses even the grandeur of Solomon’s temple. The Apostle John, when describing the New Jerusalem, said, “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22). Just like the priests could enter the tabernacle and approach God’s presence, we can now approach the Father through Jesus Christ, the Lamb.

In the Old Testament, only Moses and the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only the High Priest could enter the Holy Place. The priesthood was limited to the descendants of Aaron, and God’s intimate presence was reserved for the select few. However, most Israelites could enter the outer court. I believe the same concept applies to the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate Holy of Holies, where God dwells with humanity. Therefore, I believe that the New Jerusalem is made up of overcomers, mature believers who have attained a level of intimacy with God that matches the Most Holy Place.

However, other believers may not have reached this level of spiritual growth, and they will remain in the Holy Place or the Outer Court. These believers have a lower level of maturity. I believe that if these individuals continue to learn and grow, they can still become a part of the New Jerusalem. Those in the Outer Court and the Holy Place will still have the opportunity to attain a higher level of spiritual maturity so they can enter the Most Holy Place.

For this reason, I believe that the size of the New Jerusalem (described in Revelation 21) is not fixed. Instead, it will continually expand in size as new believers join the city as living stones. When the angel measured the city, its length, width, and height were each twelve thousand stadia, and the width of its walls was one hundred forty-four cubits. These dimensions are not only literal, but also represent spiritual dimensions.

When we read and interpret this description of the New Jerusalem, we are often limited by our natural and physical understanding. However, if we can relate the New Jerusalem to the idea of God’s dwelling place (the tabernacle and the temple), it will help us gain a deeper understanding of it. The tabernacle built by Moses in the Old Testament was smaller than the temple built by Solomon, and the temple was smaller than the New Jerusalem. The dimensions of God’s dwelling place were constantly expanding. In the same way, I believe the New Jerusalem will expand as more and more believers join it.

The New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ and the wife of the Lamb; wouldn't its dimensions continue to grow throughout eternity? Would God deprive those who lack maturity—who are not yet spiritually mature enough to enter the Most Holy Place—from continuing to mature so they can enter the Most Holy Place? I personally believe this does not align with God's nature. God longs for our continual spiritual maturity. We need an eternity to be conformed to the image of Christ and be perfected like our Heavenly Father. Therefore, I believe that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem may not be fixed. Perhaps God continues to measure the New Jerusalem repeatedly. Each time he measures it, He will find that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem have changed as more and more mature believers have been added to the city.

The New Jerusalem is the Tabernacle Where God Dwells with Humanity

Both the tabernacle and the temple contained the Most Holy Place, the Holy Place, and the Outer Court. These three areas symbolize the different levels of intimacy between man and God. In the Outer Court, members of the Israelite community could come and offer sacrifices on the bronze altar with the help of the priests. In the New Testament, the bronze altar reminds us of the precious blood of Christ that removes our sins. However, many Christians who have been cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus have not yet experienced deep sanctification of the soul or renewal of the mind (Romans 12:1). In the same way, many Old Testament Israelites could not enter the Holy Place, despite offering their sacrifices in the outer court.

Only the descendants of Aaron were allowed to serve as priests and enter the Holy Place. The descendants of Kohath were initially allowed to carry and tend to the furnishings of the tabernacle in the Holy Place, but they could not serve as priests. The Kohathites were jealous of the other Levites who had the privilege of priesthood. Because of their greed and envy, the Kohathites faced severe punishment. Why did God forbid them from entering the Holy Place? Because they were not holy enough. God did occasionally make exceptions to the rules for those who were holy enough. For example, even though Ephraimites were not allowed to serve as priests, Samuel (a descendant of Ephraim) was able to approach God as a priest because of his Nazarite vow. In the New Testament, all Christians are allowed to be part of God’s royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). I believe that if the Kohathites had lived a life of holiness and contentment, God may have allowed them to serve as priests as well.

Let us briefly review the furnishings in the Holy Place:

• The table of the bread of the Presence, symbolizing God's provision of sustenance and the supply of His Word
• The golden lampstand, symbolizing the illumination of the Holy Spirit
• The golden altar of incense, symbolizing the prayers of the saints. Note: In the book of Hebrews, the golden altar of incense is considered part of the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9:4).
• The veil that once separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn on the cross, opening the way between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. This represents the body of Christ being torn so we could enter God’s presence.

Within the Most Holy Place, there was:

• The ark of the covenant (with the two tablets of the covenant)
• The golden urn holding the manna
• Aaron’s staff that budded (Hebrews 9:4).

These elements symbolize deeper fellowship and relationship with God. We will not elaborate on these symbols here any further, but you can refer to my other articles on the Old Testament for more details.

Since the Bible clearly states that both Moses' tabernacle and Solomon's temple were built according to the heavenly pattern, and both the tabernacle and the temple include the Most Holy Place, Holy Place, and Outer Court, it logically follows that the heavenly tabernacle must also have these divisions. Revelation 21:22-23 makes it clear that the New Jerusalem represents the Most Holy Place because there is no temple in the city; God and the Lamb are its temple. Moreover, the city does not need the sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. These words remind us of the Most Holy Place. In the tabernacle, the Most Holy Place had no natural light. It was illuminated by the light of the golden lampstand from the Holy Place. In heaven, the Lamb is the lamp of the city. This can remind us of the lamplight entering the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place. It can also remind us of how the golden altar of incense could be included either in the Holy Place or Most Holy Place.

The Holy Place represents our soul, and the Most Holy Place represents our spirit. When our soul is fully immersed in God's Spirit, it becomes like the Most Holy Place. However, our bodies still need to be glorified. The New Jerusalem reminds us of the glorified body, since it represents the body of Christ and the bride of the Lamb and displays God's glory throughout the universe. I believe the New Jerusalem may be the dwelling place of God and of people whose souls, spirits, and bodies are completely sanctified.

However, there are still walls separating the New Jerusalem from the outer realms. Outside the city are the nations that will walk by the light of the city, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it (Revelation 21:24). From this verse, it appears that the nations live outside the city, and only the kings can enter. The verse does not mention that all the people of the nations can enter the city. While verse 26 mentions, "they will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations," there is no explicit indication that all the people of the nations can enter. Nevertheless, this realm in which the nations are illuminated by God’s glory and bring their offerings into the city may represent the Holy Place.

So, is there an Outer Court? Surely there must be. Verse 27 says, "Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false." Isaiah 66:24 says that in the New Heavens and New Earth, worshipers will go out of the city to witness the corpses of those who have rebelled against God and are experiencing the torment of unquenchable fire and undying worms (Isaiah 66:24). This, of course, includes those in the Lake of Fire who cannot enter the city. But does the Outer Court also include those who are in darkness, weeping and gnashing their teeth (Matthew 8:12)? I believe it does. Many sinful Christians, even those allowed into God's kingdom after the Great White Throne Judgment, may not have entirely rid themselves of sin in their spiritual lives. Therefore, they may still need to learn the lessons of the Outer Court and experience repentance and cleansing through the blood of Jesus Christ. Revelation 22:2 says that the leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations. These nations still need healing, and perhaps they represent those living in the Outer Court.

From our study of these scriptures, we see that the New Heaven and New Earth still seemingly have three parts: the Most Holy Place, the Holy Place, and the Outer Court. The New Jerusalem, which I believe represents the Most Holy Place, is only one part of the New Heaven and New Earth. Outside of the New Jerusalem are other realms that represent the Holy Place and the Outer Court.

God’s Measurements and Counting in the Bible Are Constantly Changing, Symbolizing the Spiritual Condition of People

Several times throughout the Bible, God counts His people or measures His temple. For example, when Jacob and his family first entered Egypt, God reported that there were 70 individuals who left Canaan. Later, when God commanded Moses to take another census during the Exodus, he counted 600,000 Israelite men. Including women and children, the number of Israelites may have been close to 3 million. After enduring four hundred years of suffering, the Israelites had increased in number and in spiritual stature, becoming a great army of God.

When God counts His people, it is a way to show His faithfulness in taking care of His people. However, when David conducted a census of the people, God punished him. Why? Because only God is allowed to count and measure our spiritual stature. David’s action was driven by pride and self-glory, and God saw it as a great evil.

In the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, God sent an angel to measure the temple. Ezekiel 40 mentions that the angel’s appearance was like bronze, and he held a linen cord and measuring rod to measure the temple of God. There are many details here that we cannot cover in full. However, it’s important to understand that these measurements were a symbolic way to assess the spiritual condition of the Israelites. Through the measurements, God exposed the Israelites’ idol worship. The purpose of this measurement was to help the Israelites see and be ashamed of their spiritual condition. It also provided them with a pattern for building the temple of God. God told Ezekiel, "Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities, and they shall measure the plan. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement…." (Ezekiel 43:10-11).

Similarly, in Revelation, the Apostle John was instructed to measure the temple. He was given a measuring rod and asked to measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worshiped in the temple (Revelation 11:1). He was not allowed to measure the outer court, since it had been given to the Gentiles to be trampled. In Revelation 21, the angel speaking to John took a golden measuring rod and measured the city, its gates, and its walls. The Bible then provides the dimensions of the city and the walls.

I believe that by measuring the temple, God was evaluating the worshipers and the extent of their spiritual growth. Ephesians 2:21 says that in Jesus, “the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” I believe that in this passage, the angel is measuring the growth of the spiritual temple. These dimensions symbolize the level of maturity of the spiritual temple and the spiritual stature of believers. In the next section, we will discuss in more detail why I believe that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem (the spiritual temple) are not fixed.

The Dimensions of the New Jerusalem May Not Be Fixed

Why do I say that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem may not be fixed? If the dimensions of the New Jerusalem (symbolizing the level of maturity of the body of Christ and the bride of Christ) were fixed, it would mean that God would no longer allow the New Jerusalem to grow and change. This would mean that no additional saints could enter or become part of the New Jerusalem.

I've shared the story of Ni Yongfa before, and I'll use it once again. When Hudson Taylor came to China to preach the gospel, a Chinese man named Ni Yongfa was very excited to learn about Christ and trust in Him for salvation. However, he later became very discouraged. He asked Hudson Taylor, "How long have you British known Jesus Christ?" Hudson Taylor replied, "For over 1,400 years." Ni Yongfa became angry and said, "My father spent his entire life searching many religions, including Buddhism and Taoism, hoping to find eternal life. But he never found it and died with regret. You’ve known about Jesus Christ for 1,400 years, and only now are coming to tell us?" I believe that people like Ni Yongfa’s father will continue to enter the New Jerusalem if they enter eternal life through God’s grace and then pursue God with all their strength. My guess is that people may still have a chance to receive the gospel after death. The Bible does not explicitly say this, but some prophetic revelations show that people can still learn about the Bible and receive the gospel after death. In my view, it's hard to imagine that God would discriminate against those saints who didn’t have the opportunity to trust in Christ during their lives on earth, whether they were born in Old Testament times or simply never heard the gospel during New Testament times.

When the New Jerusalem reaches a certain stage, God’s work for this stage will be complete. This completion will usher in the coming of eternity. However, this does not mean that the dimensions will never change in eternity, or that God will no longer measure the dimensions of the New Jerusalem. The size of the New Jerusalem (twelve thousand stadia) is approximately the distance from Los Angeles to Dallas, and this size does not even fill the whole Earth, let alone the entire Universe! God's ultimate goal is that His glory will fill the Earth, as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Perhaps one day the entire Earth will become the New Jerusalem. Maybe the Earth will not simply be destroyed but renewed. One day, the old heavens and the old earth will be rolled up like a garment (Hebrews 1:12), but the New Heaven and the New Earth will be unfurled like a new garment.

The New Jerusalem, Living Stones, and the Mutual Indwelling of God and His People

We are God's tabernacle, and God is also our tabernacle. We are a royal priesthood, and we are also living stones being built up into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). As living stones, we will become the precious stones in the walls of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:11, 18-20). We will also be built into a spiritual house—the New Jerusalem—a dwelling place for God (Ephesians 2:22). God is our tabernacle (Revelation 21:22); our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19); and we are living stones in the New Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God. In the New Jerusalem, God and man will mutually indwell one another. We are God’s tabernacle, and He is our tabernacle. Through Jesus Christ, we can enter into intimate fellowship with God. As Ephesians 2:18 says, "For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."

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Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 21 (part 3)

Sets of Three in the Book of Revelation: The Work of the Trinity, Three Types of Judgments and Rewards, and Three Times That God Says “It is Finished”

In this devotional, we will look at several sets of three revealed in Revelation and the Bible as a whole. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have a threefold work: the Father created the world and planned redemption, Jesus Christ finished the work of redemption, and the Holy Spirit completed the work of preparing the bride. By the time we reach Revelation 21, the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has been accomplished. As Christians, we must experience a threefold salvation of our spirit, soul, and body, and humanity will also face three different outcomes.

First, we will look at the Trinity’s three statements that “It is done.” Revelation 21:5-6 says, “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.’” Who is speaking here? My understanding is that it is God the Father. In fact, God says “It is finished” at three key points throughout the Bible.

• After completing the work of creation, God the Father said, “It is very good” (Genesis 1:31), and He rested (Genesis 2:2). The Father’s work of creation was finished.
• After Jesus completed the work of redemption on the cross, He also said, “It is finished,” and gave up His spirit (John 19:30). The Lord’s work of redemption was completed.
• In Revelation 21, God again says, “It is done.” The Holy Spirit is finished preparing the Church to be a spotless bride for Christ and God. God now renews everything and declares, “It is finished!”

At this point, the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has been accomplished.

In addition, the book of Revelation describes three outcomes for three different types of people.

• Overcomers will receive the inheritance and rewards.
• Those who do not overcome will undergo continued discipline.
• Those who reject and disobey God will be thrown into the lake of fire.

These are the three final outcomes for humanity as revealed in Revelation 21. The one who overcomes will inherit all things (Revelation 21:7), including all the blessings of the New Jerusalem and the privilege of drinking from the river of the water of life (21:6).

Where there are overcomers, there must also be those who do not overcome. Although this passage does not specify what will happen to those who do not overcome, we can make some inferences. The Bible clearly states that only the overcomers will inherit all things, implying that those who do not overcome will not have this heritage. I believe some people are saved but do not overcome.

The third group consists of those who have not been saved at all. These people reject God, and they will be thrown into the lake of fire. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (21:8). May all people see God's threefold work and the threefold salvation we need, so that we may all enter eternity and be victorious.

The Words of Revelation 21:6 Might Have Been Spoken by the Father

The New Testament contains very few words spoken directly by God the Father. This has puzzled many Christians. Why does the Father speak so much in the Old Testament, yet He seems so sparing with His words in the New Testament? Hebrews 1 offers an explanation: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). Much of what Jesus Christ said and did was based on what He saw the Father say and do (John 12:49). However, Revelation 21:5-7 says, “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.’” My personal understanding is that these are the words of the Father. He speaks in praise for the completion of the work of the Holy Spirit and declares that the overcomers will become sons of God. Jesus Christ is the firstborn Son of God and our elder brother; we are all sons of God. Therefore, I believe these are the words of the Father, affirming that the work of redemption, deliverance, and maturity has been accomplished, and that we are now able to become His sons.

The Father concludes by saying, “Behold, I am making all things new!” He then says, “It is finished.” Revelation contains this same phrase at least twice, and this may be the final instance. “It is finished” signifies the completion of God's economy and His plan. Then God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

The relationship between the Father and Son will help us understand the Father’s role in the New Testament. The Father is the planner and designer of everything. Hebrews mentions that God is not only the designer and builder of the heavenly city, but of all things (Hebrews 3:4, 11:10).

So what is the role of Jesus Christ? Just like an executive team carries out the will of the board of directors, the Lord Jesus carries out the will of the Father. When the Lord Jesus came to earth, He said, “I have come to do the will of my Father. Whatever I see the Father doing, I do likewise. I do not act according to my own will, nor do I speak on my own authority.” While many people do not accurately perceive the Father's will or hear his words, Jesus understood the Father’s will perfectly. In this verse, Jesus was essentially saying, "I have come to fulfill the Father’s will. Whatever the Father says, I say; whatever the Father does not say, I do not say." This verse helps explain the scarcity of direct communication from the Father in the New Testament. While we seldom hear the Father speaking directly, this does not mean that He is not communicating. In fact, Jesus heard his voice clearly.

The Father also spoke to other disciples. For example, Peter heard the Father speaking and revealing Christ’s identity. In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say I am?” The disciples replied that many people thought he was Elijah, John the Baptist, or one of the prophets. However, Peter declared, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus told Peter, “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:17 BSB). The Father revealed this important insight to Peter, and he can reveal his nature to us as well. Jesus said many times that no one knows the Father except the Son, and no one knows the Son except the Father. The Father reveals to us the Son’s true nature and leads people to believe in the Son.

The Father, who works behind the scenes to design His eternal plans, then holds meetings with the Son and discusses how to execute them. The Bible mentions several such meetings. In Isaiah, we see the members of the Trinity having a meeting and asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And Isaiah responded, “Here I am. Send me” (Isaiah 6:8). In Genesis, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit met together and conferred about creation: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). The Father created His plan, the Trinity met together to discuss it, and Jesus executed the plan.

What kind of plan is this? In eternity past, God made a plan to extend the eternal fellowship of the Trinity to mankind. In John 17:21, Jesus desires that humans join him in the unity that he already shared with his father: “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (NIV). God already had perfect fellowship within the Trinity, but he desired a larger family. He wanted humans to belong to him as his children and as his bride. This is God's great plan. It was hidden within creation but was not revealed for many years.

Most likely, God created angels before he created humans. There may have been quite a bit of time that elapsed between the creation of angels and mankind. However, when God created humans and revealed his plan to include mankind in the fellowship of the trinity, this must have made Satan jealous. Even though God created humans a little lower than angels, He allowed humans to share in God's life and enter into intimate fellowship with God. Though not equal to God, humans could approach God personally. This is something the angels, as ministering spirits, could never do. I believe Satan was shocked and jealous when he learned of God's plan, so he came up with a plan to ruin humankind. Satan turned his back on God and tried to ruin God’s plan by tempting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When humans sinned, they could no longer enjoy intimate fellowship with a holy God, and God's plan was temporarily ruined. However, God is sovereign, and He did not allow Satan to have the final word. He had a greater plan that included a plan to redeem mankind. God foresaw the fall of humanity, so He planned that the Son, Jesus Christ, would become flesh and remove our sins on the cross, bringing us back to God. This is the work that Jesus Christ completed. After Jesus Christ completed this work, He ascended to heaven, and the plan of redemption was finished.

When the Lord Jesus was crucified, He said, "It is finished," meaning that the work the Father entrusted to Him was complete. After the completion of the work the Father gave Him, He sat down on the throne, in the place of highest authority, and received the name which is above every name in heaven, on earth, and even under the earth. When Jesus ascended to His throne, the Father sent the Holy Spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus to prepare a bride for the King.

In the Old Testament, Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac. In the book of Esther, the eunuch anointed Esther with oil and prepared her to meet the king. In a similar way, the Holy Spirit anoints us with the words of the Lord Jesus. These words renew, regenerate, and transform us. The Holy Spirit applies the completed work of the Lord Jesus to our individual lives. Just as the eunuch anointed Esther with oil, we need to be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit from the inside out. We need to be cleansed by the water of the Word so we can become a spotless virgin prepared to meet our Bridegroom. This is the work of the Holy Spirit today.

The famous South African pastor, Andrew Murray, said that the work of the Holy Spirit is to apply the completed work of the Lord Jesus on the cross to the life of every believer. He said that when we pray, the indwelling Christ prays to the Christ in heaven. The work of the Holy Spirit in the church today is to sanctify us, make us holy, and transform us so we can become part of the New Jerusalem.

The Holy Spirit Will Certainly Accomplish His Sanctifying Work in the Church

In this passage, the Father is praising the finished work of the Holy Spirit. He had already praised the work of the Son. When Jesus was baptized, the Father spoke, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The Father does not speak much in the New Testament, but at that moment, He approved of the entire life work of Jesus Christ. When the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, He said, “It is finished.” Although the Bible does not explicitly record the Father saying "It is finished," it is implied by what happened after the crucifixion and resurrection. God the Father exalted Jesus to the highest place, seated Him at His right hand, and gave Him a name which is above every name. These actions demonstrate that God the Father approved of Christ’s work.

Now, the process of sanctifying the church is the work of the Holy Spirit. First, the Holy Spirit applies the word of the Lord Jesus to our hearts so we can be saved. Then, the Holy Spirit sanctifies and renews us, transforming us into part of the New Jerusalem. When the work of the Holy Spirit is complete, the Father says, “It is finished.” At that moment, God's plan has been accomplished through the cooperative work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

At this moment in history, the Father’s work of creation has been completed. In addition, the Father has completed his work of planning and preparing for our redemption. Jesus completed the work of redemption on the cross, and after that, the Father sent the Holy Spirit in Jesus' name. The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify the church and make it a spotless bride. Today, the Holy Spirit is in the process of finishing this task.

However, in recent times, many people have seen the corruption and weakness of the church and have lost hope, believing that the church has no future. Rather than hoping for the church’s maturity, they simply hope that Jesus comes quickly, rescues the faithful few, and destroys the rest of the world. Many hold to this escapist theology. They believe the church cannot be sanctified, so they simply wait for Jesus to intervene at the end of time.

This is a completely erroneous understanding of the Bible’s teaching and reflects a lack of faith in the Holy Spirit. If this view were true, it would mean that the Father designed the plan of redemption, Jesus completed it on the cross, but now the Holy Spirit is failing in His role. However, the Bible says that the church will ultimately triumph. The Holy Spirit will certainly complete his work of sanctifying, consecrating, and filling us, making us part of the New Jerusalem.

We cannot destroy God’s plan, but we can delay it. The Holy Spirit’s work will not be complete until the church is victorious. If the church does not mature, it will continue to delay the completion of the Holy Spirit’s work. If believers continue to believe the erroneous escapist theology, it will have a significant impact on the church.

For example, believers who have an escapist theology focus only on praying a prayer of salvation and then waiting to go to heaven. They ignore the importance of cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the work of sanctification. This leads to spiritual immaturity and a lack of influence as the church fails to be salt and light in the world. The American church today is a case in point. Although 65% of the population claims to be Christians, the church has had very little impact on society at large. One would expect that if the majority of the population were Christians, these believers would have a positive impact on the media, entertainment, and educational platforms. But instead, we see increasing corruption in those areas. As a result, children in the U.S. are growing up without reverence for God. Has God’s word lost its power in American society and in the church? No. The state of American society does not mean that God’s word has lost its power, but that the church in America has stopped focusing on sanctification.

A simple example is divorce. We recognize that there are many reasons for divorce, and that God allows divorce in cases of adultery and domestic violence. However, many divorces happen because individuals are unwilling to accept the difficulty and spiritual growth involved in marriage. Furthermore, many divorces are due to adultery, which is a sin and a reflection of the lack of sanctification among believers. God’s word clearly states that what God has joined together, no man should separate (Matthew 19:6). However, many churches do not teach sanctification to believers. If the church continues to believe that these things don’t matter—that all that matters is praying the sinner’s prayer and going to heaven—it will continue to lose its influence in society.

I believe that this escapist mentality is a grave misunderstanding. In heaven, there will likely be continued discipline that will help us escape from the corruption that comes from lust so we can partake in God’s divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). The lack of teaching on such truths in the American church has led to a general tendency toward sin among believers.

Conclusion: We Must Continually Pursue Holiness to Overcome

The book of Hebrews says, "Without holiness, no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). This shows that holiness is of great importance. Certainly, we experience a degree of holiness when we believe in Jesus for salvation. But we must also attain a greater level of holiness so we can become a part of the bride who is clothed in fine linen, bright and pure. If the bride is not prepared and does not wear fine linen, bright and pure, then Jesus Christ will not return and will not marry the bride.

The work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will be completed, and the Holy Spirit will finish the work of sanctification in His bride, the church. The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring individuals to repentance, cleanse us, sanctify our souls, and renew our minds. One day, He will also give life to our mortal bodies. On the collective side, the Holy Spirit will transform us from sinners into children of God, and ultimately into the bride of Christ. We will then become part of God’s holy temple, built together as living stones in the New Jerusalem.

The triune work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit corresponds with the threefold salvation of the spirit, soul, and body. We not only need to be filled with God's righteousness on the inside (soul and spirit), but also manifest God's righteous deeds externally (body). These righteous deeds are symbolized by fine linen. When we reach maturity, we will become part of the New Jerusalem and live as Christ’s bride for all of eternity.

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Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 20 (Part 4) The Order and Structure of God’s Judgment

As we study the judgments in Revelation 20, we will focus on two key themes. First, we will learn about the structural patterns of God's judgment. Second, we will emphasize the importance of spiritual maturity in Christ’s body.

God judges the world in a certain order, which resembles chopping down a tree in reverse. God begins by judging Babylon the Great, which ensnares God's chosen people, much like branches and leaves. Next, God judges the beast and the false prophet, who ensnare the kings of the earth and their armies, akin to the trunk of a tree. Lastly, God judges Satan and the nations he incites to rebel, which can be seen as the root of the tree.

God also judges the world in a specific pattern. He always judges both evil spirits and wicked people at the same time. While dealing with Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan, He simultaneously deals with the elect who were formerly ensnared by Babylon the Great. While wicked people and defiled objects are burned, evil spirits are simultaneously judged. The kings of the earth and their armies are slain by the sword that comes from the mouth of the one who sits on the white horse, and the armies of the rebellious nations are consumed by fire from heaven. Why do these two evil forces need to be exterminated at the same time? It is logical to conclude that if there were no people strengthening the forces of evil spirits by worshiping idols and offering sacrifices to them, the evil spirits would have no authority to deceive and enslave humanity. Therefore, in judging Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan, God must also judge the "fuel" behind them, which is human worship. God and Satan are both competing for human worship. So, before God judges Satan, it is necessary to expose and do away with humanity's worship of Satan. This is one reason why God temporarily releases Satan—to expose and judge those whom Satan has deceived. Of course, this includes those who refuse to repent.

In Revelation 20, when Satan is released from the pit, he deceives Gog and Magog and tempts them to fight against Jesus. I’ve been taught that Gog and Magog refer to Russia. This teaching may come from Ezekiel 39:1, which says: "And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal." The next verse mentions that they come from "the uttermost parts of the north." Some interpret this to mean that "Rosh" refers to Russia and "Meshech" to Moscow. However, I have not been able to verify this. Revelation 20:8 specifically mentions "the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog," which suggests that Gog and Magog might not only refer to Russia but also include other nations as well. Of course, we cannot be certain, because the Bible does not explicitly identify Gog and Magog. No matter what this term refers to, we know that God is judging the last remaining elements of Satan-worship that still exist in earthly kingdoms.

We see the same pattern in God’s simultaneous judgment of sinners, evil spirits, the beast, the false prophets, and Satan. Before God judges Babylon the Great, He first calls His elect out of the city. Then He judges the material objects and evil spirits that Babylon the Great used to bind people. Finally, he burns Babylon the Great. Similarly, before God judges the beast and the false prophet and throws them into the Lake of Fire, Christ slays the kings of the earth and their armies with the sword that comes out of His mouth. In the same way, before throwing Satan into the Lake of Fire where the beast and the false prophet are, God will destroy the rebellious nations surrounding the camp of the saints.

After God judges Satan, the Great White Throne judgment takes place. This judgment will determine the fate of many people. Sinners will be thrown into eternal torment in the Lake of Fire, which is the second death. God is righteous, and the wicked, especially those who cooperate with evil spirits, will first undergo judgment through the first death. Then, after God judges all kinds of evil spirits, He will condemn many sinners to the second death, which is eternal torment in the Lake of Fire.

Each stage of judgment will only arrive when a certain quota of overcomers is reached. When Christ’s bride is ready and the body of Christ is mature, God’s judgment will begin. This is because the maturity of the church and the individuals within the church is the tool through which God judges evil spirits and Satan.

God's Judgment of Satan and the Rebellious Nations Reveals That God's Cleansing of Us Is a Continual Refining Process

Before God's final judgment of Satan, He successively judges Babylon the Great, the beast, and the false prophet. Before the fall of Babylon, the beast was using Babylon for his purposes. Babylon the Great had ensnared many believers and was described as a prostitute. However, after the fall of Babylon, the beast uses the false prophet and the kings of the earth instead. He possesses them and uses them to engage in a great battle against Christ and His bride at Armageddon, only to be defeated.

The successive judgement of these individuals and spiritual forces can remind us of the way God progressively sanctifies us in our personal lives. God cleanses us through an ongoing refining process. Our salvation through faith in Christ is only the first step. Paul says, "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life" (Romans 5:10). What does it mean to be "saved by His life"? It means not only that our spirits are reborn and our souls are spared from judgment in the Lake of Fire, but also that we will experience continual renewal and transformation of our minds (Romans 12:1). Ultimately, this leads to the redemption of our bodies, where we will receive glorified bodies.

Our salvation is a threefold salvation: spirit, soul, and body. When sin entered us, it first killed our spirit, then defiled our soul, and ultimately caused our body to become sick and eventually die. God’s salvation involves the reversal of this process. God regenerates our spirit, renews our soul, and ultimately heals our body. We as believers have been filled with the “Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead,” who “will also give life to [our] mortal bodies” (Romans 8:11); yet our bodies still become sick and ultimately die. Why is this? Because healing is a gradual process. While there are times when our physical illnesses are healed by God, our ultimate and final healing lies in receiving a resurrected body. Similarly, our spiritual growth and the transformation of our souls are also gradual processes. In particular, the impurities in our soul must be cleansed through a continual refining process. Just like gold is refined through repeated exposure to fire to cleanse away impurities, we must experience repeated tests and trials in order to produce a faith as precious as gold. When gold is exposed to intense heat, the dross rises to the top, is exposed, and is removed.

In the same way, trials help expose our sin and bring it to the surface so it can be dealt with. God continually refines us through trials to help us break free from the corruption that comes through lust, so we can partake more and more in God’s divine nature. Peter makes this point very clear in his epistles. How can we escape the corruption brought by lust? The first step is often to truly grasp the depth of our sin. Our sins must be exposed so we can see them clearly and break free from them.

In many ways, the same principle is true of the church as a whole and of humanity as a whole. We can view these final tests and trials—the judgment of Babylon the Great against those it ensnared, the defeat of kings and armies in the battle with the beast and the false prophet, and the burning of the rebellious nations in the final battle with Satan—as a refining process that deals with the uncleanness of humanity. Through various trials, these impurities are exposed and dealt with. The sins of those deceived by the evil spirits of Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan are revealed and removed. Once these sins are dealt with, humanity becomes purer. At this point, those who oppose God are exposed and condemned, while those chosen by God and those who have chosen God are allowed to enter eternity. God is just. If someone suffers the second death in the Lake of Fire and complains that God is unjust, God will show them the opportunities He gave them in the past, as well as how they chose to reject and oppose Him during the trials. They will have no grounds for complaint. God is a just God. He selects every person worthy of eternal life to enter eternity, while those unworthy of eternal life make their own choice. From this perspective, it is necessary to give everyone the opportunity to make a choice, as well as the chance to go through trials to prove their choice.

How God Uses the Judgment of Babylon the Great to Bring About the Preparation of Christ’s Bride

Every act of God’s judgment exposes both the sins of evil spirits and humanity, and each exposure brings about God’s judgment and cleansing. When the work of evil spirits is revealed, they lose their control over people. Evil spirits thrive in darkness. They manipulate people in secret. But when the Spirit of God comes upon the people they controlled and drives out the demons through His power, that is when the kingdom of God comes upon us—just as Jesus said in Matthew 12:29.

Babylon the Great is like a vast and complex spiderweb. Satan and evil spirits weave this web of lies and deceit. The web includes systems of sin and wickedness. Sinners not only contribute to weaving this web through their sinful choices, but they are also ensnared in it. Even many of God’s chosen people have been trapped in it due to their sins. Therefore, before judging Babylon the Great, God specifically calls His chosen ones to come out of her. God then judges Babylon’s treasures—material objects that once dominated His people in many ways. By stripping away these enslaving elements, God frees His chosen ones from this web of captivity.

Let me share a modern-day example of being trapped in Satan’s web. In today’s world, many individuals who from Christian families have drifted away from God because of the hectic pace of working on Wall Street. In addition, many children are negatively influenced by the content produced in Wall Street. If God were to remove Wall Street, it would help free these individuals from the snares of Wall Street’s influence. This does not mean that Wall Street has no good aspects. Like the golden cup full of abominations (Revelation 17:4), it has some beautiful and shiny aspects. However, its net influence is negative.

God's judgment of Babylon is a judgment against the harlot, against the adulterous woman. Through this judgment, some of God's elect are delivered from the great harlot and become part of the Bride of Christ, the body of Christ. Through suffering, they reach maturity and ultimately become a bride prepared for her husband, as mentioned in Revelation 19. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us so we are prepared to meet our bridegroom, Jesus. Jesus sanctifies us and presents us to Himself a spotless virgin (Ephesians 5:25-27). This passage reminds me of Abraham's servant bringing Rebekah to Isaac to become his bride. It also reminds me of the process Esther went through to prepare to meet the king. The eunuchs gave her beauty treatments and then presented her to the king. In the same way, the Holy Spirit will prepare the church to meet her heavenly Bridegroom.

How God Judges the Beast and the Kings to Bring About the Millennial Kingdom

Once the Holy Spirit completes His work of preparing the bride, the marriage supper of the Lamb may begin. At this supper, Jesus Christ and His bride celebrate their union. This union must take place before the battle at Armageddon, where the Lord and His bride (the heavenly army) confront the beast, its kings, and their armies. This great battle occurs after the destruction of Babylon the Great, after God's elect have been rescued from the snare of Babylon the Great. At this time in history, the kings aligned with the beast and the false prophet are likely in opposition to God. The Lord uses the sword from His mouth to slay the kings and their armies, and the birds of heaven feast on their flesh.

There are two groups of believers in Babylon the Great. The first group consists of those who refused to compromise with the great prostitute and who were martyred for their faith. These believers are the overcomers. The second group consists of the believers who were deceived by Babylon the Great and then rescued by God's mercy from her snare. They may not necessarily be overcomers, but because they are elect, they might enter eternity with the overcomers.

Similarly, at this moment in history when humanity is tested by the beast and the false prophet, it exposes the heart of humankind and separates them into two different groups of people. The first group is those who refused to worship the beast and its image, and who did not accept the mark of the beast. These people are also overcomers. They will also be part of the first resurrection of the Millennial Kingdom, along with all the previous overcomers, and will reign with the Lord for a thousand years. All those who worship the beast and its image and accept the mark of the beast will share the same fate as the beast and the false prophet, being cast into the Lake of Fire. Thus, God once again separates those who are worthy to partake in the first resurrection and reign with Christ from those who are not. In other words, when humanity is tested by the beast and the false prophet, this trial refines one more final group of overcomers so they can receive their reward in the Millennial Kingdom. They will then reign with Christ for a thousand years, ushering in the coming of the Millennial Kingdom.

How God's Judgment of Satan and the Rebellious Nations Brings About the Arrival of Eternity

The Millennial Kingdom will not begin until Christ’s bride is prepared, Christ and His bride have won the victory over the beast and the false prophet, and the angel has bound Satan for a thousand years. This thousand-year period serves as further preparation for the arrival of eternity. Our destiny is to reign with Christ for all eternity. In comparison, this thousand-year reign with the Lord is a brief period of training. I believe those who reign with the Lord are the overcomers, and they will be the first to be resurrected and be free from the second death. Their mission is to continue leading more people to Christ and bringing them to maturity.

Trials help bring people to maturity, and they also expose which people truly believe in Christ and which do not. A person may appear godly on the outside but not truly believe in Him on the inside. However, trials help expose our true selves. Someone who seems devout on the outside may deny the Lord when trials come, just as Peter did. This is why trials are essential, even during the Millennium Kingdom.

I don't understand why some people will still turn against Christ during the Millennium Kingdom, after seeing the Lord reign on earth. But we also don't know why Satan and a third of God’s angels rebelled, despite knowing being with God face to face. This shows how cunning and deceitful Satan is. It shows that seeing the Lord is not necessarily the same thing as believing in Him. Even when Jesus came to earth in the flesh, many saw Him but still did not believe in Him.

To help us further understand how people can turn against Jesus’ leadership after a thousand years of peace, let us look at some examples from history. Both the United States and Israel experienced long periods of peace followed by a sudden descent into destruction. As long as our sin natures remain, we are at risk of falling into sin. In Deuteronomy, Moses warned the Israelites that after entering the Promised Land, they would gradually forget God. He said, “When you father children and children's children and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger” (Deuteronomy 4:25). Just as Moses prophesied, the Israelites, after settling in the land, grew weak and fell away from God. The same thing happened in the United States. At one point, America began walking down a path of decline. Many people abandoned God and began worshiping idols. These idols included money, entertainment, evil spirits, and so on. Therefore, God's discipline came upon the United States. However, countless Christians prayed for repentance, and I believe circumstances are changing and a revival is coming. Both the history of Israel and the history of America (a Christian nation) demonstrate that nations can deteriorate after long periods of prosperity. In the same way, during the Millennial Kingdom, many people will grow weak and falter after living in peace for so long.

After the thousand-year period is over, Satan must be temporarily released. The trials he brings will demonstrate which people are worthy of eternal life and which people are not. After this separation takes place, eternity will begin. The Bible does not tell us whether new overcomers will emerge during this time, but I certainly hope that there are. I believe that anyone who seeks God will receive His reward. However, one thing seems clear: the people who participate in the rebellion will be consumed by fire from heaven. The Bible does not say that these people are thrown into the Lake of Fire. After this judgment, the Great White Throne judgment will occur, and anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

Conclusion

The Bible contains many things that we cannot know for sure, such as the exact identity of Gog and Magog. Many speculate that they refer to Russia, but we cannot determine if this interpretation is correct. These names may simply refer to the nations who participate in the rebellion at the end of the millennial kingdom and receive God’s judgment. We will only know for sure who Gog and Magog are when God reveals their identity at the end of the millennial kingdom. However, their identity is ultimately not important or relevant to our spiritual growth.

When reading Revelation, many people focus on speculating about who is who, what will happen when, and other details. But this is a waste of time. When we read Revelation, we must focus on the roadmap that God gives to the church for how the church will grow and mature. We must learn how to build up the body of Christ and prepare the bride for her future Husband. Only then will she be ready for the marriage feast of Christ and His bride, the battle of Christ and His army against the beast and the false prophet, and God’s ultimate judgment against them in the Lake of Fire. The bride’s maturity and preparedness will ultimately usher in the millennial kingdom and the eternal state.

The body of Christ is not just an abstract concept; it is made up of individuals like you and me. Every member of the body is important. The degree to which you and I, as members of the body, mature in our spiritual lives will ultimately determine the degree to which the body of Christ matures. We must seize every opportunity to grow spiritually. This includes embracing trials, which are God’s tools to help us mature. If we are not spiritually mature, we can never progress to the next stage of God’s eternal plan. This is why speculations and fantasies are a waste of time compared to the ongoing work of sanctification and preparation for eternity.

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Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 20 (part 1)

How Can Christians Overcome Satan's Temptations and Avoid Wandering in the Wilderness

Revelation 20:1-3 tells us that the ancient serpent who deceived the nations was bound by an angel and imprisoned for a thousand years. Before this, the church endured numerous trials before she entered the Millennial Kingdom. After the Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be temporarily released to continue testing people.

The Israelites' time in the wilderness was a period of testing. God’s people needed to overcome Satan’s temptations and learn the lessons God was teaching them so they could enter the Promised Land. Otherwise, they would continue aimlessly wandering in the wilderness. Similarly, God’s chosen people today (Christians) need to overcome Satan’s temptations and avoid wandering endlessly in the wilderness.

From studying Revelation 20, we can make the following observations about Satan’s tests and temptations.

• First, Satan’s testing will last a long time. Though many believe Jesus will come soon, this might be an unrealistic expectation. We need to be prepared to endure long-lasting hardships and trials.
• Second, many people give too much weight to their hardships, attributing too much power to Satan. They fear Satan as if he is omnipotent, while failing to recognize God’s ultimate power and sovereignty. Many people seem to fear Satan even more than they revere God. This is a grave error.
• Third, trials and tests are permitted by God. Satan's testing cannot exceed the limits allowed by God. God only allows us to be tested according to what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:15) and according to His will.
• Fourth, trials help us grow. We must understand God's will, obey it, grow, and overcome each trial. This is the way to overcome Satan and avoid wandering in the wilderness.

Many Christians fail to learn the lessons God is trying to teach them through trials. As a result, their spiritual lives stagnate and they continue wandering in the wilderness. If individual Christians do not mature in their spiritual lives, then the church (the body of Christ) cannot reach the level of maturity God desires. Just as Israel could not enter the Promised Land until she reached a certain level of maturity and faith, the church will not enter the Millennial Kingdom and the eternal state until she learns the lessons God is trying to teach her through trials. Difficult circumstances, including Satan’s temptations, help bring us to spiritual maturity. When Christ’s body reaches maturity, her maturity will be manifested in the Millennial Kingdom.

Many Christians enjoy discussing end times and trying to determine when key events will take place. However, they neglect the lessons of spiritual maturity that God is trying to teach them through their circumstances and trials. Since the coming of the Kingdom is contingent on the maturity of Christ’s bride, the church, these believers are putting the cart before the horse. In other words, the return of Jesus and the coming of the Millennial Kingdom are not as near as many imagine because His bride is not yet prepared, and our spiritual lives have not yet reached the level of maturity God desires.

Satan's Temptations Will Last for a Long Time

At the end of the book of Revelation, God's method of dealing with evil is like chopping down a tree—starting with the branches, then the trunk, and finally the roots.

• Satan is the root of all the evil in the world. He is dealt with last. Satan, the ancient serpent who deceived humankind, will be locked in the bottomless pit for a thousand years (Revelation 20). After that, he will be temporarily released to deceive the nations. His final destination is the lake of fire and sulfur (Revelation 20:7-10). When God sends Satan to the Lake of Fire, God is metaphorically chopping at the root of the tree, completely removing the source of all sin, which is Satan.
• The beast and the false prophet are like the trunk of the tree. They are thrown alive into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20). There, they join the beast and the false prophet who fought against Christ and His bride's army, as well as the kings of the earth and their armies. This happens after the bride has made herself ready (Revelation 19:7). This is like removing the trunk of the tree.
• Babylon the Great is like the branches and leaves of a flourishing tree. Babylon is the dwelling place of demons, the haunt of every unclean spirit, and the nest of every unclean and detestable bird (Revelation 18:2). Babylon the Great is a collective entity formed by demons, evil spirits, and sinners, and she deceived the nations (Revelation 18:3). God's judgment in the end times begins with chopping down the branches and leaves of this flourishing tree. Revelation 17 also describes the punishment of the great prostitute, and Revelation 16 records the seven bowl judgments. These judgments, along with the previous ones, prepare the way for the final judgment of Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan.

I am narrating this process in reverse, hoping to give you a clear vision of where we stand today and where we are in God’s redemptive timetable. We have not yet experienced the scenarios described in Revelation 18-20. Satan has not been bound in the bottomless pit. The bride of Christ is not yet prepared, and she has not yet joined with Christ to defeat the beast, the false prophets, and the kings’ armies (Revelation 19). And Babylon the Great has not yet fallen (Revelation 18:2).

How do we know that Babylon the Great has not yet fallen? Because the judgment of Babylon in Revelation 17 happens after the seven bowl judgments recorded in Revelation 16. To evaluate whether Babylon has fallen yet, we must ask ourselves whether we have experienced the disasters of the seven bowls. The first bowl judgment is poured out on those who have the mark of the beast and worship its image. While there is much discussion about the possibility of the COVID-19 vaccine and microchips being the mark of the beast, there is no conclusion yet, and personally, I don’t believe that they are. Therefore, it is unlikely that we have experienced the scenario described in Revelation 16.

In Revelation 13-15, two beasts appear and wage war with the saints. The overcoming saints sing praise to God on the sea of glass (15:2). Have any of these events already taken place? Can we say with certainty that the beast has appeared in the world today? Even though the spirit of the antichrist is already at work on earth, no one can assert with confidence that the beast has appeared. So, we have not yet experienced the scenarios described in Revelation 13-15.

Going back even further on God’s redemptive timetable, Revelation 12 records the battle between the woman and the dragon and the birth of the male child. I believe the male child represents the victorious members of the body of Christ, who will rule the nations with a rod of iron (12:5). There are no clear signs to suggest that this event has already happened. Does the church today—whether in other countries or in Christian nations like the United States—have the ability to rule the nations? Far from it. So, we have not yet experienced the events of Revelation 12. Similarly, Revelation 11:15 declares, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.” This has not happened yet, either.

The disasters mentioned in Revelation 6-10 (the seven seals and seven trumpets) are still far from fulfillment. Similarly, the events of Revelation 4-5, where heaven is opened and we see God at work on His throne, are still a mystery to many. As the body of Christ, we have not yet experienced heaven opened. We have not yet clearly seen God’s throne or His kingly reign.

Therefore, we can conclude that the church is still in the era described in the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 1-3. These letters not only describe the work of Satan in each congregation, but also the promises of victory that Jesus gives.

From this discussion, it becomes clear that we are nowhere near the return of Christ. The process of defeating Satan and his minions (including the beast, the false prophet, various evil spirits, demons, and sinners who make up Babylon the Great) is a long-term process that is nowhere near completion. Many people are discussing the imminent return of Jesus, but I believe this is an unrealistic expectation. Of course, I long for the return of Jesus, but according to this timetable, we are still many steps away from His return to reign.

When the Lord appeared to me in 2004, He clearly stated that once the body of Christ, the bride, and the New Jerusalem are completed, He will return. We are still far from the bride being ready, the body of Christ maturing, and the New Jerusalem being built. When we gain a clear understanding of the reality, we can focus our discussion on growing in maturity rather than on Christ’s imminent return. We can learn how we can participate with God in our spiritual growth, including the growth that comes through Satan’s trials and tests.

In Trials, We Must See That God is Far Greater Than Satan

In Revelation 20:1-3, an angel comes down from heaven, holding a great chain and the key to the bottomless pit. He binds the dragon (also called the ancient serpent, the devil, and Satan) for a thousand years and casts him into the abyss, shutting it and sealing it so that he can no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years are completed. Afterward, he must be released for a little while.

What can we learn from these verses? We can learn that Satan is not nearly as powerful as we often imagine. In this passage, we see that one angel by himself can bind and subdue Satan. Of course, the angel is doing these things by God's command and authority, but he is still doing them by himself. In the modern church, Satan is often portrayed as extremely powerful—sometimes to the extent that it seems he is greater than God. When a Christian is bound by a spirit of fear in their personal life, they may feel that Satan is greater than God. We may even begin to believe that Satan is all-powerful. As a result, many people fear Satan more than God. However, this passage teaches that Satan is finite and can be bound by a single angle.

Let’s look at a few more examples of Christians attributing too much power to Satan. When I was pursuing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, I often heard the following objection: “Don't pursue the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. If you seek the Holy Spirit, what if you end up receiving an evil spirit instead?" Such thoughts are widespread in many evangelical churches. However, Luke 11 clearly teaches that if we ask our Heavenly Father, He will certainly give us the Holy Spirit, not an evil spirit (11:13).

Additionally, even though the Bible teaches us to speak out for righteousness, many Christians are afraid to speak out in the face of evil because they fear the reactions of evil people. Fearing evil people is essentially the same as fearing Satan, because Satan is behind their sinful actions. This fear of Satan is a mindset that permeates the world and even the church. In many instances, Christians fear Satan more than they fear God. They think Satan is powerful, dark, and hopeless, while their concept of God is weak and limited. In everyday life, they do not demonstrate a faith in God’s omnipotence. But their actions show a strong belief in Satan’s power. This passage provides a much-needed reminder that Satan is not all-powerful and can be subdued by a single angel.

Who is this angel that binds Satan? The Bible does not specify whether it is Gabriel or another archangel; it simply says that an angel is given authority by God to bind Satan, and Satan is bound for a thousand years. Even after being temporarily released, he is still under God’s sovereignty. When darkness seems to have dominion, God is still seated on His throne, controlling all things. We must remember God’s sovereignty and his ability to work all things together for the good of those who love God.

The entire book of Revelation is structured around God's provision, sovereignty, and His kingly plan, even during times of trial. After describing the trials that the seven churches will face, the book of Revelation describes the throne room of God (Revelation 4-5). John sees heaven opened, and he realizes that God is still at work on His throne, promising rewards to His victorious saints. Similarly, the next several chapters include many difficult seal judgments, but in between the sixth and seventh seal, God pauses the judgment to show John a vision of 144,000 conquering believers. They had come out of the great tribulation and were serving God before His throne (Revelation 7:15). These people are likely martyrs who were killed during the great tribulation. They were willing to pay the ultimate price for their faith, but now they are being richly rewarded: "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (7:16-17). Before the sixth seal, there was much suffering, and after the seventh seal and the seven trumpets, there was even more suffering. But God does not forget to comfort the apostle John (and all suffering believers) through these visions of hope amidst suffering. There are also encouraging visions between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments, just as between the sixth and seventh seal judgments. The messages of hope include the message of the seven thunders (10:3), the invitation to eat the little scroll (10:10), the command to measure the temple (11:1), and the story about the two witnesses (11:3-12). These visions encourage suffering believers to see God's sovereignty and His will in the midst of pain.

The principles revealed in Revelation are the same as the principles we experience in our lives today. God is in control of all things, and even in the midst of suffering, He continues to provide. God works all things together for His good purposes, even trials and trouble. However, the trials described in Revelation are much greater than the trials we face on a daily basis. If we cannot trust God’s purpose and provision in our everyday lives, how will we have strength to overcome these apocalyptic disasters described in Revelation? God will not suddenly give us supernatural strength that we have not already cultivated in our everyday lives. If we cannot obey God in the small trials of life, we should not imagine that we will somehow have the strength to resist the mark of the beast. This is fantasy and self-deception. We need to be victorious in the various small trials of life today so that we can face the greater trials that are coming in the future.

As we have mentioned before, Revelation 12 is the turning point of the book of Revelation. After the vision of the woman (12:3) and the birth of the male child (12:5), the battle becomes fiercer. Satan is cast down from heaven to earth (12:4, 9). In his fury, he intensifies his persecution of the woman and her remaining children (12:17). Afterward, the two beasts emerge, one after the other, and they escalate the persecution of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast. However, amid this harsh persecution, the Holy Spirit graciously provides another vision in chapter 14, showing the 144,000 standing victorious on Mount Zion.

The next trial is the fall of Babylon the Great (14:8), God’s continued judgment of the world, and the world’s continued persecution of believers. During this time, many more believers are martyred. However, in chapter 15, God continues His pattern of encouraging and warning believers by giving a vision of the overcomers standing victorious on the sea of glass. This is followed by the seven bowl judgments (chapter 15), but in the midst of these severe judgments—between the sixth and seventh bowl judgment—the Lord again reminds believers to stay alert, because He is coming soon, like a thief (16:16). This leads into the judgment of Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and the ultimate judgment of Satan.

These trials and judgments become more and more severe as the book progresses. Yet in the midst of these harsh judgments, God continues to provide visions to encourage believers. Today, we face trials that are much less severe than the ones revealed in Revelation. If we cannot learn to experience God's provision and see His purpose in the smaller trials, it will be difficult for us to do so in the bigger ones. Let me give an example to illustrate. Since my daughter grew up in the United States, she is not accustomed to facing hardship. My wife and I often think about the greater hardships that we faced in China growing up. When our daughter complains about everyday situations, like cold water in the swimming pool, we tell her, “You need to learn to endure hardship. Your mother and I grew up in China under much more difficult situations. If you cannot tolerate small trials, how will you be able to tolerate the greater difficulties you will eventually face in life?” However, no matter how much we said, we found that she still could not endure hardship as we once could. Many children raised in the United States have not experienced very much hardship compared to children who grew up in third-world countries. As a result, their ability to handle setbacks and pressure is limited. Although their mindset is healthier, children from the United States have less survival ability than those who have experienced hardship.

Similarly, when God called Hudson Taylor to China to spread the gospel, he intentionally moved to a poor area in East London to undergo what he called “hardship training.” There, he survived on bread and water. Through these difficulties, he tried to prepare himself for what was ahead. However, even with this training, he was still not prepared for the hardship he would face when he arrived in China. Since the Chinese people were resistant to foreigners, no one would rent him a house. He had to live in an idol’s temple. He could not sleep at night because every time he closed his eyes, beggars would steal his luggage. Because Hudson Taylor had trained himself to endure hardship for many years, he was able to overcome the difficult circumstances he encountered in China. As a result, he had the resilience and fortitude he needed to spread the gospel to countless Chinese people.

These examples show that if we do not learn to endure hardship in small situations, we will not be prepared for bigger ones. If we as Christ’s body do not learn obedience through everyday difficulties, we will not be prepared for greater suffering (such as those described in Revelation. We must learn to understand God's will in hardship, while also learning what God wants to teach us through it.

God's Trials for Us Will Not Exceed What We Can Bear

In order to learn the lessons God wants to teach us through our suffering, we must understand the nature of suffering. First, we must understand that Satan does not attack us because of our past sins and failures. We all have sinned, and we all have weaknesses. But if we sinned before we came to know Christ, or if we sinned as a believer and then repented, we are cleansed and forgiven by Christ’s precious blood. If we still think that our past failures and sins are causing Satan’s attacks, this perspective is rooted in fear. Once we truly repent and God forgives us, Satan has no right to attack, because the blood of the Lord overcomes him. No one, including Satan, can bypass the cleansing of the Lord's blood in order to attack you.

If this is true, then why do we often experience various attacks from Satan in our lives? Because even though we know about the Lord's redemption and the power of His precious blood, we fail to apply them or repent, thus giving Satan a foothold to attack us through fear and other means. If we live in sin despite our faith in Christ and knowledge of the truth, we give Satan a foothold, which often leads to attacks.

We must recognize that it is impossible for Satan to attack us without God's permission. Satan is under God's control, and Satan is not greater than God. He can only attack us within the limits that God sets. As we see in the Book of Job, Satan must first ask for God's permission before he can attack a person. God sets limits on Satan’s attacks, as we see in Job 1:12. God said, "You may attack his family, but you may not harm him.” Later, God allowed Satan to attack Job's body as long as he did not take his life. Again, God established His authority over Satan. Since God is the one who determines whether Satan can attack us and to what extent, we must seek His will during times of suffering and spiritual attack. Every attack has a purpose in God's plan. If we are in sin, God may want to use suffering to deal with areas of uncleanness in our lives. Even if we are blameless like Job, he can use suffering to help us grow in our knowledge of God and experience Him more fully (Job 42:5). When we experience suffering and spiritual attacks, we must seek God’s will and ask Him how he wants to use this suffering to help us mature and make us holy. Unfortunately, many Christians fail to seek God’s guidance when facing hardships and spiritual attacks. Sadly, they miss the opportunity to receive help from God.

Two people can face the same type of suffering with very different outcomes. One person may allow God to use the difficult circumstance to make them more like Him. This person grows in maturity and makes spiritual progress. Meanwhile, another person may fail to understand God’s purpose in suffering. They are unwilling to seek God’s will and submit to Him, and they fail to deal with sin and uncleanness in their lives. As a result, they continue wandering in the spiritual wilderness. Like the Israelites of the Old Testament, they fail to enter the promised land of God's blessing.

We Must Allow God to Remove our Sins and Uncleanness Through Suffering

Nothing happens to us by chance; every event is a part of God’s good purpose. Watchman Nee from the Inner Life Movement, Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis from the British Inner Life movement, and Madame Jeanne Guyon from the Catholic church all teach that God works through suffering—even the attacks of Satan. When we encounter suffering, we need to seek God through prayer so we can enter His presence, understand His purpose, and obey His will. As we do, we can learn God’s intentions to work all things together for good, and we can grow in obedience and prayer. If we fail to do this, we will waste the opportunity to learn what God wants to teach us through our circumstances.

If we fail to learn the lessons God is teaching us, we will continue to go in circles, facing the same tests over and over for years or even decades—just like the Israelites, who went in circles in the wilderness for forty years. Ironically, we will continue to face tests whether we learn the lessons or not. But if we don’t learn the lessons God wants to teach us, we will continue to repeat the lessons at the same level rather than progressing to the next level. Let me use the example of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test to illustrate this point. When grad students take the GRE for admission to grad school, all students answer the same number of questions. If the student answers the questions correctly, they are given increasingly harder questions to answer. If they continue answering the harder questions correctly, the test continues to increase in difficulty. Their final score may be in the top 5% or 10%. However, if the student answers incorrectly, the computer continues to give them questions on the same level. They do not advance, and they get a score in the 40-50% range. Like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, they make no progress.

In the same way, the individuals who make up the body of Christ (referenced in Revelation 20) need to continue making progress and growing in maturity. When facing the same daily circumstances, some Christians continue on an upward trajectory, growing through the hardships God sends. They keep advancing in their spiritual journey. However, other Christians face the same struggles over and over without learning what God wants to teach them. They continue to struggle with relationships, conflicts, or circumstances without growing or maturing. After decades, they are still facing the same difficulties. Their personality has not changed for the better, and they are still wandering in the metaphorical wilderness.

Today, Satan disguises himself within our fleshly desires, difficult circumstances, or conflicts with our loved ones. He uses these circumstances to attack us. Why does God allow Satan to attack us through the people around us? Because He is testing us to see if we can conquer our bad habits, overcome our sins, and turn to Him in the midst of difficulties. If so, we can move to a deeper level of spiritual maturity.

So, while Revelation reveals the difficult circumstances that the entire body of Christ faces in end times, as well as the level of maturity the church as a whole reaches, some individual Christians will not share in this level of victory. Throughout history, there have always been victorious saints. I believe the 144,000, the firstfruits, are examples of overcomers. It is likely that these overcomers include not only victorious Christians across generations but also all the victorious saints from the Old Testament. For example, Hebrews 11 lists numerous examples of faithful saints from Adam onward. I believe they are part of these firstfruits as well.

Even though there have been many victorious individual believers throughout the ages, these overcomers did not receive what was promised because they were waiting for the remaining members of the body of Christ to mature (Hebrews 11:39). Verse 40 says, "Since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." In the book of Revelation, God uses these various circumstances, especially these increasingly difficult trials, to bring more members of the body of Christ to maturity. This allows them to enter into the freedom and glory of God's children, which ultimately leads to the liberation of all creation from its bondage to corruption so it can join God’s children in freedom and glory (Romans 8:21).

Conclusion:

I believe that the entire body of Christ must reach maturity in order for the New Jerusalem to be fully complete. The number of chosen overcomers must reach 144,000, and the bride (the body of Christ) must become mature in order for the Lord Jesus to return. Even the martyrs, who cry out in Revelation 6:10 for God to judge those who dwell on the earth and avenge their blood, are told that they must wait until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who are to be martyred like they were is complete. Not only is there a specific number of people who must be martyred, but there is also a set number of people who must reach spiritual maturity.

Therefore, when we read Revelation, we should not focus solely on speculating about when Jesus will come back or identifying who the beast and false prophet are. Instead, we must read Revelation from the perspective of spiritual growth. We need to pray for all members of Christ’s body to recognize the necessity of progressing toward spiritual maturity. However, since every individual has free will and can decide how to live their lives, not everyone will choose the path of maturity. Those who submit to God and seek His will in the midst of life’s trials will mature more quickly and may even become part of the 144,000.

The first three verses of Revelation 20 are connected to the verse that follows. Revelation 20:4 says, “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.” I believe the word "those” does not refer to the Lord. Instead, the word refers to people who have attained spiritual maturity and as a result have been granted this authority. This group may include the twelve apostles, since the Lord promised them, “You who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” As we grow spiritually through the trials of life and the attacks of Satan, we are led to the thrones God has prepared for us. This does not mean we are exalting ourselves, but rather that when our spiritual lives reach that level, God bestows upon us the authority to judge. The ability to judge others is not about taking an aggressive or vocal stance, but about being filled with the life of God. It is God’s life within us that judges the world, judges people, judges evil spirits, and judges Satan. The more God’s life and His presence are expressed in us, and the more we are sanctified, set apart, and conformed to the glorious image of the Son of God, the more authority we receive to judge. This is a matter of spiritual maturity, not merely a matter of position. When we are saved in Christ, we receive the authority to judge the world, Satan, and evil spirits. Paul explicitly states this regarding our position in Christ: “Do you not know that we are to judge angels?” However, if our spiritual life has not matured to that level, we will be unsuccessful in exercising this authority, just like the seven sons of Sceva were when they attempted to cast out a demon in Acts 19. When they rebuked the demon, the demon did not obey them. Instead, it replied, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15) If your level of spiritual maturity has not reached the necessary level, you will lack the authority to reign from the "throne of life" and judge others.

Therefore, as the end of the book of Revelation approaches, it emphasizes the collective maturity of Christ’s body. When we read the conclusion of Revelation, we must understand it in the context of the full maturity of Christ’s body. At this point, only one or two chapters remain before the entire old creation comes to an end. At that point, Christians will be revealed in glory with Christ, victorious. If Christ’s body has not yet matured to the extent that some believers can sit on thrones—or that the collective body of Christ can do so—how can we judge Satan and the old creation or bring God’s eternal purpose to completion? It would be impossible. Therefore, these events show that the body of Christ—Christ’s bride which is also a victorious army—has reached a certain level of spiritual growth. The maturity of the body of Christ and the maturity of individual believers is achieved through trials, attacks from Satan, and challenging circumstances. These difficulties enable us to grow and mature so we can overcome, gain the fullness and abundance of God's life, and eventually gain the authority to rule over the universe and Satan and to trample on serpents and scorpions. The final judgment in Revelation is intimately connected with the maturity of Christ’s body. When the body of Christ matures, believers can sit on thrones with Him. Without this maturity, which leads to reigning together with the Lord on the throne, the final judgment in Revelation would be impossible.

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Bible Study With Jairus

Revelation 21 (part 2)

Why Is There No Sea in the New Heaven and the New Earth?

Revelation 21:1 says, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." Why does it say here that the sea was no more? Does this mean that in the new heaven and new earth there will be no large bodies of water where water gathers? Not necessarily. Revelation 22:1 mentions the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Because this water flows endlessly, it could eventually form a sea. Though we can’t know for sure, I believe that this verse does not refer to literal bodies of water, but to the symbolic meaning of the sea in the ancient world.

To many ancient authors and thinkers, the sea represented chaos and unrest. It was a holding place for the souls of the dead and for evil spirits. We can see this idea in several passages in Scripture. The Lord Jesus permitted the unclean spirits to enter the herd of pigs, which then rushed into the sea and drowned (Luke 8:26–39). This suggests that there are unclean spirits in the sea. In the books of Daniel and Revelation, we see many dragons, beasts, and evil powers rising out of the sea with Satanic power and authority (Revelation 13:1–2, Daniel 7:3). These verses indicate that the sea contains beasts and evil spirits.

Additionally, the sea was seen as a holding place for the spirits of the dead. Revelation 20:13 says that when death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, the sea also gave up the dead who were in it. This passage equates the sea, death, and Hades as dwelling places for the dead. Verse 14 further states that death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. These passages indicate that the sea is a holding place for the dead.

The Bible does not provide many details about the sea as a holding place for the dead. We do not know how the souls in the sea differ from the souls held in death and Hades. However, the Bible does clearly state that these three places will give up their dead. This indicates that they are distinct from each other. In addition to the fact that death and Hades are ultimately thrown into the Lake of Fire, this chapter also mentions that in the New Heaven and New Earth, “the sea was no more.” This likely does not mean there will no longer be any bodies of water in the New Heaven and New Earth, but rather that certain functions of the sea in the old heaven and old earth will no longer exist.

I believe that the sea contains the bottomless pit, which confines various evil spirits, including the beast and Satan, and also holds the spirits of those who perished in Noah’s flood (1 Peter 3:19–20). Revelation 11:7 explicitly states that the beast came out of the bottomless pit. Revelation 9 mentions that locusts came out of the bottomless pit. Apart from being the place where the beast and evil spirits are confined, the bottomless pit is also described in Revelation 20:1 as the location where Satan is bound for a thousand years. Once Satan is released from the bottomless pit and thrown into the Lake of Fire, the bottomless pit and the sea will no longer be necessary.

When all the dead are resurrected and judged before the Great White Throne, some will enter eternal life, and others will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Evil spirits, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan will all be thrown into the Lake of Fire to be punished forever. Therefore, the sea will no longer be needed as a holding place for evil spirits, the beast, the false prophet, Satan, and the souls of certain people.

The sea, as it existed in the old heaven and old earth, served a specific function in the old creation. But when the old creation is rolled up like a garment (Hebrews 1:10–12), the sea's purpose will be rendered obsolete. We will examine this idea in detail in the next section.

The Old Heavens and the Old Earth Will Be Rolled Up Like a Garment

Hebrews 1:10-12 says, "And you, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end." This scripture is deeply significant and will greatly help us understand the disappearance of the old heavens, old earth, and sea in the book of Revelation. In this passage, the old heavens and earth are likened to an old garment that will one day be rolled up and removed.

When my daughter was younger, other families at church used to give her hand-me-downs that their children had outgrown. The clothes no longer fit their children, but they fit my daughter perfectly. Many of the clothes were beautiful and in good condition, and my daughter enjoyed wearing them. In the same way, we used to pass along clothes that our daughter had outgrown. They were not torn or unwearable; they simply did not fit her anymore because she had grown.

In the same way, as Christ’s body grows in stature to become more and more like Christ (Ephesians 4:13), she will outgrow her former garments. I believe the old heavens and earth will be laid aside because the church has outgrown them. As Christ’s body, the bride, grows in maturity, she will no longer need her old garments. As God's sons enter into God's glory, they will no longer need the old earth. Instead, they will put on the New Heaven and New Earth as their new garment.

When the bride of Christ is fully mature, she will wear fine linen, bright and pure (Revelation 19:8). She will “grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). Her life will be full of Christ’s life and she will be filled with all the fullness of God. “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:23). When the fullness of God fills the church, and through His body fills the universe, a new heaven and earth must come. The New Heaven and Earth are the new clothes that God has made for Christ’s bride.

The New Earth is also a new living and activity space for the bride, and it is full of righteousness. Peter explained, “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). Before this, Peter also mentioned that the day of the Lord will come like a thief. At that time, “the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn” (2 Peter 3:10-12).

Peter said that God’s righteousness will dwell in the New Heaven and New Earth. God is righteous, Christ is righteous, and the bride of Christ is wearing fine linen which represents the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8). Daniel 12:3 says, "And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." This indicates that the righteousness of the saints will shine like the stars for eternity. If these righteous individuals fill the New Heaven and New Earth, then we can indeed say that righteousness dwells in the New Heaven and New Earth. For the body of Christ is made up of righteous people, and they will inhabit the New Heaven and New Earth.

The New Heaven and New Earth are undoubtedly our dwelling place, but they can also be seen as our garment. As believers grow in maturity and the righteousness of God fills them, the old heaven and old earth will metaphorically burst at the seams. Like old wineskins mentioned in Mark 2:22, the old earth will no longer be able to contain the spiritual growth and expansion of Christ’s body, the church. At this time, the old heaven and old earth will be removed and will be rolled up like an outgrown garment (Hebrews 1:10-12).

In addition, Peter says that the old heaven and old earth will be burned and the elements will melt with fervent heat. When these elements are melted, will they be refined like gold, or will they be destroyed in the Lake of Fire? Will they be purified of impurities and made even more precious? Or will they be annihilated? Personally, I believe that the elements of the old heavens and old earth will be refined and purified of impurities so they can become part of the New Heaven and New Earth.

As people of the old creation, we are also part of the old heavens and old earth. Yet inside us is an element of newness that will one day fill our entire being. Paul says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Revelation 21:5 states, "And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'" Once we have received the life of Christ, we begin the process of becoming a new creation, a process that will ultimately transform us into a bride filled with righteousness. The old heavens and old earth will then be transformed to match our level of growth, maturity, and newness. At this time, the old heavens and old earth will no longer be suitable as our dwelling place because they are filled with impurity. Just like we will one day receive glorious bodies, we will also receive a glorious new place to live.

As We Grow Spiritually, We Must Shed our Old Garments

Let’s look at some analogies that help us understand that the old heavens and the old earth are like old garments that need to be left behind as we grow. The first analogy is a snake that sheds its skin. As a snake grows, its skin can no longer accommodate its size. Perhaps its skin is only five inches long, but its body inside has grown to six inches long. The five-inch skin can no longer accommodate its growth and has become a hindrance to further growth. At this time, the snake must shed its skin to continue growing.

At every stage of spiritual growth, there must be an outward renewal to match our inward growth. When I was 4 feet tall, I wore clothes that fit my height. But when I grew to 5 feet, my 4-foot clothes no longer fit and had to be replaced. This doesn’t mean the 4-foot clothes disappeared; they simply were too small for me. In the same way, why must the old heavens and the old earth be rolled up like a garment? Why will the sea no longer exist? Because the life of God’s Son within us has grown to such a degree that the old heavens and the old earth—like old garments—can no longer contain the new spiritual life we now possess.

May God grant us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to understand this spiritual truth. Paul said, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Our outer self—our physical body—is temporary, like a garment, while our inner self—our spiritual life—is permanent. As our inner self is renewed and grows day by day, our outer self wastes away. This experience is like the transformation of a dragonfly nymph into a full-grown dragonfly. Each time it sheds its skin, it is more mature and closer to being a full-grown dragonfly. Similarly, as we leave behind our old self, we gain a renewed spiritual life. This is a continuous process. Paul explains, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18). We must continually put off the old self, like an old garment, and put on the new self, like a new garment. One day, when we enter into glory and receive our glorified bodies, the transformation from nymph to dragonfly will be complete.

Jesus said to His disciples, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:7–8). In this passage, who or what is being born? I believe new life is being birthed into the world in several ways. First, the male child is being born (cf. Revelation 12:5). Second, Christ’s bride is preparing to enter eternal glory (Revelation 19:7 and Romans 8). And finally, the New Earth and New Heavens are coming into being. When the sons of God enter into God’s glory, the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven, and the birth pains will come to an end. At that time, the New Heaven and New Earth will be filled with righteousness.

The present suffering we experience—wars, famines, and earthquakes—are birth pains that bring forth the new creation. They are part of the process by which the old heaven and old earth are left behind, much like a snake shedding its skin. In Romans 8, Paul mentions that all things work together for the good of those who love God. Certainly, this includes even the negative things. The old heavens and earth contain many bad things, such as war, famine, earthquakes, and the sea, which may contain negative elements. However, God is using these negative elements to promote the ultimate birth of the new creation.

The purpose of the old creation is to bring forth the new creation. Once the new creation is fully revealed, the old creation will no longer be needed. For example, an eggshell is crucial for preserving the life of the developing chick, but once the chick hatches, the shell is no longer needed. Similarly, when the New Heaven and New Earth are revealed, the old heaven, old earth, and sea will no longer be needed. Like an eggshell, they will be discarded after the new life has emerged.

However, the converse is also true. Before the new life emerges, the eggshell is crucial for the survival of the growing chick. In the same way, the old heavens and earth are essential for the growth and maturity of the body of Christ. Just as our old bodies are crucial for our survival until we receive our resurrected bodies, the old creation is necessary until we receive new creation. Right now, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Eventually, the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies. When we finally enter God’s glory, He will give us resurrection bodies. But before the new creation arrives, we must preserve the old creation, because the new creation comes from the old creation.

The Sea is a Temporary Symbol of Judgment

As we have seen, the sea is a symbol of evil and contains evil spirits, beasts, souls of the dead, and Satanic elements. The sea may also contain the bottomless pit, which holds all kinds of evil. The sea functions like a prison where certain souls and evil spirits are confined as part of God's judgment.

1 Peter 3:19-20 says that Jesus “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.” The prison mentioned here is Tartarus, the deep, dark pit. The same concept is also mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4: “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.” Clearly, this gloomy pit contains evil spirits and the souls of sinners—likely the ones who rejected Noah's invitation to board the ark. This passage says that Jesus went to this place of judgment to proclaim the gospel. If, in God's mercy, these souls eventually repent, then some of them may enter eternal life at the Great White Throne judgment.

God also mentions the angels that live in this place of judgment. Jude 1:6 says, “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.” When these spirits are judged at the Great White Throne, they will no longer need a temporary holding place. The gloomy pit and the sea will no longer be needed. Even Hades and Death will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.

When the sons of God enter God's glory, all creation will be liberated and set free. The entire old creation will pass away. Today, the old creation is gradually passing away. It is decaying day by day, just like our bodies. But the new creation is being renewed day by day. When one day the new creation is fully developed, the old creation will pass away.

Conclusion: We Must Experience Continuous Transformation and Growth

When the new creation arrives, the old creation will pass away. The new creation grows from within the old creation, and the old creation serves as a protective shell for the new creation, which is developing within it. Just like a snake needs its skin or a growing chick needs its shell, we need the old creation while we are growing and developing. But when we reach full maturity and enter God’s glory, the old creation will pass away.

Currently, the evil elements of the old creation are being used by God for his good purposes. They are the suffering that creates our maturity, and the birth pains that bring forth new life. One day, we will be set free from the old creation which has held us in bondage.

The process of growth and renewal is not only being experienced by the church as a whole, but also by individual Christians. Our outer self is decaying day by day, while our inner self is being renewed day by day.

We have seen that the sea is a temporary place for holding souls who will be judged. We must remember that judgment is merely a means to an end. God’s end goal is for people to repent, be saved, and mature in eternal life. This is the purpose of our loving God, whose thoughts toward us are thoughts of peace, not of disaster (Jeremiah 29:11). These words were originally spoken to the Israelites while they were in exile for their rebellion. Yet even then, God assured them of his good plans for their lives. In a similar way, we are now under the rule of Satan because of human sin and rebellion. However, God’s thoughts toward us are still good. Our difficult circumstances, hardships, and pain will ultimately help us grow and mature. When our new life is fully mature, we will shed the old life and enter into the new creation.

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Bible Study with Jairus: Revelation 20 part 2

Why Is Satan Released After the Millennial Kingdom?

In the second half of Revelation 20 (verses 5–15), we learn about the Millennial Kingdom, the release of Satan, the rebellion of the nations, and the Great White Throne judgment. This passage raises several interesting questions.

• After the thousand-year reign of Christ, during which time Satan is bound in the bottomless pit, why is Satan released to test the nations? Wouldn’t it be better if he remained in the pit?
• After experiencing the personal reign of Christ on earth, why do the nations still rebel?
• Why can’t the Millennial Kingdom transition directly into eternity?

These questions were raised by one of the members of the Bible study I teach, and they are perplexing questions for many. In this article, I will attempt to provide an explanation from the perspective of spiritual growth.

The temple worship of the Old Testament is a helpful metaphor that helps us understand this passage. In the Old Testament, God’s people approached Him in three stages. First, they entered the outer court, where they could worship God but not see Him face to face. Then, they entered the Holy Place, where they were only separated from Him by a veil. Finally, they entered the Most Holy Place, where the priests could experience face-to-face fellowship with Him. This progression from the outer court to the Holy Place and Most Holy Place represents a gradual process of drawing closer to God, partaking of His holy nature, and escaping the corruption in the world caused by sinful desires (2 Peter 1:4).

Although Christ's death has opened the way for all people to approach the Most Holy Place, only a small number of believers throughout history have attained this level of spiritual maturity. Few believers know how to draw near to God in the Most Holy Place. Those who reach this level of spiritual maturity are the overcomers, and when their number is complete, the Millennial Kingdom will begin.

The Millennial Kingdom is the result of the small-scale victory of a few overcomers. However, God desires to replicate this victory on a larger scale. During the Millennial Kingdom, the overcomers will help even more believers mature in their spiritual lives under Christ’s leadership.

At the end of the Millennial Kingdom, God releases Satan to test and deceive the nations. The release of Satan represents humanity's final trial, in which all people are given the opportunity to choose Christ and defeat Satan. The release of Satan will again separate these individuals with mature spiritual lives from those who rebel.

At this time, the majority of people on earth achieve spiritual victory. These individuals, along with original overcomers, will become part of the holy city, the New Jerusalem, and the prepared, spotless bride that descends from heaven as described in Revelation 21:2. Those who fail this final test, who join Satan in making war against the saints, will face ultimate destruction by fire (Revelation 20:9). After this, Satan will also be cast into the lake of fire and sulfur.

Without this final trial, there would be no widespread victory to usher in the new heaven, new earth, and the New Jerusalem. Suffering and trials are indispensable parts of the path toward spiritual maturity. Only those who have undergone and overcome trials are worthy of eternal life and of entering the new heaven, new earth, and the New Jerusalem. I believe that even in eternity, these mature believers will have the opportunity to perfect and assist others who have entered eternity but whose spiritual lives remain immature, including those allowed into eternity after the Great White Throne judgment. In the new heaven and new earth, people’s spiritual lives will still exist on a continuum between the outer court, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. People will continue to have the opportunity in eternity to allow their spiritual lives to grow and mature further.

The Relationship Between Personal Spiritual Struggles and the Release of Satan

I have mentioned many times that there are many similarities between God's methods of dealing with the collective church and His methods of guiding our personal spiritual growth. When we see God’s work in our individual lives to lead us through suffering and trials toward spiritual maturity, we will have a deeper understanding of how He leads the church as Christ's bride toward maturity. In our personal spiritual journey, our usual attitude toward difficulties is to pray for God to remove them. However, God's solution is often not to remove the difficulty but to increase His grace. Paul once prayed three times for God to remove the thorn in his flesh. Regardless of what that thorn was, it must have been a significant difficulty in Paul's spiritual life. But the Lord's response to him was, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Watchman Nee shared a similar story about a difficult situation he was facing in his life. No matter how much he prayed, the difficulty was not removed. One day, while he was on a boat trip, he saw the small boat stranded among various reefs. While he was concerned about how the boat would get out, the tide suddenly rose, and the boat smoothly floated away from the reefs. He immediately received the revelation that God's way of dealing with his difficulty was not to remove the rocks (the trouble), but to increase the grace (the rising tide).

This insight can help us understand why God released Satan to test the people on earth. Just like we find it difficult to understand why God does not remove our personal trials in answer to our prayers, we also struggle to understand why God released Satan after the Millennial Kingdom.

Jesus has already gained victory over Satan through His death and resurrection. However, each individual believer (as well as the collective church) must apply Christ’s victory to their personal lives. If Satan were bound without the saints achieving victory, our problem would not be ultimately solved. The difficulties we face are key to our maturity. When Satan is released after the Millennial Kingdom, he tests the nations and provides an opportunity for people to grow in maturity.

When Satan is released, God’s people will be victorious. As Jesus said, Satan has no hold on Jesus and no power over him (John 14:30). Therefore, whether Satan is released or not is not the key; the key is whether or not we gain the victory.

Some people believe that Satan is released to test the generation of people who were born during the Millennial Kingdom. According to this belief, these children born during the Millennial period do not yet know Jesus. However, this view raises some questions.

• If people continue to be born during the Millennial Kingdom, would any of them reach the end of their normal human lifespan and die without learning to know God?
• If Jesus is publicly reigning as King, how could there still be people who do not know God?

We cannot answer these questions for sure, but we do know that many people still oppose God after the Millennial Kingdom. Satan convinces them to rebel against God and attack the camp of the saints, which indicates that they do not know God. Despite having seen God and Christ personally reigning on earth, these people still rebel against them.

I believe these people’s final fate is similar to Satan’s. Revelation 19 mentions that these people are killed by the sword from Jesus' mouth, but there is no mention of their eternal end. However, the Great White Throne judgment will certainly reveal their final outcome.

Satan’s Final Deception and Humanity's Ultimate Rebellion Usher in the Great White Throne Judgment

God is the judge of the living and the dead. As Peter said, God's judgment begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17), those who are currently alive. The judgment we experience while we are alive is an opportunity for our spiritual growth.

The dead will also eventually face judgment as an expression of God's justice. Many who have died may not have had the opportunity to hear the gospel, but perhaps they will hear it in the afterlife. Perhaps God's judgment of them will be based on their conscience and the record of their deeds. Those not found in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:12-15). Perhaps the dead will still have the opportunity to receive the gospel’s teachings in the afterlife. While this is not explicitly taught in the Bible, some prophetic writings mention similar ideas. For example, author Lai Wangxiulan mentions that the Lord told her that some people in the valley of the dead were receiving teachings from the Bible. Those who repented would enter paradise, while those who did not repent would go to hell. These accounts may refer to the judgment the dead will face in the future.

If these accounts are true, they help us better understand the passages in this chapter. If the dead still have an opportunity to repent in the future, then those who have died and faced judgment throughout history may not necessarily suffer the second death. It is important to clarify here that not everyone will have the chance to hear the gospel and repent after death. Only those who did not hear the gospel while alive, and are awaiting judgment at the Great White Throne, may have this opportunity. In addition, I believe the gospel will be preached to other people who were not immediately condemned to hell but who are awaiting judgment at the Great White Throne.

Ultimately, the fate of these individuals is God’s decision. At the Great White Throne, God will give the final verdict regarding the ultimate fate of the dead. Before this judgment, trials and sufferings may have provided people with the opportunity to decide whether to gain the victory and enter eternity. Those who are victorious are certainly those who have chosen Jesus Christ as their life and have entered eternity, but not all who have chosen Jesus Christ as their life are necessarily overcomers.

Understanding the Millennial Kingdom from this perspective might help us better grasp why Satan is released. First, what is the spiritual condition of the people alive during the Millennial Kingdom? If some are not yet saved, then the final trial by Satan is significant—it separates the wheat from the tares. One issue within Western Christianity is that many believers equate Biblical knowledge with a true relationship with God. If a person is familiar with Biblical terms, they assume they are close to God. If individuals alive during the Millennial Kingdom make the same mistake, this trial by Satan will expose their hearts.

Some people will be killed by the sword proceeding from the Lord’s mouth, but the Bible does not explicitly say they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. God’s word says that he will burn the tares. Because of this, I believe that if these individuals sincerely repent after death (before the judgment at the Great White Throne takes place), they may still have the opportunity to enter eternal life.

When I was sharing the gospel with Chinese students on an American campus, I encountered a recent immigrant student who needed help. I provided him with a lot of assistance, but he did not accept the Lord. However, we became friends. Even though we are no longer in the same city, I still remember him in my prayers, hoping that one day circumstances will come into his life to help him ultimately accept Jesus Christ. He is my little lamb, and I care for him deeply. Similarly, I believe that God cares for and shepherds the people born during the Millennial Kingdom—even those who rebel. The trials that arise from Satan's temporary release after the Millennial Kingdom may cause some to stumble, but they may lead others to repentance. As I have mentioned before, suffering and trials are merely the means to an end. The ultimate goal is repentance and blessing of eternal life with God. God's mercy and wisdom are beyond what we can imagine.

David: I Will Make Your Enemies a Footstool for Your Feet

Finally, let’s talk about the importance of victory. One day, God will turn Satan’s trials into a stepping stool for us, helping us ascend to the victorious throne. As David said in the Psalms, "God has prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies" (Psalm 23:5). This means that even when we face attacks from our enemies—just as David experienced countless attacks from Satan—God sets a table before us in the presence of our enemies. The question is, will we focus on the enemy's attacks, or will we focus on the table set before us by God?

The Bible says that the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet (Romans 16:20). Why? Because it is God's will and pleasure to give you the victory. And how do you crush Satan under your feet? You must overcome the trials, suffering, persecution, and stumbling blocks in your path, and you must also recognize the table that God has set before you in the midst of your suffering. When you live in the peace of God, you are lifted up to the third heaven to sit with the Lord on His throne. As a result, the God of peace crushes Satan under your feet, and you realize that the difficulties that once hindered you have become your footstool. David said: "The Lord said to my Lord, 'I will make your enemies your footstool.'" One day, Satan will become your footstool. He will become a stepping stool to help you ascend to the throne of God. God will make everything work together for your good, and you will see how great and beautiful God's will is.

With each small difficulty we overcome, we conquer Satan in one more way. Each trial becomes a stepping stool that allows us to ascend to the crown of life and the throne.

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Bible Study With Jairus
Revelation 19 (part 2)

The Church’s Maturity Will Pave the Way for the Final Judgment and the Millennial Kingdom

In Acts 19, we read about the seven sons of Sceva who attempted to cast out some demons. But they were not successful. Instead, the demons overpowered and harmed the men. The evil spirits even mocked them, saying, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15).

The inability to cast out demons is not limited to the seven sons of Sceva; it is a common experience for many Christians today. Demons and evil spirits are often at work in the lives of individuals and congregations, yet we are unable to identify and cast out these evil spirits. Not only can individual Christians be possessed by demons, but churches can also become a dwelling place for Satan when they accept the teachings of demons. The reason for this is a lack of spiritual maturity. Only when we reach the level of spiritual maturity of Paul or of Christ will we be able to successfully cast out demons from our lives and the church.

The final chapters of Revelation, including the latter part of chapter 19, describe the casting out of evil spirits on a cosmic scale. The Lord Jesus and His bride defeat the beast, the false prophet, and their kings at Armageddon. They then cast these evil forces out of the world. This passage not only describes the victorious Christ, but it also describes the bride’s pure white garments. I believe these garments represent purity and maturity. Even though the Lord Jesus has already won the victory on the cross, the beast and his followers cannot be judged until the bride reaches a place of victorious maturity.

This principle not only applies to the end times, but also to our present-day spiritual lives. Difficulty and oppression from evil spirits are tools that God uses to bring us to maturity. As we mature spiritually, we will be victorious over the evil spirits that are affecting a certain area of our lives.

Let's take a detailed look at the latter part of this chapter, which includes descriptions of Christ, His bride, and their victory over the beast, the false prophet, and the kings. This passage not only contains future prophecy, but also wise principles that we can apply to the church and the world today.

In Revelation 2:26, Jesus promised the church in Thyatira that the one who overcomes will be given authority to rule the nations with a rod of iron. We often think that this victorious authority will happen automatically once we go to heaven. As a result, we often overlook the process of suffering that is necessary to reach this victorious state. We forget that we need to apply Christ’s victory to our lives today so we can gain victory over sin and struggle. Only then will we have the maturity to rule over the nations with authority. If we merely hope for the arrival of the Millennial Kingdom so we can reign with Christ, we overlook the process and jump directly to the end. It is impossible to attain victory without going through the process of suffering. As Paul encouraged the disciples, “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Suffering is an indispensable path to growing in spiritual maturity, attaining a victorious life, and entering God's kingdom.

What is true of the individual believer is also true of the collective church. The maturity of the bride and the victory of the church, as recorded in Revelation 19, are the result of countless individual believers gaining maturity through suffering. Without the victory and maturity of individual believers, there is no collective maturity of the church as the bride and body of Christ.

Many Christians do not pursue personal spiritual growth and victory, but only long for the New Jerusalem to descend from heaven or for the sudden return of the Lord Jesus. This is irresponsible and childish behavior, akin to spiritual infancy. Without suffering, there can be no spiritual maturity, and many Christians who are unwilling to learn and grow from suffering are destined to fail to reach spiritual maturity.

The Fullness of Life Within and the Manifestation of Righteousness Without

In Revelation 19, the victorious bride is wearing fine linen which represents the righteous acts of the saints. On the surface, it may seem like this verse is encouraging us to do righteous deeds. However, if we are not filled with God's life within, we cannot produce righteous deeds (fine linen) outwardly.

Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil” (Matthew 12:34-35). What fills our hearts will inevitably be revealed externally. Jesus' brother, James, also said, “Can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water” (James 3:12). Only when we are filled with the life of Jesus Christ and God can his life be manifested in the righteous acts of the body of Christ, which is the bride.

We must first experience the filling of the Holy Spirit and the life of Jesus Christ in our spirits, and then we can experience the outward renewal and transformation of our souls and offer our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). When we are filled with God's life, we will live out the righteous deeds of Christ, manifesting the fine linen.

Jesus Christ is the fullness of God, and the body of Christ is the fullness of Christ. Therefore, together with Christ the Head, we become the fullness of God, manifested throughout the universe, filling all things. Without the inward fullness of Christ, we cannot accomplish external acts, such as casting out evil spirits. Only when the church is full of Christ will the final judgment take place. The church’s maturity brings about the judgment of all things, including the beast, the false prophet, the kings, and even Satan.

In the letters from Jesus to the seven churches, we see that God intends for the church to receive the fullness of God's life within. In the letter to the church in Thyatira, overcoming believers receive authority to rule the nations with a rod of iron (Revelation 2:26). As we’ve discussed in other lessons, we can only receive this rod of iron by overcoming “the deep things of Satan” (2:24), which means exposing and removing the work of Satan and evil spirits from our lives. How can we remove evil spirits from our lives? This can only happen when Christ’s life fills us. The more we are filled with the life of Christ, the less room there is for Satan and evil spirits to work within us. Jesus was so filled with the Holy Spirit that he could say about Satan, “He has no claim on me” (John 14:30). As we are filled with Jesus Christ, we can conquer Satan and produce the righteous deeds that are mentioned in the next letter, the letter to Sardis.

After the letter to Thyatira lays the foundation of being filled with Christ’s life internally, the letter to the church in Sardis explains how the church can manifest outward righteousness. Jesus promises that those who overcome in Sardis will be dressed in white garments and will walk with Him in white (Revelation 3:4-5).

The message to these two individual churches reflects the experience of the universal church in Revelation 19. In other words, the authority to rule the nations with a rod of iron (which results from being filled with Jesus’ life) and the promise of being clothed with white garments (messages to Thyatira and Sardis in Revelation chapters 2-3), is fully expanded and manifested in Revelation 19. The latter part of Revelation 19 describes how Christ’s victory and the church’s victory give them the authority to rule the nations with a rod of iron and to defeat the beast, the false prophet, and the armies of the kings. It also shows the bride, clothed in white, walking with the Lord. The bride, as the victorious body of Christ, joins the Lord in judging the nations and the evil spirits behind them.

This principle is not only applicable to the end times described in Revelation, but can also be applied to our personal spiritual lives today. If we are filled with the life of Jesus Christ, we can overcome the deep things of Satan and defeat the enemy's work in us. Then we will be able to walk with the Lord in white garments, displaying Christ's righteous deeds in our lives. Through his victory, we can be included in the 144,000.

The Crown on Christ's Head and the Robes Dipped in Blood

How do we experience being filled with God’s life today? By looking to Christ and imitating Him, as Paul said, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). How do we imitate Christ? By having a true knowledge and revelation of Him. When Jesus came to the earth, many did not recognize Him, and some even mistook Him for Elijah or John the Baptist. However, when He asked His disciples who they thought He was, Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Peter received this revelation from God the Father Himself. As a result, Jesus called Peter the rock, and said the church would be built upon this rock, and the gates of hell would not be able to overcome it.

The degree to which we are filled with God's life depends on how deeply we comprehend the revelation of Jesus Christ. As we gaze upon and look to the Lord Jesus, we experience transformation. Just as a mirror, we reflect the glory of the Lord, and are transformed into His glorious image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:16). The truth revealed by Paul is the key to understanding the victory of the churches of Thyatira and Sardis in Revelation 2-3. Our understanding of Jesus, particularly through revelation, will ultimately allow us to transform into his image.

In Revelation 19, Jesus reveals a vision of his traits and characteristics that can help His people reach maturity. Revelation 19:11 tells us that “the heavens were opened.” This is reminiscent of what happened in Revelation chapters 4-5, when John sees “a door standing open in heaven,” and hears the sound of a trumpet. He is then taken in the Spirit to heaven, where he sees God’s throne and God’s work on the throne. Therefore, John sees that “the heavens were opened” here, and then begins to unveil a series of characteristics and descriptions of Christ.

The characteristics of Christ described in Revelation 19 are the key to the church’s transformation and victory. By knowing Christ personally and understanding the traits of Jesus Christ revealed in Revelation 19:11-16, the church is built up to maturity. The depiction of Christ in this passage is inseparable from the subsequent description of the church wearing white garments and judging the beast, false prophet, and the kings with the Lord. The more we understand and absorb the revelation of Christ, the more we understand our identity and position in Christ, and the more authority we gain to govern the universe and tread on serpents and scorpions.

The descriptions of Christ in Revelation 19 are deliberate and significant, emphasizing His role as the ultimate judge coming to judge the whole world and to avenge the martyrs. In Revelation 6, John saw the saints under the altar, crying out for justice (6:10). In that passage, God told them that the number of those to be martyred was not yet completed. By the time we reach Revelation 19, the number is complete and the time has come for justice.

The cry for justice from the saints, which is a request to judge Babylon the Great, has already been recorded in detail in the first half of Revelation 19. The second half of the chapter describes Christ as the great Judge who judges the Beast, the False Prophet, and the kings of the earth. Verse 11 reveals Jesus sitting on a white horse. He is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. Verse 12 describes Jesus’ eyes as being like a flame of fire, which symbolizes judgment. On His head are many diadems, symbolizing His victory. The verse also says He has a name written on him that only He Himself knows, which indicates His complete victory in every aspect. He is clothed in a garment dipped in blood, referring to the work of His precious blood, which has permeated His robe. This symbolizes that His body (the church) has been cleansed by His blood. These saints have been purified by the blood of Jesus and have been martyred for His testimony. The fine linen worn by the saints has also been purified by His blood. The righteousness of Jesus Christ fills both Christ and His body, the church. The more we understand Christ, who is the head of His body, the more we experience the purity of His cleansing blood in our lives (represented by the fine linen worn by the saints).

Revelation 19 describes Christ’s body, the church, as a heavenly army. They are riding on white horses like He is, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, following Him. This confirms what I said earlier, that the body of Christ, the church, is cleansed by Christ's precious blood, righteousness, and holiness.

As the description of Jesus continues, we learn that He has a sword coming out of His mouth, which can strike down the nations. He will rule them with a rod of iron (19:15). This further confirms that Revelation 19 depicts the victory of both Christ and believers. Like the believers in the church of Thyatira, all victorious believers will rule the nations with a rod of iron.

The letters written by Jesus to the seven churches are secrets to victory for both individual Christians and the church as a whole. While the letters to the churches teach the principles to individual churches, Revelation 19 reveals the victory that happens when the collective church applies the principles. The principles revealed in both passages are the same, and understanding these principles will help us better comprehend the book of Revelation. The former is a prototype, the latter is its fulfillment.

Revelation 19:15 tells us that Jesus Christ will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty, bringing about the final judgment on the beast, the false prophet, the kings, and Satan. In verse 16, we learn that on His robe and thigh, He has a name written: King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. He is the Lord who judges all.

The Relationship Between the Help of the Heavenly Army and the Maturity of Our Lives

In Revelation 19:17, an angel summons the flying birds to gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings and of nations. The flying birds are a part of God's creation, and they help Him execute judgment upon the rebellious kings and people. This demonstrates that even angels and birds can help execute God's judgment, when He commands it.

The false prophet, evil beasts, and kings whom God is judging are part of a greater system that ironically helps God’s chosen people grow and mature. They are like scaffolding that remain in place until the construction is complete. What is God building? He is building the New Jerusalem. The evil kings are like scaffolding, which remain in place until construction is finished.

Another image that helps us understand the role of the kings of the earth is the image that King Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream in Daniel 2. A stone that is not cut by human hands will strike the feet of the great image, crushing it. The stone will then fill the earth, at which point the whole earth will become the kingdom of our Lord and Christ.

The beast, the false prophet, and others are merely branches attached to the great tree (Daniel 4). When it is cut down, the stump of Jesse will remain (Isaiah 11:1). Then new branches will grow from the stump. The great tree of Christ and His new bride will grow.

Revelation 19:19-21 records how the beast and the kings of the earth, along with their armies, fight against the one riding the white horse and are defeated. The beast and the false prophets who worship its image are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. The rest are slain by the sword that comes from the mouth of Him who sits on the white horse, and all the birds are gorged with their flesh. Jesus Christ judges the beast, the false prophet, and the rebellious kings and civilians. Those who worship the image of the beast will receive a double punishment. Their souls will be tormented eternally in the lake of fire, and their flesh will be eaten by flying birds. This is a symbolic image, paralleling the cutting down of the branches of Nebuchadnezzar's great tree.

Conclusion: We Must Eagerly Long for Spiritual Maturity

Many people read the book of Revelation from the perspective of the end times. They focus on understanding its signs so they can identify the Antichrist and the beast in the present-day world. While it is important for us to be alert and recognize the signs of the end times and the characteristics of the Antichrist so we can be watchful in prayer, our main focus in reading the book of Revelation should be on spiritual growth. Without spiritual maturity in our individual Christian lives, it is impossible to gain the victory over Satan in our own personal lives. Before we can even speak of ruling the nations, we must overcome Satan in our own lives and in the lives of our families. It is unfortunate that many Christians look forward to ruling the nations when they cannot even rule their own lives. As a result, Satan is gaining a foothold in their lives and the lives of their families. They are not making use of the tools Jesus has provided, which will give us victory and authority over Satan in our personal lives. Only when we rule over Satan with a rod of iron in our own lives will we be able to use our God-given authority to rule the nations with a rod of iron.

Similarly, when Christ’s church reaches maturity, we will receive a rod of iron to rule the nations and bring judgment on the rebellious nations, the false prophet, and the beast, ushering in the millennial kingdom. I hope that all Christians will deeply meditate on the seven letters Jesus wrote to the churches, as they lay the foundation for the judgments depicted at the end of Revelation. Without the collective maturity of Christ’s body, the church, the millennial kingdom cannot come. The millennial kingdom is not merely something that descends from heaven; it is the fruit of our spiritual maturity.

Our job is not simply to wait for the return of the Lord Jesus. He declared, “I am coming soon,” over two thousand years ago, yet He has not yet returned. He is waiting for us to mature spiritually so that we can become His pure bride and His powerful army, ready to marry Him and defeat His enemies. May we all pray in this way: “Lord, I long for Your return, but I desire even more to mature quickly.”

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Bible Study with Jairus
Revelation 19 (part 1)

God's Salvation Approaches Its Completion

In Revelation 19:7, the Biblical story of salvation reaches a turning point of great significance. This verse says, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready” (NIV). The bride’s preparation is a source of great joy. Why is this such an important turning point?

Romans 8:21 reveals an important link between the salvation of God’s people and the restoration of all creation. One day, God will release His creation “from its bondage to decay” and bring it into “the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:21, NIV). This will only take place when God’s sons are revealed (Romans 8:19, NIV). God will ultimately restore all of creation to its original perfection—but only when God’s children are also set free and revealed.

God says: “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). But his purpose links together creation and his children. All creation longs to be set free. It waits with eager longing for the sons of God to enter into glory. Only then can it be set free from bondage (Romans 8:21). This passage reveals God's method of salvation.

The story of God’s plan to restore this broken world can be traced back to Genesis. After He created the universe, God declared that his creation was good. But when He created humanity, He called mankind “very good.” This was before humanity’s fall.

Before the fall, everything was good, and God’s design for his creation remained intact. However, after Satan’s rebellion, both the heavens and the earth were defiled. One-third of the angels were cast out of heaven, and after humanity succumbed to Satan's deception and rebellion, all of creation fell under a curse. As a result of this disrupted order, lions became predators and venomous serpents began to harm humans. All these were consequences of creation being subjected to bondage.

Yet, Isaiah speaks of a future restoration when all things will be renewed: “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain” (Isaiah 65:25). Even serpents suffer under this bondage. Because Satan used a snake for his evil purposes, all serpents were cursed by God. However, when all things are restored, even snakes will no longer harm anyone.

So, how can all of creation be restored? What is the overarching theme of God's plan of salvation? God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus, through His sacrifice on the cross, became our redemption, taking away our sins so that we might return to the Father. God accomplished this work through Christ and now offers salvation to all who believe. But not everyone will accept his salvation and enter into the glory of the sons of God. The difference between those who accept His gift and those who do not is a central theme of the Scripture.

Jesus Christ is the firstborn Son of God, and all who believe are also sons. We are predestined to enter into God’s glory. However, we go through stages of growth and maturity as we grow into our full glory as sons of God. After being born again, we start out like little children. Then we grow and mature to become full-grown sons. Finally, we become heirs of God through Christ. These stages represent the continual process of transformation. As we mature and ultimately enter into the glory of God's sons, God promises that creation will be set free from its bondage.

In Revelation 19, God's plan of salvation is near completion. The bride represents the mature sons of God as they enter His glory. At the same time, the judgment of the great harlot symbolizes God's judgment on Satan and the evil spirits, who have subjected creation to bondage. During the Battle of Armageddon, Christ and His bride defeat the beast and his great harlot. After this battle, the creation will be set free from its bondage.

From Children to Heirs: A Spiritual Progression

The Bible reveals a process of maturation for God’s children, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. God’s sons must move from infancy to childhood and then to mature sons ready to become heirs. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were like infants, needing the law as a guardian to discipline and guide them (Galatians 3:23-25). However, when Jesus Christ came, He became the fulfillment of the law, so that everyone who believes in Him would be justified by faith (Romans 10:4). The Israelites had to transition from being led by the law as their guardian to accepting the personal leadership of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As we trust in Him and grow spiritually, we become mature sons, ready to inherit His glory.

When the Apostle Paul speaks of God’s children, he uses two distinct Greek words to describe the progression from children to heirs. In Romans 8:16, the word "children" in Greek is teknon ("The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God"). However, in verse 17, it says, "and if children, then heirs." In this verse, the word for children is “huios,” which refers to a mature son. This is the word used when the Father says of Jesus, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).

The entire Biblical story, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, describes a process of growth in the lives of God’s children. But many Israelites rejected this growth, and as a result, many failed to recognize Jesus when he appeared.

When the disciples asked Jesus which prophet was the greatest, Jesus said that John was greater than all Old Testament prophets; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than John (Matthew 11:11). Why? Because no OT prophet had Jesus or the Holy Spirit dwelling within them. But even the least in the kingdom of heaven has Jesus and the Holy Spirit living within them. Since Jesus is greater than Solomon and the temple (Matthew 12:6), those in the kingdom of heaven who have Jesus and the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, are naturally greater than John. But since many Israelites rejected this process of growth and maturity, they were unwilling to accept the justification that Jesus brought.

In 1 John 2:12-14, the Apostle John mentions three stages of spiritual growth that mirror the stages of natural development. Believers start out less mature, like little children. They then grow in maturity, like young men. Finally, they reach the stage of a spiritual father. I believe the American church is in the young man stage. On the other hand, countries like China are in the first stage of maturity. These countries have not yet been evangelized, and the percentage of believers is still very small. For example, in China, there are only about 6% Christians. Although the spiritual life of each individual Christian can vary greatly, the spiritual life of China as a nation is often very immature. The influence of Christian culture within society is also quite limited. In contrast, the United States is in the young man stage because 65% of the population identifies as Christian, and Christian culture has permeated society. Although there is still much corruption in the United States, it is still stronger than countries like China, which are in a pre-gospel state. As the Chinese saying goes, “The sickly camel is still bigger than the horse.”

That is not to say that American Christians have no room for growth. Many American Christians refuse to grow spiritually, and teenagers are in rebellion. This creates many issues in society. If the American Christians would continue to grow spiritually, they would not only be able to address the political and social issues in the United States, but they could also bring a greater and more positive influence to the world.

What does maturity look like in a child of God? On an individual level, maturity refers to a victorious life, reigning with the Lord on the throne (Revelation 3:21). On a collective level, it refers to entering into the glory of God's sons, reigning with Jesus Christ. At that time, we become the mature heirs of God as his bride. This is the scene described in Revelation 19:7-9.

The three main sections of the Bible also mirror the three stages of growth and maturity in the life of God’s people.

1. The first stage includes the entire Old Testament and the Gospels. During this period, the Israelites are like spiritual children. In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus told His disciples that there were many things they did not understand and could not yet bear, and that they would only understand them when the Holy Spirit came.
2. The book of Acts and the epistles address the church’s spiritual growth pains. In one of Paul's letters, he mentions that the Corinthians should have grown to the point of eating solid food, but instead, they were still spiritual infants, only able to drink milk.
3. In John’s letters, some believers have reached the stage of spiritual “fathers.” The Book of Revelation highlights various trials that have helped believers mature. Although there have been victorious saints throughout the ages, the collective process of spiritual growth began in Genesis and ended in revelation.

The Bride’s Fine Linen Represents the Manifestation of God’s Glory

Another metaphor that God uses to describe His people is the Bride. What does the term "Bride" mean? It means we are filled with the life of Jesus Christ to the extent that His life is manifested through us, and we become His replica. We do not shine on our own, but we are clothed with bright, clean, fine linen, allowing God's light to shine through us. The fine linen represents the righteous deeds of the saints. When we are justified by faith in Christ, we are filled with the life of God. This life makes us pure and bright, like a bright inner light. This light shines out through the semi-transparent fine linen we are wearing. The linen represents our righteous acts, which demonstrate the life of God within us.

The Bride of Christ, a replica of Christ, signifies the completion of God’s will. In addition, this metaphor describes a pairing. Those chosen by God as His bride become the New Jerusalem, which is described in the next chapter as the Lamb's wife (see Revelation 21). These three metaphors all describe the experience of God’s people. We are the sons of God waiting to be glorified; we are the bride of the Lamb; and we are the New Jerusalem.

After we are transformed by God's redemption and united with the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, all things will enter into God's glory. This is what is spoken of in the beginning of Colossians 3, where Paul says, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Like a carnation flower hidden within its seed, our lives are hidden with Christ in God. When He is revealed, we will also be “revealed with Him in glory.” One day, Jesus Christ will be revealed as described in Revelation 19, and we will also be revealed with Him and will enter into the glory of God's sons. Right now, we are like the seed of a carnation—not very impressive or beautiful. But when Christ’s life is revealed, the beauty of our lives will unfurl like a flower.

At that time, the scene described in Revelation 19 will take place. We will praise God, and He will judge the great harlot. Before we reach this level of maturity, however, all creation will be ruled by the great harlot, Babylon the Great. This is why Revelation 19:1-6 records the judgment of Babylon the Great.

The Harlot, Babylon the Great, Creates Suffering and Growth

In Revelation 19, the great city of Babylon (the harlot) is mentioned for the last time. After that, it is burned. In Revelation 18, it is important to note that God crushes Babylon the Great rather than simply burning it. This is because Babylon the Great has imprisoned many believers. During a process of purification, God saves the lost sheep trapped in Babylon the Great. Only then does he begin to burn Babylon (18:9). In this chapter, God tells us once again that “the smoke from her burning goes up forever and ever” (19:3).

In Romans, Paul says that believers will one day enter into the glory of the children of God. After our victory, when the scene described in Revelation 19 takes place, all things will be restored. We as believers will be freed from the oppression of the enemy, and creation will be set free from bondage. All of creation will be renewed, just as Isaiah foretold.

Babylon the Great is evil, but her influence is a double-edged sword. As Paul says in the book of Romans, all things work together for good for those who love God. Babylon’s oppression is bad, but it will be used by God to create good. The sufferings Babylon creates help push people toward spiritual maturity. On one hand, she oppresses us, but on the other hand, these sufferings force us to mature. The intense sufferings described in Revelation are part of God’s plan to create intense maturity.

In Revelation 19:1, a great multitude in heaven praises God, shouting “Hallelujah.” They praise God's judgment as true and just and glorify God for avenging the blood of His servants (19:2). This corresponds to the prayer of the saints under the altar in Revelation 6, who cried out for vengeance but were told to wait a little while until the number of those who would be killed like them was complete. I believe that in Revelation 19, the number of martyrs who would be slain by Babylon the Great has reached its full number. This is why God judges Babylon the Great. In 19:3, the saints once again say, “Hallelujah.”

I also noticed that the saints say, that “the smoke of her [Babylon’s] burning goes up forever and ever.” Although it doesn't mention Babylon being thrown into the lake of fire in this passage, the reference to “burning forever” points indirectly to the judgment of the great harlot in the lake of fire. This is the first time I have noticed this.

The next passage describes the 24 elders who are praising God because His work has been completed. All they can say in response is, “Amen, Hallelujah.” These 24 elders are mentioned three times in Revelation, each time in the context of worship—particularly when God accomplishes a great work. At those magnificent moments, the 24 elders, along with the four living creatures, worship the One who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!” Here, the 24 elders have nothing else to say but “Amen” and “Halleluiah,” because God has finished His great work.

In the Bible, there are three significant places where the completion of God’s great work is mentioned. After the Heavenly Father completed the work of creation in the Old Testament, the Bible says “the heavens and the earth were completed” (Genesis 2:1). After the completion of His work of creation, God rested. Similarly, when the Lord Jesus was crucified, He also declared, "It is finished." His death on the cross marked the fulfillment of Christ's work of redemption. However, in the book of Revelation (10:7, 16:17, 21:6), the term "It is done" refers to the bride being fully mature and prepared for her husband, Christ (Revelation 21:6). This indicates that the work of the Holy Spirit was finished. He had transformed Christ's body, the church, into a spotless bride presented to God. After all creation is restored, and God's work is fully completed, then God says, "It is done." Heaven then bursts into joyous celebration and praises God. Following the praise of the 24 elders, a voice from the throne resounds, calling all creation to worship God. I believe this signifies Christ on the throne, leading all creation in worship of God. Subsequently, the heavenly multitude, which is the Body of Christ, responds to Christ’s leadership and begins to praise God.

Conclusion:

The vision presented in Revelation 19:1-10 portrays a heavenly scene in which God's salvation nears completion.

The first half of Revelation 19 reveals three topics:

• The judgment of Babylon the Great
• The preparation of the bride
• Christ leading the bride (and all creation) in to praise God.

The latter half of the chapter unveils Christ's body (the bride) engaging in battle under Christ’s leadership. In the Battle of Armageddon, the church and Christ battle the beast, the false prophet, and the kings who are allied with them. Ultimately, they are defeated, and the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire.

What event precipitates the final judgment? The maturity of Christ’s bride. When she is fully prepared and mature, and the sons of God enter into glory, all these events begin to unfold. God will not judge Babylon the Great until the bride is mature and the number of martyrs is complete. But when the bride is ready, God judges and burns Babylon.

At the same time, the bride attends the marriage supper of the Lamb, and Christ takes her as His own. Christ then leads His bride (and all creation) in a magnificent song of praise to God, who sits on the throne. The 24 elders also bow down to worship and praise God.

Finally, the words of Paul are fulfilled: All things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will be united in worship of God through Christ, fully manifesting God’s wisdom to all creation. Paul writes that his goal is “to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 3:9-10). Perhaps this is why the 24 elders are so awestruck. When all things are restored, and all of creation worships God under the leadership of Christ and His bride, they marvel at God’s wisdom and offer heartfelt praise.

As Christ’s bride enters the glory of the sons of God, all creation is released from its bondage, and we as believers begin to share in Christ’s glory. After Christ is united with His bride, they confront the beast, the false prophet, and their kings before finally defeating Satan, the ancient serpent.

Today’s church is far from mature. We are not yet ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb. This is why I do not believe we are in the end times. Christ’s return cannot be imminent because His bride is not yet mature. We must set aside our speculations about the last days and instead learn the lessons of maturity that God wants to teach us through suffering in this present age. Only then will we be prepared to become Christ’s mature bride.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Revelation 17 (Part 1)

God Judges Babylon the Great by Taking Away Her Power

Revelation 17 presents a spiritual picture of the punishment of Babylon the Great, the great prostitute. This prostitute sits on many waters, which represent various nations and peoples (17:1, 15). This woman is “the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth” (17:18). This verse refers to the spiritual domination of evil forces over the nations. In the book of Daniel, the evil prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood an angel and kept him from delivering a message to Daniel. In the same way, there are various evil spirits exerting influence over many nations. This creates a network of spiritual traps, woven by evil spirits, which dominates people and leads them into sin. Babylon the Great represents this web of evil, and it leads kings and nations to commit sexual immorality (18:9). Today, this web of evil is seen in the entertainment industry. It is well known that some Hollywood actors engage in Satanism, thus participating in spiritual adultery. In this way, they cooperate with the evil spirits that hover over Hollywood and participate in the evil of Babylon the Great.

The prostitute not only exercises dominion over the kings of the earth, but she also rides on a beast with seven heads and ten horns. The seven heads represent seven kings (17:10) and the ten horns also represent ten kings (17:12). God has put it into the hearts of these kings to turn against the prostitute and to make war with her, “to make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire” (17:16-17). What does this mean? It signifies that God causes Babylon and the beast to turn against each other. Why do they turn against each other? Because Satan’s kingdom does not have a firm foundation. It is built on sand, not on the solid rock.

God’s final judgment uses a strategy the Chinese refer to as “removing the firewood from under the cauldron.” In other words, God has removed her chief assets, or “stolen her thunder.” He has attacked her indirectly. He has removed her ability to fight.[i] In the end, God judges Satan (chapter 20); but before that, He judges the beast and the false prophet (chapter 19); prior to that, He defeats Babylon the Great (chapters 17-18); and even earlier, He judges those who worshiped the beast’s image on earth (chapters 14-16).

God destroys Satan’s forces incrementally, as if cutting down a great tree. Those who worship the beast are the leaves, Babylon the Great is the branches, the beast and the false prophet are the trunk, and Satan is the root. God deals with them step by step. Satan’s regime was fueled by the worship of the men who bowed to the beast. The evil spirits gained power from people’s worship, which they then offered to the false prophet and the beast, and they in turn offered to Satan. By removing the worshipers, God stripped Satan’s kingdom of its power.

This strategy reveals the spiritual structure of Satan’s kingdom. All of Satan’s power comes from human worship, which he gains by deception. If God removes the faithful believers from Babylon—those who would rather be martyred than worship the beast—and then judges those who bear the mark of the beast, then Babylon will have no foundation. God has given the earth to humanity, and if people no longer hand over their power to evil spirits through worship, Babylon the Great will lose its strength. Ultimately, this will lead to its collapse.

This is why God incites the kings to attack Babylon the Great. If the beast and the false prophet cannot receive worship from Babylon, they will turn against her. This is the reason for their infighting: God has cut off their source of power. After Babylon the Great falls, God will throw the beast and the false prophet into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19). When Satan loses his backing and support base, his day of reckoning will come (Revelation 20). God will thoroughly judge those who worship the beast, Babylon, the false prophet, and Satan by "removing the firewood from under the cauldron."

This chapter reminds us we must strike sin at its root. In the Book of Daniel, God gives Daniel a vision of a statue whose feet of iron and clay are crushed by a stone cut out without hands. The mixture of iron and clay symbolizes the mingling of sinners and evil spirits. God’s final judgment takes place when the angel hurls the great stone down and pronounces the destruction of Babylon (Revelation 18:21). Once these foundations are torn down, the entire kingdom of Satan will collapse. As Christians, we must work against spiritual adultery, which gives power to evil spirits. We must oppose the worship of Satan which forms the foundation of his kingdom. We must shatter this foundation in order to defeat the kingdom of Satan.

The Great Prostitute Sitting on Many Waters

God’s judgment of Babylon the Great is built on the foundation of His past achievements. God says that all things work together for good to those who love God, including negative things such as evil spirits and the great prostitute Babylon (Romans 8:28). God uses suffering and persecution to mature the body of Christ (His Bride). These sufferings serve as scaffolding, and once God’s construction is completed, they will be dismantled. With these thoughts in mind, let us examine some details in Chapter 16.

Before God judges Babylon, a loud voice comes from the throne of God, saying, “It is done” (16:17). God remembers Babylon’s sin and judges the earth with a great earthquake (16:18). Babylon’s time has run out; the “measure of her sin” is full, and judgment is inevitable (1 Thessalonians 2:16). A similar thing happened to the Amorites in the time of the conquest of Canaan. In Genesis 15, the Lord revealed to Abraham that his descendants would be enslaved in Egypt for four hundred years because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet complete. For the next four centuries, God gave the Amorites a chance to repent, but they did not do so. At that time, judgment was inevitable.

There is another parallel between the conquest of Canaan and the final judgment of Babylon. While God was waiting for the Amorites to repent, the Israelite nation was growing from seventy people into a multitude of millions. When God’s chosen people had gained enough strength, He used them to judge the Amorites. In a similar way, God is giving the world time to repent. Meanwhile, the bride of Christ is growing in maturity. When God’s people are fully mature, God will use the body of Christ to execute his great judgment against Babylon.

When the body of Christ has matured and those who refuse to worship the beast are taken to God’s heavenly throne room, God will begin to judge the earth and those who worship the image of the beast. These people are in alliance with the Great Prostitute.

This chapter explains that the Great Prostitute, Babylon the Great, sits on many waters (17:1) which represent many "peoples and multitudes and nations and languages" (17:15). In other words, humanity collectively engages in sexual immorality with Babylon the Great by worshipping idols. When people worship idols, they abandon the God who created them and worship evil spirits and Satan. Verse 2 explicitly states, "And the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the dwellers on earth have become drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality." Humans are created by God, yet they are tempted by Satan and evil spirits to worship idols.

Verses 4-5 describes the Great Prostitute: "The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: ‘Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.’” This description shows that Babylon the Great, instead of worshiping God, is actually engaging in idol worship.

The Great Prostitute (Babylon) not only worships idols, but also kills those who genuinely worship God: "And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly” (vs. 6). Idol-worshipers use various systems to persecute those who worship God. For instance, King Herod was an idolater who killed John’s brother James in order to please the Jews. The evil system of Babylon killed James through the religious spirit of Judaism and through the evil political leader Herod.

This story helps us explain the spiritual imagery in this chapter. The religious spirit of Judaism and the evil Jewish political system are part of Babylon the Great. Babylon encompasses all fallen religious and political systems in the world. Herod is an example of one of the many kings who was in collusion with Babylon.

The Great Prostitute Rides on a Beast With Seven Heads and Ten Horns

In response to human idolatry, a beast arises. This beast is the Antichrist. He is both a man and a conduit for evil, Satanic spirits. Revelation 17:3 states, “And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns.” Just as Christ became flesh to identify with human beings, Satan and his evil forces manifested themselves as a human being in order to identify with sinners. The beast (who is a human being) shares many characteristics with Satan. Both are represented by red or scarlet animals, and both have blasphemous names. Satan has been a liar, a murderer, and a blasphemer since the beginning, and these traits are also characteristics of the beast.

The beast’s seven heads represent seven kings, as well as the seven mountains on which the woman sits. Some traditional teachings associate the beast with Roman Catholicism, since Rome was built on seven mountains. While this interpretation is possible, I believe that Babylon the Great is much larger than one denomination. It also encompasses the evil elements of fallen Protestantism, Judaism, and other fallen religious systems. (The beast does not represent true believers, but only the fallen religious institutions.) It also encompasses various secular worldly systems. Babylon the Great is an immense snare.

The angel says to John, "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come" (17:8). We know from Revelation 20 that Satan will be imprisoned for 1,000 years, released briefly to deceive the nations, and then finally cast into the Lake of Fire. This beast will share a similar fate.

Perhaps the beast is one of the evil beings that Peter refers to in 2 Peter 2:4. Peter writes, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment...” (2 Peter 2:4). These "chains of gloomy darkness" could be detaining many rebellious angels. Perhaps some are even detained in the second heaven. It is possible that the beast was active in the past but was then imprisoned by God in the bottomless pit. Perhaps at some point, this angel (the beast) will be temporarily released to deceive people.

Regardless of how we interpret the exact identity of the beast, we know he represents a union of evil spirits (including fallen angels) and sinful humans. This passage clearly states that “the seven heads are seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he does come, he must remain only a little while” (17:10). Verse 11 continues, “As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction” (17:11). Thus, it is clear that the beast is the eighth king. This king is human, but he is not an ordinary person. He is possessed by the beast from the bottomless pit, making him a fusion of a human spirit and a demonic spirit. Just like true believers are a union between God’s spirit and the human spirit, the beast is a union between Satan, evil spirits, and sinful humanity.

This reality should be a challenge to all of us. While true believers will grow increasingly holy, those who are sinful will grow increasingly depraved. We as Christians will be united more and more closely with the Lord so we can eventually sit on his throne and reign with him. However, sinners will grow more and more united with evil spirits and will end up sitting on an evil throne with Satan. However, this so-called throne is only an illusion, and it will not be able to withstand God’s final judgment.

Revelation 17:12 says, “And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.” These ten kings do not yet possess their kingdoms, but they will rule with the beast for a short time. In a sense, they will share Satan’s "throne," as stated earlier.

Revelation 17:13 says, "They are of one mind and hand over their power and authority to the beast." Why do humans have the authority to hand over authority to this evil being? In Genesis, God created humans and gave them the responsibility of governing the earth. Therefore, humans have the authority to determine who holds power. Adam’s initial sin transferred authority to Satan, but Jesus reclaimed it through His crucifixion. However, if sinners refuse Christ’s salvation and instead unite with Satan, they temporarily empower Satan to rule over this world.

After the authority has temporarily been transferred to Satan, these evil forces “will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful” (17:14). Christ defeated Satan at the cross, but we as Christ's followers will play a role in Satan’s ultimate defeat. This is the significance of the final battle on the Last Day.

The Ten Horns and the Beast Will Hate the Prostitute

In Revelation 17:16, the angel tells John that “The ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire” (Revelation 17:16). Why will the ten horns and the beast hate the prostitute? The reason is quite simple. The beast originally deceived people through the Great Prostitute in order to take their worship away from God. The Great Prostitute and Babylon the Great had included many true believers who had been deceived. Satan had used the errors of these misguided believers to persecute other believers.

However, by this time, God has exposed and judged the Great Prostitute and called His chosen ones to come out of Babylon the Great (Revelation 18:4). When God judged Babylon the Great and called out all true believers, Babylon’s mask was ripped off. Without the subtle deception of misguided believers within it, the city no longer had any value left for deception and manipulation. This is why the beast becomes very angry.

Satan responds in several ways to the fall of Babylon the Great. On the one hand, he hates the prostitute and attacks her. On the other hand, he leaves behind its indirect approach (using Babylon as a mediator) and begins directly possessing people—namely, the last ten kings. The alliance of the ten horns and the beast indicates that Satan no longer deceives people through the Babylonian system but instead directly unites with humanity. Therefore, in the final battle of the end times, Babylon no longer plays a part. Satan and his armies fight directly with the Lamb and His army.

John describes this final battle in chapter 19, saying, “And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” As you can see, those who are fighting against the Lamb and His army do not include Babylon or the prostitute; only the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the earth with their armies are present. The beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire, and the rest are slain by the sword that comes from the mouth of the one sitting on the horse (Revelation 19:20-21).

Conclusion

God's judgment against Babylon the Great includes the dismantling of the snare that Satan and the evil spirits have set for humanity—Babylon the Great. God rescues groups of true believers from this snare and thoroughly cleanses it. As someone has said, Babylon the Great is like a spider's web that ensnares many true believers. But God's judgment acts like a broom that breaks apart Babylon's web so that true believers can be saved. The true believers who are set free from Babylon may then join God’s army and engage in the final battle against the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the earth.

After winning an ultimate victory, God will judge the beast and the false prophet, throwing them into the lake of fire, thus laying the foundation for the final judgment of Satan (Chapter 20). By the time we get to chapters 21-22, the conclusion of Revelation is imminent. The New Heaven and the New Earth will be created and the New Jerusalem (the Bride and the Lamb's wife, as referenced in 21:1 and 21:9) will descend from heaven. At that time, all pain, sorrow, sin, and betrayal will be wiped away forever.

[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-Six_Stratagems

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Bible Study with Jairus: Revelation 18 (Part 3)

God Strips Away the Desires of Babylon

Beginning in Revelation 16, God deals with the sins of Babylon (16:19). This continues until chapter 19, where the saints praise God for judging Babylon, the great prostitute (19:2-3). Chapter 14 also discusses God's judgment on Babylon.

As we have mentioned multiple times, the great prostitute is the opposite of the Bride of Christ. While the Bride of Christ represents people who love Christ, Babylon represents people who have surrendered to evil spirits and the worldly system. Babylon is full of evil spirits and sinners.

How did these individuals become such a great prostitute? We cannot help but recall the Apostle John's definition of the world: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

We can also say that the world is Babylon, and Babylon is the world. This world is a system established by Satan and his evil spirits to entrap people. Satan uses the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life to take away people’s love for the Father and worship of Him.

Therefore, God's judgment on Babylon deals with these three elements by taking away the things people longed for. Each person longed for different items, including gold, gems, spices, food, expensive building materials and cloth, and other technology and produce (12-13). In the process of judging Babylon, God deprived people of the various things they were previously infatuated with, which included the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Revelation 18:14 says, “The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again!” The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are the ripe fruits that the Babylonian people’s soul longed for.

The principle of God dealing with Babylon not only applies to the collective judgment of Babylon but also to the lives of individual believers. One significant factor hindering our spiritual maturity as believers is our love for the world. On a smaller scale, God deals with our love for the world the same way he dealt with Babylon. When God takes away things we love, He is actually saving us from the world's domination.

Satan’s Resistance to the Threefold Work of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

When we pursue victory in our individual spiritual lives, the primary hindrances to our growth are sin, the world, and the flesh. The Triune God is responsible for dealing with these three hindrances:

• Jesus Christ deals with sin through his precious blood. We must continually deepen our awareness of his sacrifice, as well as our commitment to repentance. In this way, we lessen the influence of sin and apply the cleansing power of the Lord's blood. The Lord Jesus appeared to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), and it is his job to help us rid our lives of sin.
• The Holy Spirit overcomes the flesh. Our flesh is where Satan resides due to original sin. As a result, the flesh resists the Spirit, and the Spirit resists the flesh (Galatians 5:17). But by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can continually put to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:13). As we do, we receive life for our mortal bodies through the Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead and grants us new life (Romans 8:11). After the Holy Spirit regenerates us, our bodies become the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). If we are united with the Lord, we become one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). The work of the Holy Spirit is to transform us into the spotless bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:27). As we are collectively sanctified as the body of Christ, we are made into a spiritual temple in the New Jerusalem, dedicated to God. In short, resisting the flesh is the work of the Holy Spirit.
• The Father judges the world. The world resists the Father. If we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us.

Because God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are involved in our sanctification, Satan opposes all three through the world, sin, and the flesh.

The Father will ultimately judge the world, which is represented by the great prostitute. His method of judgment is to strip away the “fruits that our souls longed for.” When the things we love are taken away, we may feel sad and weep (Revelation 18:15). However, the ultimate outcome will be that the chosen ones who accept God’s discipline will be released from the grip of the city of Babylon (Revelation 18:4).

The Bible tells us that each member of the Trinity will complete their work.

• On the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” to show that his work of redemption was complete (John 19:13).
• In Revelation, the Holy Spirit says, “It is done'”(Revelation 16:17). In this case, he is not signifying the completion of the work of redemption that was already accomplished by Jesus on the cross, but the complete preparation of the bride by the Holy Spirit. Only after the Holy Spirit's work is complete does God begin to judge the sins of Babylon (Revelation 16:19).
• The Father says “It is done” once again when he is finished judging the world (Revelation 21:6). The work of the Trinity is now complete.

Though we still live in the world, Jesus teaches us not to live for the world or allow it to dominate our lives. He tells us that we do not belong to this world (John 17:16). Therefore, it is foolish to try to gain the whole world at the cost of our souls (Matthew 16:26). Our task today is to live in the world but not live for the world.

When we are dominated by the world and do not live for the Lord, the Holy Spirit will intercede for us with groans that cannot be expressed in words (Romans 8). In answer to his prayers, the Heavenly Father may choose to rearrange our circumstances to discipline us. This may include taking away the things we enjoy the most. When this happens, we should not think that God does not love us. As stated in God’s word, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ; all things work together for the good of those who love God (Romans 8). God’s discipline is a sign of his love (Hebrews 12:6). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together to help us break free from the world so we can live for God.

God’s ultimate goal is to grant us the glorious freedom of God's children and to liberate all creation from its bondage to corruption (Romans 8:21). These truths from Romans are mirrored in the book of Revelation. When Christ’s body is mature and becomes the Lamb’s wife (the New Jerusalem), God’s children will obtain glorious freedom. After God's children obtain His glorious freedom, God will judge all evil spirits, cleanse the entire universe, and bring about the restoration of all things.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are working diligently to bring about God’s ultimate goal for His people and for the entire world. However, Satan is also working diligently to hinder the body of Christ from becoming the mature New Jerusalem. To do so, he uses the world, sin, and the flesh to resist the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In this article, we will not delve deeper into the concepts of sin and the flesh. Instead, we will study the relationship between the world and Babylon.

Babylon the Great is Like a Spider Web

In John 17:14-16, Jesus prays to the Father, saying, "I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” We as God's chosen people do not belong to this world. The world is a system established by Satan, and the entire world lies under the sway of the evil one (1 John 5:19). The worldly system refers not only to the material world but also to the spiritual world. The world encompasses both spiritual and material aspects, and is filled with various idols set up by Satan's evil spirits and people ensnared by him.

The worldly system of Babylon is like a spider web, and Satan and his evil spirits are like the spiders who are lying in wait for their prey. Humanity is caught in the web when sinners follow their sinful way or God’s chosen ones are deceived. The web of evil includes not only evil spirits, but also fallen human systems such as politics, religion, society, and other aspects. This treacherous web is woven by sinners with the assistance of evil spirits. Babylon is an all-encompassing giant spider web, a comprehensive world system comprised of evil spirits, sinners, and a fallen world.

When we love this world, anything in the world has the potential to entangle us in the spider web set up by Satan. These things are clearly listed in Revelation 18:12-13, such as gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and slaves. This list comprises twenty-nine tradable goods, but it is by no means exhaustive. This list simply gives examples of material things our souls crave. When we love these things more than we love the Lord, we fall into the snare. The mention of "slaves" also indicates that our affection for people can also be part of the worldly temptation. Jesus even warns, "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37). If we love anyone or anything more than God's word, then these people, things, or objects have become idols in our hearts, taking over and dominating us.

However, God called his chosen ones to come out of the Babylonian spider web: "Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.’" (Revelation 18:4) He gives the same call to us today.

A Woman and A City

In the Bible, God refers to the Bride of Christ as a woman and also as a city, the New Jerusalem. Babylon is also referred to as a woman and a city, Babylon the Great. Why does God use these two images to refer to both Babylon and the Bride of Christ?

First, let's talk about the Bride of Christ. When God uses the image of a woman’s relationship to her husband, he is reminding us of our loving relationship with God. After creating Adam, God removed one of his ribs and used it to create Eve as a wife. God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone.” He then created the institution of marriage, in which “a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Paul discusses the same verse in the book of Ephesians, stating that the union of a husband and wife is a great mystery that points to the relationship between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:31-32). As the bride of Christ, we are God's counterpart, the wife of the Lamb. In the Old Testament, Israel is also compared to the wife of the Lord. In the New Testament, Christ is the Bridegroom and the Church is the Bride. We are created to love and worship God, and the concept of a bride reminds us of our loving relationship with God.

On the other hand, the image of a "city" reminds us of our relationship with God and our role as vessels. God is all-encompassing and desires to fill all things. We are vessels created by God to be filled with His glory. When God dwells within us, our life with God is manifested as a city that contains the presence of God. The body of Christ, as a spiritual temple, is the work and building of God. We are built together with God through the Spirit. The New Jerusalem is the result of us being filled with God.

Similarly, Babylon is described as a woman to remind us that she is the harlot of Satan. When people love the world and the things in it, they demonstrate their love for Satan, which is spiritual adultery. James 4:4 says, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (NIV). When we are snared by worldly things which are under the control of the evil one, we essentially demonstrate our love for Satan. The heart of the struggle between God and Satan is a battle for the love and worship of humanity. If people choose to love God, they become the Bride. If they choose to love Satan, they become the harlot. The Apostle John agrees with this truth by stating that if we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us. By loving the world, we choose to love Satan instead of God. When Satan tempted Jesus, he offered Him all the splendor and glory of the world if He would bow down and worship him. However, Jesus responded, "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve" (Matthew 4:10). Even though Jesus used the word “worship,” he could have substituted the word “love,” since Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Babylon is also described as a city because it is an evil temple of Satan. It is the outworking of people who are filled by Satan. Just like New Jerusalem is the temple of God in the Spirit, Babylon is the temple of Satan.

Babylon, the great harlot, is full of jealousy towards the Bride’s loving relationship with God. Throughout the ages, the harlot has killed many of God's children out of jealousy. These martyrs cry out for God's judgment from beneath the altar. God comforts them and asks them to be patient for a little while, until the number of martyrs is complete (Revelation 6:9-11). Finally, when the number is complete, they stand by the sea of glass praising God (Revelation 15). Thus, this vision initiates the domino effect of God's final judgment. The harlot and city of Babylon are a part of God’s sovereign work that eventually leads to the maturity of God’s Bride (Romans 8). Once the Bride of God is mature, God will destroy the harlot and the city of Babylon.

Conclusion: The Great Cost of Our Love for the World

When we love the world, we are in essence building the city of Babylon, which represents the world and is built on a sandy foundation. However, when we love Christ and cherish the word of God, we are building on the rock, which is destined to endure forever.

Many Christians and people of the world do not resist the temptations of the world and Satan. They love the present world like Demas did (2 Timothy 4:10), or like Lot's wife who became a pillar of salt. If we are unwilling to let go of the world, we will lose many valuable things, as the Babylonians did. Paul teaches that even if we are saved, we will be saved “so as through fire.” Our works (represented by hay, sticks, and straw) will be burned up (1 Corinthians 3:15). When God burns down the city of Babylon, He will destroy the useless works of those who loved the world, and countless people will mourn because their works are consumed (Revelation 18:15, 19). Just like God dismantled the Tower of Babel, which was built by sinful and deceived people among God's chosen ones, God will dismantle the works of his people who choose to live for the world.

However, if we are willing to consecrate ourselves and forsake the world, we will become part of the Bride of Christ. We will dwell with God in eternity as Christ’s beloved bride, and we will also be the eternal temple of God, the New Jerusalem.

May we not only detach ourselves from the city of Babylon but also refrain from participating in its building. Those who persist in unrepentance will face the ultimate fate of being thrown into the lake of fire with the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 14:10, 19:20-21).

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Bible Study With Jairus

Acts 10 (Part 2)

The Story of Peter and Cornelius:

A Faith Leader and a Political Leader Collaborate to Bring the Gospel to the World

Should Christians be involved in politics? And how does that question relate to the story of Cornelius and Peter? That is what we will learn in this devotional.

I have been taught in church for many years that Christians should not get involved in politics. However, more and more American Christians have begun to realize the dangers of not participating in politics. They’ve seen how ungodly people are seizing power, Christian and conservative groups are being persecuted, and America is in danger of losing its religious freedom. All this has led many American Christians, including Chinese Christians in the United States, to actively participate in politics and strive to change the society.

What does the Bible say about politics? Many Christians have begun to realize that the Bible never teaches believers to avoid politics. As king, David surely participated in politics. As we will see, the resistance to political involvement may stem from a misunderstanding of the teaching of submission to authority mentioned by Paul in Romans 13.

There’s no doubt that participating in politics will be controversial, but the price of not participating in politics is also high. If the church avoids politics, Satan will use the spirit of religion and evil political forces to persecute the church. For example, he used the religious forces of Judaism in Jerusalem, combined with the evil political forces of Herod, to kill James and capture Peter in Acts 12.

However, God can also use the cooperation of godly church leaders and godly political leaders to combat the schemes of Satan. In Acts 10, we see how Peter, a representative of true faith, and Cornelius, a godly Gentile political leader, worked together to expand the reach of the gospel from the small circle of Jerusalem to a vast number of Gentiles. Their collaboration had extremely far-reaching significance and removed the limitations that the religious spirit was attempting to place on the gospel.

If godly faith and upright politics do not work together, the religious spirit (false beliefs) will combine with evil politics, causing great harm to society and limiting the influence of the truth. We must reflect on God’s teaching in Genesis 1:26, in which God commands us humans to rule the earth. The church represents God’s authority in the world, and political avoidance may not necessarily be in line with biblical teachings. Christians should be salt and light in the world. Though we should not jump into political battles purely for our own benefit, we should learn from Peter's example and influence politicians to spread the gospel and the kingdom of God.

What Does the Bible Say About Christians in Politics?

Let’s examine the origins of the belief that Christians should not participate in politics. First, Christians point to the fact that we must pursue a spiritual kingdom, not a worldly kingdom. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, the disciples hoped that He would free the earthly kingdom of Israel from the oppression of the Romans, but the Lord told them, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (John 18:36) It was not God’s will for the disciples to fight Christ’s captor, because he had to be crucified to fulfill God’s plan of redemption. But this does not mean that we should avoid our responsibilities in the world. Elsewhere, Jesus taught us to be salt and light and to influence the entire world. He also taught us to make disciples of all nations. Naturally, this includes winning politicians to Christ through participation in politics. Our partial and one-sided understanding of some of the teachings of the Bible has led us to a faulty theology, which in turn led us to pursue a heavenly kingdom to the exclusion of positively impacting the world.

Second, some wrong theological ideas promoted in the United States in the 1970s taught that Jesus could come back at any time, so there was no need for children to go to college or to actively participate in society or politics. At the time, books about Jesus’ return were very popular, and many Christians dressed in white and waited on the mountains for the Lord to rapture them. But nothing happened. Now, it is 2024, and the Lord has still not returned. These erroneous teachings create obsessions with the Lord’s return while leading Christians to neglect their participation in everyday society. Because of these fallacious teachings, American Christians have gradually lost their influence in the realm of education. Since the 1950s, American public schools have gradually stopped allowing the teaching of the Bible and prayer. Little by little, children have been influenced by leftist ideas, resulting in generations of children who have been brainwashed by the far left. In addition to this, homosexuality has become rampant and has even begun to affect children in primary schools. Christians in the United States are gradually awakening to this phenomenon. They realize they have lost influence in schools, school boards, media, entertainment, and politics at the local and national levels. Some Christians are even facing small amounts of persecution. Not only are anti-God voices filling schools, media, and entertainment, but many Christians are being persecuted for praying and adhering to biblical values. As a result, many Christians have begun to reflect on their role in politics. They have not only returned to their faith, but also reconsidered the teaching that political involvement is wrong. As a result, many Christians have started influencing society by actively participating in politics and being salt and light in the spheres of media and entertainment.

Third, a one-sided understanding of Paul’s teaching on submitting to authority in Romans 13 has caused Christians to be too passive. Total submission to those in power is very popular among Chinese Christians. Because of the severity of persecution, they did not dare say no to evil politics, so they used Romans 13 to cover up their cowardice. However, this teaching is not in line with God’s teachings. Of course, Paul did teach that we as Christians should submit to government authorities because they were ordained by God to administer justice. However, the Bible also says many times (often through the mouth of Peter) that we should obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). In the past, I was deeply influenced by the idea of total submission, but God showed me through dreams and visions that Christians should participate in China’s political movements to uphold social justice and promote the spread of the gospel.

Cornelius Needed Visions to Help Him Recognize and Accept Peter's Message

God not only guides Christians, but he also guides people who do not know Him to guide them toward salvation. Acts 10 describes how Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian cohort, was a god-fearing man who prayed often. As a result, God gave him a vision and asked him to go to Peter to preach to them the gospel.

The same thing happened to me. Looking back, I can see that God was subtly guiding me, even when I did not yet know him. In recent times, I have heard many testimonies of Muslims in the Middle East who converted to Christ after God gave them dreams and visions. In the dream, Jesus appeared to them and asked them to read a certain passage in the Bible, leading to their salvation. This shows that God can come in person to directly preach the gospel to people. So why did God choose to send an angel of God to ask Cornelius to invite Peter to preach the gospel to him? Because God wanted Cornelius and Peter to collaborate, as we mentioned at the beginning of this lesson. Even though God or an angel could have preached the gospel to Cornelius directly and saved him and his family, God wanted the righteous political forces represented by Cornelius to join hands with the godly religious forces represented by Peter so that God’s gospel could extend beyond the small religious circles in Jerusalem to the entire Gentile world. This shows the magnificence of God’s great plan.

God revealed to me that the “Chinese Whistleblower Movement” that started in 2017 was from Him. The purpose was to provide a platform for Christians to preach the gospel. In turn, when the gospel is preached, it will change the hearts of the Chinese people and provide a solid foundation for democracy to take root in China. I will share more of these revelations in my upcoming content. For now, I will share that when I followed God's guidance to join this movement and publicly stated what I believed to be God's plan, I received a lot of opposition from the Buddhist and atheist members and founders of this group. They could not accept the idea of Christianity taking the lead in their movement. I quickly realized that these politicians needed God’s supernatural revelation through dreams and visions so they could humble themselves and recognize the importance of the gospel. After they resisted my attempt to join them, I saw God gradually begin to guide them through circumstances so they could learn the lesson of humility and learn to recognize God's will. I pray that like Cornelius, they can understand God’s will and humbly accept the guidance of God’s gospel.

Peter Needed Visions To Break Through His Narrow Religious Ideas

Likewise, Peter needed a vision from God to overcome his rigid religious ideology. First, God needed to break down the idea that Jews and Gentiles could not have contact. In the Old Testament, God restricted contact and intermarriage between Jews and Gentiles, mainly to protect the Israelites from worshiping idols as the Gentiles did. He wanted to preserve the purity of the Jewish line through whom Christ would come. After Jesus Christ accomplished redemption on the cross, the Jews no longer needed these dietary and social restrictions. Jesus made all things and people clean again. But as a Jew, Peter continued to follow the Old Testament way of thinking. Therefore, when God gave him a vision of different types of unclean animals and asked him to “kill and eat,” he said that he had never eaten anything common or unclean. But God said, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” The same vision was given to him three times in a row.

Visions and dreams convey God’s message through pictorial language. The various animals represented the Gentiles. They were originally unclean, but God had now cleansed them. God was telling Peter to boldly throw off the shackles of religion and preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

When the Lord Jesus was on earth, he did indeed teach his disciples to preach the gospel only to the Jews. However, after his crucifixion and resurrection, the Lord Jesus taught his disciples to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Times had changed, and so had God’s guidance. The redemption accomplished by the Lord Jesus on the cross changed everything.

Paul spoke extensively on this topic. He said that Jews and Gentiles were originally separated, but because Jesus destroyed this hostility on the cross, Jews and Gentiles have now been reconciled. We are now members of one body (Ephesians 2:11-17 ). "For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:18). Though these truths were later revealed through Paul, Peter did not have access to this revelation at the time he met Cornelius. That is why God had to reveal this truth to him through visions.

The Jewish people were God’s greenhouse, where his redemption was planted and nurtured. However, the purpose of a greenhouse is to eventually transplant the seedlings into larger vegetable gardens. Although God’s plan of redemption came through the Jews, God does not want to limit the gospel to one small people group. But because the Jews were unwilling to give up their sense of superiority, they rejected God's will and did not allow the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. This was due to human jealousy and narrow-mindedness.

After Jesus Christ was resurrected, he told his disciples to make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But the minds of the Jewish Christians were restricted by the laws of the Old Testament and they were unable to embrace God's guidance for the new era. As a result, they limited the gospel to Jerusalem. Even Peter originally embraced this narrow-minded ideology.

In addition, the religious forces of Judaism and the evil political forces represented by Herod were working together to confine the gospel of God to Jerusalem and keep it within the sheepfold of Judaism. Therefore, God urgently needed to enlighten Peter through visions so that he could break away from these narrow religious concepts and bring the gospel to the Gentiles. As Peter and Cornelius started working together, the gospel of God began to advance, and the Holy Spirit’s power reached the Gentiles. It was the beginning of a new era in Christian history.

The Collaboration of Faith Leaders and Political Leaders Continues Today

The examples recorded in the Bible not only reveal God’s guidance for that era, but also reveal a divine principle for later generations. The story of Peter and Cornelius’s collaboration is not only for the people of that time. The same story has also been replicated repeatedly throughout the ages.

For example, American Christians are working with political forces to influence the society of America. For many years, American Christians have prayed for the United States, repenting of the sin of massacring Indians, selling slaves, and killing babies. They have prayed for God’s care, healing, and forgiveness for America. As a result, faith has returned and many Christians have been revived. These same Christians actively participate in politics and support candidates who promote Christian values in order to restore America's conservative values. The people in these movements are not perfect, and many have shallow beliefs, but they represent a force of church revival. I believe this collaboration between people of faith and people of power will bring about the return of American Christian values. The recent election of Congressman Mike Johnson, a devout Christian, as Speaker of the House is a positive result of the convergence of conservative beliefs and political justice in the United States.

This is not only happening in the United States, but God has also revealed to me that it will soon happen in China. Previously, I had only planned to serve God in Christian circles and had never thought of participating in any political movement. I not only believed that Christians should not be involved in politics, but I was also afraid. I knew that Christians would have to pay a high price to participate in politics, especially in the face of evil political oppression. Although I am in the United States and do not have to pay a huge price personally, I am still worried that it will cause trouble to my family. But God revealed to me through a series of dreams that His will for me was to participate in the political democratic movement He initiated. As the gospel is preached to those who participate in the democratic movement, it will help the country of China come to know God. God revealed to me that I will play an important role and hold an important position in this movement in the future.

One night, I had a strange dream. I was riding a bicycle down the street as a group of democrats on bicycles chased me. The more they chased me, the faster I rode. This action depicts my fear very well. But these democrats finally caught up with me and said to me, “Thank you for your books and gospel messages. You helped our democratic movement to win.” This is just one of the dreams I have had. God has revealed to me through many other dreams that the preaching of the gospel by us Christians will help many Chinese political figures learn to know Christ. As these leaders begin to pursue justice and faith, they will bring great change to China. May God's will be done.

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Bible Study with Jairus

Revelation 18 (Part 4)

Sorting Good from Bad:
The Judgment of Babylon Is Like Cleaning Out a Dusty Attic

Revelation 18 talks about God cleansing Babylon. God's cleansing of Babylon is not about simply destroying it, but about meticulous separation and sorting. It reminds me of cleaning out Grandma’s dusty treasure chest in the attic. Inside this treasure chest, there is dust, trash, and treasures. It requires careful work to sort through the items in the chest. To use another metaphor archaeologists carefully clean artifacts at a dig site, separating the precious cultural relics from the rock. In the same way, God carefully preserves the good in Babylon while throwing away the bad.

Because God treasures every soul caught in Babylon's web, he smashes the city but does not completely annihilate it. The Bible says God sends His angels to cast it down like a great millstone rather than directly burning it to ashes. Wouldn't it be easier to just throw Babylon the Great into the lake of fire and burn it? Yet God smashes the city to pieces rather than burning it. Just like we crack a walnut shell while preserving the nut inside, God smashes Babylon’s idols and impurities but saves those caught in its web.

The Complex Work of Separating Good From Bad

The Chinese metaphor, "投鼠忌器" (Tou Shu Ji Qi), refers to the dilemma of a homeowner who wants to kill mice that are hiding behind valuable porcelain. The owner wants to rid the house of mice but is afraid of smashing the valuable pottery. This is an excellent picture of God’s cleansing of Babylon the Great. Since many of God’s people have been snared in the worldly web of Babylon, God faces a dilemma as he prepares to judge it. Babylon, which resembles a spider's web created by Satan and evil spirits, has captured many of God's people in its web of lust, pride, and worldliness (see 1 John 2:16). As God’s work of judgment nears completion, He intends to cleanse Babylon of its evil. How will God accomplish this cleansing? Is it by burning? No. God overturns the city but does not mention burning it, because many of God's chosen people are trapped within its snare. If God would leave ninety-nine sheep in the wilderness to look for one lost sheep, God would not forsake any of the lost sheep captured in Babylon the Great. Thus, in judging Babylon the Great, God faces a situation akin to the metaphor "Tou Shu Ji Qi."

However, God's wisdom surpasses human wisdom and God’s ways are higher than human ways. While humans may inadvertently damage the china while trying to catch the mouse, God finds a way to punish the evil while preserving the good. Second Peter 2:9 says, “The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.” (ESV) God sends an angel to cast a mighty stone, the size of a great millstone, into the sea. The angel says, ““So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and will be found no more” (Revelation 18:21). God intends to carefully separate Babylon from His chosen people. How? Through His word. God's word says, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her plagues" (Revelation 18:4). God calls to His chosen ones through His word, commanding them to separate themselves from the city of Babylon the Great. God’s word has the power to decide between good and evil. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." God’s word can distinguish between Babylon and God’s chosen people who are ensnared by Babylon.

But this act of casting down the stone (Babylon) requires skill. For example, cracking a walnut without destroying the nut meat requires skill. It takes practice to learn how hard to hit the shell with a hammer or a nutcracker. If you are skilled, you may be able to strike the shell once and instantly separate the shell from the meat. Even though the walnut shell shatters, the kernel remains intact. The same is true of Babylon. When Babylon the Great is thrown down like a stone, the system of the world that does not belong to God will be smashed to pieces, but God’s chosen people will escape. Thus, God's judgment of Babylon separates good from evil, just like a nutcracker separates the shell from the kernel.

God calls upon His people to depart from Babylon the Great, warning them of impending judgment. Yet once they have been ensnared by the world, they are like flies caught in a spider’s web—unable to free themselves. Only external force, like a broom, can break the web and set the flies free. In the same way, Babylon's ensnaring web needs to be broken so God's chosen people trapped within it can be set free. Perhaps the only way for God’s people to be set free is for the stone (Babylon) to be thrown down and broken. This is a work of separation, and this is God’s plan.

The reason Babylon was able to snare people was that it contained some good things mixed in with the bad. In Revelation 18:22, we learn how God removes the shiny, tempting fishhooks that lured and deceived us: "The sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more" (Revelation 18:22). God removes some of the good things in the city, like a homeowner sorting through an attic filled with trash and treasures. In God’s love and mercy, he does not rashly burn the entire city. Instead, he sorts the good from the bad. God calls his chosen people out and saves them. After rescuing them, the rest of Babylon will be shattered to pieces.

The text goes on to say, "And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth" (Revelation 18:24). What else is in this spider web? Within this web, there are remnants of prophets, saints, and others who have been killed. This indicates that believers have been ensnared in this web, and some martyrs have been killed by it. Why were these prophets and saints killed? Because the harlot, Babylon, is jealous of the Bride of Christ. Throughout history, idolaters have been jealous of those who worshiped the true God without fear.

In Revelation 6, the saints under the altar cried out for justice and prayed that God would avenge their blood and judge Babylon the Great. God comforted them and asked them to wait for a while until the number of people who would be killed like them was complete (Revelation 6:9- 11). In Revelation 18, God answers the prayers of the saints under the altar. God judges Babylon the Great and avenges the blood of the prophets and saints killed by Babylon the Great.

An Old Testament Reference to the Fall of Babylon

In Jeremiah 51, God predicts the judgment of Babylon. At the time, Babylon had captured the Israelites, but God promised that at the appointed time, seventy years later, God's chosen people would leave Babylon. Verse 45 says, “Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of the Lord!” This verse is very similar to Revelation 18. God allowed the Israelites to be taken captive by Babylon, but He also called His chosen people to come out of Babylon.

God also revealed to Jeremiah that He would one day execute final judgment on Babylon. Verse 52 says, "Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will execute judgment upon her images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan" (Jeremiah 51:52). This is the same picture God paints in Revelation.

Jeremiah 51:61-64 says, "And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, and say, ‘O Lord, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate forever.’When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates and say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.’” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.'" Jeremiah instructed Seraiah to tie a stone to the book containing the prophecy against Babylon and cast it into the Euphrates River. In the same way that the book sank, Babylon the Great would one day sink. In the same way, in Revelation 18, an angel throws a stone into the sea to symbolize the sinking of Babylon the Great.

In Jeremiah 51:63, we find a beautiful picture. Just as Jeremiah asked Seraiah to bind a stone to God's words and cast it into the Euphrates, God's judgment always includes his words. In Revelation, we find that God’s words are bound up in his judgments. As he judges Babylon, he also says, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues" (Revelation 18:4).

Let’s look at some verses that will help us understand the relationship between God’s word and God’s judgment.

God's word is Christ, and Christ is God's word.

• "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).
• “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).

Christ is the Rock.

• “For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:4 ESV)

Jesus is the judge.

• "The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22).
• "If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day." (John 12:47-48).

Jesus is the word, Jesus is the judge, and Jesus is the rock. God’s word, preached by Jesus, judges people. This word judges people, separates good and evil, and smashes Babylon the Great. Angels are the agents of God's judgment on people, but Jesus is the true Judge.

Our Souls Are a Mixed Bag: "A Golden Cup Filled With Abominations”

When we trust in Christ as our Savior, our spirits are instantly born again. If we believe, we are saved, and God promises to glorify our bodies and raise us from the dead to eternal life. Salvation is accomplished in one second. However, here on earth, our soul still struggles with sin. Many Christians, although saved, lack the sanctification of our souls and the renewal of our minds. It is as if we are trapped in Babylon the Great. We need the sanctification and healing from God.

Just like Babylon is described as "a golden cup full of abominations" (Revelation 17:4), filled with impurities, our souls today are filled with impurities mixed with goodness. Our souls are extremely precious; Jesus Christ shed His precious blood to save our souls. Yet many of us also have too much filth in our souls. Our souls are a mixed bag. We are full of good things given to us by God, but we are also filled by webs of deception and sin that Satan has woven in our hearts.

Our souls are a mess. If there were a special X-ray machine that could discern all the thoughts and ideas in a person's soul, you would see that a person's soul is similar to Babylon the Great, full of goodness mixed with adulterous thoughts. But there is hope! As the Bible says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12). God's word can distinguish between good and evil. He can discern all the thoughts and intents of the heart, and he can separate the good motives from the bad.

In the future judgment, God will require us to give account for every word we have spoken (Matthew 12:36). Every thought and every motive will be judged by God. God will carefully separate good from bad and distinguish between corrupt and pure motives. No human is wise enough to accomplish this delicate work, but God can. Just like it is difficult for humans to kill mice while preserving porcelain dishes, it is very difficult for humans to sort out what is right and what is wrong. But God can accurately separate His chosen people from their enemies who ensnare them. God’s word says, “No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). God can accurately see each created being, even Satan and evil spirits.

God will one day judge us with his word, but we need His word every day. We need God's word and God's Spirit to cleanse us. We need God's word to discern the thoughts and intentions of our hearts and souls and to carefully separate the good from our bad (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word sanctifies our souls, frees them from the corruption of the world's desires, and helps us partake in God's divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). God’s word fills us with God's Spirit so we can experience the sanctification of our souls, the renewal of our minds, and the transformation of our hearts (Romans 12:1). The word of God will separate good from evil and save us from Babylon the Great.

Conclusion: God’s Sanctifying Word Can Separate Soul and Spirit

Not only is today’s world like Babylon the Great, but so are our souls. Our minds are full of good things from God but also of confusion and deception from Satan. Our emotions love God but also adore the world. Our wills confront the enemy but also sometimes confront God. Each of us is at a different level of sanctification. As God continues to cleanse the evil of Babylon from our hearts, we will gradually abandon the corruption that comes from the world's desires and become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). In this way, we gradually escape from Babylon’s snares so we will not receive its judgment.

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Bible Study With Jairus—Revelation 21

The New Jerusalem Is the Wife of the Lamb and Her Beautiful Display

The New Jerusalem is a beautiful heavenly dwelling place for believing Israelites and New Testament saints. God is at the center, and the Father is transcendent, permeating everything. The New Jerusalem is the wife of the Lamb, adorned with extreme beauty. Her finest adornments are not gold and silver, but the inner adornments of imperishable virtues more lovely than fine jewelry (1 Peter 3:3-4). Her testimony, dedication, and love for God throughout the ages will be the building materials that God uses to create the beautiful New Jerusalem. These virtues will make the Lamb’s wife exceedingly beautiful on the day of the wedding feast with the Lamb.

In a dream, I saw a heavenly house being literally constructed with virtues. In the vision, I saw a Christian’s sister’s house in heaven, which was constructed using the lady’s virtues and spiritual gifts. The courtyard wall of her house was fused with grapevines full of grapes, which represented spiritual fruit. Another wall was full of music boxes that could play music, which represented her talents. I believe that the New Jerusalem is a dwelling place constructed by the collective virtues and talents of all the believers in heaven.

The New Jerusalem is a part of the new heaven and the new earth, but not its entirety, just like Los Angeles is only one part of the United States. There is more to heaven than the New Jerusalem, and there is more to our heavenly experiences than the scenes described in the New Jerusalem. The Bible only describes part of the heavenly history because it would take an eternity to describe everything we will do in heaven. The New Jerusalem is only one part of the new heaven and new earth, but there is also much more beauty and glory to discover in the new earth.

Will The Vastness of Heaven and The New Jerusalem Continue To Expand?

Heaven is immensely vast. Revelation 21:1-2 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” These verses tell us that John first saw a new heaven and a new earth and then saw the holy city, The New Jerusalem, descending from heaven. Later, God tells us the dimensions of the New Jerusalem: “The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal” (Revelation 21:16). One stadion is approximately 600 feet, so 12,000 stadia is about 1364 miles, roughly the distance from Los Angeles to Dallas. This helps us imagine the size of this city. It doesn’t come close to covering the earth’s surface, and certainly doesn’t fill the vast universe or heaven itself. So what is the New Jerusalem? It is the Holy of Holies in heaven. Revelation 21:22 records, “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.” Does the city represent the entire temple or only the Holy of Holies? I believe the New Jerusalem may be a larger version of the Holy of Holies, and the entire earth is the Holy Place. Beyond that is the Outer Court. Mature believers have entered the Holy of Holies and have entered God’s presence. The New Jerusalem is the wife of the Lamb, the Holy of Holies where believers join together with God.

Why do I mention that there is also a Holy Place and an Outer Court? Because even after the New Heaven and the New Earth are born, and the New Jerusalem descends from heaven, the Bible still mentions that outside the city “are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” Outside are unclean people who do what is detestable or false (see Revelation 21:27). They can never enter into the city; only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life can enter the city (Revelation 21:27).

This verse raises a question. If unbelievers have already been thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15), why does this verse say that the unclean are outside the city? Why are there still detestable things in the new heaven and new earth? How can we understand this? Is there a possibility that the lake of fire is outside the New Jerusalem? This could be possible. In the Old Testament, the book of Isaiah mentions that in the last days, God will choose the Israelites as priests to lead the nations to worship God in Jerusalem (Isaiah 66:20). Moreover, Isaiah 66:22-24 says, “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord. And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” According to this scripture, those who come to worship God will have the opportunity to see the punishment of those who rebelled against God, including their dead bodies. Similarly, at the end of Revelation, God mentions unclean people who are outside the city. Perhaps they are in the lake of fire outside the city. In addition to the lake of fire, I believe there may be a Holy Place and an Outer Court as well.

Revelation also mentions that the leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:2). This verse is also difficult to understand. If our resurrected bodies no longer get sick and our spirits are perfected in heaven, why would we still need to be healed? I believe it’s possible that the New Jerusalem is a place of intimate connection to God that not all people will immediately access. Like the Holy of Holies, not all are granted access. Perhaps some people escape hell but still need healing, discipline, growth, and sanctification in order to enter the city. If the New Jerusalem represents the Holy of Holies, it would make sense that there would also be a Holy Place and an Outer Courtyard outside of it.

Although the New Jerusalem is the center of the new heaven and the new earth, it is not the whole thing. In my dreams and visions, I saw the souls of some Chinese people living in a valley. They were in darkness but not in hell. I believe these souls might still have the chance to continue learning and getting to know the Lord. Then they may be allowed to enter the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:26 and 22:14).

But will they live in the New Jerusalem, and will the New Jerusalem continue to expand eternally? Is the size of the New Jerusalem described in Revelation fixed, or could it continually expand until it fills the infinite universe? As more people are sanctified, will they be able to enter the Holy of Holies, and will the Holy of Holies expand to accommodate them? The answers to these questions are unclear. If the New Jerusalem does not continue to expand, we should seize every opportunity to spiritually mature so we can enter the city of God.

The New Jerusalem Is the Manifestation of Our Resurrected Bodies

Revelation tells us that the New Jerusalem is the Lamb's wife, and that the church is the bride of Christ and the body of Christ. Are we the body of Christ in a spiritual sense only, or does this depiction also have a physical side? There is certainly a spiritual aspect, in which both men and women can be a part of Christ’s bride. The New Jerusalem is described as the Lamb’s wife, but it is also described as a physical city built with precious stones (Revelation 21) We as believers are also said to be living stones, being built up as a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). We as believers are the building blocks of the city.

What does this mean? What are living stones? To understand this concept, we must break free from our materialistic concepts. Heaven exists in a different dimension, and some say that even the grass in heaven can speak. We need to leave behind our preconceptions as we grasp this metaphorical language.

This brings me back to my dream about the Christian sister’s heavenly house. In the dream, the walls of her house were alive and were built of her spiritual gifts and talents. Grapevines were growing within the walls, as a part of the wall, bearing abundant fruits. This points to the fact that this sister has the gift of evangelism and has brought forth abundant fruit as she has led people to salvation. Not only were the walls alive, but the door was also alive, made of something resembling bricks that were full of life. The door had a music box that could play music. This sister loves music, and after hearing my testimony, she said that she never thought God loved her so much that he would place a music box on the door of her heavenly house!

As Christians, we trust that not only our spirits will be renewed in eternity, but also our bodies. What will our bodies be like after the resurrection? We can only speculate based on the appearance of the Lord’s resurrection body. When Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection, they thought He was a spirit or some type of ghost without a body. However, Jesus told them that a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as He did. He specifically stated that he had a body, bones, and flesh that could be touched. He even ate a piece of fish in front of them to demonstrate the physical nature of his body (Luke 24:36-43). He had a physical body in the resurrection, and so will we. Yet our bodies will be nothing like our current bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-45).

An example from nature will help us understand this. A caterpillar transforms into a chrysalis and finally into a butterfly. If we hadn’t seen such a transformation with our own eyes, it would be hard to believe that such a thing could happen. In the same way, the transformation and resurrection of human beings will be marvelous. One day we will be like caterpillars, the next we will go through the cocoon stage, and after the resurrection, we will obtain another form, just like butterflies. It will be truly incredible. I believe the New Jerusalem is a manifestation of our resurrected bodies. We will still be individual beings, but we will also be part of something bigger. It’s clear from Scripture that we will still be individuals; Jesus said that after the resurrection, we will be like angels, neither marrying nor being given in marriage (Matthew 22:30). This statement assures us that we'll remain individuals; we won't lose ourselves. But we will also be living stones that are being built together. How? Will we be literally linked together arm to arm, standing on someone else's shoulders? No, God builds us together through the life of God within us, linking us together. He is over all, through all, and in all (Ephesians 4:6).

A few examples from nature may help us understand these spiritual realities. A coral polyp is an individual, yet it builds and spreads and creates a network of dead coral polyps that turn into reefs. Slime mold creates an even better illustration of this concept since slime mold is alive. This type of mold not only grows as individual mold organisms, but also communicates and cooperates with other single-celled organisms to create efficient systems for the distribution of nutrients. A group of Japanese and British researchers strategically placed food in a pattern that mimicked Japanese subway stations. In response, the slime mold units worked together to create a pattern of tunnels that was remarkably similar to the pattern of the efficient Japanese subway systems. Several slime mold organisms connected and grew together as one network. In this example, each slime single-celled mold organism was an individual with life, yet they grew together to form a larger organism, exhibiting various shapes, structures, and forms. This is truly a wonderful thing, and it is an illustration of how we will remain individuals and yet will grow together into a dwelling place of God in the spirit.

In the New Jerusalem, we will live inside the city, yet we will also be a part of the city. We will live in God’s building/tabernacle, yet we will also be the living stones that it is built of. This is a profound mystery that cannot be fully described in words. Yet the story of the house built of grapevines and music boxes gives an image of this reality. The grapevines and the walls were one, forming a living unity. These walls were part of the house, but they were also a part of this Christian sister, since they represented the spiritual fruit of her preaching and were inextricably tied to her identity. This grapevine was also rooted in God and was also a part of God's building. This concept is truly marvelous. I believe that the New Jerusalem is a wonderful manifestation of our resurrected bodies.

The New Jerusalem Is the Glorious Wife of the Lamb

This city is full of the glory of God (21:11) because God’s people are filled with God’s glory and the New Jerusalem is the Lamb's wife, the church. Believers are created to be filled with God’s glory, vessels of His glory, manifesting His glory within them. Therefore, when the church is built into the New Jerusalem, it will naturally be filled with the glory of God.

We are not only living stones, but also precious stones (21:11). This means we have undergone a transformation, just like rock undergoes high pressure and change to become precious stones. The gates are made of pearls (21:21), which reminds us that pearls are formed when oysters experience irritation from a grain of sand and secrete a special coating to create the gem. This also speaks of transformation.

The city’s twelve gates have the names of the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed on them (21:12). The city’s twelve foundations contain the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (21:14). This shows how Israel and the New Testament church are joined together through Christ, the cornerstone. In Him, both grow together into a temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:20-21). This is the beautiful display of the unity of Christ’s new bride, but who will view this display? If we showcase something but have no audience, then the display loses its meaning. Who is the audience for this display? It's all of God's creation, including everything in heaven, on earth, and beneath the earth. This is why I believe that there is certainly a Holy Place and an Outer Court apart from the Holy of Holies (the New Jerusalem). The church has an audience that stands in awe of what Christ has done in unifying Jews and Greeks in his body. Outside the Outer Court is the lake of fire.

This city does not need the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God gives it light (21:23). The present world needs the light of the sun and moon, but the future world will only need the light of the New Jerusalem, because God's light brings all the life, warmth, and nourishment we will ever need. In a way, we will become part of this “sun.” No wonder Proverbs 4:18 says, "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day."

Revelation 21:25-27 says, "and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." This verse indicates that there are nations that live outside the city. Perhaps these are the nations referred to in Revelation 22:2 who live in the Outer Court or Holy Place but continue to mature until they are admitted into the Holy of Holies. They do not necessarily live inside the city, but they bring their glory into it. Those dwelling in the city are those whose lives are mature enough to enter the Holy of Holies. Those in the lake of fire outside the city cannot enter it. This is confirmed again in Revelation 22: "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." (22:14-15) Those who wash their robes are redeemed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, but they are not mature enough to wear the bride’s “fine linen.” Clearly, they do not live in the city; if they did, there would be no need to talk about gaining the right to enter the city. There are difficult levels of spiritual life and maturity, and we must seize every opportunity to love and sacrifice for the Lord on earth today, so we can enter the Holy City one day. Let’s make the most of every opportunity during our precious time on earth so we can enjoy the full blessings of the life to come.

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Bible Study with Jairus: Revelation 14 (Part 3)

Why Did the 144,000 Offer Heartfelt Praise?

Revelation 14 opens with these words:

Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

Why are these heavenly visions placed at the beginning of the chapter? These heavenly visions are not only meant to encourage people in heaven, but also to encourage people who are still suffering on earth. As we saw in the last chapter, many people were facing severe persecution for not worshiping the beast. They were risking their lives to bear witness to the testimony of Jesus. According to Revelation 19:10, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Because of their suffering, God gave John a vision of this heavenly scene and the great reward awaiting those who suffer. This message was intended to comfort those undergoing trials. This perspective helps us understand why God gave John this vision. Heavenly visions can be a great source of strength for those who are suffering.

Let’s learn a bit more about the 144,000 and their song of praise to God.

Who Are the 144,000?

This group likely contains people who were martyred for refusing to worship the beast, as mentioned in Revelation 13. There may have been others in the group as well, and not all who refused to worship the beast were martyred immediately. However, there were likely some martyrs in the group. In addition, the passage specifically states that the 144,000 have not been defiled with women. What does this statement mean? Should we take it literally? Does this group include only men who have never been close to women, excluding men who were married (like Peter), as well as single women? In this case, perhaps Paul would be included in this group.

If we interpret this statement spiritually instead of literally, we can imagine that it refers to people who are spiritually pure. This interpretation may be more appealing to those who are married. However, the passage may have been intended to be taken literally. It is possible that the 144,000 were literally men who had never been close to women.

Some people believe the 144,000 are the members of the twelve tribes of Israel who were sealed by the angel in Revelation 7:4. But this does not account for the fact that these 144,000 have not been defiled by women.

So who are they? We don’t know for sure. But it seems clear that at least some of them are martyrs. These devoted believers would rather be killed than worship the beast, and they have made great sacrifices for the testimony of Jesus. The rewards and glory they receive in heaven should greatly encourage those currently suffering.

The New Song Sung by the 144,000

Why do these 144,000 people sing a new song? Because each person's salvation story is an individual masterpiece of God. God is the same, but each person's experience of God's salvation is unique. When we overcome the trials in our individual lives, we each compose a new song of praise to God. Only after trials and hardships can we exude such sincere praise. Though we may not see God’s grand plan right now while we are on earth, once we reach heaven we won’t be able to hold back our praise. Once we see how God worked everything together for good, we will offer a unique song of heartfelt praise for God's salvation.

Everyone's suffering is unique. As a result, their experience of salvation is unique, and the praise they offer is also unique. For example, a drug addict who has experienced the pain of drug addiction and the power of Jesus' redemption will have a unique song of praise that non-drug-users cannot share. Similarly, someone who has been sexually assaulted experiences Jesus' salvation and comfort in a unique way. As a result, this person’s new song will be different from the song of someone who has not had the same experience. Each person has a unique way of experiencing God’s salvation, so each person will have a unique psalm of praise for God’s goodness.

I shared this concept with some Christians who are involved in a political movement to eliminate the Chinese Communist Party. I explained, “Because we have responded to God's call to participate in the cause of eradicating the Communist Party, we experience suffering and persecution that are incomprehensible to both American and Chinese Christians who do not participate in this movement. However, in the future, when we welcome a new democratic and free China, the praise we offer to God will be something others cannot comprehend.” We will sing a new song of praise to God that is unique to us.

In the same way, the experience of American Christians is something that Chinese believers cannot fully participate in. Even though the United States is a Christian country, religious freedom has been under attack in recent years. There is a danger of losing the country's values, which are based on Christianity. Many American Christians have prayed for America and tried to revive its Christian values, and this experience is something Chinese Christians cannot fully understand. Meanwhile, Chinese Christians who are still on the mainland are holding onto their faith despite years of persecution. As a Chinese Christian living overseas, I cannot fully relate to their experience. Each believer will sing a new song of praise to God that will not fully resonate with people who have had different experiences.

In the same way, these 144,000 individuals had a unique song of praise to God. By giving up relations with women, they made sacrifices that married people with wives and children cannot fully comprehend. I heard the testimony of a modern-day Christian brother who dedicates himself to God and lives in celibacy. He said that he did not care about sexual relationships between men and women but longed very much to have children. When he sees others with children, he feels very lonely. He had made a very great sacrifice with his decision to live in celibacy.

When these 144,000 childless individuals see that God has not forgotten them and has richly rewarded them, they will sing a song of praise that is unique to their experience. The Bible specifically promises that celibate people who keep God's law will receive more beautiful blessings than those who have children (Isaiah 56:5). Those without children will receive special blessings from God.

God does not forget any small sacrifice we make for Him. He will reward us beyond our imagination. Jesus promises that if we forsake our biological family connections to follow Him, we will not only receive a hundredfold in this world but also eternal life in the world to come (Matthew 19:29).

The vision in Revelation 14 is just a glimpse into the ways God works. It shows that God does not ignore the sacrifices we make for him. He even remembers the small sacrifices we make. Jesus says that anyone who gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is His disciple will not lose their reward (Matthew 10:42). God will remember our service and dedication, and he will greatly reward us. This vision is just a small example of the rewards God will bestow, but the principle it reveals will encourage countless people who are bearing witness to God amidst suffering.

Seamless Transition between Heavenly Perspective and Earthly Perspective

An expert videographer smoothly transitions between close-up shots and distant perspectives. Sometimes, the lens focuses on the foreground, making the background blurry. Other times, the focus shifts to the background, and the foreground becomes blurred. However, a good camera lens can transition seamlessly, and a skilled director will use this transition to express the intended meaning.

The Holy Spirit often employs the same technique when inspiring the writing of the Bible. For example, David often begins his psalms by focusing on the details of his life in the foreground. He complains and pours out his distress about his enemies and their persecution. As the psalm progresses, he shifts his focus to a bigger perspective. He focuses on the greatness of God in creating the heavens and the earth, caring for humanity, and appointing them to manage the universe (Psalm 8).

The same transition happens between Revelation 13 and 14. Revelation 13 shows people on earth being persecuted for refusing to worship the beast, while Revelation 14 shows people in heaven receiving great rewards from God. The passage smoothly transitions from talking about earthly matters to talking about heavenly matters, and from material concerns to spiritual concerns. The Holy Spirit transitions smoothly and naturally between foreground and background and between earth and heaven.

We need to do the same in our spiritual lives. If we only focus on earthly matters and ignore what is happening in the spiritual realm, we may feel discouraged by the difficulties in our everyday lives. When we think about heavenly visions, we will be encouraged. At the same time, since we are living on Earth, we must also pay attention to what is happening on Earth so we can be prepared for hardships and have the right mindset to face challenging circumstances.

We must smoothly transition between seeing things from a spiritual perspective and seeing things from a practical perspective. We are still living in the world, and we still face difficulties. We need to focus on heavenly visions and earthly realities so we can be prepared to handle all the challenges we will face.

Martin Luther: The Suffering of Life is Like the Reversed Lead Type in Printing

It is said that Martin Luther, a pioneer of the Reformation, once said that suffering is like the movable type in the old printing presses. When a printer looked at the movable type, it was difficult to read because the letters were reversed and did not form sentences. However, when the newspaper was printed, these isolated and reversed letters suddenly became a beautiful piece of writing.[1]

In the same way, when we look at our suffering with our limited earthly perspectives, we cannot see God’s good intentions. But when we reach heaven and receive His rewards, we will see that all our present sufferings were permitted by God to fulfill His good will in us. At that time, when we see God's good intentions, we won’t be able to hold back our heartfelt praise. I believe that the 144,000 have gone through many hardships on earth. While on earth, they likely did not understand the meaning of these hardships, but when they stand before God's throne singing a new song, they finally understand God's good intentions. Therefore, they offer a new song that only they can sing. Every person who suffers for the sake of God's will will one day sing a new song to God.

A Warning Before the Great Harvest

At the end of the chapter, an angel warns that those who worship the beast will suffer in sulfur and fire forever (Revelation 14:9-11). The vision at the beginning of this chapter and the warning at the end of the chapter relate to the warnings and calls of the two angels that follow. God always gives warnings in advance. The Old Testament prophet Amos says, “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Throughout the Bible, God always reveals His character and principles through His prophets and apostles. He warns people about the consequences of their behavior. He tells them what he is about to do so that people can choose to either follow or ignore Him. God gives people free will, so the ultimate result depends on people’s free will. He allows them to make a choice, even about significant matters such as salvation, eternal life, and eternal death.

A Call to the Saints

Revelation 14:12 says, “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” During trials, God gives us visions to strengthen our faith so that we can be gathered like grain into his barn. Revelation 13:10 also says, “If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.” The passage addresses the appearance of the beast and how it will overcome the saints. Everyone whose name is not recorded in the Book of Life will worship the beast (Revelation 13:7-8). God wants to encourage those who are going through trials and tribulations, once again proving that the theme of Revelation is the testimony of Jesus. When we suffer for the testimony of Jesus, God not only encourages us through His prophetic words but also promises us great rewards in the future. This is the principle taught in the story of the 144,000 standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, and it is something that every person experiencing persecution and difficult circumstances needs to understand.

As I have mentioned many times, suffering by itself is not enough to bring maturity. Suffering is an external circumstance, and it can’t bring maturity on its own. Only when we see God's will in suffering can we be preserved through suffering. As we live in the will of God, experience the visions he gives, and dedicate ourselves to prayer, we will see for ourselves that God works all things together for good.

[1] I read this quote in Chinese but could not find it in English. I apologize for not having a source.

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Bible Study With Jairus—Matthew 3

John the Baptist’s lifestyle Illustrates God’s New Wineskins

When John the Baptist arrives on the scene in Matthew 3, he is wearing camel skin clothing and eating locusts and wild honey. What does his odd lifestyle signify? It depicts the beginning of a new spiritual movement started by John. This movement is not rooted in the temple and priestly system, even though John is a descendant of the priestly line. It is a brand new spiritual revival that John is launching in the wilderness.

The starting point of this movement is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). In addition, the movement emphasizes the baptism of repentance. The salvation brought by Jesus Christ must begin with repentance. Since this movement is new, like new wine, it requires new wineskins (outer religious structures). John severs himself completely from the priestly traditions and the temple. Instead of wearing priestly garments, he wears camel skin. As he preaches in the wilderness, he doesn't base his new spiritual movement on his priestly ancestry, on the temple, or on Israel’s Old Testament worship system. He rejects the material provisions of the priesthood and eats locusts and wild honey, symbolizing his complete faith in God’s provision. When one cannot sever material ties with religious systems, it is difficult to avoid being spiritually bound by the old religious system. Hence, whenever a new movement of God arises, we often see people who love the Lord faithfully (including pastors) leaving the financial support of their original religious systems to pursue the Holy Spirit's work in a new era. For instance, during the 1970s in the United States, when many pastors involved in the charismatic movement received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, many of them lost their positions as pastors of traditional churches. As Jesus said, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins” (Luke 5:37-38).

When John the Baptist arrives on the scene, Judaism has become deeply bound by the evil spirits of religion and legalism, and can no longer contain God's work in the new era. This is why God has sent John the Baptist into the wilderness to announce the coming of the ministry of the Lord Jesus. The work of this new era must start from scratch and be rebuilt from a new foundation, which is Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus is the new wine and the new wineskin. The new wine signifies new content, while the new wineskin represents a new structure, form, and vessel. Thus, John's arrival and actions in the wilderness highlight God's work in the new era. John wearing camel skin clothing and eating locusts and wild honey illustrate that God's work in the new age starts from a completely new foundation.

John's Arrival Is The "Voice of One Crying in The Wilderness"

Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament. After the last Old Testament book was written, there were about four hundred years of divine silence. During this time, we have no record of any prophetic words from God. This is highly unusual. The book of Hebrews says, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world" (1:1-2). This verse reminds us that God spoke frequently to the Israelites through many prophets and in many ways. Prophets were an important part of Israel’s history. Even during the reign of the worst kings like Ahab, there were great prophets like Elijah. So it was extremely unusual for the Israelites to go 400 years without a prophetic word from God.

God is a speaking God, so why this silence? Perhaps it helps to remember that to God, a thousand earthly years are like one day (2 Peter 3:8). As the book of Malachi closed the Old Testament canon, God had plans to send Jesus just 400 years later. These 400 years seemed like just a moment to God—less than a day. In the book of Revelation, when the Lamb opens the seventh seal, there is silence in heaven for about half an hour (Revelation 8:1). In the same way, the 400 years of silence must have seemed like a moment of silence to God. Why this silence? The entire universe was holding its breath, anticipating the imminent birth of Jesus Christ. Just like the silence in Revelation before the seventh seal was to usher in the seventh trumpet and bring God’s judgment and the repentance of many people, the four hundred years of silence would usher in the coming of the Lord Jesus.

After 400 years of silence, John's arrival is like the appearance of the morning star in the darkness, announcing the coming of dawn (Christ). For this reason, Malachi specifically mentioned at the end of the book, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction." (Malachi 4:5-6). These are the last two verses of the Old Testament. This passage may refer to the end times and the return of the prophet Elijah. However, Jesus explicitly told His disciples that John was Elijah who was to come, but people did not recognize him (Mark 11:14, Matthew 9:13). When the angel announced to Zechariah that his son John would be born, he also said, "and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (Luke 1:17).

In addition to the prophecies in the Book of Malachi, Isaiah also prophesies that John would be the voice of one crying out in the wilderness. Isaiah 40 states, "A voice cries, ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain’" (Isaiah 40:3-4). In Matthew chapter 3, the Holy Spirit confirmed through Matthew’s pen, "For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’" (Matthew 3:3).

The wilderness is a place of trial and transformation. The Israelites faced trials in the wilderness as they traveled through it to the Promised Land. Moses once spent forty years in the wilderness, and Jesus also spent forty days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. After experiencing the trials of the wilderness, these individuals received the power of the Holy Spirit. After Jesus underwent trials in the wilderness, He received the power of the Holy Spirit and returned to Galilee. The Bible does not tell us exactly when John arrived in the wilderness, but we believe John endured a prolonged period of trials in the wilderness. After the trials in the wilderness were over, he received the power of Elijah so he could proclaim the coming of Jesus Christ and turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.

The Bible seems to imply that John the Baptist had not met Jesus before his baptism (except when he met him in the womb in Luke 1:41). In John 1:31, John says, "I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." Again, in verse 33, John says, "I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’" This interesting verse seems to imply that John couldn't recognize the Lord in the flesh but had to see and know the Lord in the Spirit. In addition, Luke 1:80 says of John, "And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel." It seems that God hid John for a while, then revealed him to the world at the appropriate time. This reveals a principle of God’s work in the new era. When God chooses to perfect and prepare people for his service, he often hides them in the wilderness until their time comes.

In 2016, God revealed to me that there would be a great revival in China in the future and that he was calling me to be a part of this revival. In 2018, a Korean prophet prophesied to me about my role and responsibility in this coming revival. However, he also reminded me, “You are still placed by God in the wilderness. You need to learn more about surrendering to God. You must wait for God’s appointed time.” In 2013, the Lord gave me a vision of revival spreading like a tornado across the whole earth, slowly growing in size. I believe that my personal experience is characteristic of the way God often works. He hides people in the wilderness to prepare them for his service. When his time comes, He will use them to announce the beginning of a new spiritual movement.

John's Rebuke of the Pharisees and Sadducees – “Bear Fruit Befitting Repentance”

At the beginning of a new spiritual era, people often exhibit several different attitudes. The first is resistance and contempt. Most likely, many traditional Jews expressed contempt toward John. They may have believed that John's camel skin clothing was unclean. In the same way, people despised Jesus for coming from Galilee. “No prophet comes from Galilee,” they said.

Secondly, at the start of a new spiritual movement, we often see people attempting to infiltrate and disrupt this new movement. This is what the Pharisees and Sadducees attempted here. God initiated a new spiritual work through John: a baptism of repentance. However, the Pharisees and Sadducees did not repent. They attempted to infiltrate the new spiritual work by undergoing baptism, but they did not have good motives. John severely criticized the religious leaders: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (Matthew 3:7-10).

The Pharisees and Sadducees felt superior to others, believing that the Israelites were God’s chosen people who were guaranteed salvation. This sense of superiority might have become a veil in the hearts of the Pharisees and Sadducees. John rebuked them for their smug attitude. He told them that it was not enough to rely on being descendants of Abraham, because God could even raise up children for Abraham from stones!

Though Paul speaks of the salvation of all Israel in the end times (Romans 11:26), I don’t believe it means that every Israelite in history will be saved. This question is controversial, but I believe that some Israelites will be eternally lost. In the Book of Daniel, when speaking about Israel’s future, the angel said, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." (Daniel 12:2). Being a Jew does not necessarily mean you are automatically saved.

Paul also states elsewhere, "But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’" (Romans 9:6-7). In Galatians 3:7, Paul says, "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham."

These Pharisees and Sadducees were bound by the spirit of religion and legalism. Their concern wasn’t the redemption of Jesus Christ or the path of repentance and baptism offered by John; they were concerned about their own interests and doctrines. Hence, when they attempted to be baptized, John sternly reminded them that they must bear fruit in line with repentance.

The Pharisees and Sadducees represented the old wineskins centered around the temple and the priesthood. It is true that in the past, God chose the physical temple as His dwelling place. However, God's work in the new era is not about constructing an external temple, but a spiritual one (1 Peter 2:5). Jesus said he was greater than the temple (Matthew 12:6) and greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42). Moreover, Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). After saying this, John explains, "But he was speaking about the temple of his body" (John 2:20-21). Jesus was inaugurating a new spiritual era; He was constructing a spiritual temple. This temple far surpasses the former temple of the Old Testament era; it also surpasses the temple built by Solomon. Hence, God's work in the new era, the new spiritual work, must be entirely established on a new foundation—Jesus Christ. And John the Baptist was proclaiming the arrival of Jesus Christ.

This present era marks a dividing point where God starts a new spiritual era and new spiritual work. Faced with the arrival of a new era, will we recognize the work of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or will we be hindered by old religious concepts? Throughout history, many believers have been unable to recognize God's work in a new era; instead, they have resisted God's new guidance. This is something we should be vigilant about.

Jesus Baptizes People in the Holy Spirit and Fire

John's message is crystal clear. First, Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). This is the message of repentance that he preached. Second, Jesus is the One who baptizes people with the Holy Spirit and fire. Over the ages, some churches have accepted the fact that we can be baptized in water , but ignored the fact that Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire. In the book of Acts, they only knew about the baptism of John. The people he preached to were unaware of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Later, Paul came and laid his hands on them, and they received the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, even today many Christians have not fully accepted or experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion:

Every new spiritual era requires a renewal and transformation of our minds, as well as the outpouring and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. John experienced trials in the wilderness. He received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and his mind was renewed. Only then could he usher in a new era of spiritual work.

As we face a new spiritual era, we must be open to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the renewal of our minds. Even if we have already received the indwelling Holy Spirit, we still need a greater outpouring of the Spirit. Everyone needs a fresh outpouring of God’s power. God’s work is always fresh and new. We must undergo a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit so we can receive power for the spiritual work of the new era. We must continually renew our minds and be transformed into new wineskins that can contain the new wine that God is producing in the new spiritual era.

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Bible Study with Jairus
Revelation 18 (Part 2)

The Fall of Babylon and the Symbol of An Olive Press

Revelation 16 depicts the fall of Babylon the Great. The Holy Spirit showed me that Babylon the Great is a symbol of evil, like a nest full of evil spirits and impure birds. They not only resist God but also ensnare and deceive believers.

Therefore, God's judgment on Babylon the Great involves placing it in the winepress of His wrath. God calls His people to leave Babylon the Great before the city structure collapses.

Babylon the Great is an Olive Press

In this world, there are three spiritual realms. We humans live in the first spiritual realm; Satan and his evil spirits live in the second spiritual realm; and God dwells in the third spiritual realm. I sometimes call these three spiritual realms the three heavens.

Babylon the Great is the dwelling place of Satan and evil spirits in the middle spiritual realm between heaven and earth. Christ (who lives in the heavenly realm) and humans (who live in the earthly realm) yearn to be connected through marriage. Thus they collectively press against the middle realm as they try to unite. This pressing or mutual attraction will ultimately crush and overthrow Babylon the Great.

In the same way, the indwelling Christ and the Holy Spirit long to fill the Church and all things; the body of Christ longs for the Holy Spirit’s filling; and all of creation yearns to be liberated from its bondage to corruption. These forces attract each other, just as a bride and groom are drawn to each other, ultimately leading to the marriage feast depicted in Revelation 19. Eventually, heaven will invade earth, and heaven and earth will merge, crushing Babylon the Great which lies between them.

The structure of these three realms mirrors the three areas of the tabernacle, which contained the Holy of Holies, the Holy Place, and the Outer Court. It also mirrors our human existence, in which we have the spirit, soul, and body. In our personal lives, the spirit and the body cooperate to sanctify the soul. Our spirit has been born again and has become God’s dwelling place, like the Holy of Holies. The Holy Spirit desires to fill the Holy of Holies (our spirit) with his presence and gradually expand outward. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and they long to be freed from the bondage of corruption and receive the glorious freedom of sons of God. Like earth and heaven attract each other, so do the body (God’s temple) and the spirit (God’s home). But in between is the soul, which is sometimes adulterous. However, the body and spirit attract each other, ultimately leading to the renewal of our minds and the sanctification of our souls (Romans 12:1). This force purifies our adulterous souls.

Babylon the Great is a mixture of several spiritual substances, like a golden cup full of both good oil and dregs. The cup is full of abominations (Revelation 17:4). When God poured out Babylon the Great, it was like placing olives in an olive press. The olive oil is pressed out while the dregs are thrown into the fire and burned.

Just as oil comes out when olives are pressed, and the sediment is thrown into the fire and burned, God will destroy the evil in Babylon the Great. When God’s glory descends from the third heaven (Revelation 18:1), and believers continue to pray for God’s judgment and salvation (prayer under the altar, Revelation 6:10), God accomplishes his final judgment against Babylon the Great. The blood of countless saints was shed in Babylon the Great, and many believers were ensnared. As God judges Babylon the Great, he calls to the ensnared believers and dismantles the lair of evil spirits and burns it. From this, we can see that Babylon the Great is symbolized by an olive press.

Babylon The Great Exists in the Middle Spiritual Realm

As mentioned previously, there are three spiritual realms. All things in heaven and earth belong to God, and all of the world should be filled with God’s glory. However, Satan defiled heaven, the dwelling place of God (also known as the third heaven). After being cast down to earth, the devil took up residence in the middle realm (also known as the second heaven). By occupying this middle realm, he blocks God’s will from being done on earth.

On the cross, Jesus Christ not only completed the work of redemption so that humans can be reconciled to God, but He also cleansed the heavens once and for all (Hebrews 9:23). God not only cleansed the heavenly realm (represented by the Holy of Holies), but is also cleansing the earthly realm so His will can be done on earth as it is in heaven (represented by the Outer Court). The middle realm (second heaven) is occupied by Satan and the evil spirits, who have ensnared and deceived many believers. Therefore, God must also purify the second heaven. This is God’s mode of operation.

God not only purifies the three heavens, but also our personal spiritual lives. In the process of salvation and sanctification, God first renewed our spirit (represented by the Holy of Holies). His presence then expands outwards and fills our body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual growth is a result of human initiative and God’s initiative. It is not solely God’s work or man’s work. Rather, God’s work from the throne and man’s prayers from the altar collectively propel God’s work forward. As we long for more of the Holy Spirit’s filling, God responds by working in our lives. Our prayers and spiritual desires can be compared to digging a tunnel in a mountain. We dig on one side of the mountain, and God on the other side, and eventually we break through. In this way, God cooperates with man.

However, Satan’s mode of operation is to resist God in the soul, body, and spirit. First, He resists God through the sins of our flesh. Since the Lord Jesus crucified our flesh when he completed the work of redemption on the cross, Satan’s next spiritual battlefield is our soul. Our souls dwell between the body and the spirit, and they must choose to either listen to the spirit or to the wrong choices of the flesh (body). If our souls (and minds) make the right choices by choosing the spirit, it leads to life and peace; if our souls make the wrong choices by choosing the flesh, it leads to death. This is the truth revealed by Paul in Romans 8.

Satan has already been thrown out of the heavenly realm (third heaven), which is why he now lives in the middle realm (second heaven). At the same time, the battle between God and Satan continues in the earthly realm. These battles on earth are directly impacted by the battles taking place in the middle realm, the realm of the angels and demons. On the one hand, Satan constantly opposes God’s will in the middle realm, just like the demonic prince of Persia resisted the angel God sent to convey messages to Daniel (Daniel 10:13). On the other hand, Satan constantly deceives and ensnares believers on earth by influencing them from the middle spiritual realm.

This is why many believers have been deceived and have fallen into the net of Babylon the Great, which is in the middle realm. This net contains a mixture of deceived believers, sinners, and evil spirits. So how should God judge this mixed bag? Just like in the image of the olive press, God will separate the sediment from the wine, the wheat from the chaff, and the evildoers from the believers. mentioned earlier. When God puts Babylon the Great into the winepress or oil press, He will extract the oil from the olives and the wine from the grapes. When the wheat is harvested by God into His barn, the chaff (including evildoers and evil spirits) will be severely judged by God. These people will be thrown into the fire by God and burned.

"Heaven Invades Earth" and "The New Jerusalem Descends from Heaven"

I recently learned that our solar system is traveling northward at a speed of 20 miles per second. Moreover, the Bible reveals that the third heaven, where God dwells, is in the extreme north (Psalm 48:2). Therefore some speculate that earth is constantly moving closer and closer to God’s dwelling place, making it plausible for the New Jerusalem to descend from heaven on a physical plane. I am uncertain if this aligns with science, but it certainly does spiritually.

The Bible reveals to us that the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven, and it is explicitly stated that the New Jerusalem is a bride prepared for her husband (21:2). This leads to two complementary spiritual truths. First, God’s glory will descend from the third heaven, as verse 1 of this chapter says, “After this, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory.” Revelation 21:2 says that God will come down to his people: “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” (NIV) On the other hand, we as believers will also ascend to God as we grow and mature in Him. Ephesians 4:15 tells us that we, his bride, must continue to mature so that we can grow up into Christ, who is the Head (Ephesians 4:15).

We cannot merely anticipate the descent of God’s holy city from heaven; we must also ascend to him as we mature. Our spiritual lives should be like balloons, which float upwards until we sit with Christ on his heavenly throne (Revelation 3:21). When we are burdened by too many earthly and physical entanglements, it is like tying stones to the balloon, hindering it from floating upwards.

In my visions and spiritual experiences, I have been carried by God to heaven. I have also flown independently to heaven. This shows that a person’s spirit can ascend to God. With God’s help, our spirits can sour to heaven. In some of these experiences, my spirit has been attacked by adversaries and evil spirits as it went through the middle realm, or second heaven.

These stories and experiences show that the Body of Christ, His bride, is constantly ascending to the third heaven. The bride includes the martyred believers throughout the ages who have been massacred by Babylon the Great for their testimony for God. In Revelation 6:10, they incessantly pray from heaven that God would judge their murderers and bring them. Perhaps they say, “God, may the believers on earth continue to mature. We have finished our race, but they have not yet completed theirs. As a result, we cannot yet receive our reward (Hebrews 11). So please help them mature as soon as possible so that you may judge Babylon the Great who shed our blood.” Perhaps God also responds in a similar way, telling them to endure for a while longer until the number of martyrs is complete. Once this number is complete, God's judgment will be poured out on Babylon the Great.

In the passage we are studying today, that number is finally complete. God’s judgment comes upon Babylon the Great. However, even in the midst of such judgment, God hasn’t forgotten to save His chosen people who were ensnared by Babylon the Great. John records, “Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues’” (Revelation 18:4). From this passage, we can see that God’s judgment on Babylon the Great includes the deliverance of those believers who have been ensnared and deceived.

In the next chapter, Revelation tells us that the Bride of the Lamb has made herself ready and is fully prepared for her wedding feast (Revelation 19:7). In the very next chapter, the Lamb and the Bride are ready to be married. The Bridegroom in heaven, Jesus Christ, and the Bride on earth have been drawn toward each other. They have constantly pursued one another, ready for a grand embrace. This embrace will crush and overcome Babylon the Great, the harlot, who has vehemently sought to prevent this embrace.

We see a similar picture of desire in the story of Isaac marrying Rebekah. Isaac needed comfort after his mother’s death, so his father Abraham (representing the Heavenly Father) sent his servant (representing the Holy Spirit) to his homeland to bring Rebekah. When Rebekah arrived on a camel, Isaac was waiting outside the tent, eagerly anticipating her arrival. Upon seeing Rebekah, he received her as his bride, brought her into the tent, and was comforted. This is a beautiful picture. Isaac represents Christ, who is eagerly anticipating the arrival of his bride. Rebekah represents the bride, who was willing to undergo a strenuous journey (symbolized by riding the camel) to get to her Bridegroom.

In the book of Revelation, the bride is finally ready to meet her Bridegroom, and the New Jerusalem descends from heaven. Before the wedding feast, God judges Babylon the Great, the harlot, because this harlot has stolen people’s worship and ensnared God’s chosen people. Babylon the Great is the counterfeit bride and she must be judged.

The Fall of Babylon the Great and the Haunt of Unclean and Detestable Birds

Revelation 18:2 records, “And he [the mighty angel] cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.’” NASB Did Babylon the Great fall first and then later become a dwelling place for unclean and detestable birds, or was Babylon the Great the haunt of unclean and detestable birds before it fell? What does it mean to be a haunt of unclean and detestable birds? The answer lies in 18:3: “For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.” The word “for” shows that this verse is building on the content of the previous verse. Revelation 18:4-5 says, “Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.’” God is addressing His chosen people who are trapped in Babylon the Great, calling them to come out of Babylon the Great to avoid being judged by God in the same way.

Just like Babylon contains a mixture of saints and sinners, our soul often contains mixed allegiances. In our soul, we can either choose the spirit and obtain life and peace, or we can set our minds on the flesh and obtain death. God’s judgment on Babylon the Great purifies believers’ souls and renews their minds. Our soul should be like God’s temple, a place of prayer. However, just like the money changers who turned God’s house of prayer into a place of buying and selling, we often compromise the purity of God’s dwelling place. Jesus was angry and drove out the people who were exchanging money and selling cattle and sheep. God intended the temple to be a place where people could come offer sacrifices to Him. But people had turned His worship into a system of empty religious rituals, and for their convenience, they were buying and selling doves, cattle and sheep in the temple. When we lose the true meaning of worship, which is worshiping the Father in spirit and in truth, the house of God becomes a place of merchandise. Just like Jesus cleansed the temple, God is now judging Babylon the Great. Evil spirits in Babylon the Great wanted to rob people of their ability to authentically worship God. As a result, Babylon contained a mixture of true worship and false human worship.

I believe that before the fall of Babylon the Great, evil spirits had already taken residence in the city, but these haunts were further exposed after the fall of the city.

Our Prayer

During our Bible study, a new believer heard me sharing about Babylon and uttered this prayer: “May the glory of our Heavenly Father continue to fill us, drawing us closer to His Son, Jesus Christ. May we continue to grow spiritually until we become a mature and glorious bride. May we soar higher and embrace Jesus Christ as our heavenly Bridegroom. May the glory of God continually descend from heaven, filling the entire earth. Let us ascend from earth toward Him. Let God’s passion for us (in the heavenly realm) and our passion for him (in the earthly realm) press against Babylon the Great (in the middle realm). Just as olives are pressed for oil, let the chosen people of God caught in Babylon the Great’s snare transform into oil through hardships and pressing, and be gathered into God’s barn. May this pressing and judgment also squeeze out the dregs completely, judge them, and cast them into the lake of fire. Lord Jesus, we long for your return!”

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Bible Study with Jairus

Revelation 14 (part 2)

Two High-speed Trains and the Harvest of Two Kinds of Angels

Two opposing storylines run through the entire Biblical narrative. I like to visualize them as two high-speed trains that reach their ultimate destinations in the Book of Revelation. One train originated with God and is filled with all the righteous people from all ages (from Adam, Seth, and Noah to Moses, David, and the New Testament saints). The other train originated with Satan and carries the sinners from all ages (Cain, Lamech, and all who refuse to repent). The former represents the tree of life, and the latter represents the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

These two trains will intersect at the Battle of Armageddon, when the people on the two trains will engage in a final battle. After the battle, those belonging to God will achieve victory; their train will continue its journey and arrive at its destination, eternal life. However, the other train, filled with sinners, will arrive at the lake of fire, where its passengers will face eternal judgment.

These two trains have been continuously loading new passengers since the beginning of humanity. The former continuously loads repentant people to become the army of the new bride, while the latter continuously loads unrepentant people to become the army of the "kings from the east" (Revelation 16:12, see also Revelation 19:19). The ultimate fate of these unrepentant people is grim. The beast and the false prophet will be thrown “alive into the lake of fire" (19:20). The remaining warriors will be “slain by the sword that came out from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse" (19:21). Remember, the apocalyptic final battle involves not only the people on Earth but also sinners and saints from all ages.

In the Old Testament, Jacob saw two camps of soldiers in a vision (Genesis 32:2). The angels and the heavenly hosts are involved in this battle against the powers of evil. The antagonists, the beast, and the false prophet, are either evil spirits or people possessed by evil spirits, indicating that evil spirits are also involved in this final battle. Both armies are continuously recruiting soldiers and preparing for the final confrontation. God's army continually transforms sinners into God's children through the Gospel, forming the army of the new bride. The enemy's army continually ensnares sinners, making them captives of the enemy, and finally engages in a war against God and God's servants.

Jesus compares the kingdom of God to sowing seeds. As God sows the seeds of the Gospel, the enemy also sows weeds. Jesus tells us that we should not pull up the weeds, lest the wheat be pulled up too. When they both mature, the angels will come to harvest, burning the weeds and gathering the wheat into the barn (Matthew 13:24-30). In this parable, Jesus clearly states, "The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels" (13:39). So the scene in Revelation 14 is the reality that Jesus’ parable was pointing to (Matthew 13). In Revelation 14, angels are harvesting the good wheat into the barn (the 144,000 standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, see Revelation 14:1-5) and gathering the weeds into the winepress of God's fierce wrath (14:19). The harvest of these two angels prepares the world for the final battle between the two armies, as well as for the fall of Babylon (14:8).

Who are the 144,000 on Mount Zion?

Since Revelation 13:15 says that "those who would not worship the image of the beast” were “slain,” some speculate that the 144,000 are the ones who were killed for not worshiping the beast. However, this understanding is incorrect. Firstly, those killed for not worshiping the beast would likely have exceeded this number. Secondly, the events described in Revelation 13, such as the beast having the authority to kill those who do not worship him, have not yet happened at this point. When we enter Chapter 14, we find an angel proclaiming the eternal gospel to all nations on earth (14:6), announcing the fall of Babylon (14:7), warning of the eternal damnation of those who worship the beast, and applauding the perseverance of the saints (14:8). From this proclamation, it appears that there is a process taking place, and this process takes time. Verse 13 says, "And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.’” At this point, many people are unwilling to worship the beast and therefore are killed. Since not worshiping the beast leads to death, there are only two options for those who live on earth. The first option is not worshiping the beast and being gathered by God into his barn (14-16); the second option is worshiping the beast, leading to being gathered by the angels and thrown into the winepress of God’s wrath (17-20).

Then who are the 144,000 people whom John sees on Mount Zion at the beginning of chapter 14? We can relate this passage to Revelation 7:4, which says, "And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel."

Let’s dive deeper and uncover the process that is slowly unfolding in these chapters. In Chapter 7, the angels sealed these 144,000 people, but their actual salvation came after Chapter 14. The seven trumpets played a crucial role in this process. While these seven trumpets brought calamity, they also served to summon God’s elect. Jesus refers to the end times in Matthew 24: "And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to the other" (Matthew 24:31). Calamity and God’s call were one and the same.

Calamity and God’s call are often two aspects of the same event. For example, during World War II, Jews faced the Holocaust under Hitler; yet after the war, the modern state of Israel was established. Due to the suffering they had endured, many Jews who may not have been willing to leave their homeland became more willing to return to Israel. This illustrates the paradox of suffering and calling.

Certainly, there are various interpretations regarding who the 144,000 people are. Still, based on Revelation 7, when the angels sealed them and the trumpet call gathered them, I believe the reference to the 144,000 alludes to the process of calling the people of Israel back home. Perhaps they will gather on Mount Zion on earth, or maybe some will be martyred and gathered on Mount Zion in heaven.

Near my home in Maryland, not far from a hotel, an annual gathering of Jewish Christians takes place. In 2023, I attended their meeting and heard about the severity of the persecution that Jewish Christians face when preaching the gospel to Jews. An American Jewish Christian sister told us about how she was kind to a Jewish neighbor, but when the neighbor discovered that they were Jesus’ followers, she reported them to the authorities, leading to significant persecution. Recent news reports confirm that some Jewish extremists have been persecuting Jewish Christians during prayer meetings. As the end times arrive, the spiritual opposition to the gospel among the religious Jews in Israel will only increase. As a result, preaching the gospel in Israel or turning to Christ may lead to martyrdom. The 144,000 martyrs may refer to the small number of firstfruits that result from a revival in Israel during the end times.

After the angels seal these servants in Chapter 7, the passage continues, "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes, and peoples and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands" (7:9). This clearly refers to the salvation of the Gentiles. If we consider Paul’s teaching that all Israel will be saved once the full number of the Gentiles has been saved (Romans 11:25), it's not hard to see what is happening here. This may be the turning point when the full number of Gentiles has come in and God is now saving all of Israel in a great revival. However, this event will undoubtedly provoke fierce opposition from Satan. As a result, the subsequent battles will be centered around Israel.

What is the Eternal Gospel?

Building on the concepts we have explored above, it will be easier to understand the eternal gospel mentioned in Revelation 14:6. First, let’s look at the history of the past few thousand years. Even though Romans teaches that God temporarily turned away from Israel to work among the Gentiles, many Gentiles have still had a burden for the Jews and have shared the gospel with them. There have also been movements of Messianic Jewish Christians in the United States, and some Jews have come to faith. Still, the overall number of Jewish believers remains small. At the Jewish conference I attended, I heard that the number of believing Jews is less than 1% in the US and much less in Israel. I've interacted with many ministries focused on sharing the gospel with Jewish people, and I've observed that the impact is limited.

Perhaps this is why in the end times, God will specifically raise up angels to proclaim the eternal gospel. Although this gospel shows God’s compassion for the Jews, it is not exclusive to them. In this chapter, it states, "Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth—to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, 'Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and the earth, the sea and the springs of water'" (14:6-7). While this eternal gospel is proclaimed to all nations, it seems connected to the promise of the salvation of all Israel during the end times. Perhaps because God’s appointed time has come, and the hardening of Israel's heart has run its course, God will raise up angels to proclaim the gospel, enabling God’s chosen people to believe in their Messiah.

Considering the current challenges in sharing the gospel with the Jewish people, it seems necessary for angels to directly proclaim the gospel to them. It's possible that the entire house of Israel can be saved through this angelic proclamation alone.

Announcing the Fall of Babylon

The fall of Babylon is discussed in more detail in subsequent chapters, but in this chapter the second angel announces the fall of Babylon and calls on the Jews and Christians in Babylon to leave the city. Babylon represents various snares created by evil spirits and evildoers, including religious, political, economic, and other snares. Many unrighteous Jews control the world's wealth, and it’s logical to conclude that these people are part of the snare. Many Christians also participate in these snares, so God calls His people (perhaps including Jews and Gentile Christians) to abandon this snare, lest they face the same punishment (18:4). God's judgment on Babylon is a gradual process, beginning with this announcement. Subsequently, Babylon will be judged step by step.

The Separation of Babylon and the Warning of Worshiping the Beast

Since God's people are still present in Babylon, God's judgment on Babylon involves a power struggle between God and Satan. They are fighting over the people of God who are still within the city. When God announces the fall of Babylon, some of His people will undoubtedly leave. But Satan and the beast will do their best to oppose this by intensifying their threats. No one will be able to do business without worshiping the beast. As God's warning intensifies, the beast’s persecution also increases. God’s people are the epicenter of the conflict. God's people have two choices: either leave Babylon, choosing martyrdom over worshiping the beast, or stay and face persecution. The beast wants God’s people, who are attempting to leave Babylon, to worship him instead. Facing such persecution, God gives a serious warning that worshipping the beast will lead to eternal suffering in the lake of fire.

A Watershed Moment

At this point, God's train is moving forward, boarding all the remaining people who are chosen by God. To save these chosen ones, God has sent out three angels. They declare the eternal gospel, announce the fall of Babylon the Great, and warn of the outcome for those who worship the beast. God continues to call these people to break free from Babylon the Great and board God's train that is headed for eternal life. However, those who refuse to repent and those who worship the beast will face severe punishment from God.

The appearance of the beast is a watershed moment. When the two angels arrive, the earth is harvested. Those who choose not to worship the beast are harvested by the angel and gathered into God’s barn like grain. In contrast, those who worship the beast are harvested by the angel and disposed of like weeds.

Are the Reapers Angels?

Revelation 14:14 says, "Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand." Who is this harvester who looks like the Son of Man? Is he the Lord? Some may take this view, since the term “son of man” is used here. However, in Matthew 13:39, Jesus says, "And the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels." If this reaper in Revelation is the Lord, it makes it difficult to explain Revelation 14:15, where another angel gives a command to the one sitting on the cloud: "Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour of reaping has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” If the man on the cloud were the Lord, it would seem strange for another angel to give him a command. Therefore, we can guess that this harvester is not the Lord, but another angel. It seems that a pair of angels was harvesting. One angel was specifically responsible for harvesting, while the other was responsible for receiving and relaying God’s command to begin the harvest.

We can observe the same pattern in the harvesting of the wicked. The first angel wields a sickle, and the second angel comes out from the altar, having authority over the fire. He instructs the first angel when to reap. Only then does the first angel cast down the sickle. From this perspective, it appears to be a corresponding pair of angels. From this similar pair of harvesters, we can conclude that the son of man was likely not the Lord, but an angel.

Conclusion

There are only two opposing forces in this world: God and Satan. People must choose either God or Satan; there is no middle ground. Two spiritual "trains" run in the world, one headed to eternal life and one headed toward eternal destruction. Human free will and choice determine which train we board. Daily life is filled with decisions that shape the direction of our lives. Trials test how we make choices. In Revelation 14, people were forced to choose when the beast appeared and persecution broke out for those who did not worship the beast. At this point, Babylon still contained some of God’s chosen people trapped within. However, the appearance of the beast completely separated God's people from those marked by the beast. God's people were harvested into the barn, symbolizing heaven, while those with the mark of the beast were gathered into the lake of fire to face eternal torment. May we all make the right choice and board the train to heaven.

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Bible Study with Jairus-Revelation 13

The Beast and God’s Final Harvest

In Revelation 13, we learn about an evil trinity composed of the dragon, the first beast, and the second beast. This chapter lies between the account of the birth of the man-child (chapter 12) and the account of the 144,000 who stood with the Lamb on Mount Zion (chapter 14). These accounts represent the two great harvests of God. As we mentioned earlier, the Book of Revelation is structured around alternating judgments and harvests. Judgments lead to spiritual harvests.

In Revelation 13, anyone "whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain" begins to worship the beast (13:8). When God “gives them up” to worship the beast, this is actually another form of judgment on the world. The Book of Romans depicts this type of judgment:

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (1:21) God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts. (1:24; 26) God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. (1:28)

When God allows people to sin, it means that he has rejected them. This is the most serious form of judgment. The beast and those who worship him will be judged by God in the future. Perhaps they are so full of sin that God will no longer give them a chance to repent anymore. If so, this indicates a transition from the age of grace to an age of judgment.

Revelation 14 tells us that after this transition, God will begin to incrementally cleanse the former creation. First, the "eternal gospel" will be proclaimed (14:6) and Babylon the Great will fall (14:8). Babylon the Great is a counterfeit Body of Christ. She is a great whore instead of a bride, and she is drunk with the blood of the saints (17:6). The Lamb will then fight against the beast and conquer him (17:14), and the beast and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire and sulfur (19:20). In the end, Satan will be bound for a thousand years (20:3) and finally cast into the lake of fire and sulfur (20:10). At this point, God will begin the Great White Throne judgment, and those who are not in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire (20:15). Then the New Heaven and New Earth, the New Jerusalem, will be created (21-22).

Throughout every stage of judgment, God is constantly bringing in a harvest of souls. Even during the final judgment before the Great White Throne judgment, some people will be ushered into eternal life. God's continuing harvest brings many true believers into eternal life. In the end, all who seek and long for God will enter heaven and become a part of the Bride of Christ. Martyred believers who refused to worship the beast will take part in God’s final harvest. This is why at the beginning of Revelation 14, we see those 144,000 believers standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion.

Satan Hides Behind the Beast

The false Trinity is composed of Satan, the first beast (the Antichrist), and the second beast (the false prophet, 19:20). Revelation 12 ends with the dragon standing on the sands of the sea (12:17). Why is the dragon standing there?

This dragon is Satan. Because Satan has been cast to the earth, he must find an agent to help him deceive humankind. Just as Satan used the snake to deceive Eve in the Garden of Eden, he must find a new agent of deceit so he can continue to pursue his purposes. If for a moment he does not use deceit, he will fail to win the admiration and worship of mankind. If people realize that he is a big red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, few will want to worship him. Since Christ has already conquered Satan on the cross, his only tool is deception. He attempts to confuse and deceive those who do not know about Christ's victory.

The Bible mentions that Satan often disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). He tries not to show his true colors. Because of his propensity for deception, I conclude that the first beast he summons up from the bottomless pit may not appear as vicious as God knows him to be. He may be trying to deceive people. On the other hand, God's revelations of judgment allow people to see Satan’s true colors and the true nature beast.

The Picture of the Beast Depicts the Worship of Diverse False Gods

Revelation 12:3 declares that the dragon has “seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.” Revelation 13:1 tells us that the beast rising out of the sea has “ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.” God reveals that the beast and the dragon have the same nature. Through spiritual eyes, we can see that Satan is behind many events and people in this world. But if our spiritual eyes are not open, we run the risk of being deceived by outward appearances.

The beast’s multiple heads and horns remind us that the beast manifests itself in multiple ways. It has something for everyone. If you do not want God, you can likely find a beast or a dragon that fits you perfectly. The beast does not have just one manifestation; he has many different evil manifestations to deceive a variety of people. This is why some countries have fallen into the control of the Evil Spirit of Communism; other countries fallen into the control of Islamic Extremism; and yet other countries have fallen into the control of homosexuals and extreme leftists. The beast hides behind all kinds of beautiful things. For instance, the homosexual movement is disguised as seeking respect for minorities, and the religious pluralism movement is disguised as accommodating all religions. They all have beautiful slogans, but what they are doing is against God.

The beast has a leopard’s body but a lion’s mouth. This may indicate that it is a counterfeit of Christ, the lion of the tribe of Judah. His feet are like the feet of a bear, meaning he is merciless in hurting people. We see echoes of the beast in many systems of thoughts and anti-God movements in this world. Behind the beast is the dragon, that is, Satan.

Why was the dragon standing by the sea? Why did he call the beast up from the bottomless pit? Perhaps the dragon was trying to disguise itself after its partial exposure. The angel had defeated the dragon, so perhaps its true nature had been partly exposed. Now, it wants to hide itself by using the beast to deceive people.

Why is there a second beast after the first beast? For the same reason: the first beast has been partially exposed. Its head has been wounded with a knife, and one of its heads has died (13:3). Although the beast has been healed (13:3), its nature has been exposed to a certain extent. Therefore, a second beast is needed to continue to confuse people with its shapeshifting. The second beast will continue to entice people to worship the first beast and the dragon.

Whether the dragon, the first beast, or the second beast, their goal is to confuse and deceive people. The job of God, the angels, and the church is to continue to expose what they are doing. When the works of Satan and the evil spirits have been fully exposed, they will finally be defeated. As we mentioned earlier, Christ's work on the cross stripped Satan of all his power when was accomplished. His only tool is to deceive. Once that tool is removed, he will be utterly destroyed.

God's Purpose Is Still Harvest

As we have seen, Revelation is structured around recurring judgments and recurring harvests. After God’s judgment, there is always a harvest. God will gather the grain and put it into the barn (representing the harvest of true believers, and he will also harvest the weeds (false believers) and throw them into the great winepress of the wrath of God (14:19). If you've ever seen a harvester at work, then you can imagine the work of the beast in Revelation 13. The beast has one most important purpose: to separate the grain from the weeds. The beast is allowed to fight against the saints and to conquer them (13:7), resulting in many martyrs. All who are not written in the book of life will worship the beast and receive his mark.

The harvest in Revelation 14 has a different purpose. This chapter opens with a vision of one hundred and forty-four thousand people standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Perhaps this number represents those who did not worship the beast and were martyred in Revelation 13. God is now gathering the grain into his barn, which is heaven.

In the Revelation 14, the angel proclaims the eternal gospel to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people (14:6). What is the "eternal gospel"? The interpretation of this passage is controversial. I was taught that that the proclamation of the eternal gospel represents the end of the Age of Grace. Perhaps at this time, people will no longer have the opportunity to be saved by hearing the gospel from fellow humans. Instead, the gospel will be preached directly by angels. Whether or not this interpretation is correct, this verse definitely represents the end of an era. Perhaps the window of God's grace will partially close as humanity enters a new phase.

As Revelation 14 continues, God continues to harvest the earth. An angel swings a sickle across the earth to reap the earth (14:15-16). The angel puts the grain (symbolizing believers) into the barn (14:16). Another angel swings a sickle across the earth to gather the grape harvest. The grapes (symbolizing unbelievers) will be thrown into the great winepress of the wrath of God (14:18). This continues the judgment + harvest structure. But soon God's harvest will come to an end, and God's final judgment and final war will begin.

The rest of the book of Revelation tells us about:

• The seven plagues that complete God’s wrath (15:1).
• The seven bowls of God’s wrath which are poured out on the earth (Chapter 16).
• The judgment of Babylon the Great (Chapter 17-18)
• The wedding feast of the Lamb and the battle of Armageddon (Chapter 19)
• Satan's imprisonment for 1,000 years, the thousand-year Millennium and Satan's judgment (Chapter 20).
• The Great White Throne Judgment (Chapter 20).
• Satan and his followers, death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire (Chapter 20).
• The New Heaven and New Earth, New Jerusalem (Chapter 21).
• The Throne of God and of the Lamb and the Tree of Life (Chapter 22).

These events take place in a completely different era, the era of final judgment and wrath. During this time, God cleanses the old creation, defeats Satan’s rebellion, and brings in the New Heaven the New Earth, and the New Jerusalem to complete God’s ultimate plan for the universe. Therefore, the beast in Revelation 13 prompts people to make their “final selection.” Their decisions regarding this beast will determine their final fate. This is God's last harvest, and it is mankind’s last chance to repent.

The Meaning of The Number 666

If you drive along Highway 295 and Highway 95 from Washington DC, you will see a sign for Highway 895 before you get to Baltimore. The sign reads, “Passage leading to Strait, no turning back.” Once you enter this tunnel, there is no exit until you go through the tunnel and get to Baltimore. When driving for work, I often need to exit before Baltimore City to run errands. So I know I shouldn’t take the tunnel road. But a few times, I have missed the sign and entered this tunnel. It was a point of no return. Not only did I have to pay, but I also had to go back to my business by another route after arriving in Baltimore. Later, the number 895 became a sign to me. As soon as I see 895, I remember that if I ignore this sign, I will have to spend a lot of time and money and end up delaying my work.

The same is true for the number of the beast in Revelation 13, which is 666. Six is the day when man was created, and seven is the day that God rested. So 666 is the limit that all created things can struggle. The role of the beast, as I have shared before, is to completely separate the wheat from the weeds for better harvesting. When the number 666 appears it is the final chance for people to “exit” for eternal life. After the beast’s name and number appear in Revelation 13, the concept of repentance or salvation are never again mentioned, with only one exception: “And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.” (15:2) Perhaps at this point, God has closed the window of salvation. The structure of "judgment + repentance" in the Book of Revelation has come to an end, and the structure is now "judgment + war". No matter how many times God judged humans with disaster, those who worshiped the beast did not repent. Instead, they fought against the Lamb and his bride until the great battle of Armageddon, where they were finally defeated and thrown into the lake of fire.

Regarding the number of the beast, the Holy Spirit says: “This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.” The Holy Spirit says that we must pay special attention with wisdom and understanding. In other words, we must remember that once we see the number 666, we must be vigilant and make the right choice. It is our final opportunity to decide to follow God. If we make the wrong choice, we will enter a tunnel leading directly to hell, with no exit and no way back. Going back to my analogy, If I take exit 895 and enter the tunnel, I will drive directly to the center of Baltimore, a city filled with crimes and drug trafficking. In the same way, those who do not take God’s offer of salvation will end up in hell.

Each Hebrew character can also signify a number, and the number of the word Lucifer + hell (Satan + hell) in Hebrew is also 666. Throughout the ages, many people have associated 666 with people who seemed to be Antichrists, such as Caesar, Nero, Napoleon, and Hitler. These people have all passed away, and the number of the beast has not been fulfilled. But we do not rule out the possibility that the Antichrist will be associated with the number 666. However, we should note that the number 666 may be a warning signal to an individual or to all humans in general. God has provided us with many warning signals in this world. When there is a problem with our bodies, pain is our warning signal. When we drive across the line on the interstate, the rumble strips are our warning signal. Similarly, when human beings are facing a critical moment of choosing between life and death, God will give people a clear warning signal: 666. But we must make sure that we are not distracted, or we will miss the signal.

We who seek God will see this warning signal and make the right choice. But unrepentant people who are filled with evil spirits may miss this signal. Just as I ended up in Baltimore because I was distracted and didn't pay attention to the road signs, we must be careful not to be distracted and unrepentant. We don't need to guess what the number 666 means. But we need to be vigilant about distraction so we do not miss God's warnings.

Conclusion

Many people enjoy speculating about who the false prophet and the Antichrist are. Some people say that the current Pope, Francis, is the false prophet, and the French leader Macron is the Antichrist. I don't think Christians need to speculate about this. Instead, our great mission is to spread the gospel, bring people to repentance, and show people the way of salvation as soon as possible. We want people to have a chance to be saved before the last harvest of God so they can go to heaven. If you have accepted Christ, it does not matter who the false prophet and antichrist are. As long as you are confident that you would rather be martyred than worship the beast, that is enough. Perhaps some weak Christians will worship the beast, but mostly unbelievers will fall of his traps. Because of this, we must stop worrying about who the Antichrist is and start spreading the gospel and helping sinners find salvation. In these urgent times, this is the most important response.

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Bible Study with Jairus-2 Peter 1-10

Peter Caught a Fish with a Shekel in Its Mouth

Holding on to the Lord’s Promise in the Darkness

In recent studies, we’ve discussed Peter’s reflections on experiencing the Lord Jesus’ Transfiguration on the Mount, how Christians should grow their spiritual life, and the road map for entering the eternal kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In his letters to the churches, Peter often reflects on the blessings he received from the Lord. One of these occurred when the Lord Jesus instructed Peter to go fishing. The first fish Peter caught had a coin in its mouth, which he then used to pay the temple tax for both himself and the Lord Jesus. What did Peter learn from this experience?

Peter learned the importance of asking Jesus for help before saying or doing something rash. Fishing is never easy, and it is even more difficult to catch a fish with a coin in its mouth. However, Peter persevered because of the Lord’s promise to provide for the temple tax.

2 Peter 1:19 reads, “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” Peter was speaking, not only of how the prophetic writers of the Bible were prompted by God (2 Peter 1:20-21), but also from his own personal experience. I was deeply touched to realize that perhaps, when Peter was fishing, he was able to persevere because he had the words of Jesus Christ as a promise. This teaches us to hold on to the Lord’s promised and prophetic words, walk through dark moments, and welcome the morning star that appears in our hearts. We all make mistakes—speak foolishly or get stuck in dark situations—but we must hold on to God’s promises to help us get through dark and difficult times.

I have gone through some dark trials in my life. My wife and I experienced infertility for 10 years. In 2016, I heard the Holy Spirit say, "You will have a child this year." I held on to this promise, even when it wasn’t fulfilled right away. Eventually, God gave us the baby of promise. Though we may not all receive such personal promises, the Bible gives many promises to those who are descendants of Abraham's faith (Romans 4:24). When we experience life’s difficulties, we must trust these promises that are “prophetic word more fully confirmed” and that shine like “a lamp in a dark place. As we do, we will be able to walk through the darkness and “welcome the morning star” (2 Peter 1:19).

Did the Lord Jesus Need to Pay Temple Tax?

When the tax collectors asked Peter, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” But did the Lord Jesus need to pay the temple tax? Perhaps Peter answered as he did because he didn’t want to give the collectors an excuse to accuse his teacher of wrongdoing. Or he may have responded out of fear of the Jews. But here is how the Lord Jesus responded: “And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?’ And when he said, ‘From others,’ Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are free’” (Matthew 17:25-26).

Judging from this passage, I personally think that the Lord Jesus meant that as a king and the Son of God, he did not need to pay the temple tax. Jesus goes on to say, “‘However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself’” (Matthew 17:27).

The Bible does not record what Peter was thinking as he carried out the Lord Jesus’ instructions, but I imagine Peter had mixed emotions. We don’t know how long it took Peter to catch the fish, but I believe he had some time to reflect while he was fishing. He may have regretted responding to the tax collectors before asking the Lord and thus receiving a rebuke from the Lord. Or maybe Peter was thinking about the Lord’s words, gaining a better understanding of the Lord’s divinity and how he was truly the Son of God. The insights Peter gained while fishing were later written down in his letters to the churches.

There were many dark moments in Peter's life, including when he denied him three times. The darkest of these was between the Lord’s death and resurrection. At that time, Peter may have remembered the words of the Lord Jesus, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3). These words of promise from the Lord Jesus are the “prophetic word more fully confirmed.” Jesus originally spoke these words right after predicting that Peter would deny him three times.

At the time, the disciples did not understand what the Lord Jesus meant. “Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him’” (John 14:5-7). It’s interesting to note the timing of when the Lord Jesus spoke these words. In fact, these words were His response to Peter’s question, “‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.’ Peter said to him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you’” (John 13:36-37, emphasis added). The Lord Jesus responded by telling Peter that he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed.

After Jesus’ death, when Peter reflected in the darkness, he may have remembered the Lord’s words of promise, “but you will follow afterward.” When the Lord said these words, He was telling his disciples that He was going to the Father. However, sin was still preventing humanity from approaching our Heavenly Father God. The only way to the Father was not opened until after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. That which we are unable to do in our fleshly weakness, we can one day do because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Peter hoped to lay down his life for the Lord, but he couldn’t. However, after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Peter did sacrifice his life and die as a martyr for the Lord. The Lord Jesus spoke to Peter of this, “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.’ (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, ‘Follow me’” (John 21:18-19).

Paul says the same thing in Romans 7–8. What he cannot do in the flesh, he can do through the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ. Likewise, Peter also grew spiritually and was able to fulfill the prophetic words of Jesus Christ in his life, "But you will follow afterward." These words may have encouraged Peter in the darkest moments of his life. The resurrected Christ not only appeared to Peter and the other disciples, but also appeared to Him alone. The Bible does not record the details of this incident, but we can imagine that it must have been very intimate.

My Testimony of Holding on to the Lord’s Word of Promise in the Darkness

My wife and I struggled with infertility and prayed to have a child for 10 years. Those years held a lot of pain and trials. We experienced six unsuccessful attempts at IVF, quarreling, sleepless nights, and the oppressive attacks of evil spirits. We both walked “through the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4a). But I have always believed in God’s promises and in the Scripture: “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11). Even before I received the Lord’s personal promise to me, I believed that the Bible’s promises were true for every descendant of Abraham. God promised Abraham that he would multiply His descendants. God blessed him with descendants and gave back Isaac, as if back from the dead. I prayed, “God, if you could do this for Abraham, I believe that you can do this for me.”

At the time, I worked in Washington DC. Every day during my lunch break, I went to the park and prayed, “God of Abraham, God who raised the dead, God who spoke the world into being from nothing—Where are you? Please appear to me." I continued praying, repenting of my sins, and recommitting myself to God. I repeated these words of promise in the Bible over and over again.

Many Bible verses speak of God’s promises for children; they were God’s personal promises to me. A pastor was teaching from Scripture, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the childrenof one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5). As he was preaching, the pastor said something very moving and encouraging to me: “Your quiver is full of arrows. God will bless you with children.”

I left the Local Church Movement where I was saved and began attending a small charismatic church to seek healing and the Word of God. My wife and I traveled all over the United States seeking help and prayers, attending many crusades of healing evangelists. Although God did not choose to heal us through them, He used this time to grow me in knowing Him and His promises better.

In January 2016, I was at a conference when I heard God speak, telling me that we would have a child that year. The following month, I returned to China to visit my family and told them about God’s prophecy. But they didn't believe me. They thought there was something wrong with my brain. After returning to the United States, I experienced a great deal of spiritual warfare. By May, I was exhausted. One day I asked the Holy Spirit, “When is this going to happen?” That night, I had a dream. I saw the Holy Spirit, dressed as a woman, pointing at the back of a man (Jesus Christ’s image). The Holy Spirit said, “Didn’t He tell you that you will have a child next month?” I told my wife and friends about the dream and they found it unbelievable. But by the end of May, my wife was pregnant. It was a miracle. A healthy daughter was born in 2017.

Paul encourages us, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20). God did not heal my wife and me through prayer, but He ultimately healed us through the words of His personal promises. Even before I received God’s clear words and personal promise to me, I believed the promises in the Bible. As I repeated and believed these promises, I came to know God’s character more profoundly. I know, from my own experience, that anyone who trusts God will never be ashamed. When I trusted the confirmed, prophetic words of the Bible, I finally received the Lord’s promise as my own prophetic word. The black and white words of the Bible (Logos) became God’s personal words to me (Rhema)

You Cannot Follow Me Now, But You Will Follow Afterward

The Lord Jesus is the Captain and Pioneer of our salvation. Hebrews 2:10 claims, “For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering” (emphasis added). This is why Jesus told his disciples, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward” (John 13:36). Jesus was going to the Father, but Peter and the others couldn’t go yet. After the Lord Jesus accomplished redemption, the road was paved for them to go to the Father. Jesus paved the way for our salvation and for the obedience He learned through suffering.

When the Lord Jesus told Peter, "You cannot follow me now," and when Peter was waiting to catch the fish: these are like us, waiting, in our current time. We have not yet found the coin; we have not yet joined Jesus in his Father’s house. But as we go through this life (even in times of darkness), we must hold to the word of God's promises, like a lamp on a dark night. What we cannot do, in the weakness of our flesh, Jesus Christ will empower us to do by his salvation and grace.

When I recognized my inability to overcome my flesh, I prayed and asked God to give me strength. That night, I had a dream that I was flying in the air, an Earth-like ball under my feet, covered with dust. As I stamped my feet to shake off the dust I shouted: "With the strength of the Lord, I will definitely overcome the gravity of the Earth!" This vision of the Holy Spirit, revealed in my dream, told me that God will strengthen me so I can break away from the flesh and soar in the Spirit. God has led me through a series of disciplines, helping me to mature and overcome some weaknesses of the flesh. Sanctified by His life, I have become a vessel, able to be used by God.

Conclusion

Suffering itself does not make a person mature. But praying throughout times of suffering can grow a person’s spiritual life. If we do not hold on to God’s promises during difficult times, there will be no lamp in the darkness nor light that leads others to the morning star. Many people experience darkness in life, but if they do not know the confirmed, prophetic words of God, they are unable to pass through the darkness into the light. We need to help others know the Bible’s words of promise that by knowing them, they can escape the corruption that comes from the lusts of the world and become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Peter experienced this perfection in the Lord and in 2 Peter, he shared his own spiritual experience with us.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Acts 11

The Jerusalem Church Is Controlled by A Religious Spirit and God’s Work Turns to The Gentiles in Antioch

A religious spirit is an evil, demonic force that tries to “replace a genuine relationship with God with works and traditions.”[i] In Acts 11, a religious spirit was gradually gaining more influence in the church in Jerusalem. To conquer this spirit, God sovereignly allowed persecution to scatter the believers in Jerusalem. The scattered believers began spreading the gospel to the Jews who lived among the Gentiles, and later to the Gentiles themselves, giving birth to the Gentile church in Antioch. Sometimes, the only way to break free from legalism is to leave the location where the religious spirit has gained a stronghold.

In Acts 11, The members of the circumcision party, who were bound by the religious spirit, argued with Peter in Jerusalem (verses 1-18); it seemed that they were concerned that the scattered believers were preaching the gospel to the Gentiles (verse 22). Some disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching the gospel to the Greeks as well as to the Jews (verse 20). In response, the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas, also from Cyprus, to see how the church in Antioch was doing (verse 20). When he arrived, Barnabas saw evidence of God’s grace in the church in Antioch (verse 23), and he led many more people to faith in Christ (verse 24). Then Barnabas, likely inspired by the Holy Spirit, went to Tarsus to find Saul and brought him to the church in Antioch. Saul was called by God to be an apostle to the Gentiles, so he stayed there for a year. Throughout this passage, we see the religious spirit being defeated, only to resurface in another place regarding another issue.

The Religious Spirit Turns Principles into Rules

One thing that religious spirits often do is to turn the founder’s teachings into law, refusing to accept new guidance from the Holy Spirit. This suppresses the new work of the Holy Spirit and the freedom of believers. For example, while Brother Witness Lee was alive, he was very opposed to the spirit of religion. He vigorously promoted innovative group exercises to attempt to break the power of the religious spirit in the Local Church, which he founded. However, by the time I was saved in The Local Church, Brother Witness Lee had been in heaven for several years. In his absence, a religious spirit was invading The Local Church.

The Methodist pastors in my seminary classes said that current-day Methodists did the same thing. They turned John Wesley’s teachings into dogma and distort his original words. For example, some Methodist churches are opposed to the filling and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, even though John Wesley himself attached great importance to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In the same way, the members of the Jerusalem church clung to Moses’ teachings about circumcision and used this teaching to restrict others and require them to comply. The Jews in Jerusalem turned Moses' teachings on circumcision into religious rules, just like many denominations rigidly follow their founders’ guidelines.

The Religious Spirit Raises Concerns about Cornelius

The religious spirit is pervasive in the church, especially among second- and third-generation Christians. The first generation of believers often has enough authority to resist the religious spirit. For example, Peter, who was a first-generation Christian, tried his best to resist the religious spirit. In today’s devotional, we will learn about Peter’s bravery in resisting the religious spirit.

Let’s read the account in the first three verses: “Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, ‘You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.’” In the previous chapter (Acts 10), Peter followed divine guidance, went to visit Cornelius, and preached the gospel to the Gentiles. When they believed, the Holy Spirit was poured out on them and they were baptized with water. But in Acts 11, the circumcision party members did not care that these Gentiles had been eternally saved, nor that they were baptized with water, nor that God poured out manifestations of his Spirit such as tongues (verse 10:46). The only thing they cared about was that their rules were being broken. They accused Peter of eating with uncircumcised Gentiles, which their law did not approve of. The spirit of religion can distort people’s thinking to such an extent that they no longer care about other people’s well-being or God’s will, but only about their own dogma. The only thing they care about is whether you follow their doctrine and rules. They do not care about you as a person.

The circumcised party did not care how much it cost Peter to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit to preach to the Gentiles. They did not applaud the courage he showed or comfort him because of the pressure he was under. They did not care about the souls that were saved, and they were not concerned about God’s guidance for a new era. They only cared about one thing: whether or not you were circumcised. In today’s world, the issue they were concerned about seems irrelevant and silly. Why would someone get worked up about that? But today, the religious spirit chooses things that are just as irrelevant and makes them into huge issues in the church. People fight about whether or not to speak in tongues, whether or not to use rock music in worship, whether or not women can preach, and other topics.

In response to their concerns, Peter told the story of how the Holy Spirit had guided him through visions to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. After he finished speaking, he said, “‘If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?’ When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, ‘Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life’” (verses 17-18). Peter successfully resisted and restrained the religious spirit. It seemed like everything would be fine from then on. But the religious spirit is sneaky, and it never stays silent for long.

The Power of the Religious Spirit in Jerusalem

The religious spirit was very powerful in Jerusalem. The religious spirit in Jerusalem had crucified Christ and Stephen, and the Holy Spirit did not have much freedom in this city.

On the surface, the Jews appeared to be protecting religious teachings through their strict adherence to the Mosaic law. But in essence, they were cooperating with Satan to prevent God’s message of grace from spreading—especially the message given through Paul.

When Barnabas invited Saul (Paul) to minister in Antioch, Paul began his public ministry. After a long period of private training in the wilderness, God finally brought Saul (Paul) to center stage at the church in Antioch. Though Paul had likely not yet written the book of Galatians at the time, he had probably received its content from the Holy Spirit while in the wilderness. He was ready to share the truths of Galatians 5:6: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” This was the message that the religious spirit did not want to spread.

The religious leaders in Jerusalem strongly resisted this message of grace. After Paul was saved, Jesus clearly told him that his testimony for the Lord would not be accepted by the residents of Jerusalem. Because of this, God sent Paul far away to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21). It was not that God was unwilling to work in Jerusalem, but that He knew how strong the religious spirit was in that city. The religious spirit in Jerusalem not only crucified the Lord but would also refuse the testimony Paul would give.

The religious spirit likes to tie people to a specific building, sect, or religious system, or to a specific set of religious rituals, procedures, or established culture. God’s Spirit often wants to set aside these human patterns and procedures so people can be free to follow where He leads. But instead, believers become fixated on these structures and can’t accept breaking them. For example, many churches in the United States have committees that vote on church proceedings rather than giving the Holy Spirit free reign. Perhaps the inventor of the church committee model wanted to enhance cooperation between believers; however, over time, this tradition became a rigid rule that hindered the movement of the Holy Spirit.

Satan’s influence was widespread in Jerusalem. He tried to use the religious spirit in Jerusalem to restrict the influence of the disciples in Jerusalem and to stop God’s work among the Gentiles. Thankfully, the power of the Holy Spirit is unstoppable. Even though people resist his work, He continues to flow through those who obey His guidance.

However, sometimes people have to leave the physical location in order to break free from the power of legalism. God sovereignly allowed persecution to arise in Jerusalem so the disciples would scatter and leave Jerusalem. Freed from the control of Jerusalem legalism, they could follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

After they left Jerusalem because of persecution, some disciples continued to teach only the Jews. Perhaps they were still holding onto Jesus’ teaching about not entering the homes of the Gentiles. They went all the way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the gospel only to the Jews. But some other men from Cyprus and Cyrene came to Antioch and spoke to the Hellenists as well (19-20). When the Gentiles believed their message and the Holy Spirit fell on them, the Holy Spirit confirmed that he approved of preaching to the Gentiles. Verse 21 goes on to say, “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”

As soon as the believers got out from under the power of the religious spirit in Jerusalem, they broke the tradition of preaching only to the Jews. Perhaps they thought, “No matter what, we need to preach to the Gentiles. Out here, the rules and regulations of the religious spirit will not be accepted. The Gentiles need to know the gospel, and we can no longer deal with so many restrictions.” It takes tremendous courage to break through and tear down the restrictions of religious spirits, and sometimes it requires a physical change of location.

Similarly, Brother Witness Lee strongly recommended small group meetings in homes because they were less easily influenced by the religious spirit and more open to the Holy Spirit. Within the church halls, people feel restricted by dogma, rules, and procedures. People feel constrained by the church's laws and unwritten rules. But in homes, believers are free to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Once they left the church halls, they could follow God’s leading with freedom.

The Religious Spirit Raises Concerns about Antioch

Even though the believers were free from the religious spirit in Jerusalem and were preaching to the Gentiles, the religious spirit did not give up. Verse 22 goes on to say, “The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.” This is very interesting. Why was it a problem that they were preaching the gospel to the Gentiles? When Peter explained the circumstances of Cornelius’s salvation, everyone fell silent and acknowledged that God had given grace to the Gentiles. So why were they suddenly concerned about it again?

This story shows that the religious spirit had not been defeated by Peter’s testimony, but only temporarily silenced. It continued looking for other opportunities to restrict the work of the Holy Spirit, who was spreading the gospel to the Gentiles. After the Jerusalem believers heard Peter’s testimony and accepted the fact that God wanted to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, the circumcision faction must have gained the upper hand once again.

Barnabas was sent to investigate, perhaps because he was from nearby Cyprus and was familiar with the culture. Or perhaps Barnabas was an acceptable go-between for both parties. Who were the two parties? First, the Jerusalem believers who advocated for circumcision; and second, those who supported preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, including Peter. Perhaps Barnabas was someone that both parties could accept.

God used Barnabas to bring Saul (Paul) to Antioch to serve the Gentile church. Barnabas helped Paul step onto center stage and begin his public work. God’s Holy Spirit was at work through each of his apostles.

This is not the last time we hear from the religious spirit. Much later, even Barnabas would be trapped by legalism. In Galatians 2, we learn that Peter frequently ate with Gentiles before certain brothers arrived from James. But when they arrived, Peter no longer ate with the Gentiles, and even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. This time, Paul had to stand up to Peter. Clearly, the religious spirit had become more and more powerful, even trapping Peter and Barnabas.

The Religious Spirit Resists the Prophets

I believe that the religious spirit also restricts the flow of prophecy. At the end of Acts 11, we learn that Agabus and several other prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch to prophesy that there would be a great famine over all the world. I believe it is no accident that the prophets came to Antioch to deliver these words of prophecy. The religious spirit had pervaded the church in Jerusalem. When religious spirits gain strength, the movement of the Holy Spirit is restricted. When the movement of the Holy Spirit is restricted, there are usually fewer prophetic words. And even when there are prophetic words, people often don’t have ears to hear them. I believe that the Jerusalem believers were unable or unwilling to accept the prophetic warnings due to the power of the religious spirit.

If the Jerusalem believers had accepted the warnings, why would the prophets have needed to come from Jerusalem to Antioch? I believe the Christians in Antioch were open to the Holy Spirit, and they accepted the words of these prophets and actively prepared for the famine by storing food that could later be sent to the believers in Judea. Through the arrival of the prophets, the Holy Spirit laid the groundwork for Paul and Barnabas to go to Jerusalem to provide for the brothers.

Agabus and the other prophets who came to Antioch were following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When there is movement of the Holy Spirit, there is also movement of the prophetic gifts. Prophets are a group of people who are very sensitive to the movement of the Holy Spirit, so the prophets coming to Antioch may have been them following the movement of the flow of the Holy Spirit.

In some churches, the movement of the Holy Spirit is restricted. While I attended The Local Church, I had no idea that the gift of prophecy was still active today. Only when I attended some Charismatic gatherings did I see the power of the Holy Spirit through prophetic gifts and words. I saw the power of the Holy Spirit, and my eyes were open. If we rarely see such prophecies taking place in our churches, it shows that the influence of the Holy Spirit is not very strong in the church.

The gospel flourished in the church in Antioch, and Saul and Barnabas worked together to get God's work in the Gentile churches off to a good start. They were open to prophetic words and took action. They not only took care of their own church family but also actively provided for the church in Jerusalem. Although the religious spirit in the Jerusalem church attempted to persecute the Antioch church, they lovingly cared for the Jerusalem church. The church in Antioch sets a wonderful example for us to follow.

[i] https://www.curtlandry.com/what-is-a-religious-spirit/

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Bible Study with Jairus - Revelation 15

The Sea of ​​Glass is a Picture of the Church being Sanctified through Trial, Approaching the Throne of God, and Advancing God’s Work of Judgment.

The Sea of Glass in Revelation 15 is a fascinating image that has captivated Christians and hymn-writers. But what does this image mean? Why do the conquering saints stand beside the sea, praising God, right before the seven plagues begin? That is what we will explore in this devotional.

The sea of glass is in front of the throne of God, and it is surrounded by saints praising God. This is a powerful representation of the mature body of Christ approaching God’s throne in prayer and praise. Our praise can advance the royal work of God, including judgment on the world and evil spirits.

The sea of glass reminds us that Jesus Christ is with his people as they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, just as he was with Daniel’s three friends in the fiery furnace. The three friends chose to be burned in the furnace rather than worship Nebuchadnezzar’s great image, but Jesus was with them in the midst of the consuming fire.

The sea of ​​glass signifies the sanctifying fire. Only pure gold that has passed through the fire can approach God’s throne. Suffering and martyrdom is like a fire, but God’s presence is with us in our suffering. Only those who have endured the refining fire can be sanctified and stand on the sea of ​​glass before the throne of God, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. They are singing a song of victory. Their victory and praise are the important driving forces behind God’s judgment on the world and evil spirits.

What is the Sea of Glass and Who is Standing Beside it?

Who are the people standing beside the sea of glass praising God? Verse 2 says, “And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.” These people have conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. I don’t believe all people who enter heaven will stand before the sea of glass, but only the overcomers, including the martyred saints who refused to worship the beast as mentioned in Chapter 14.

As mentioned previously, when the beast appears and begins to demand that people worship him and accept the mark of the beast, people face a critical choice. The first option is to surrender and worship the beast and receive his mark. The Bible states that all those who receive the mark of the beast will suffer eternal punishment (14:11). After that, the Bible does not mention people repenting and accepting Jesus Christ anymore. Consequently, it is plausible to assume that the beast’s appearance marks the last opportunity for people to choose salvation. Making the wrong choice will lead to eternal destruction. This moment may be the last harvest. Those who prefer martyrdom over worshiping the beast will enter eternal life. They may be God’s final harvest. Their entry into heaven begins a series of God’s final judgments.

It is crucial to remember that God desires all whom He has chosen to have eternal life and enter His heavenly home. He intends the church, as His bride, to mature and grow into Christ, the Head.

The symbolism of the sea of glass is very meaningful. It stands near the throne of God. Spiritually speaking, these victorious martyrs were standing on the sea of glass, signifying their presence before the throne of God and their role of advancing the work and judgment of God’s reign.

In chapter 6, we saw the martyrs calling out to God from under the altar, pleading for vengeance and justice. God told them to wait for a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants, who were to be killed as they themselves had been, was complete (6:9-11). Now, in chapter 15, those who were martyred for not worshiping the beast have completed that number. Therefore, God’s final judgment can now take place.

We know that the tabernacle was divided into three parts: the outer court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. The altar was set up in the outer court, and the ark, symbolizing the throne of God, was set up in the Holy of Holies. We can see the progression of God’s people, closer and closer to his throne:

• In chapter 6, the saints were praying from under the altar, which is in the outer court.
• In chapter 11, “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail" (11:19)
• In chapter 15, the sanctuary is opened. “After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened” (15:5).

This illustrates the movement from the outer court to the Holy Place then the Holy of Holies. These three steps represent the three different stages of Christian growth and maturity: individual faith, joining the church body (the bride of Christ), and finally reaching spiritual maturity.

Hebrews 4:16 instructs us, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” “The throne of grace” is God’s throne, which we have access to because of the blood of Jesus Christ and His role as our heavenly High Priest and Advocate. In Old Testament times, the throne was symbolized by the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Mercy Seat where God met and spoke with Moses in glory (Numbers 7:89). In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus was crucified on the cross, and the veil dividing the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom. His crucifixion typifies the redemption completed by Jesus Christ, allowing us to pass through the veil that separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies and approach the throne of God with confidence. We know that the Old Testament tabernacle mirrors the heavenly one, so we conclude that the heavenly tabernacle also includes an outer court, a Holy Place, and a Holy of Holies. Therefore, when this chapter records that John sees "the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened," he is painting the same picture of approaching God’s throne with confidence through Jesus’ completed work of redemption.

Though Christ’s work is complete, the Holy Spirit continues to bring his work to completion in our individual lives. The destiny of the church is to mature and grow into Christ, the Head, and to join him on the throne of God (Ephesians 4:15, Revelation 3:21). We are the body of Christ, who sits on the throne, and we will sit with Him on the throne and appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4).

The image of the crowd standing on the sea of glass not only indicates that they were the last to be saved, but also represents the maturity that has allowed these people to approach the throne of God. In only a few chapters, God’s work will be completed and the Bride of Christ will be mature enough to approach God’s throne. Otherwise, how could the bride be “prepared for her husband” as described in chapter 19?

Between chapters 15 and 19, God executes judgment on various evil spirits, beasts, and Babylon. The mature bride, portrayed in chapter 19, will fight alongside the bridegroom. They will be victorious in battle against the beast (that is, the Antichrist), the false prophet, and their armies. The beast and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire. In chapter 20, after binding Satan for a thousand years, Christ defeats Satan once and for all. Satan, death, and Hades are thrown into the Lake of Frie. Chapters 21-22 describe the new heaven and new earth, as well as the New Jerusalem. At this point, God's divine work will be complete.

If we understand these spiritual illustrations, we will realize that the events in Revelation represent the spiritual growth of the church. Although we should certainly pay attention to the activities in heaven, including the work of evil spirits, the situation of the church, and the judgment of God, we should not forget the main theme: God is orchestrating all things to bring the church to maturity as his bride. When the bride is mature and ready, the groom will come to marry her. The new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem will be created.

In 2004, shortly after becoming a believer, I attended a conference. At the time, I was uncertain about the truth of Jesus’ second coming. Yet, the Lord spoke to me during this conference. He appeared to me and assured me that his return would happen after he had built his body, the bride, and the New Jerusalem. This spiritual experience left a deep impression on me and helped me understand how important the church’s maturity is to God!

Jesus’ Presence in the Fiery Furnace

Romans 8 reminds us that God works all things together for good for those who love him (8:28). The phrase “all things” includes the good and the bad, including Satan, evil spirits, beasts, false prophets, and evil people. All these things will work together to accomplish God’s will—including evil king Nebuchadnezzar. Let’s see how God accomplished good things through a difficult situation in the Old Testament.

God revealed to Jeremiah that He had put all countries into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 27:6). As a result, King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Israel, taking the Israelites captive to Babylon. He erected a towering image, decreeing that failure to worship it would result in death. Daniel's three friends refused to worship the image or serve the false god of King Nebuchadnezzar. Full of faith in God’s redemption, they stated that even if God allowed them to die, they still would not choose idolatry (Daniel 3:27-18). This story reminds us of the New Testament believers who would rather die than worship the beast. As a result, Nebuchadnezzar cast the three friends into a fiery furnace, which was so hot that it killed the men who threw them into the furnace. However, the Son of Man stood with the three men and protected them from the fire. They were saved, and the fire did not touch them. The presence of the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, enabled them to overcome the burning fire and the persecution of Satan and the enemy.

In the same way, those who refused the image of the beast can stand beside the sea of glass—not through their strength alone but through the presence of Jesus. The sea of glass is also a sea of fire, representing God’s judgment and holiness. Hebrews 12:29 says, “Our God is a consuming fire.” If a believer has passed through the fire of God's holiness and been refined as pure gold, he can stand on the sea of glass, like Daniel's three friends. Those who overcame the image of the beast are the churches, or “congregation,” as mentioned in Hebrews 2:12: “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” The believers who overcame the image of the beast praised God beside the sea of glass, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. When the church praises God, Jesus Christ leads them in praise to God the Father. This profound verse highlights Jesus’ presence, as the Head of the church, whenever the church praises God the Father.

God allows trials—including the fiery furnace of King Nebuchadnezzar, the persecution of the beast, and our current-day trials—to accomplish his wonderful will. We must learn from Daniel’s three friends, as well as the martyrs in Revelation who preferred death over idolatry. Like them, we can learn to pay any price rather than deny the testimony of God and Jesus Christ. I believe Revelation 19:10 expresses the essence of the book of Revelation: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

The furnace of affliction can help accomplish God's will for us. It is part of the “all things” that work together for good. When God achieves his goal to bring his bride to maturity, all evil will be destroyed in the lake of fire. Just like scaffolding is only here for a time and later removed, God allows suffering to refine us for a time while he is building his church. But later, it will be destroyed. Satan, the beast, the false prophet, Hades, and death, will be torn down like scaffolding and burned up. Only the new heaven, new earth, New Jerusalem will remain.

The symbolism of the sea of glass portrays this truth. Just as the Lord Jesus walked on the sea, and Daniel's three friends stood in the furnace unharmed, the believers who triumph over the beast will stand on the sea of glass, full of holy fire, because they have been refined into pure gold.

God’s Temple is Almost Finished and Will Be Filled with His Glory

Throughout the Bible, we read accounts of God’s glory filling the temple. In Exodus 40, after Moses finished the construction of the tabernacle, he was unable to enter the tabernacle because of the glory of God. "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34-35). Similarly, after Solomon finished the construction of the temple, the priests could not stand to minister, because the glory of the Lord filled the temple (2 Chronicles 5:14). Revelation 15:8 says, “The sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary…" Is it just a coincidence that God’s glory filled the temple three times in God’s word? No. All of these temples—the tabernacle, the temple in the Old Testament, the heavenly temple, and the church as God's dwelling place (and our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, see 1 Corinthians 6:19), all serve as vessels of God's glory.

The vision in Revelation 15 shows God’s glory coming down and filling the temple, which demonstrates that God’s vessel is prepared. I do not deny the existence of the heavenly temple, but I also recognize that we believers are God’s temple. Peter reinforces the same truth: “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood…" (1 Peter 2:5). Revelation 21:2 emphasizes that the holy city, New Jerusalem, is the Bride of Christ. The voice from the throne says, "The dwelling place of God is with man" (21:3). John also mentions, “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb"(21:22). This is so fascinating. We are the city (New Jerusalem), and God and the Lamb are the temple. The glory of God fills the temple, which means the glory of God fills us and is demonstrated through us. This is a future reality, but it is also a present-day reality. May we all be filled with the glory of God.

We Must Open God’s Temple through Prayers and Praise

As mentioned previously, the saints’ prayers and praise influence God’s work. The saints’ prayers can advance the work of judgment that God executes from his throne. The believers’ praises from the sea of ​​glass are powerful weapons to promote God’s work and open the temple. Hebrews 13:15 urges, “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Our praises, especially the praises we offer amidst difficult circumstances, have transformative power.

Our suffering may not seem to make sense, like the moveable type on early printing presses, which appears in reverse. Only in eternity will we see how our sufferings created a beautiful poem. Trials and suffering give birth to sincere praise. As the overcomers finally see God’s good intentions and how he used their suffering for good, they cannot help but praise God on the sea of glass.

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Revelation 16, part 2

Seven Bowls of the Wrath of God

The judgment in the book of Revelation begins with the judgment of the church, then proceeds to the judgment of the world and the judgment of evil spirits. God's judgment begins with the house of God (1 Peter 4:17), which is why the book begins with the seven letters to the churches. These letters to the churches not only contain words of encouragement, but also pronounce judgment on the churches. Judgment leads to repentance, and repentance leads to forgiveness. However, refusal to repent results in more severe judgment. This is a fundamental principle: judgment should lead to repentance and increased holiness and maturity.

The judgment of the church and its resulting growth leads to the next stage of judgment: judgment of the world. The seven seals and seven trumpets represent God’s judgment of the world, including the judgment of believers. This judgment helps believers detach from the world and offers unbelievers the chance to be saved. As the judgment intensifies with the bowl judgments, God begins his judgment of evil spirits. Our destiny as believers is to judge angels and evil spirits (1 Corinthians 6:3), and only a mature church can judge angels and evil spirits.

The bowl judgments not only serve to execute vengeance on angels and evil spirits, but also to demonstrate the maturity of the church's spiritual life. When understanding the Book of Revelation, many focus on the timing of the miraculous events, but this is not the central theme. The focus of Revelation is the maturity of the church. The Bible says that believers are called to bear witness to Jesus and testify together about Him. "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10). Rather than just focusing on God's judgment or the astonishing details of a particular vision, we should focus on the extent to which the church and the body of Christ are growing spiritually. The church, as the Bride of Christ, is continually sanctifying itself. When the church sanctifies itself, the world is judged. You can see the truth of this in your individual life. When you reject an invitation to engage in sinful or worldly activities because of your Christian values, you are actually passing judgment on the friends who invited you. They may feel convicted and repent because of your judgment. If they follow the Holy Spirit’s call, they may grow in sanctification. However, if they refuse to repent, they may resent you and continue on the path of sin.

While this is an example from the life of an individual believer, the principle holds true for the collective destiny of humanity portrayed in the Book of Revelation. In the Book of Revelation, the church continually sanctifies itself, while the sinful and unrepentant persist in impurity. Ultimately, the righteous enter eternal life and the presence of God, while the unrepentant face judgment in the lake of fire. The central theme of Revelation is the increasing maturity of the church. When the church matures, she is ready to become Christ’s bride and celebrate the marriage feast of the Lamb. Only then will the New Jerusalem, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, come down from heaven. If we ignore the theme of the maturing bride of Christ, the entire Book of Revelation is pointless. When reading Revelation, we should focus less on the disasters and beasts and more on our own personal growth and maturity.

The Significance of the Seven Bowls from the Perspective of the Spiritual Growth of the Body of Christ

In our last devotional, we learned that the body of Christ must mature to a point where it can move from the outer court to the Holy Place and eventually the Holy of Holies, so the "sanctuary of the tent of witness" can be opened (Revelation 15:5). After the completion of His redemptive work on the cross, Jesus, the High Priest, tore the veil in the earthly temple from top to bottom. When he opened the veil that separated the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, this symbolized that we have access to God through the redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross. We can now boldly enter the Holy of Holies through the precious blood of Jesus (Hebrews 4:16).

However, just because Jesus opened the way to God does not mean that everyone has entered the Holy of Holies. To enter the Holy of Holies, we must first accept the redemption of Jesus Christ. Secondly, we must live in holiness, for without holiness no one can see God (Hebrews 12:14). God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).

After the heavenly sanctuary was opened, the seven angels who would administer the seven plagues came out of the temple (Revelation 15:6). They were dressed in clean, bright linen (like a bride), with golden sashes around their chests (like the Lord wore). One of the four living creatures handed the seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God to the seven angels (Revelation 15:7).

The four living creatures are either angels or some other type of created being that live near God's throne. Revelation 4:6 says, "Around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures." The book of Ezekiel also describes the four living creatures (Ezekiel 1:5-25) that Ezekiel saw in his vision of God (Ezekiel 1:1). Evidently, the four living creatures serve God around His throne, which is located inside the heavenly Holy of Holies. In Revelation 4, John saw a vision of God's throne and the four living creatures. In that vision, John saw that the One seated on the throne held a scroll that no one could open (Revelation 5:1-4). John wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll, but the elders told him that the Lamb of God could open the scroll. Only Jesus Christ could open God's scroll.

And only the bride of Jesus Christ, the mature Church, could unveil God's final judgment on angels and evil spirits. Paul told the Corinthian believers that our destiny was to judge angels. Revelation 5 discusses the "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (Revelation 5:8). While the victory of Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of power for the events in Revelation, the prayers of the saints play a significant role in the unfolding of the judgments on the church, the world, and evil spirits. These events come from God’s authority and reign, but the prayers of the saints facilitate and expedite the progress of God’s work. When reading Revelation, it is essential to understand not only God’s authoritative work from the throne, but also the power of the prayers of Jesus’ witnesses.

The Glory of God and Its Relationship To Deliverance Ministry

In 2015, I attended a special meeting seeking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in my life. During that gathering, I personally experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit. Along with two other brothers, I was praying that when the Holy Spirit was poured upon me, I would not be able to stand. When we experienced the Holy Spirit’s power, we staggered backward and fell on the chairs behind us. The filling of the Holy Spirit and God's glory, whether in individual experiences or in tents, temples, and heavenly places, typically leads to the same result – people being unable to stand as they enter the presence of God (15:8). In this particular meeting, before the two brothers and I were filled with the Holy Spirit, we prayed for an African American sister. I witnessed the Holy Spirit being continuously poured out upon her, and she began coughing as an evil spirit was being cast out. Then, the Holy Spirit continued to fill her until she could no longer stand. She collapsed on the ground. Wow! This was the first time I had witnessed firsthand a person being delivered from an evil spirit and simultaneously being filled with the Holy Spirit!

The image described at the end of Revelation 15 is similar to what I witnessed with this sister. It involves casting out demons from a person and inviting the Holy Spirit to fill them. The difference is that what I saw in this sister was a small-scale deliverance ministry, while in Revelation 15 and 16, we read of a large-scale, cosmic deliverance ministry. All evil spirits and demons will be cast out of their hiding places in people, animals, and other created beings and things. This is because when God's bride matures, the glory of God's sons will be revealed. At that time, all created things will be liberated from the bondage of corruption and enjoy the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:21). In this verse, Paul says that not only humanity has been corrupted by Satan's betrayal and Adam's sin; all created beings have been corrupted. They are all waiting for God’s sons to be revealed in glory. When believers become the bride of the Lord, after the wedding feast is over and the bride is sitting on the throne with the Lord, all things will be released from corruption.

The seven disasters of the seven bowls recorded in Revelation 16 represent a cosmic-scale deliverance ministry. This is closely connected to the end of Revelation 15, where God's glory fills the temple. Only God's glory can expose and cast out demons. The seven bowls achieve this objective by judging and exposing the evil spirits that have dominated and corrupted all things. After this final cleansing, God's glory will fill the heavens and the earth; the old heavens and earth will pass away, and the new heavens and earth will come.

The Evil Spirits Are Cast Out in the Seven Bowl Judgments

When God sent the ten plagues upon Egypt, he not only judged the Egyptians and the natural elements like the Nile River, but also the evil spirits behind them. Similarly, the seven bowl judgments will not only judge certain elements of the natural world but also the evil spirits lurking behind these elements. Understanding this principle helps us comprehend why God pours out His seven bowls of wrath. These evil spirits have corrupted all things, killing countless people. They are covered in the blood of saints, and many created beings have been harmed at their hands. Let's examine each of the seven bowls and the evil spirits they are designed to judge.

The first angel pours out the first bowl judgment on the earth to judge the ground which is contaminated by Satan and evil spirits. The earth is filled with human beings, so the judgment affects them as well. When the first bowl is poured out, “harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image” (16:2). Although this judgment is directed at the earth, the people on the earth are affected as well, especially those who worship the beast. Are there evil spirits on the earth? Definitely. Evil spirits live on Earth as well as in the bottomless pit below. It is likely that the people on earth, especially those who worship the beast, are indwelt by evil spirits.

As I mentioned before, after the harvest in Revelation 14 and the victory on the sea of glass in Revelation 15, there is no record of anyone repenting. Instead, Revelation 15 says that the people did not repent, even when they were scorched with intense heat or had to bite their tongues for pain. Instead of repenting, they blasphemed God of heaven (16:9-10). Perhaps there are no righteous people left on earth because those who did not worship the beast were already martyred as described in chapters 14 and 15. Perhaps the survivors were all worshipers of the beast.

At this point, God no longer had mercy on the earth but executed severe judgment. God told Abraham that if there were ten righteous people in Sodom, He would not destroy the city for their sake. In Matthew 24, Jesus tells us, "And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short" (Matthew 24:22). Revelation 7 describes four angels with the authority to harm the earth and sea, but another angel stops them, saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads" (Revelation 7:3). These servants are the 144,000, who are mostly the same group of people mentioned in Revelation 15. A process is involved as God seals them, calls them, and takes them to heaven. The angel’s intervention shows that God was shortening the days they would have to suffer. God's servants were saved, and God’s mercy towards the earth has been replaced by severe judgment.

The second bowl is poured into the sea, turning it into blood like that of a corpse, and every living creature in the sea dies (16:3). There may be many evil spirits in the sea. The Old Testament mentions the sea monster Rahab (Job 9:13), a dragon standing on the shore of the sea (Revelation 12:18), and a beast rising out of the sea (13:1). Daniel also saw in a vision of four great beasts coming up from the sea (Daniel 7:2). Jesus allowed a legion of demons to enter a herd of pigs, which then drowned in the sea (Matthew 8:32). Moreover, in the parable of Jesus, unclean spirits fail to seek rest in waterless places (Matthew 12:43). These accounts clearly indicate that many evil spirits dwell in the sea and water.

The third bowl is poured into the rivers and springs of water, and the water turns into blood. This judgment is perhaps similar to the second bowl judgment. After this judgment, the angel in charge of the waters declares that God's judgment is just because they have shed the blood of the saints and prophets (16:4-5). Since there are no people in the water, it is plausible to conclude that God's judgment on the water is a judgment against evil spirits.

In that moment, a voice comes from the altar saying, "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments" (16:7). This echoes the words of the conquerors beside the sea of glass, and satisfies the plea of the saints under the altar mentioned in the fifth seal in Revelation 15.

The fourth bowl is poured upon the sun, which scorches people with intense fire. This is a judgment on the sun and also on people. I do not know if there are evil spirits in the sun, but people still refuse to repent; instead, they blaspheme God.

The fifth bowl is poured on the throne of the beast, definitely a judgment on the evil spirits because the beast is an evil spirit. This bowl also judges unrepentant people. They refuse to repent, even as they gnaw their tongues because of the painful sores.

The sixth bowl is poured on the great river Euphrates, and its waters dry up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. I believe this is still a judgment on evil spirits because three unclean spirits come out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophets to deceive the kings of the earth, gathering them for the great battle on the day of God Almighty (14). Jesus says he is coming like a thief (vs. 15). Jesus can now return because the bride is mature and ready to get married. The bride, who is also the Lord’s army, will defeat all evil spirits and kings on the earth on that great day. This judgment helps lure the enemies into a strategic position.

The seventh bowl is poured into the air, and a voice comes from the throne, saying, "It is done!" (16:17). What is done? When Jesus was crucified, He said, "It is finished" because He accomplished God's plan of redemption. But what is finished here? It is God’s plan that is completed, which is to say that all things work together, God's sons enter into His glory, and the bride of Christ matures.

At that time, a great earthquake will occur, greater than any that has happened before. God also judges Babylon for being a harlot, a counterfeit of the bride, and the spouse of Satan. Therefore, in God's final judgment, He starts with Babylon, then the beast and the false prophets, and finishes with Satan. This is like cutting down a tree, starting with branches and leaves, then the trunk, and finishing with the roots. We will delve into this insight further in the study of Revelation 18.

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Bible Study With Jairus

Acts 10 (Part 2)

The Story of Peter and Cornelius:

A Faith Leader and a Political Leader Collaborate to Bring the Gospel to the World

Should Christians be involved in politics? And how does that question relate to the story of Cornelius and Peter? That is what we will learn in this devotional.

I have been taught in church for many years that Christians should not get involved in politics. However, more and more American Christians have begun to realize the dangers of not participating in politics. They’ve seen how ungodly people are seizing power, Christian and conservative groups are being persecuted, and America is in danger of losing its religious freedom. All this has led many American Christians, including Chinese Christians in the United States, to actively participate in politics and strive to change the society.

What does the Bible say about politics? Many Christians have begun to realize that the Bible never teaches believers to avoid politics. As king, David surely participated in politics. As we will see, the resistance to political involvement may stem from a misunderstanding of the teaching of submission to authority mentioned by Paul in Romans 13.

There’s no doubt that participating in politics will be controversial, but the price of not participating in politics is also high. If the church avoids politics, Satan will use the spirit of religion and evil political forces to persecute the church. For example, he used the religious forces of Judaism in Jerusalem, combined with the evil political forces of Herod, to kill James and capture Peter in Acts 12.

However, God can also use the cooperation of godly church leaders and godly political leaders to combat the schemes of Satan. In Acts 10, we see how Peter, a representative of true faith, and Cornelius, a godly Gentile political leader, worked together to expand the reach of the gospel from the small circle of Jerusalem to a vast number of Gentiles. Their collaboration had extremely far-reaching significance and removed the limitations that the religious spirit was attempting to place on the gospel.

If godly faith and upright politics do not work together, the religious spirit (false beliefs) will combine with evil politics, causing great harm to society and limiting the influence of the truth. We must reflect on God’s teaching in Genesis 1:26, in which God commands us humans to rule the earth. The church represents God’s authority in the world, and political avoidance may not necessarily be in line with biblical teachings. Christians should be salt and light in the world. Though we should not jump into political battles purely for our own benefit, we should learn from Peter's example and influence politicians to spread the gospel and the kingdom of God.

What Does the Bible Say About Christians in Politics?

Let’s examine the origins of the belief that Christians should not participate in politics. First, Christians point to the fact that we must pursue a spiritual kingdom, not a worldly kingdom. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, the disciples hoped that He would free the earthly kingdom of Israel from the oppression of the Romans, but the Lord told them, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (John 18:36) It was not God’s will for the disciples to fight Christ’s captor, because he had to be crucified to fulfill God’s plan of redemption. But this does not mean that we should avoid our responsibilities in the world. Elsewhere, Jesus taught us to be salt and light and to influence the entire world. He also taught us to make disciples of all nations. Naturally, this includes winning politicians to Christ through participation in politics. Our partial and one-sided understanding of some of the teachings of the Bible has led us to a faulty theology, which in turn led us to pursue a heavenly kingdom to the exclusion of positively impacting the world.

Second, some wrong theological ideas promoted in the United States in the 1970s taught that Jesus could come back at any time, so there was no need for children to go to college or to actively participate in society or politics. At the time, books about Jesus’ return were very popular, and many Christians dressed in white and waited on the mountains for the Lord to rapture them. But nothing happened. Now, it is 2024, and the Lord has still not returned. These erroneous teachings create obsessions with the Lord’s return while leading Christians to neglect their participation in everyday society. Because of these fallacious teachings, American Christians have gradually lost their influence in the realm of education. Since the 1950s, American public schools have gradually stopped allowing the teaching of the Bible and prayer. Little by little, children have been influenced by leftist ideas, resulting in generations of children who have been brainwashed by the far left. In addition to this, homosexuality has become rampant and has even begun to affect children in primary schools. Christians in the United States are gradually awakening to this phenomenon. They realize they have lost influence in schools, school boards, media, entertainment, and politics at the local and national levels. Some Christians are even facing small amounts of persecution. Not only are anti-God voices filling schools, media, and entertainment, but many Christians are being persecuted for praying and adhering to biblical values. As a result, many Christians have begun to reflect on their role in politics. They have not only returned to their faith, but also reconsidered the teaching that political involvement is wrong. As a result, many Christians have started influencing society by actively participating in politics and being salt and light in the spheres of media and entertainment.

Third, a one-sided understanding of Paul’s teaching on submitting to authority in Romans 13 has caused Christians to be too passive. Total submission to those in power is very popular among Chinese Christians. Because of the severity of persecution, they did not dare say no to evil politics, so they used Romans 13 to cover up their cowardice. However, this teaching is not in line with God’s teachings. Of course, Paul did teach that we as Christians should submit to government authorities because they were ordained by God to administer justice. However, the Bible also says many times (often through the mouth of Peter) that we should obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). In the past, I was deeply influenced by the idea of total submission, but God showed me through dreams and visions that Christians should participate in China’s political movements to uphold social justice and promote the spread of the gospel.

Cornelius Needed Visions to Help Him Recognize and Accept Peter's Message

God not only guides Christians, but he also guides people who do not know Him to guide them toward salvation. Acts 10 describes how Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian cohort, was a god-fearing man who prayed often. As a result, God gave him a vision and asked him to go to Peter to preach to them the gospel.

The same thing happened to me. Looking back, I can see that God was subtly guiding me, even when I did not yet know him. In recent times, I have heard many testimonies of Muslims in the Middle East who converted to Christ after God gave them dreams and visions. In the dream, Jesus appeared to them and asked them to read a certain passage in the Bible, leading to their salvation. This shows that God can come in person to directly preach the gospel to people. So why did God choose to send an angel of God to ask Cornelius to invite Peter to preach the gospel to him? Because God wanted Cornelius and Peter to collaborate, as we mentioned at the beginning of this lesson. Even though God or an angel could have preached the gospel to Cornelius directly and saved him and his family, God wanted the righteous political forces represented by Cornelius to join hands with the godly religious forces represented by Peter so that God’s gospel could extend beyond the small religious circles in Jerusalem to the entire Gentile world. This shows the magnificence of God’s great plan.

God revealed to me that the “Chinese Whistleblower Movement” that started in 2017 was from Him. The purpose was to provide a platform for Christians to preach the gospel. In turn, when the gospel is preached, it will change the hearts of the Chinese people and provide a solid foundation for democracy to take root in China. I will share more of these revelations in my upcoming content. For now, I will share that when I followed God's guidance to join this movement and publicly stated what I believed to be God's plan, I received a lot of opposition from the Buddhist and atheist members and founders of this group. They could not accept the idea of Christianity taking the lead in their movement. I quickly realized that these politicians needed God’s supernatural revelation through dreams and visions so they could humble themselves and recognize the importance of the gospel. After they resisted my attempt to join them, I saw God gradually begin to guide them through circumstances so they could learn the lesson of humility and learn to recognize God's will. I pray that like Cornelius, they can understand God’s will and humbly accept the guidance of God’s gospel.

Peter Needed Visions To Break Through His Narrow Religious Ideas

Likewise, Peter needed a vision from God to overcome his rigid religious ideology. First, God needed to break down the idea that Jews and Gentiles could not have contact. In the Old Testament, God restricted contact and intermarriage between Jews and Gentiles, mainly to protect the Israelites from worshiping idols as the Gentiles did. He wanted to preserve the purity of the Jewish line through whom Christ would come. After Jesus Christ accomplished redemption on the cross, the Jews no longer needed these dietary and social restrictions. Jesus made all things and people clean again. But as a Jew, Peter continued to follow the Old Testament way of thinking. Therefore, when God gave him a vision of different types of unclean animals and asked him to “kill and eat,” he said that he had never eaten anything common or unclean. But God said, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” The same vision was given to him three times in a row.

Visions and dreams convey God’s message through pictorial language. The various animals represented the Gentiles. They were originally unclean, but God had now cleansed them. God was telling Peter to boldly throw off the shackles of religion and preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

When the Lord Jesus was on earth, he did indeed teach his disciples to preach the gospel only to the Jews. However, after his crucifixion and resurrection, the Lord Jesus taught his disciples to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Times had changed, and so had God’s guidance. The redemption accomplished by the Lord Jesus on the cross changed everything.

Paul spoke extensively on this topic. He said that Jews and Gentiles were originally separated, but because Jesus destroyed this hostility on the cross, Jews and Gentiles have now been reconciled. We are now members of one body (Ephesians 2:11-17 ). "For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:18). Though these truths were later revealed through Paul, Peter did not have access to this revelation at the time he met Cornelius. That is why God had to reveal this truth to him through visions.

The Jewish people were God’s greenhouse, where his redemption was planted and nurtured. However, the purpose of a greenhouse is to eventually transplant the seedlings into larger vegetable gardens. Although God’s plan of redemption came through the Jews, God does not want to limit the gospel to one small people group. But because the Jews were unwilling to give up their sense of superiority, they rejected God's will and did not allow the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. This was due to human jealousy and narrow-mindedness.

After Jesus Christ was resurrected, he told his disciples to make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But the minds of the Jewish Christians were restricted by the laws of the Old Testament and they were unable to embrace God's guidance for the new era. As a result, they limited the gospel to Jerusalem. Even Peter originally embraced this narrow-minded ideology.

In addition, the religious forces of Judaism and the evil political forces represented by Herod were working together to confine the gospel of God to Jerusalem and keep it within the sheepfold of Judaism. Therefore, God urgently needed to enlighten Peter through visions so that he could break away from these narrow religious concepts and bring the gospel to the Gentiles. As Peter and Cornelius started working together, the gospel of God began to advance, and the Holy Spirit’s power reached the Gentiles. It was the beginning of a new era in Christian history.

The Collaboration of Faith Leaders and Political Leaders Continues Today

The examples recorded in the Bible not only reveal God’s guidance for that era, but also reveal a divine principle for later generations. The story of Peter and Cornelius’s collaboration is not only for the people of that time. The same story has also been replicated repeatedly throughout the ages.

For example, American Christians are working with political forces to influence the society of America. For many years, American Christians have prayed for the United States, repenting of the sin of massacring Indians, selling slaves, and killing babies. They have prayed for God’s care, healing, and forgiveness for America. As a result, faith has returned and many Christians have been revived. These same Christians actively participate in politics and support candidates who promote Christian values in order to restore America's conservative values. The people in these movements are not perfect, and many have shallow beliefs, but they represent a force of church revival. I believe this collaboration between people of faith and people of power will bring about the return of American Christian values. The recent election of Congressman Mike Johnson, a devout Christian, as Speaker of the House is a positive result of the convergence of conservative beliefs and political justice in the United States.

This is not only happening in the United States, but God has also revealed to me that it will soon happen in China. Previously, I had only planned to serve God in Christian circles and had never thought of participating in any political movement. I not only believed that Christians should not be involved in politics, but I was also afraid. I knew that Christians would have to pay a high price to participate in politics, especially in the face of evil political oppression. Although I am in the United States and do not have to pay a huge price personally, I am still worried that it will cause trouble to my family. But God revealed to me through a series of dreams that His will for me was to participate in the political democratic movement He initiated. As the gospel is preached to those who participate in the democratic movement, it will help the country of China come to know God. God revealed to me that I will play an important role and hold an important position in this movement in the future.

One night, I had a strange dream. I was riding a bicycle down the street as a group of democrats on bicycles chased me. The more they chased me, the faster I rode. This action depicts my fear very well. But these democrats finally caught up with me and said to me, “Thank you for your books and gospel messages. You helped our democratic movement to win.” This is just one of the dreams I have had. God has revealed to me through many other dreams that the preaching of the gospel by us Christians will help many Chinese political figures learn to know Christ. As these leaders begin to pursue justice and faith, they will bring great change to China. May God's will be done.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Genesis 49 -2

From Sinners to Pearly Gates: The Stories of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi

We often say that the Old Testament is a picture, and the New Testament is the spiritual reality that the picture points to. For example, the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites is a beautiful picture that foreshadows the believer’s journey from the kingdom of darkness to God’s kingdom of light. Similarly, the experiences of the twelve sons of Israel are beautiful pictures that point to the spiritual reality in the New Testament.

As we will see, Reuben's immorality deprived him of God's blessing and his privileges as the firstborn son. Similarly, Simeon and Levi lost the blessing of being Christ’s ancestors because of their brutality and murder. Judah almost forfeited the same blessing because of his sin. However, despite their sin, their names are listed on the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem in heaven. These stories foreshadow a spiritual reality: God can transform sinners into saints through his grace and mercy!

First, we need to look at the sins of these sons of Jacob. In the New Testament, Paul lists many types of sin and provides a detailed commentary on the human condition. Paul said, "God gave them up to dishonorable passions" (Romans: 1:26), and men were "filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.... ” (Romans 1:29). As the saying goes, "The work of sinners is to sin, and that is all they do.” Even though sinners are sinful in every way, this is not the ultimate outcome God desires for us. Though the book of Romans begins with sin (Romans 1-3), it also talks about "justification through faith" (Romans 4-5), "union with Christ" (Romans 6), "the struggles of the flesh" (Romans 7), "victory in Christ" (Romans 8), "God's election of the Jews" (Romans 9-11), "experiencing the renewal of the mind,” “surrendering the body as a living sacrifice" (Romans 12), "submitting to one another" (Romans 13) in the church and "loving one another" (Romans 14), and "preaching the gospel and bearing witness to the Gentiles" (Romans 15-16). In other words, Paul's book of Romans reveals that although we begin as sinners, it is not our ultimate identity. Those who trust in Christ will become members of the Church of God, which will eventually be built into the New Jerusalem. We will not remain sinners forever; this is not God's will for us. God's will for us is to transform us from sinners into sons of God! This is what the story of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi foreshadows. They began as sinners and ended up as gates in the walls of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12). The names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on the twelve gates. Each gate is a pearl (Revelation 21:21). Pearls speak of transformation through pain. Only after an oyster is wounded does it secrete a pearly fluid to produce pearls. Its pearly fluid covers the piece of foreign material or sand that was irritating the oyster’s tender body. In the same way, we were like a piece of sand that wounded Christ. But when Christ was wounded on the cross, He produced resurrection life and turned us into pearls one by one!

Jacob's Prophecy to Simeon and Levi

Jacob’s prophecies about his sons are only one piece of the progressive revelation of God. Moses’s prophecies about the twelve tribes reveal even more about God’s plans for the tribes (Deuteronomy 33). Other later records in the Old Testament reveal even more. The New Testament, especially the book of Revelation, describes the ultimate outcome of the twelve tribes of Israel. We will discuss more about Moses’s prophecies later on. Here, we will focus on Jacob's prophecies.

Jacob's prophecy concerning Simeon and Levi says, "Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords. Let my soul come not into their council; O my glory, be not joined to their company. For in their anger they killed men, and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel" (Genesis 49:3-7). Simeon and Levi were the brothers of Dinah, who was the only daughter in Jacob's family. Genesis 34 tells us that Dinah was defiled by a man in a neighboring tribe named Shechem. Simeon and Levi tricked the clan of Shechem into getting circumcised, then killed all the males while they were weak and in pain. They also took away all their children, women, and belongings.

The entire incident was part of a satanic attack. Satan wanted to use Shechem against the sons of Israel so he could disqualify two more sons from carrying on the genealogy of Christ. Dinah was also a victim of this satanic attack. Satan also wanted to infuriate Shechem’s entire family so they would attack Jacob’s entire family and wipe out every potential ancestor of Christ. When Dinah was first violated, Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You’ve brought trouble on me, making me a stench among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am but a few men—they’ll gather against me and strike me—then I’ll be destroyed, my household and I” (Genesis 34:30).

Jacob was sobered by this incident. The Bible does not record Jacob's reaction to Dinah’s violation, but we can easily imagine Jacob's grief. His heart was hurt, but he had no idea what Simeon and Levi were planning. If he had known in advance that Simeon and Levi were going to slaughter Shechem's family, he would have stopped it. Jacob knew that his people were few and they had to preserve their strength so that Israel could prosper and thrive and eventually fulfill God's will. We should note that Simeon and Levi did these things without Jacob's knowledge and permission; they did it on their own. This is why Jacob said, "Let my soul come not into their council; O my glory, be not joined to their company.”

But Simeon and Levi said, "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?" When we are attacked and misunderstood by others, we must decide whether to respond in the flesh or in the spirit. When we do things in the flesh, we often do not follow the feelings of our spirit nor the leading of the Holy Spirit in our spirit; this is a spiritual experience New Testament Christians can relate to. One pastor testified that a sister came to him and said, "You only became a pastor for the money.” He was so angry that he fought back and attacked the sister. Similar situations continued to happen to the pastor, so he prayed about it. The Holy Spirit told him that these critical words were the discipline of the Holy Spirit. These situations would keep happening until the pastor learned to deal with criticism with a meek and humble spirit. As a result, the pastor humbled himself and surrendered to learning the lesson of meekness. Only then was he freed from God's discipline.

When others hurt us with curses and discrimination, we can choose to respond in the flesh, or we can choose to respond with the spirit. I personally have had many such experiences. When I react in the flesh, not only do I ignore the feeling in my spirit, but I also ignore the counsel of my wife and those close to me. In fact, I don’t let my close family and friends know what I intend to do. I only want to go my own way! If we would communicate with our trusted friends before reacting to a situation, we could avoid many of these fleshly reactions and the negative results they bring. And of course, we should let the Lord know and listen to His leading in our spirit! But Levi and Simeon did not do this, so Jacob prophesied that they would be scattered among the people of Israel. Their descendants would be disbursed among their fellow Israelites so that their evil tendencies would be balanced out and restrained by the rest of the tribes.

Reuben's Twist of Fate

Reuben sinned, but he did one thing well. When his brothers hurt Joseph, he was the only one who opposed it. His brothers followed Reuben’s plan to throw Joseph into a pit instead of killing him. Later, Judah came up with the idea to sell Joseph and not kill him. The brothers listened to Judah. In doing so, Judah may have saved Joseph by accident (Genesis 37:27).

Eventually, Reuben lost his birthright and authority, and this tribe even faced the danger of going extinct. Moses said of him, “Let Reuben live, and not die, but let his men be few" (Deuteronomy 33:6). How many years this situation lasted, we do not know. But we do know that the prophetess Deborah praised the tribe of Reuben in the book of Judges: "For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart" (Judges 5:15) and "For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart" (Judges 5:16). At that time, God had handed Israel over to Jabin, King of Canaan, because of Israel’s rampant idolatry. However, God raised up the prophetess Deborah and the prophet Barak to defeat Jabin’s army commander, Sisera. At that time, some people in Reuben’s family began to have “great thoughts and searchings of heart,” which may have won God’s favor.

This story shows that no matter how late our repentance is, we can please the Lord when we search for the Lord with all our hearts. If we repent, God will not only forgive us but also use us greatly. I never dreamed that I would become a Christian, let alone serve the Lord. Yet if we search for God with all our hearts, he can change our destiny. One day when I was in high school, I suddenly felt that I was going to do something big in my life, so I made up my mind to study hard and get into the university. I kept pursuing this goal, but I did not know what big thing I would do in my life. Even after believing in the Lord, I didn't understand God's plans for my future—until the last day of 2017, when the Lord gave me a vision of heaven. That day, He told me His plan for me was for me to participate in the coming revival in China and help bring countless souls to heaven. Among these people, there will be countless people like Reuben. After they repent and believe in the Lord, they will finally be transformed into living stones in the New Jerusalem.

Simeon's Twist of Fate

Simeon was the one who took the lead in killing Shechem's family. He may have also been the one who took the lead in the plan to kill Joseph. When Joseph was prime minister of Egypt, Simeon was the one Joseph imprisoned while the rest of his brothers went back to Canaan to get Benjamin and bring him back to Egypt (Genesis 42:24). This may indicate that Simeon was the chief culprit who took the lead in harming Joseph. Jacob prophesied that Simeon would be scattered among his brethren. This prophecy was fulfilled when Simeon later dwelt among the tribes of Judah (Joshua 19:1). Moses does not mention Simeon in his prophecy in Deuteronomy 33.

How was Simeon saved when Joseph imprisoned him? Simeon was saved through Benjamin’s arrival. Simeon was released when Judah and his brothers brought Benjamin to Egypt. This is a typological picture. Benjamin is a type of Christ and of the New Jerusalem. When the New Jerusalem is built, Simeon will also be saved and become a pearly gate.

Even today, many of us can learn from Simeon’s story. Even if we have not killed someone physically, we have killed or hurt someone emotionally. When we hate someone, we often have sinful, murderous thoughts. Jesus said that hatred is the same as murder. We know for sure that we took part in the murder of one person—Jesus Christ. Even the robber who was crucified with the Lord went to Paradise on the same day as Jesus Christ because of his repentance and redemption by Jesus Christ.

Levi's Twist of Fate

I personally believe that Simeon may have been the main culprit in the massacre of Shechem’s family and that Levi was just along for the ride. But we also know that Levi had a very cruel temper. Jacob prophesied that the Levites would also be scattered among the Israelites. Later, the Levites received God’s blessings because the Levites refused to worship the golden calf. The Levites obeyed Moses' order to kill those who worshiped idols, so God chose this tribe to become his priests. Moses said in Deuteronomy 33, "And of Levi he said, ‘Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to your godly one, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah; who said of his father and mother, “I regard them not” he disowned his brothers and ignored his children For they observed your word and kept your covenant. They shall teach Jacob your rules and Israel your law; they shall put incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar. Bless, O Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; crush the loins of his adversaries, of those who hate him, that they rise not again’" (33:8-11).

This verse is very clear. The Levites were willing to kill their idolatrous parents, brothers, and even their children in order to keep God’s word. Their ferocious temperament turned into zealous and absolute loyalty to God, so they were blessed by God. Nonetheless, as Jacob prophesied, they were scattered among the Israelites.

The Greatness of God's Salvation

I believe that Reuben, Simeon, and Levi all had the opportunity to become ancestors of Jesus Christ. They all lost this privilege because of their moral failure. Yet Jesus Christ is the Lord and the Redeemer who gives us redemption when we fail. Through Him, we can receive God's blessings again in Jesus Christ. We may lose some earthly blessings, but we will gain heavenly blessings in Jesus Christ.

The twelve sons of Israel show the continual advancement of God’s work, one wave after another. Judah sinned like his brothers, but he became the ancestor of Christ with the help of Tamar. Through Christ, their descendent, all nations were blessed. Even Reuben, Simeon, and Levi were redeemed through Jesus. Each of the twelve sons of Israel was a sinner, but in the end, they were all transformed into pearly gates. They each have a special calling and gift from God. As sinners, they each sinned. Yet as God’s chosen people, they each received an aspect of God’s grace and a part to play in the advancement of God’s work.

We can each see ourselves in the story of Reuben. Like Reuben, we were all born in sin. We are born with an adulterous nature. This cruel nature has dwelt in us since the time of Adam’s sin. Just like Adam's firstborn son Cain killed Abel, we have murderous tendencies like Simeon and Levi. But our repentance leads to salvation. In Psalm 51, David confessed that he was not only born in sin but that he had also murdered Uriah and committed adultery with Bathsheba. When David repented of his immorality and murder, his broken spirit and contrite heart became a pleasing sacrifice to God. “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17). In the same way, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi were saved when they repented, and Levi was put in charge of the sacrifices and priesthood. These acceptable sacrifices were the result of God’s salvation described in Psalm 51.

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Bible Study with Jairus

2 Peter 1 (Part 9)

Brotherly Love: Breaking Away from Self

and Entering the Eternal Kingdom of Christ

One of the biggest problems in the church is self. Many Christians have had a degree of success in living out the fruit of the Spirit and the virtues of Christ. But overcoming self is a different story. Overcoming selfishness is a very difficult spiritual task, yet it is an indispensable step to reaching maturity in our spiritual lives. Only when we break away from self can we begin to show brotherly love. Only then can we live out the highest spiritual virtue of Christians, divine love (Agape).

How can we be free from self? How is this possible? Is this asking for too much? No. This is God’s destiny for us. Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Likewise, we as Christians must move beyond personal godliness to unity with one another in order to attain the highest form of godliness. We, the body of Christ, must together become the complete fullness of God. As the Bible says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is, when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1) What our Heavenly Father wants most is for His children to love one another, yet we as the church fall far short of our Heavenly Father’s expectations.

The Lord Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). If Christians in America loved one another perfectly, all unbelievers in America would be eager to come to Christ. If Christians all over the world loved one another perfectly, all Muslims, Buddhists, and others who don’t know Christ would recognize us as His disciples. It is a pity that we do not live out the life of love that Jesus commanded. If our church could achieve unity, it could grow to the full stature of Christ, the head.

But unity cannot be achieved without love. Paul spoke of attaining “to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). He also said, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16). God’s will is for the body of Christ to grow and be built up in love.

The original word for "love" here is Agape, which is divine love. It is God's will that we be built up in divine love, so we can be set free from individualism and the self and be joined together as the body of Christ. When we love one another as brothers, we allow divine love to be manifested in us.

Excessive Individualism Is a Big Problem For Western Christians

As a Chinese believer who moved to the West, I have seen the difference between Eastern collectivism and Western individualism. The denomination I was saved in originated in China and spread to the West. The Local Church Movement founded by Watchman Nee is the only Christian denomination that originated in China and spread to the West and other parts of the world. Although The Local Church is a very small denomination, there are hundreds of churches in the West, and there are also many churches in Asia, Europe, Africa, and other places. Unlike most Chinese churches whose members are mainly Chinese, these churches have attracted not only Chinese people but also many local people. The Local Church places great emphasis on the Body of Christ and multi-ethnic church members, as well as attracting Chinese Christians. I was saved in a Local Church in the United States, and I observed that there were many Americans and many Chinese in these churches. Therefore, Chinese Christians who come from a relatively strong collectivistic tradition and American Christians who come from a relatively strong individualistic tradition have many conflicts in church culture and views.

Some elements of Eastern authoritarianism sometimes permeate the church life of the Local Churches. Western Christians focus on equality and personal freedom and find this type of authoritarianism unthinkable. An American brother once told me that Chinese culture has penetrated the Local Churches. Much of the church culture is not Christian culture, but Chinese culture. This brother said that this prevents Christians from experiencing Christ. On the other hand, a Chinese brother told me after participating in a training that some of the young Americans participating in the training were completely selfish and did not consider others at all. Moreover, the Americans felt that this was a natural and right thing to do. He said this because Chinese people prefer collectivism and like to help one another, but he found that Westerners are more impersonal than Easterners and tend to focus on personal independence and following rules. As people from authoritarian Eastern countries, we must learn the values of freedom, democracy, and respect from individuals from the West. Eastern countries have been learning these values from the West for hundreds of years, and they need to continue to do so. However, the West can also learn from the East.

In this article, I am not refuting the respect for individual value that comes from the Bible’s revelation of human value. Instead, I am talking about the extreme individualism that many Westerners practice. In urbanized societies, it is difficult to find close social relationships between communities and neighbors, such as those that exist in rural areas of the West or in third-world countries. People have become so accustomed to an individualistic lifestyle that they don’t even know who their neighbors are. Sometimes when a neighbor dies, they don’t even know. People in the West greatly value their privacy. The expansion of individualism is not only greater in the United States than it is in third-world countries, but it is also greater than it was in the USA a few decades ago. Will these rampant individualistic tendencies invade the church and affect Christians’ ability to build each other up in love? Most definitely.

The Bottleneck That Western Christianity Is Currently Facing

The Bible reveals that God created man in His image. This gives humans inherent value, and this value has become a cornerstone of personal development in Western Christian civilization. The United States’ respect for the value of human life has created a society based on freedom and democracy. The USA has become a beacon to the world. But why is the United States gradually degenerating? There are many reasons for this. First, many of God's children worship idols and make the same mistakes that Israel and other Christian nations have made throughout the ages. Second, this truth about individual value has been taken to an extreme. American Christians have focused on the value of the individual to the exclusion of the value of the community. They have forgotten the importance of building up the church. This has led to extreme individualism. Therefore, although there were a vast number of individual Christians in the USA, the church as a community was not strong enough to withstand the attacks of the enemy. The Lord Jesus said, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The Lord Jesus said that only a well-built church can overcome the gates of hell.

The East values collectivism and family values. These values are especially strong in China. Unfortunately, over the past few centuries, this emphasis on the value of a collective identity has been taken advantage of by dictators. It has become a means of controlling the society, to the point that China even fell to the extremes of communism. However, I believe that these Eastern cultures that focus on collectivism are from God. The East is going through a big reformation and is about to be released from the authoritarian system. Through the preaching of the gospel, many Eastern people will be freed from slavery. Through the gospel, they can be transformed from darkness into light. Through the understanding of the Bible's respect for individual value, they can rediscover their individual value. But God wants them to retain their collective culture that focuses on building the community. They need to not only recognize their individual value, but also the value of the Body of Christ. This is one of the reasons why God wants to raise up the Eastern Church in this era. God has revealed to me many times that China will experience a great revival, after which the Chinese Church will have a great influence on the West.

How can the Chinese church profoundly influence the Western church if much of the richness of Christianity lies in the European tradition? When I was in seminary in the United States, I discovered that the English-speaking world had preserved many of the books of the Christian tradition from thousands of years ago. But in the Chinese-speaking world, the amount of Christian literature was still very limited. However, God can still use the Chinese to impact the West. I believe God will use the Chinese to combine respect for individual people with an emphasis on a collective church identity. This will create a new model that not only emphasizes the salvation and spiritual progress of individual Christians but also builds up the body of Christ. Many American Christian leaders say that although there have been many great revivals in American history and many people have been saved, the work of bringing these disciples to maturity has not been successful. As a result, these revivals have not had a profound impact on American society as a whole. I agree with this statement. But I think this lack of influence can be traced to another source as well. Although there are many Christians and many churches in the United States, there has not been an emphasis on building up the collective Body of Christ. Therefore the church cannot withstand the winds and the floods. Just as the Lord Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (Matthew 7:24-27).

The Collective Building of The Church Comes From The Spiritual Growth Of Individual Believers

What does Peter mean by “adding brotherly affection to godliness”? He means that Christians must break away from personal spirituality and build each other up in the Body of Christ. These are two sides of the same coin. If Christians only focus on personal spiritual growth, without loving one another and building up the Body of Christ, they will not be able to meet God’s expectations and requirements for the church. By the same token, if Christians only pursue unity and building of the church but neglect the individual spiritual life of each believer, it will be difficult to build the church. Therefore, both aspects need to be developed.

The first aspect is the pursuit of godliness. Many Christians are lacking in this area. They live in the world and fail to pursue godliness in their personal lives. Godliness is like the leaves of an oak tree. The leaves supply oxygen and other nutrients to the tree through photosynthesis. They also manifest the life of the tree. When a tree dies, all its leaves fall. Conversely, it is difficult for a tree to survive without its leaves during the growing season. If all the leaves of a tree are removed, the tree's survival will also be affected. When we live out godliness in our personal lives, we will be like a beautiful tree full of leaves. We will show that we are spiritually alive.

The second aspect is collective godliness. In the Body of Christ, the highest form of godliness is love. Our love for one another is like a blossoming tree. The tree’s flowers are a precursor to bearing fruit. In the same way, the last virtue mentioned is love. It is the fruit that the tree has been working toward throughout its growth cycles.

The Goal: Entering the Eternal Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ

Peter sums up the picture of mutual supply by saying, “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8). In other words, Peter knows that if we continually add virtue to the seeds of faith, knowledge to virtue, temperance to knowledge, patience to temperance, godliness to patience, brotherly love to godliness, and divine love (Agape) to brotherly love, we will be conformed to the image of Christ. He goes on to say, “For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins” (1:9). Isn’t this an apt description of many Christians today? Many Christians lack these qualities. As a result, they do not live out the full reality of the Christian life. They are like spiritual babies. Peter continued to encourage his readers by saying, “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (1:10-11).

Only then did Peter talk about his experience of seeing the transfigured Lord Jesus on the Holy Mountain. He said, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’, we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain” (1:16-18). At the beginning of the study of 2 Peter, I talked about my belief that the entire letter of Peter is Peter’s extended reflection on his experience of the Transfiguration. Here again, Peter demonstrates that he is describing spiritual growth in light of his experience on the Holy Mountain.

Conclusion:

On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus transcended the limitations of time and flesh and fully manifested the kingdom of Christ contained within Him. Since we are in Christ and Christ is in us, the kingdom of Christ has taken root in our hearts through faith. But it needs to grow like a tree. In order for this tree to grow, we need to continually supply the virtues of Christ to the seeds of faith. We must add knowledge of Christ to virtue, and then supply temperance to knowledge, and patience to temperance, godliness to patience, brotherly love to godliness, and love to brotherly love. In this way, you can grow your spiritual life step by step and build up the spiritual temple. This spiritual temple is the eternal kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the New Jerusalem we hope for. In this eternal kingdom, there will be no more tears, no sorrow, no competition, and no jealousy—only brotherly love between brothers and divine love that flows between us. This is the reality of the Kingdom of Christ and the Transfiguration. I hope that the body of Christ matures as soon as possible so that we can enter the Eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

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Bible Study with Jairus—2 Peter 1-8

Supplement Patience with Godliness: Living Out Christ’s Virtues

Every Christian is destined to live out the virtues of Christ. The Bible teaches us, "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers" (Romans 8:29). Since we are children of God, we must look and act like children of God. But if it’s difficult to even act like well-behaved human beings, how can we act like children of God? That’s why we need Jesus Christ, the firstborn Son of God, as our example. More importantly, He is our substitute and our very life. He lived the perfect life and he now lives his life through us.

A Chinese Christian once told me that very few Chinese churches talk about growing in the Christian life and living Christ out. When an African American sister thanked me for introducing Witness Lee's teachings and books on "living in Christ," she told me that she had heard of Watchman Nee, but not Witness Lee. She had been saved and attended a charismatic church in Baltimore for decades, but no one taught her about "living out her Christianity.”

I believe this phenomenon is not unique to these two believers. Many churches and pastors focus on the importance of evangelizing and saving souls. But they do not teach enough about growing in Christ. Although some churches may teach about living out Christ in our lives, my observation tells me that many Christians are superficial in their spiritual lives. Even though I have met many Christians in the United States, I rarely hear any of them talking about "living out their Christianity." I was fortunate enough to be saved in the Local Church Movement, where I received a lot of teaching and practical help with "living in Christ.” Although I still have a long way to go in learning to “live out my Christianity,” I have realized that this teaching and practical help can help solve common problems in Christians’ lives.

For example, the divorce rate among Christians in the United States is very high. Although there are many different reasons that a family may experience this misfortune, one common reason for divorce is a lack of patience. The husband and wife do not have enough patience with each other. Many couples choose to separate rather than learn to live out Christ’s life in the midst of their marriage struggles. I'm not saying that couples must stay married despite adultery or domestic violence. But I am saying that couples who are struggling with fleshly responses should not choose the easy way out. Instead, they should choose spiritual growth and maturity as they “live out Christ” in their marriage. In this message, we will share how to live out our Christianity through patience or steadfastness.

The Big Leap from Patience to Godliness

Watchman Nee once said, “You must allow God to give you time to suffer beyond measure; then your capacity will be enlarged.” It may be easy to accept small suffering, but we don’t have the capacity for greater suffering. For instance, we could accept the loss of five dollars, but could never endure the loss of five thousand dollars. We could forgive someone two or three times, but the fifth time would make us tremble with anger. We must allow God to take us through the slow process of maturing, like a slowly ripening fruit.

When we see a ripe papaya or mango, we can tell it is ripe by feeling, smelling, and tasting it. Unripe fruit tastes sour and bitter and is tough and hard, but ripe fruit tastes sweet and fragrant. When we find a ripe piece of fruit, we enjoy it. But we often don’t think of the slow process of ripening that it went through to get to this point.

When we see a mature believer, we are often impressed by their godliness. For example, Madame Guyon was a mature Christian. She was a teacher of the elderly and a friend to children. However, what we do not see is the slow and incremental process of maturing. Day by day, year after year, the individual went through a process of “ripening.” Often the path toward maturity is paved with suffering and the discipline of the Holy Spirit. [1]

Commercial fruit producers have learned to artificially ripen fruit, but there is no such thing as artificial ripening in the spiritual life. If you have the Spirit, you will naturally mature without artificial cultivation. If you do not have the Spirit, there is no way to truly mature. Lilies bloom and birds grow feathers quite spontaneously. There is no need for them to cultivate these features. In the same way, we must allow our spiritual lives to mature naturally.

Artificial spiritual cultivation can produce a self-righteous, rules-following “saint” (according to the world's concept), but it cannot produce a real Christian. The cross is enough for our sanctification. We cannot bear fruit through our own effort. Striving only delays our spiritual growth; it cannot speed it up. Instead of striving on our own, we must accept God’s means for maturity: the discipline of the Holy Spirit. If we do not cooperate with the discipline of the Holy Spirit, we will lose a chance to increase our spiritual capacity. This will only prolong the time required to reach maturity. We may even have to repeat the lessons we missed.

Watchman Nee said, "A believer can never be the same after passing through suffering. Either he will have his capacity enlarged or he will become more hardened.” This is why it is so important to accept suffering as the path to maturity. One of the most effective tools for maturity is marriage. It is a long-lasting lesson in getting along with others, and it often involves hardship. It is not easy to live out our Christianity while suffering in the marriage relationship. Often, instead of allowing God to increase our capacity and maturity through suffering, we let our hearts become hardened. Although we may not choose divorce or separation, we put up a wall and harden our hearts. Outwardly, we may act patient, but we don’t allow our faith to grow or allow God to perfect us through suffering.

The author of Hebrews writes, "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11). Then he encourages believers who have gone through suffering to seek healing and peace (12-13). He says, "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (14). "Peace with everyone" means steadfastness or patience. But we can't stop there. We must also "strive for holiness" so we can grow spiritually. If we want our spiritual lives to grow so we are conformed to the image of Christ, we must make good use of suffering. Although suffering is painful, it is also the means to maturity. When we allow suffering to grow and mature us, we will bear the fruit of righteousness one day. Even Jesus Christ allowed suffering to mature him. The writer of Hebrews says, "Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:8-10). We cannot become the source of others' salvation, like Jesus could, but we can allow God to use our difficulties to bring others to Him. As our patience leads to godliness, and we learn to live out the virtues of Christ through suffering, our lives will demonstrate the love of Christ so that others can be saved. Brother Witness Lee tells the story of a Chinese man who had a skin disease. The only person who was willing to give him a skin graft was a Western missionary lady. The man was so touched by her sacrifice that he put his trust in Christ. As this Western missionary lived out Christ’s virtues in times of suffering, another individual came to Christ.

Godliness Will Only be Achieved through Prayer

Not only is there a relationship between suffering and godliness, as we have seen in the book of Hebrews, but there is also a relationship between suffering and prayer. James, the natural brother of Jesus, discusses true godliness, prayer, and suffering. James notes that those who are suffering must be patient, because patience leads to godliness and maturity. He says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (1:2-4). Then he continues, "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” He then defines true godliness (or true religion): "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (James 1:27). This is a well-known verse that is often quoted by Christian ministries. Organizations that help the underprivileged often use this verse to encourage people to donate. However, James is saying that suffering produces patience, and patience produces godliness. Only then will we have a heart for widows and orphans.

James speaks of patience again near the end of his book: "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord” (James 5:7-10). In verse 13, he says, "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise." James goes on to say if someone needs physical healing, they should call for the elders to pray over them and anoint them with oil. The prayer of faith will heal the sick. These verses give practical advice for three specific situations. People who are cheerful should sing songs; people who are sick should be anointed with oil. And what should we do when we are suffering? We should pray. Prayer is the most important prescription for suffering. Only through prayer can we experience spiritual growth in times of pain and hardship.

In my own life, I have spent a lot of time praying during times of suffering. Through these prayers, I have experienced the presence and grace of God. As a result, these times of suffering became a blessing. They helped me break free from areas where my flesh was hindering the Holy Spirit’s work. I also experienced a great filling of the Holy Spirit.

Suffering alone does not make people mature. It can either increase our capacity or harden our hearts. But if we seek God’s empowerment and help through prayer, the Holy Spirit can bring a breakthrough. He can help us be filled with the life of Christ so our lives are a fuller expression of God’s character. Our own attempts at patience can never reflect Christ’s life. But when we add prayer to our patience, our spiritual lives are elevated so we can live out the life of Christ.

Suffering Produces Endurance and Endurance Produces Character

Paul calls, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5). I have often pondered and prayed over these verses. Although I can act patient outwardly, I often struggle to live out of true love. I was very confused by this, but Romans 5 helps bring clarity.

First, the passage teaches us that while we were still God’s enemies, Jesus Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). This is what God’s love means. God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. However, we may not be able to access the power of His love. For example, your house’s electrical wiring may be perfectly functional. But if you trip the breaker, you still cannot access its power. In the same way, God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, but if something is blocking His love, it cannot flow through our hearts. Without the flow of God’s love, our faith is also hindered, since "faith works through love" (Galatians 5:6). We know that faith is essential to the spiritual life, and the operation of faith requires love, and this love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

Once we accept the Holy Spirit into our hearts and allow Jesus Christ to regenerate us, our spiritual “seed” contains both faith and love. But if the shell of the seed is too hard, it will not germinate. The most difficult seed I've ever planted is the Sichuan pepper tree, which has a shell as hard as a rock. I bought a Sichuan pepper bush on the Internet, and it produced seeds. I was hoping to grow some new saplings with them. I scattered the seeds on the ground, but none of them came up. Why? Because the seed coat was tough, as hard as a stone. I decided to watch some videos on how to germinate Sichuan pepper seeds, and I learned that it was necessary to pry open the seeds with a brick or a pliers, then soak them in water to soften the shell. The life of the pepper tree is contained in the seed, but the tough seed shell hinders its germination and growth.

In the same way, the works of the flesh can hinder our spiritual growth. God uses suffering and the discipline of the Holy Spirit to break the shell of our flesh so that the life and power of the seed can be released. No one wants to go through suffering, but it is necessary to break the walls around our hearts. As Watchman Nee says, suffering does not necessarily destroy us. It can also make us stronger. It's our choice. If we choose not to cooperate with God, we may become hardened. But if we cooperate with the suffering he allows, we release the power of His Spirit as He softens our hardened hearts. This process of softening takes a long time and requires much patience. Patience is a process that allows God's divine life to permeate us so that Christ's divine power and human virtues can be released in our lives.

Suffering produces patience, and this process is not easy. But as our maturity increases, we will become more faithful to God. After we grow in our endurance, we will develop character as Christ's divine power and human virtues are manifested in us. The more we grow in character, the more we grow in hope as we trust in Christ's resurrected life and our ultimate redemption. This hope keeps us from shame because we know that we will one day be like Christ in all his glory (Colossians 3:4).

This is why Watchman Nee tells us that patience is Christ. Not only is patience a quality of Christ’s character and a human virtue, but patience is also a process through which the character and life of Christ are manifested in us. Patience produces character, and patience produces godliness, for godliness is the character of Jesus Christ manifested in us. So we see that Paul’s teaching is consistent with Peter's teaching.

Conclusion

Patience is the mutual tolerance and connection between members of the Body of Christ, and godliness is the love that we have for one another. If the body of Christ is compared to a tree, then patience is like the branches and godliness is like the innumerable leaves of the tree. As we will see in future lessons, brotherly love is like a flower that blooms, and God's love (Agape) is the fruit that it bears.

In our personal lives, patience is not only tolerance for others but also the effect of suffering. When we choose to obey God while suffering, we allow the life of Christ to break through our hard hearts, setting free the power of Christ’s life in our lives. The process is not easy, but as we grow in patience and godliness, we will undergo the transformation that many Christians so desperately need.

[1] The editor edited this for reviewer to better understand this and the original quote is, Time is needed for life to mature. Other than having a big head, young people cannot really be matured. Maturity is a matter of the enlargement of capacity. You must allow God to give you time to suffer beyond measure; then your capacity will be enlarged. Some could suffer the loss of five dollars, but could never suffer the loss of five thousand dollars. Some could forgive others two or three times, but the fifth time would make their hands tremble. One discovers by eating whether a fruit is raw or ripe. Raw fruit tastes sour and bitter and is tough and hard. Only ripe fruit tastes sweet and fragrant. Madame Guyon had the flavor of ripeness. She was a teacher to the elderly and a friend to children. The Christian life grows in a natural way. It is not a matter of being artificially ripened like the ripening of a banana with mild heat. The Son of Man came eating and drinking. With some people, their eating and drinking exposes their true condition. Life does not come as a result of spiritual cultivation. If you have the Spirit, there is no need of cultivation; if you [144] do not have the Spirit, there is no way to cultivate. Lilies blossom and birds grow feathers quite spontaneously. There is no need for them to cultivate these features. Cultivation can only produce a “saint” according to the world’s concept; it cannot produce a real Christian. It is sufficient to have the seal of the cross on the negative side. There is no need to strive to bear fruit. Striving only delays the growth of life; it cannot speed it up. It is important for us to receive God’s arrangement in the circumstances. This arrangement is the discipline of the Holy Spirit. To escape God’s arrangement just one time is to lose an opportunity to have our capacity enlarged. This will prolong the time required for life to mature in us and will even require us to make up this lesson in order to reach maturity. A believer can never be the same after passing through suffering. Either he will have his capacity enlarged or he will become more hardened. For this reason, when believers are passing through suffering, they must pay attention and they must realize that maturity in life is the sum total of receiving the discipline of the Holy Spirit. People may see a person who has matured in life, but they cannot see the accumulated discipline of the Holy Spirit which that person has received secretly day by day throughout the years.

Watchman Nee--A Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age, Witness Lee, https://bibleread.online/all-books-by-Watchman-Nee-and-Witness-Lee/book-watchman-neea-seer-of-the-divine-revelation-in-the-present-age-Witness-Lee-read-online/19/.

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Bible Study with Jairus

Acts 12 (Part 2)

Why Did God Save Peter and Let Worms Kill Herod?

During my recent reading of Acts 12, I received new inspiration about why Herod wanted to arrest Peter, why God wanted to save Peter, and why God allowed worms to eat Herod. The Holy Spirit showed me that Herod was a tool of Satan, trying to hinder Peter’s efforts to spread Christ’s gospel to the Gentiles, and trying to cut off the flow of the Holy Spirit so that the Gospel could not be spread among the Gentiles. This story is almost the last time Peter is mentioned in the book of Acts. The last mention of Peter in Acts is his testimony at the Jerusalem council. At that time, as Paul and Barnabas were preaching the gospel among the Gentiles, some men came down from Judea and taught the believers that unless they were circumcised according to the custom of Moses, they could not be saved (Acts 15:1). As a result, there was a disagreement among the believers. Finally, Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and the elders and discuss this matter. During this meeting, Peter testified, confirming that God had chosen the Gentiles. This shows that Satan was also using a legalistic spirit in Jerusalem to attempt to hinder the spread of the gospel among the Gentiles. This is the last mention of Peter in Acts.

In other words, Herod, as a tool of Satan, wanted to not kill only Peter, but also to extinguish the flow of the Holy Spirit that brought the gospel to the Gentiles which Peter represented. Peter ran the last leg of his race and successfully handed the baton to Paul. From then on, Paul became the primary leader of God’s work among the Gentiles in the new era.

Peter walked in God's will and thus experienced God's protection. We must know God’s will and live in God’s will in order to experience God's protection. Peter was delivered by God, and in the end fulfilled his responsibility of spreading the gospel to the Gentiles. His role in the new era was to support Paul, who had not yet been fully accepted by the believers, and to help prove that it was God's will for the gospel to be spread to the Gentiles. Peter’s testimony laid the foundation for Paul to step to the forefront and become the representative of God’s new generation of apostles. Therefore, after chapter 15, Peter was not mentioned again in Acts.

Read The Spiritual Warfare Behind the Words

The Bible reveals the goodness of God, the value of man, and the tricks of Satan. When we read the Bible, we must understand these three things, and even more so when we read the Acts of the Apostles. We must realize that the essence of the Acts of the Apostles is the Acts of the Holy Spirit. In this book, we see human activity in the foreground. But behind each of them is the presence and empowerment of either God or Satan. Man either stands on God’s side and walks in God's will or stands on Satan’s side and becomes a tool in Satan's hands. There are no other options. Therefore, when we read about people’s actions in the Bible, we must perceive the invisible battle between God and Satan. This will help us better understand the actions and behaviors of these individuals.

At the beginning of Acts 12, we read that Herod persecuted several people in the church and killed James, the brother of John, with a sword. Why did God choose to save Peter, while allowing James to be martyred? James’ race was over. He testified for Christ through his death and entered into his heavenly ministry. It was not his job to continue the work of the Holy Spirit on earth. That was Peter’s job, and Peter was soon to hand the baton to Paul.

The first part of Acts records the work of the first generation of apostles led by Peter; the latter part of Acts records the work of the second generation of apostles led by Paul. Peter represents the acts of the apostles during and shortly after Christ’s earthly ministry; Paul represents the acts of the apostles sustained by Christ’s heavenly ministry. These two very important segments of Acts are distinct, yet connected. The work of God and the flow of the Holy Spirit were passed from one era to the next through men like Peter and Paul. So behind Herod’s desire to kill Peter was Satan’s desire to break the continuity of God’s work. Satan was trying to cut off the flow of the Holy Spirit between Peter’s ministry to the Jews and Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles. Though he was primarily an apostle to the Jews, Peter did preach to some Gentiles according to the will of God. But the work that Peter began was about to be passed on to Paul to finish. He was going to successfully hand over the baton to Paul. Satan wanted to use Herod to kill Peter to prevent Peter from successfully passing the baton to Paul. It was as if Peter was approaching Paul in a relay race, preparing to hand off the baton, when Satan sent a sniper to shoot Peter. Satan wanted to hinder the flow of the Holy Spirit and prevent the gospel from spreading from the Jews to the Gentiles.

The first thing Satan did was to use the religious power of Judaism to persecute the church. Judaism and legalism were extremely strong in Jerusalem. The Jews rejected Christ and were pleased when Herod persecuted several people in the church and killed James. This is why the Bible says of Herod, “When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread” (12:3). Satan used Judaism, legalism, and evil political forces to persecute believers.

Not only did Jews persecute Christians, but many legalistic, Judaism-focused Christians also opposed the grace of Christ. These believers were trying to force Gentile Christians to be circumcised, telling them it was the only way they could be saved. Perhaps there were also Jewish Christians who were opposed to preaching the gospel among the Gentiles, since Jesus had taught his disciples to preach only to Israelites, not Gentiles (Matthew 10:5). At first, in the previous era, Jesus sent his word only to the Jews. But he later included the Gentiles as well. Jesus’ command for the new age was to spread the gospel in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Satan often uses people's fixed concepts and religious bigotry to hinder God's work. Jerusalem had degenerated into a cesspool of fixed ideas and religious bigotry which was hindering believers from preaching the gospel of God to the Gentiles. God allowed persecution so that the disciples would break out of their territorial religious concepts based in Jerusalem and preach the gospel to the Gentiles. To escape persecution, the disciples scattered to different places and spread the gospel more widely. Persecution helped the believers break out of their fixed religious mindsets and preach the gospel in Gentile lands such as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. Instead of staying in a tight-knit circle of believers in Jerusalem, they would now bring the gospel to the big stage of the Gentile world.

But the forces of legalistic Judaism not only wanted to control Jerusalem but also extend their control to the Gentile believers. Legalistic Jewish believers came down from Judea to teach the Gentile believers that they must be circumcised to be saved (Acts 15). Paul and Barnabas opposed this teaching, but because Paul had not yet risen to a position of authority in the church, the dispute was eventually taken to the apostles in Jerusalem. During the meeting in Jerusalem, Peter played an active role in defending the Gentile believers. He testified that it was indeed God's will for the gospel to be spread to the Gentiles. James also spoke up in agreement, saying that God had chosen the Gentiles.

There was a reason that Satan targeted Peter. If Peter had been killed by Herod, there would have been no one to back up Paul and Barnabus and defend the Gentile believers. Furthermore, if Peter had caved to legalism (as he did in the book of Galatians, when he and Barnabas stopped eating with the Gentiles because of the strong influence of the legalistic believers who came to Galatia), James might not have been convinced to support salvation through faith. In this case, the religious Jews in Judaism might even have had Paul and Barnabas arrested. Satan wanted to use the Jewish religious forces to prevent Paul from becoming a representative of the apostles of God's new age and the foreman of God's construction. But God saved Peter’s life so he could support Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles, so that Paul could successfully take up the mantle as the leader of the second generation of apostles.

Herod’s Death Broke the Power of Jewish Religious Leaders and Evil Political Leaders

Satan not only used Jewish religious forces to attempt to destroy Peter’s influence, but he also tried to use evil political forces like Herod to unite with the Jewish religious forces. Herod had killed James and persecuted several other believers, and Herod saw that what he did “pleased the Jews.” He wanted to please the Jews for the sake of his rule, so he went on to arrest Peter (verse 3). Peter understood that the Jewish religious powers were collaborating with Herod. After the angel rescued him from prison, Peter said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting” (Acts 12:11). Peter specifically mentions that God saved him not only from Herod, but also from “all that the Jewish people were expecting.” The Jewish people clearly supported the persecution of Christians. When the evil forces of empty religion and politics are combined, they will bring greater harm to the church.

The Bible says that after arresting Peter, Herod waited until after the Passover to bring him out to the people (12:4). If Peter had been handed over to the people, Peter might have been killed, and Satan likely would not have stopped with Peter’s death. He might have continued to use the evil religious power of the Jews combined with the evil political power of Herod to continue to persecute, arrest, and even kill people in the church. The next victim might have been Paul. Satan's plans were not limited to killing Peter; he also may have attempted to kill Paul and Barnabas. This would have completely defeated God's plan to spread the gospel from Judea to the Gentiles through the apostles. Satan is very insidious! God had to intervene, so He sent worms to kill Herod, thereby defeating Satan's plot.

God struck Herod down in order to break the powerful collaboration between the evil forces of religion and the evil forces of politics. If God had not intervened, the evil forces of religion and politics would have united to kill Peter and thwart God's plan to spread the gospel from the Jews to the Gentiles through Peter.

Many evildoers throughout the ages were not treated like Herod, who was directly judged by God. God is merciful and often gives people the opportunity to repent. But if a person is like Herod and is being used by Satan to try to hinder God’s work and will, he will be severely judged by God. Herod was eaten by worms and died.

Herod's death by worms was not the first time God had attempted to break the collaboration between evil political forces and evil religious forces. After Peter was saved by an angel, “Herod searched for him and did not find him.” He then “examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there” (verse 19). The angel’s rescue ruined Herod’s efforts to unite with the evil religious forces in Jerusalem. He had failed, so he left Judea and went down to Caesarea to live. This event set the foundation for Herod losing his life. God did not allow Herod to join forces with the evil religious forces. He would not allow Herod to continue to be a tool of Satan, preventing Peter from fulfilling God's will.

God’s Word Is Spreading

God’s will is for His word to spread to more and more people. He wanted the disciples not only to preach Jesus Christ as the Savior among the Jews, but also among the Gentiles. Therefore, after Herod was struck with worms and died, the Bible immediately goes on to say, “But the word of God increased and multiplied” (verse 24). This verse confirms that Herod’s death was God’s will. When people walk in God's will, the Holy Spirit will confirm that they are on the right path. So when God’s word spreads to more people, God confirms that his will is being done.

God’s will today is the same: to spread his word to more people. This never changes. We cannot hinder God's will. The safest and most protected place is in the center of God’s will. We must know God’s will and live in God’s will.

Paul and Barnabas Leave Jerusalem

At this time, after Paul and Barnabas finished providing financial relief to the believers in the church in Jerusalem, they left and returned to Gentile areas to continue to preach the gospel. This event is recorded at the end of chapter 11. Paul and Barnabas are hardly mentioned in this chapter, but the last verse mentions that they left Jerusalem and took John, who was called Mark, with them (verse 25). This is definitely not an accident, but a clever arrangement by the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual Pride

How did the Jews, who were God’s people to whom he revealed the entire Old Testament, become a tool of Satan to hinder the spread of the gospel? Why did the Jewish people support persecution and encourage the murder of Christ’s apostles? Why could a political figure like Herod become a tool in the hands of Satan to hinder the work of God? One of the reasons is none other than human pride. The pride of the Jews made them want to control the interpretation of the Bible and God; Herod's pride made him compare himself to God. Just as Satan fell because of pride, when we are proud we open the door to Satan and become his tools.

Conclusion

In this chapter, we see that God and Satan are engaged in a spiritual war over the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to the Gentiles. Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and others are the tools used by God to accomplish God’s will. Herod, the people of Judea, and the Jewish religion became tools in the hands of Satan to attempt to persecute the servants of God and hinder or extinguish the spread of the gospel. When God killed Herod, he broke Satan's attempt to combine evil political forces with Jewish religious forces. This not only saved the lives of Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and others, but also allowed the Holy Spirit to reach the Gentiles.

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Bible Study with Jairus- 2 Peter 1 (Part 7)

Adding Patience to Temperance: Loving God and Your Neighbor

As I mentioned in our last lesson, a life of patience is needed when dealing with others. We need to be patient with each other before we can develop into the mature Body of Christ. But in order to cultivate patience with one another (the branches), we need to strengthen the trunk (temperance). Before we can pursue unity within the body of Christ, we need to strengthen the trunk of temperance. Only then will we produce leaves (godliness), flowers (brotherly love), and fruit (agape love). Many efforts to unify the body of Christ have failed because the trunk (temperance) is still undeveloped.

Although the body of Christ as a whole is still at the initial stage of developing the trunk, we as individual Christians or individual churches may be ready to progress to the next stage of spiritual growth: developing the branches. We as believers are the individual branches of the same vine. This is what Peter is referring to when he speaks of "adding patience to temperance.” Temperance refers to our vertical relationship with God. Through temperance, we gain the strength we need to grow in our relationship with God above. Spiritual disciplines help us develop a personal relationship with the Lord, allowing the power of the life of Christ to develop within us. To add temperance to our knowledge is to love God. When we stop loving the world and abandon the lusts of the flesh, we share in God’s nature. This is the essence of temperance.

Knowledge without temperance does not help us grow. If we know facts about God and the principles of his word, yet we do not love God or have an intimate connection with him, we cannot progress further in our spiritual life. But when we add temperance to our knowledge, we develop the trunk of our spiritual tree. And if we love God, we will love others. The Apostle John said, "Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him, there is no cause for stumbling" (1 John 2:9-10). The Lord Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

When we develop love for God through temperance, we will automatically love our neighbors as ourselves and be patient with others. Loving others with patience is like developing the branches of the tree. Many Christians cannot tolerate Christians of other denominations, and they also fail to love sinners. This is because they have not developed temperance or love for God.

When we constantly add temperance to our knowledge, we will not only leave behind our worldly “truth,” but we will also be set free by God’s truth. Then we will love God even more and abandon the world even more. Then we will naturally progress to the next stage of spiritual growth: building one another up with mutual patience in the body of Christ. Temperance is necessary for a vertical relationship with God, and patience is necessary for a horizontal relationship with other believers.

Patience Is Christ

When I left the Local Church Movement to study in other churches, I attended a Charismatic Church Conference. A pastor said that he once fasted and prayed for forty days, hoping to become more holy, but he still didn't attain the holiness he hoped for. Later, a preacher told him that holiness is a person, that is, Christ. It is not enough to just fast and pray. We must allow the person of Christ to live his life through us. What this preacher said was very helpful to him, so the pastor gave special thanks to him during this conference.

This reminds me of another story. One day, Watchman Nee, the founder of The Local Church Movement, was rocking in a rocking chair. He asked a question of Witness Lee, who was interning with him. "What is patience?" asked Watchman Nee. Witness Lee tried to answer his question many times, but Watchman Nee said all his answers were wrong. Finally, Watchman Nee said, "Patience is Christ." In other words, patience is a person, as the pastor learned in the first story above. If you live in Christ, live out Christ’s life in your words and actions, and allow Christ to replace your old man and live through you, you will be able to live out patience. Otherwise, no matter how much you try to have patience, you will not be able to generate patience through your own effort. This story is very thought-provoking.

Adding patience to temperance is not just about being able to love others because of our fellowship with God. This is certainly true. But even more, it is a picture of Christ living his life through us. Jesus loved God, so He was willing to sacrifice himself to save the people God loved. Of course, Jesus also loved people, and He was willing to give his life for the lost sheep.

Not only can we say that patience is Christ, but temperance is also Christ. An intemperate person cannot truly love God. Whether a person is intemperate in eating too much, in consuming worldly entertainment, in failing to read their Bible and pray, or in some other way, that person is showing they love the flesh and the world more than they love God. The Apostle John said, "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:16-17). As we exercise temperance and patience in our lives, we live out the virtues of Christ. In other words, Christ’s life is manifested in our lives.

From Knowledge to Temperance to Patience: Developing Love For God and People within the Framework of the Law and the Prophets

The Old Testament Israelites followed laws and principles which revealed basic facts about God. As they learned and obeyed these laws, they would have life. However, the New Testament Pharisees went to an extreme in obeying the law. They overdeveloped their knowledge of the law and underdeveloped their love for God and man. They even felt that if they had given a tithe to God, they no longer needed to obey His command to honor their parents. Jesus criticized the Pharisees severely for this, saying that they had put the cart before the horse. Jesus said, " ‘…he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God" (Matthew 15:6). There was even a Pharisee, a teacher of the law, who tested Jesus and asked him, “Which commandment of the law is the greatest?” (Matthew 22:35) Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment” (37-38). This is the definition of temperance. It is very difficult to love a person, event, or thing with all our hearts, and it is also very difficult to love God with all our hearts. That is why we need temperance.

Then Jesus said, "And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" (39-40). What Jesus meant was that after loving God, you should love others. You should love your neighbor as yourself. These two commands form the basis for all the principles and teachings in the Old Testament. As I have mentioned in previous lessons, the law reveals God’s nature, as does the ministry of the apostles. They help us understand God’s nature and principles by teaching God’s words (including the laws of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament). The ministry of the prophets helps people recognize God’s leading and guidance so they can demonstrate love for God and people in every unique circumstance. So all the teachings of the law and the prophets are based on these two commands: loving God and loving your neighbor.

The Apostle Paul explained that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). Paul deeply understood the teachings of Jesus about the Great Commandments. Paul knew that these two commands—“love God and love people”—sum up the law and the prophets. These two commands communicate the essence of the teachings of the apostles (laws) and prophets. Love for God and people is fully expressed in Jesus, which is why He is the cornerstone. Jesus not only connects us with God, but also connects the Jews with the Gentiles, “and [reconciles] us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:17-19). “…Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (2:21).

These verses teach the same truth that Peter teaches about building the spiritual temple. We are a spiritual temple where the Holy Spirit lives. As living stones, we must grow and be built up so we can become a spiritual temple. The finished temple is beautiful like the New Jerusalem, with the throne of God and the Lamb in the highest position, surrounded by streets of pure gold and the river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God. We as believers are the New Jerusalem, a tabernacle in which God dwells. But God is also a tabernacle, and as we abide in the Trinity, we become a spiritual temple connected with the Trinity and with all saints. We, the branches, must abide in Christ, the Vine. The Father is the vinedresser. As we become one with Christ, we are also one with other members of His body.

In order to grow into a mature temple in the Lord, or to grow into a mature vine, we must develop temperance and patience. Temperance connects us to the trunk as we grow closer to God, while patience connects us to our fellow branches as we grow closer to other believers. These two are connected. That’s why Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”(John 13:35). Love is the natural expression of our spiritual life.

Before my mother came to Christ, she was deeply impressed by the love that Christians had for one another. In her village, there were some people who believed in Jesus. Unlike the rest of the farmers, the Christian farmers helped each other with their wheat harvest. My mother, who was a Buddhist, noticed that the Christians loved one another, and this left a deep impression on her. The Christian farmers were so filled with love that my mother recognized them as disciples of Jesus.

Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself Is Harder Than “Loving God”

In the church, we often see Christian brothers and sisters who love the Lord but have difficulties in their family lives. Perhaps the wife loves the Lord very much, reads the Bible, prays every day, and attends many church meetings, but her husband is spiritually indifferent. In fact, he notices that she seems to care more about God than she does about her family. “You go to church every day,” he says to her, “but you never spend time with us.”

Later, through the Lord’s conviction, the wife realizes she needs to spend more time at home with her husband and family. When the husband feels his wife’s love, his attitude toward spiritual things begins to change. His cold heart begins to soften.

This story shows that a Christian can be very devoted to God and still come across as unloving to the people around them. Why is this? Because it is more difficult to “love your neighbor as yourself” than it is to “love God.” It requires more maturity to communicate and cooperate with the people around us than to hide in a monastery or cave seeking intimacy with God. It also requires more patience.

I have seen some single people who love the Lord very much and have dedicated their lives to God, but I feel that their spiritual lives lack maturity. When I see the spiritual struggles they are going through, I often think that these weaknesses could have been dealt with if they had a spouse to correct them. Marriage is often God's tool to deal with us spiritually.

God uses relationships in our lives to train us in patience and holiness. During my spiritual journey, I have experienced many stages of growth. I believed in the Lord in 2002, then experienced a spiritual revival in 2004. I was crazily in love with the Lord. After that, I grew closer to God through reading the Bible, praying, and other spiritual disciplines. Jesus appeared to me many times during that period. Yet despite my intimacy with God, I still was not good at loving people. I was often unable to love the people around me, let alone my enemies. I felt distressed and powerless. I later realized that God allowed these relationship struggles in order to train me to truly love others.

If we want to love our neighbor as ourselves, we need to grow in patience. It seems easy for us to “love God” because God is great and can tolerate many of our shortcomings. But humans are limited, and many people are often not as tolerant as God is to us. So human relationships expose our quirks, weaknesses, and personality flaws more quickly. It is easy to “love God alone,” but it is more difficult to love God and others.

How Do We Add Patience to Temperance?

When we are with our spiritual mentors or discipleship leaders, we can just be recipients and accept what they give us spiritually. But when we are shepherding younger believers or less mature members, it is not that simple. We need to be constantly rooted in the Lord and connected to the vine so we can receive His abundant supply of mercy and love. Only then can we supply God’s love to these members. He can give us the patience to deal with the complex situations that arrive.

For example, in the church, our goal is to grow to maturity. However, it is often easier to do things ourselves than to teach others how to do them. It takes way more time to teach someone a skill than to do it ourselves. Therefore, many pastors or spiritually responsible people often take care of everything themselves. Younger believers do not have the opportunity to practice. And when the pastor retires, many believers are still spiritual babies. Instead, we need to slow down, teach others, and have patience with them as they learn and grow. We need God’s grace and provision as we help others grow in maturity.

It is difficult to grow in maturity, but it is even more difficult to help someone else grow in maturity. Those of us who are parents or have helped young Christians grow spiritually know this dilemma. Just like children, new Christians often make mistakes as they serve God. We need to be tolerant of their mistakes and be patient as we help them grow and mature.

When I was first saved, my church taught us that in order to be fruitful people, we needed to try to convert one person every year. But I found that I often went years without bringing even one person to Christ. I often prayed about this, seeking the Lord's help and guidance. When we serve the Lord, we often fail to see results, so we become discouraged. But Paul said, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). Many people do good deeds, but because they don’t see results at first, they slowly lose faith. It takes time for our spiritual life to grow and for our service to become effective. Sometimes it takes a long time, so we must also learn to be patient.

In my personal ministry, patience is important. I studied for many years to prepare to serve the Lord, and the Lord promised that my ministry would lead many people into the kingdom and help them grow spiritually. However, I find that I often run into obstacles when trying to promote my ministry, and few people listen to my sermons. This doesn’t mean that God’s promises to me are false. It only means that I need to learn patience in this process. The process of experiencing patience is also the process of experiencing Christ. In this process, Christ is not only revealed in our lives, but our character is also strengthened. Only through longsuffering can the farmer obtain the yield he hopes for.

In order to be a fruitful person, we need to be rooted in the Lord. When we are rooted in Christ, we will develop lush branches and leaves, and we will naturally bear fruit. In addition to the patience we need in our dealings with others, we also need patience as we grow in the Lord. Just like trees do not bear fruit in the first year, it takes years for us to mature spiritually enough to bear fruit.

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Bible Study with Jairus - 2 Peter 1 (Part 6)

The Power of Temperance and the Importance of Focus

In past lessons, we have learned how to nurture the seed of faith so that we can grow in our spiritual lives. First, we must water the seed of faith with virtue. This helps us grow a taproot that roots us deeply in our foundation, Christ Himself. Next, we must supply the seed with the knowledge of every saving truth of Jesus Christ. Every time we recognize a truth, we must apply that truth in our lives. The reality and nutrition contained in these truths can then be released and become our life supply. In this way, one truth at a time, we absorb the nutrition we need for our spiritual growth, just like the fibrous roots absorb one mineral at a time from the soil. These truths help sustain our spiritual growth while the taproot is not yet firmly established in the soil.

As our roots grow strong, and our branches multiply, we must learn the lesson of temperance. Temperance is very important for the growth of a tree. A Chinese saying emphasizes the importance of pruning: "Small trees will not grow if they are not pruned.” Unpruned saplings will send out dozens of shoots from the roots, and they will develop into shrubs instead of trees. But if these extra branches are pruned early, a thick central trunk will develop, and the sapling can grow into a towering tree. This is why Peter speaks of the need to add temperance (self-control) to your knowledge (2 Peter 1:6). While it is true that Christians should acquire plenty of knowledge about the Bible and spiritual truths, it is also true that too much knowledge can get out of hand, just like an unpruned sapling. Rather than focusing on the central truth of God’s word (God’s love and grace incarnated in Jesus Christ), some Christians focus on dozens of individual principles to the point of legalism. Their lives are like unpruned shrubs. They grow hundreds of branches (rules, principles), but there is no central focus and they do not grow into a towering tree. Why? Because they lack temperance. They may have a lot of biblical knowledge, but they use it to condemn others, just like the Pharisees.

The Pharisees had a lot of knowledge about the Bible and spirituality, but they did not grow into towering spiritual trees. Instead, they lived as stunted shrubs. Many modern-day Christians are living like Pharisees. Their knowledge of the Bible and spiritual truths are no longer serving as an essential life supply. Instead, their knowledge has become a hindrance to their spiritual growth. 1 Corinthians 8:1 ESV says, “‘Knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up.” Just like an unpruned sapling that produces dozens of branches and plenty of visible growth without any real growth in height, knowledge puffs us up without any actual growth.

Furthermore, pruning takes place in the area of our gifts. God wants us to realize God’s central call on our lives and the unique gifts He has given us. When we do, we can prune away the excess activities in our lives that don’t relate to our calling. If we don’t focus on our gifts, we will live an unfocused life, our energy and ability will be limited, and our calling and gifts from God will be stunted. We waste time and delay our spiritual growth. We must prune excess branches and allow the trunk to grow in order to realize the infinite potential of our life and our gifts. Some Christians desperately need temperance and disciplined spiritual exercises to promote further growth in their spiritual life.

Why Do We Need to Add Temperance to our Knowledge?

Temperance builds on knowledge. Knowledge of God’s truth is very important for the early growth of our spiritual lives. Hudson Taylor’s salvation story illustrates this point. Since his father was a pastor, Hudson Taylor had heard God’s word since he was five years old. He had heard many bits of truth about Christ, or tiny bits of knowledge that provided nutrition to his growing understanding of Christ. But these truths had not “clicked” or turned into a personal revelation as the Holy Spirit enlightened his heart and mind. His mother and sister had been praying for him for some time, but he still hadn’t fully repented.

One day, Hudson saw a leaflet in his study with the words, "The finished work of Christ.” These words caught his attention and made him feel sad. The leaflet in his study was just one more small piece of knowledge, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this "knowledge" became a personal "revelation,” which released God’s truth in his heart and brought him to salvation. He later learned that his mother had been praying for him at the very moment he had been enlightened, and that the Holy Spirit had revealed to her that her prayers had been answered. When Hudson Taylor told his mother about his repentance, his mother said, "I know, my boy. I have been rejoicing for a fortnight in the glad tidings you have to tell me.”

Later, Hudson Taylor saw a vision that countless Chinese people were going to hell. He knew that God was calling him to go to China to preach the gospel, so he moved to a poor area in East London to train himself with self-discipline and temperance. For a long time, he ate only bread and water to prepare himself for the hardships he would face in China. After preparing himself for many years, he finally arrived in China, established the China Inland Mission, and brought a tremendous breakthrough for the spread of the gospel in China. His story is a good example of spiritual growth. His roots grew deep in Christ (virtue) as he constantly learned nuggets of truth (knowledge) and then disciplined himself for the mission field (temperance). Without knowledge, there can be no real growth. Without temperance, we will encounter setbacks in our spiritual progress. But with all these ingredients in place, Hudson Taylor grew into a spiritual giant.

Hudson Taylor encountered many difficulties in China, and his temperance was critical to his success. China was a very difficult place to live at the time. No one would give Hudson a place to live, so he had to live in the Chinese idol temple that served as a shelter for homeless people. Even in the shelter, Hudson Taylor could hardly sleep at night because other homeless people would steal his clothes and belongings. He had to stay alert at all times and got very little sleep. If he had not spent time in East London, getting accustomed to living in difficult circumstances, he would not have been able to fulfill God's call to spread the gospel in China.

God’s Holy Spirit showers his anointing and his calling on our lives, like showers of refreshing rain. But our character must be strong and leak-free in order to receive it. If we lack temperance and other virtues, the water of God’s anointing and calling will leak out. Taylor was born into a wealthy family, but he understood that God's call was for him to preach the gospel in poor China, so he began to exercise his character with temperance. He learned to endure hardship so he would not miss the opportunity to fulfill God’s calling.

Temperance Is One of The Important Fruits of The Holy Spirit

Paul said, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23). Both Paul and Peter knew that temperance is one of the fruits of the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit produces Christ’s virtues in our lives, the result is the fruit of the Spirit. Just like the king's eunuchs anointed Esther's body with various ointments, the Holy Spirit instills in us the virtues of Christ. Just like the ointments produced a fragrant scent, the virtue of Christ produces a spiritual fragrance as we live them out in our everyday lives. When we truly understand these words of Paul (“knowledge”), the Holy Spirit enlightens us with revelation so we can grow in virtue. This virtue and knowledge supply us with abundant spiritual resources so we can grow.

Although I had read this passage in Galatians many times, God recently gave me a new revelation. I noticed a phrase that I hadn't paid attention to before: "Against such there is no law.” This phrase helped me see the light. When I produce the fruit of the Spirit, there is no law against it. But when I do not, there are many laws against me. For instance, when we fail to live with temperance (one of the fruits of the Spirit), the Holy Spirit often uses circumstances to "prune" us. We are chastened by many natural “laws.” For example, if we eat too much and lack temperance, our bodies will become obese, which will lead to various diseases. This is the natural law of God's creation.

If we had lived with temperance, we would not have needed this pruning. When we control our food intake, and even fast and pray, our bodies will be healed. There will no longer be any law against us.

Other laws may come against us as well if we do not produce the fruit of the Spirit. These include human regulations, social customs, and even church traditions which keep us in check. God often uses these "laws" to discipline us, but we often fail to see the hand of God at work in these circumstances.

Christian Intemperance Is Common

In addition to being intemperate with food intake, many Christians are intemperate with entertainment. Watching TV is not a sin, but it is not wise to become addicted to movies and TV, which are filled with sinful and worldly content. When we frequently consume this content, we will eventually become polluted by filth and worldliness, and our spiritual life will be damaged.

Many Christians in the United States have been learning biblical truths since childhood. They have acquired a vast amount of biblical knowledge So why can't these Christians go deeper spiritually and have a greater impact on society? Because they are lacking temperance. Christians need to stop indulging in sinful and worldly entertainment and start reading the Bible, praying, and practicing godliness. Many Christians know they ought to practice these spiritual disciplines, but do not follow through with consistency. Why? Because they lack temperance and willpower. In other words, the biggest spiritual problem among American Christians is the lack of spiritual discipline and temperance.

In ancient China, there was a military genius named Sun Tzu who wrote a book called The Art of War. His book claimed to contain all the secrets of military prowess, but the emperor was unsure whether his tactics really worked. So he asked Sun Tzu to try to train his concubines as a test run. The emperor promised to meet any conditions Sun Tzu needed during his training.

Sun Tzu began to train the women, but it was very difficult to work with them. When he asked them to perform a drill, the concubines laughed and talked and refused to obey the rules. It was impossible to train them. The emperor began to doubt the validity of Sun Tzu’s methods and abilities. As a result, Sun Tzu decided to behead the two concubines who were most disrespectful. They happened to be the emperor's two favorite concubines. Despite the emperor’s protests, the two women were publicly beheaded for everyone to see. Immediately, the other concubines became very disciplined, and they obeyed Sun Tzu and did all he asked them to do. In a short time, Sun Tzu created a very effective army of concubines. Sun Tzu proved to the emperor that he was not only a military theorist but also a practical fighter. This true story shows the value of discipline.

Many American Christians would object by saying that only Easterners are disciplined like this. This is incorrect. Hudson Taylor was from the West, but he was also very temperate. Many Western Christian missionaries have been very self-disciplined. However, modern-day Americans have been living a very comfortable life for a long time. Just like the emperor’s concubines, they have never received harsh training, so they have no temperance.

The reason Hudson Taylor developed self-discipline was because he had a vision. He realized that tens of thousands of Chinese people were going to hell every day. This vision prompted him to move to the East End of London, stop relying on the support of his wealthy parents, and voluntarily choose to suffer hardship in order to train himself. The Bible says, "Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint.” Western Christians have been at ease from their youth, and they have never suffered much hardship, so they have not developed self-discipline. Jeremiah the prophet said the same thing of Moab: "Moab has been at ease from his youth, and has settled on his dregs; he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile; so his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed” (Jeremiah 48:11). When wine is brewed, the dregs are often filtered out by pouring the wine from vessel to vessel. However, Moab had been at ease for a long time, so the dregs had not been removed.

American Christians need temperance to prune their knowledge. What Western Christians lack is not the knowledge of the Bible, but the spiritual discipline to apply this knowledge to their lives. I believe God will create an environment in which American Christians can learn temperance. These circumstances may include enemy attacks, social turmoil, or economic collapse. Before the pandemic, I had a strange dream about an angel reaching down from heaven and stirring the sea with a huge stick. Many storms and waves arose, many houses were submerged, and people ran for their lives. In the same dream, I swam desperately and reached the shore. God had been telling me that a great revival was coming, and when the pandemic began, I knew the prelude to this great revival had begun.

I had the same dream after the pandemic. I believe that suffering will come to many people to help them learn obedience and self-control. Many Christians will be forced to grow spiritually. Just like God wanted to discipline Moab by pouring out the wine and removing the dregs, I believe God will discipline America in the same way. God still loves America, and America will eventually be saved. But that doesn't mean it won't experience suffering and discipline. Many Americans are not psychologically or practically prepared for this discipline. But he who has ears to hear should heed such warnings.

Similarly, I believe that God will allow storms to come to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other places where there has been peace for a long time. In these places, idolatry is rampant. He will send turmoil, wars, and storms in many parts of the world. God wants to shake everything that can be shaken, so that people can enter the unshakable kingdom of God. The shaking in the world today is the prelude to the great revival.

The Importance of Temperance

Temperance prunes the tree of our spiritual life so we can grow straight and tall and not become an undisciplined and unfocused shrub. Without God's pruning through affliction, we would indulge ourselves and fail to grow. Our roots would not grow deep in the soil and our trunk would not grow straight and tall. Our spiritual backbone would not develop. In a forest, a tree that does not develop a central trunk cannot grow tall enough to get sunshine. It might die as a result. If we add temperance to our knowledge, we can metabolize our knowledge about the Bible. Through spiritual discipline, our knowledge becomes a life force that helps the trunk of the tree grow tall and strong.

Adding Patience to Temperance

In our next lesson, we will learn why we should add patience to our temperance. We will briefly preview this topic here. A life of patience is needed when dealing with others. If temperance is the trunk, then patience is the branches. We are members of the Body of Christ, just like the branches of the vine live in the vine. We need to accept and be patient with each other in love before we can develop into the mature Body of Christ. But before that, we have to develop our trunk.

Many Christian groups have tried to pursue the unity of the Body of Christ, and unity between denominations, but they have not succeeded. Why? Because they are still in the stage of developing the trunk. Only when the trunk is truly developed will God bring all denominations together. Only then will the spiritual tree proceed to the next step of growth: producing leaves (godliness), flowers (brotherly love), and fruit (agape love). This metaphor not only applies to the body of Christ as a whole but also to our individual Christian lives. We must add temperance to knowledge so that our knowledge about Christ is lived out as the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

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Bible Study with Jairus-2 Peter 1 part 5

Supplement Virtue with Knowledge: Nourishing our Life of Faith

As we learned in a past lesson, Christ’s virtue is the water that nourishes the seed of our faith so the “tree” of spiritual life can take root in Christ. Today, we will extend that metaphor even further by thinking about a tree’s root system. A tree has a large, central taproot and many branching, fibrous roots. These fibrous roots absorb nutrients, water, and various elements that a tree needs to grow. These nutrients not only help the tree grow taller but also help the taproot grow deeper. Furthermore, the fibrous roots play an important role in supplementing the growth of the leaves and branches when the taproot is not strong enough.

Some time ago, I purchased some evergreen Thuja Green Giant seedlings and transplanted them from five-gallon pots into the ground. To help them grow as quickly as possible, I put some fertilizer around the roots. But I didn't realize these fertilizers would burn the roots. Soon, I noticed that many branches and leaves were turning yellow and withering. I realized I had made a mistake and that over-fertilizing was destroying the fibrous roots. Since these young saplings did not yet have a deep taproot, they relied primarily on the fibrous roots to supply their leaves with nutrients. However, when I gave the same amount of fertilizer to older trees that had already taken root, I encountered no problems since they were already deeply rooted in the soil. I quickly learned from my mistake. I now know that overfertilization can kill a tree if it has not yet taken root in the soil.

In the same way that fertilizer can burn the roots of a new sapling, excessive rules can burn the spiritual growth of an immature Christian. When young Christians are overly restricted by rules in the church when they are young, they may turn away from their faith and from their parents when they grow up. Why? Because their parents did not carefully cultivate and protect the “fibrous roots” of their faith. Instead of burning them with excessive rules that are not deeply supported by a personal knowledge of Christ, parents should help these young Christians absorb the knowledge of Christ through their “fibrous roots.” As they begin to take root and rely on the continuous supply of Christ’s love, the “leaves and branches” of their Christian life will begin to grow. Their “taproot” will become deeply rooted in Christ. Only then will they begin to live out the principles of the Christian life without stumbling.

This is what Peter means when he says, "supplement virtue with knowledge" (2 Peter 1:5). When we “water” the “seed of faith” with Christ’s virtue, the Christian life will begin to take root. As we root ourselves incrementally in Christ, we gain one piece of knowledge after another, and this knowledge comes to life in our hearts. Just like the fibrous roots provide water gradually to the plant, we must absorb the truth about Jesus and his salvation bit by bit. In this way, we will eventually achieve our goal of being rooted in Christ.

Practically speaking, how do we do this? Many Christians only have grand visions for success, but they don't know how to achieve their goals step by step, so they fall short. This is the great dilemma faced by many American Christian parents today. We need a great strategic goal and the tactical means to accomplish it.

The Role of the Taproot

Most trees have both a taproot and fibrous roots. The taproot helps the tree withstand the wind and rain by being deeply rooted in the soil. While the taproot provides long-term stability, it also takes a long time to grow. Meanwhile, the countless small fibrous roots provide the nutrients and water the tree needs in order to grow upwards toward the light and downwards into the soil.

Near my house, workers were planting a new forest. When the workers planted the saplings, they inserted wooden stakes beside them to stabilize the young trees and prevent them from falling over. However, some stakes eventually broke. Since no one took care of them, some of the saplings fell over. Gradually, other trees grew taller and blocked the sunlight. As a result, these young saplings died.

The role of the taproot is not only to help saplings absorb nutrients but also to help them grow vertically. This is a beautiful picture of the Christian life. When we are not rooted in Christ, we will be tempted by the things of the earth and lose our ability to receive provision from above.

How can we root ourselves deeply in Christ? It will take a long time to develop a deep taproot. This is why it’s so important to continuously develop our fibrous roots as well. One insight at a time, we can learn about God and salvation. Through Bible reading, prayer, and spiritual disciplines, our spirits can be nourished continually, the branches and leaves of our spiritual life can continue to grow, and our taproot can take root in the virtue of Christ.

Two years after I put my faith in Jesus for salvation, I heard Jesus speaking to me at a conference, asking me to dedicate myself to Him. This spiritual experience changed my life, and I developed a crazy love for the Lord. I started the habit of reading the Bible and praying every day, and never let anything interrupt it. My wife saw me reading the Bible every day, but didn’t see any changes in my life. She saw me leading a Bible study, but I didn’t know how to speak for the Lord or receive his illumination.

One time, she said to me, "You are like a monk chanting Scriptures with only the mouth but no heart." What she meant was that my spiritual practices were doing no good.

“I am establishing a habit,” I responded. “Although this habit may not change my life immediately, I know it will change my life and my character if I continue to persevere. If I create a habit, I will benefit from reading the Bible.”

Even though the leaves and branches of my spiritual “tree” did not start growing right away when I began reading my Bible and praying every day, the fibrous roots were constantly absorbing the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Slowly, this knowledge began bringing me insight and revelation through prayer. This spiritual understanding helped me draw on the virtue of Christ so that my taproot would continue to take root in Christ. Once my taproot was firmly rooted in Christ, and as the fibrous roots continued to supply daily insights to my spirit, the branches and leaves of my life began to flourish.

A few years after I began leading a weekly Bible study, the Holy Spirit began to use me. He would give me inspiration while reading and sharing God’s word. My wife was astonished and curious about what was happening to me. My wife started to see changes in my life and noticed that I was receiving inspiration from my devotions. But these outward changes took place years after I began secretly rooting myself in the Lord.

In this chapter, Peter tells us to make every effort to supplement our faith with virtue and virtue with knowledge. Diligence is one of the best qualities of a Christian, and it is also one of the spiritual qualities that American Christians lack the most. Many American Christians are spiritually idle.

In China, there is a type of bamboo that grows only one inch per year in the first five years. But once it reaches its sixth year, it can grow a few feet every day! In no time, it becomes a towering stand of bamboo. How can it grow so quickly all of a sudden? Because during the first five years, its roots grew dozens of feet per year. In the same way, we as Christians need to root ourselves deeply in the life of God. We need to diligently root ourselves in Christ’s virtue. We need to develop the knowledge of Christ’s salvation, applying his salvation to our hearts through prayer and with the help of the Holy Spirit. In this way, we will begin to grow and bear fruit as our fibrous roots connect to the foundation of Christ’s virtue.

The Spleen Nourishes the Body

Years ago, I had frequent diarrhea and fatigue. I had diarrhea immediately after drinking ice water or eating watermelon. Since restaurants in the USA rarely give people lukewarm water, I went through a lot of embarrassing and awkward situations.

When I went to the doctor, their tests were inconclusive. So I went to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the kidney is the foundation of a person’s level of health inherited from their parents. Meanwhile, the spleen is the foundation of the level of health you can acquire by healthy eating and supplements. I was born weak because of a congenital kidney deficiency or qi deficiency. The spleen was failing to strengthen the kidney or qi through nutrient absorption. I also had symptoms of spleen deficiency, which in turn worsened my kidney deficiency. The spleen deficiency was causing the diarrhea, and the kidney deficiency was causing the fatigue. The traditional Chinese doctor told me that some Chinese medicine would invigorate the spleen, thus reducing the symptoms of diarrhea and fatigue.

I began to take traditional Chinese medicine and my body improved a lot. My spleen deficiency improved, and I no longer had diarrhea. When my spleen was deficient, I couldn’t absorb the nutrients from food. As a result, the nutrients could not be delivered to my kidney, which was why I constantly felt tired. When I took traditional Chinese medicine to treat the spleen deficiency, the nutrients from the food I ate could be supplied to my kidney, and I no longer felt tired. There are many mysteries in God's creation of the human body, and God revealed them to ancient Chinese doctors. I am very grateful to God for healing my body through Chinese medicine.

This example reminds me of the example of the taproot. The kidney is the innate root received from parents. Just like the power of God is contained in the seed, life is contained in the kidney. We know that the kidney is related to reproduction, so this does make sense. If our spleen is deficient, it will affect our growth. When the spleen works properly, our food is absorbed into our body and supplied to the kidney so we continue to gain the power of life. The digestion and absorption of our food is a complex process. Of course, we need teeth to chew, a stomach to digest, and intestines to absorb, and these are all essential. But only Chinese medicine points out that the function of the spleen is to refine the digested food into life energy and supply it to the kidney. This is rarely mentioned in Western medicine, and it is difficult for Americans to understand. The work of the spleen is similar to the work of the fibrous roots, continuously supplying nutrients to the tree.

We can also illustrate this concept with cars. In order to drive, a car needs gasoline. The combustion of gasoline is a complicated process. The gasoline is ignited and begins to burn. Through a complex process, it is turned into the power that runs the car. This process reminds me of the role of the spleen in the human body. The mouth, teeth, stomach, and intestines break down food so that it can be "burned" and energy (qi) can be created. The spleen then turns the qi into the driving force of life. The spleen and kidney interact with one another just like the taproot and fibrous root do.

Many Christians have the symptoms of spiritual "spleen deficiency.” They have a lot of knowledge about the Bible and Jesus Christ, but their knowledge has not been broken down by the spiritual mouth, teeth, stomach, and intestines, and it has not been processed by the spleen to provide power to the spiritual life. They lack the necessary dynamics that provide the conditions that ultimately lead to a flourishing life that is deeply rooted in God. It takes a complex process for food to become energy, and it also requires a complicated process for us to turn spiritual manna (God’s word) into a life force. Many people ignore this complicated process, and without these previous steps, they cannot experience the vitality of God's word.

Bible Reading, Prayer, and the Holy Spirit Help us Absorb God’s Life

We have talked about the process of turning food into energy and gasoline into power and our knowledge of God’s word to go through a similar process. We must first absorb God’s word into our minds. Then through prayer and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, we must turn the words on a page (logos) into living words (rhema). This process is inseparable from constant Bible reading and prayer. It may take a while before we see results, as it did for me. That’s why we must persevere with “effort” and “diligence,” as Peter said. No farmer plants a seed and immediately reaps fruit from it. He must water, fertilize, weed, and wait patiently in faith before he can finally reap the fruit of life.

There is a Chinese idiom, “pulling seedlings to encourage growth,” which refers to a farmer who pulls up his seedlings to see if they are growing. Of course, this causes them to die. Instead of worrying, we must persevere and wait for our spiritual growth. It takes a long time for life to mature. Many Christians lack the long-suffering necessary to see a noticeable change. They give up on their efforts prematurely.

Many Christians cannot metabolize nutrients into energy, because they don’t even have the nutrients in the first place. They don’t have much knowledge about God and Jesus Christ because they are not familiar with the Bible. They can’t change the gasoline into power because there is no gasoline in the tank!

Other Christians have a lot of biblical knowledge but lack a life of prayer, like a car with a full gas tank but no ignition to start the process. In order to move forward, Christians must read the Bible (refuel the car), and they must also pray (turn the ignition). Only when these two steps are carried out at the same time will power be produced.

In the same way, the Holy Spirit cannot illuminate God’s word if we do not know God’s word. If we do not know and store God's word, the Holy Spirit will have nowhere to enlighten us. At the same time, if we read God’s word but do not pray for the Holy Spirit to illuminate us, the Scripture will remain words on a page. Neither produces true spiritual “kinetic energy” to help us move forward.

Conclusion

We must diligently persevere in reading God’s word and praying so we can absorb God’s life and store it in our hearts. Through prayer and the Holy Spirit’s illumination, we can ignite the truth we have learned so God’s word can provide us with spiritual sustenance. In this way, each truth about Christ will begin to nourish us. As the roots supply us with nutrients, the leaves and branches will begin to grow. Our taproot will sink more deeply into Christ’s virtue so we can grow strong and tall, avoid earthly temptation, and drink in the sunshine and rain. This is what Peter means when he says, “Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge.”

In the next lesson, we will discuss the meaning of supplementing our faith with "knowledge with self-control.” We will learn to eliminate false teachings and character defects from our lives so we can continue to grow spiritually.

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Bible Study with Jairus-2 Peter 1-4

Supplement Faith with Virtue: Diligence is an Important Virtue

Let's continue to explore how 2 Peter 1 explains the steps of spiritual growth. As we have studied before, our faith can be compared to a seed. As Peter discusses at the beginning of the chapter, we already possess God’s power, just like a seed already possesses all the potential to grow from an acorn into a full-grown oak tree. The seed of faith already contains all the power of the glory of God, as well as all the excellence of Christ (or virtue of Christ—these two words were used interchangeably). Yet even though we already have God’s power, we need to develop this power through faith. We are called to take hold of the glory and excellence of Christ. Because he has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, as well as great and precious promises, we can progressively break free from the corruption that is in the lustful world and eventually become partakers in God's nature.

We have also mentioned that the Bible not only reveals God’s character but also his guidance. The former reminds us of the apostles’ ministry, since the apostles explained God’s character as revealed in his word, while the latter reminds us of the prophets’ ministry, since the prophets help us understand the guidance of the Holy Spirit in different situations.

Peter teaches the importance of diligence. The Apostle Paul compares Christian workers to farmers, soldiers, and athletes, three careers that require diligence. Peter acknowledges the same thing. Paul writes that a soldier should not get entangled in civilian pursuits; an athlete must compete according to the rules; and a farmer should work hard (2 Timothy 2:4-6). In the same way, Christians must devote themselves to God’s pursuits, unencumbered by civilian pursuits; they must compete according to the rules; and they must be hardworking like a farmer. In the same way, Peter recognizes that believers must be diligent in order to grow in the divine life. Second Peter 1:5 begins with the words, “Make every effort.” This indicates diligence. We are to be diligent to supplement faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love (1:5-7). In this way, we avoid being "ineffective and unfruitful" (1:8).

In addition, Peter says, "Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent" not to fall, so you can enter the eternal kingdom of the Lord Christ (1:10-11). Our goal is the glory of the "eternal kingdom of the Lord Christ,” and we must continuously grow in virtue, knowledge, and other character qualities that are mentioned in progressive stages. If the eternal kingdom of Christ is that towering oak tree, then virtue, knowledge, love, and the other qualities would be the root, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit of the oak tree. Each stage of development requires God's glory and virtue to be “richly provided” to us (1:11) so we can achieve the glory of God (revealed in the Transfiguration). To obtain these supplies and grow spiritually in every stage of life, we need diligence and hard work.

Faith is important, but so is diligence. God speaks against laziness in Proverbs 10:4: "A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich" (Proverbs 10:4). The same truth applies to the spiritual life. The problem of many American Christians is spiritual laziness. A spiritually lazy person cannot make progress in life. In this message, we will explore the importance of diligence and how to obtain an abundant supply of God’s glory at each stage of life. If the spiritual life can be compared to a growing tree, it makes sense that Christian workers need to work hard to make the tree keep growing. Like a farmer, the Christian must work hard to tend the tree and make sure it has what it needs to grow.

Faith is the Root

Some time ago, the grass in some parts of my lawn was washed away by rain. I sprinkled some grass seed on the law, assuming that the grass was hardy and would grow on its own. What I didn't realize was that it would take weeks for grass seeds to germinate. Since I didn't have time to water the grass seed every day, none of it grew. The same often happens when I try to grow Chinese vegetables. Gourds have seeds with thick hulls and take a long time to germinate. Often, they don’t germinate at all.

One day, I watched a video that demonstrates how to germinate gourd seeds. You should nick the hulls with nail clippers and soak them overnight. Then they will germinate quickly. I tried this method, and it worked. But after germination, my job wasn’t finished. I needed to provide good soil, fertilizer, and constant watering so that the gourd would take root. This is true not only for vegetables, but for any plant. For a seed to grow into a tree, it needs the right conditions in order to germinate and the right supply of sunlight, soil, and water in order to take root.

What about the seed of faith? The same truth applies. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus speaks of seeds that were sown in suboptimal conditions, such as hard-packed soil, rocky soil, or weedy soil (Matthew 13:4-7). These are difficult places for seeds to germinate. The Lord Jesus specifically talks about the seeds that fall on the shallow rocky ground: "Where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away” (Matthew 13:5-6). In the same way, Peter knows that we Christians should be like hardworking farmers so we can take good care of the spiritual “tree.” He understands that the conditions must be right for the spiritual “seed” to take root.

This is what Peter teaches in 2 Peter 1:5: "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue..." What is virtue? Peter tells us clearly in 2 Peter 1:3. Virtue is the virtue of Jesus, revealed in his humanity. And the glory of Jesus Christ mentioned in verse 3 refers to His divinity. Jesus Christ is both God and man.

The seed of faith is an incorruptible seed, as Peter clearly states. He says in 1 Peter 1:23, "You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God." Just like grass seeds and gourd seeds could never germinate without the life force contained in the seeds, our spiritual lives could never germinate without the power of God. The seed of faith contains God’s power for regeneration, but in order for this seed to take root, it requires a constant supply of virtue. Without soil, water, fertilizer, and other external conditions, this potential for life could never be released.

Believers already have the seeds of the divine life in them, so why has their spiritual life not taken root and grown into a big, fruit-bearing tree? Because they lacked these optimal external conditions. In order for the divine life to grow inside us, we need the virtue of Jesus, the Son of Man. We must supply the seed of faith with an ample supply of the virtues of Christ. This is necessary for our faith to take root. We must constantly apply Christ’s finished work to our life. His character is our example to learn from. We need to be rooted in Christ throughout our entire life journey.

For example, one virtue that Christ demonstrates is obedience through suffering. Though Jesus was and is the Son of God, he still learned obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5:8). Obedience is an important part of virtue, and it is a quality that we must possess if we want to be used by God. God emphasizes this when he talks to King Saul. When King Saul disobeyed God’s command, Samuel told him, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king" (1 Samuel 15:22-23). Samuel had told King Saul to wait for him before offering the sacrifice, but when Samuel came late, Saul offered the sacrifice without him. God had a serious rebuke for him. Yet many Christians disobey God in similar ways today. Disobedience and rebellion hinder many believers’ growth.

If we continually disobey God, we may become less sensitive to His Spirit’s promptings. For example, when a Jesus-follower watches an obscene video that the Holy Spirit has asked him not to watch, he does not obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit. As time goes by, his conscience becomes less and less sensitive, and the Holy Spirit eventually lets him do as he wishes. Many Christians disobey God in small matters, and eventually, these small sins develop into major spiritual problems.

Obedience is a very important spiritual lesson, but it can be hard to learn. Just as the Israelites learned the lessons of faith and obedience in the wilderness, so must Christians today. Often the lesson of obedience is harder than the lesson of faith. Teenagers often struggle with disobedience and rebellion, and many adult Christians act just like teenagers. I mentioned this while speaking to a group of Christian teenagers in the United States. Though there are many Christians in the United States, they are often immature. Compared to other countries that have fewer Christians, American Christians have underdeveloped spiritual lives. The biggest problem they face is rebellion. Many other under-evangelized countries are full of people who do not know God’s law or believe in God (as Paul mentions in Romans 2). But the problem with American Christians is that they do know God’s law and are even acquainted with God Himself; yet they don’t obey Him (see Romans 2). In a country like China, which has yet to be evangelized, it is necessary to spread the gospel so that more Chinese people come to know God. Meanwhile, if you tell an American about Jesus Christ, he may say that he has known about Jesus since he was five years old. He may know more about the Bible than you do! Yet the large population of Christians in the United States is making very little positive impact on society. Why? Mainly because of their disobedience. Therefore, American Christians urgently need to develop the character quality of obedience so that they can take root in Christ and allow the great tree of the kingdom to grow more luxuriously in their lives.

I was born into an idol-worshiping family in China. Our family worshiped false gods, which is a serious sin. However, according to Samuel’s rebuke in 1 Samuel 15, American Christians who know God and the Bible yet disregard God’s teaching and guidance, are doing the equivalent of worshiping idols. Many American Christians don't seem to think about this serious sin. They don’t believe idolatry exists in the United States. But disobedience to God is, in fact, a form of idolatry. There is a lot of idolatry in the lives of American Christians. When we remain unaware or unconcerned about such serious spiritual problems, God’s discipline will catch us by surprise. God may hand us over to our enemies, just like he handed the Israelites over to their enemies when they fell into idolatry. Why are American Christians being handed over to their enemies? Why are they helpless in front of repeated attacks from the Left? I believe the root of this problem is idolatry, stemming from disobedience to God.

Some American Christians have awakened to this fact and are actively participating in politics, hoping to change the political status quo and impact the rampant leftism in the United States. This is certainly a very important endeavor, and I believe it will bring positive outcomes. But we should not forget that the root of this spiritual problem is the individual Christian’s disobedience to God’s word. The root is idolatry. Many American Christians are not rooted deep enough in Christ. Thus, when trials come, they dry up and become fruitless. This is just one example of disobedience that helps us understand Peter’s warning. We must provide the seed of faith with an ample supply of virtue and obedience so we can take root in the life of Christ and grow into a flourishing spiritual tree.

Diligence Supplements the Virtue of Christ

I once saw a photo of a tree growing by a cliff. Since there was no place for it to take root, it kept extending its roots downward until they reached the soil at the bottom of the valley. There was a long section of tree roots suspended in the air. Many trees, especially pine trees, possess a tenacious vitality and can take root on rocks. Similarly, grass and some small shrubs can actually grow in the cracks in the middle of highways, which demonstrates their tenacious vitality. It's amazing how diligent these plants are in seeking soil, nutrients, sunlight, and rain. However, the colloquialism “couch potato” indicates the exact opposite of diligence. This term refers to lounging on the couch, watching TV and doing nothing. Many Christians are spiritual “couch potatoes.” They may have a Bible, but it just sits on a shelf collecting dust. It has been years since these Christians were saved, yet they have never read the Bible from cover to cover. They also fail to pray. They don’t have a habit of communicating with Christ. They live their entire life in the realm of the mind and rarely enter the realm of the spirit. As a result, they cannot draw on the power, life and virtue of Christ or become rooted in God.

The power of God has given us all that pertains to life and godliness, through our full knowledge of the glory and virtue of Christ, (that is, His divinity and humanity). Through the glory and virtue of Jesus Christ, He has given us great and precious promises, so that we may escape the corruption that is in the lustful world. Through these promises, we may become partakers of the divine nature. These are the words of 2 Peter 1:3-4, and we have heard these truths many times.

The power of God is contained in the seed of faith, but this seed needs proper external conditions in order to germinate. It needs water, sunlight, and proper care. Without these conditions, the seed cannot germinate or will die shortly after germination. After the seeds begin to grow, they need to grow and take root. Only after taking root can they grow into a big tree, which represents the kingdom of God. That's why Paul teaches, "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:6-7). Once we accept Christ, we must continue to follow the teachings of the apostles in order to be strengthened in our faith. In this way, we will be rooted and built up in Christ. We must live like Jesus did and acquire his virtue.

Peter understands the same truth: "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.'" (1 Peter 2:4-6). Peter acknowledges that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. He unifies Jews and Gentiles and lays the foundation for our faith (Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11, Isaiah 28:16). We are living stones that are built on this “spiritual rock” and grow into a living temple (1 Corinthians 10:4). Peter’s metaphor of a spiritual temple mirrors the metaphor of a growing plant. We must take root in Christ, the foundation, so we can grow into a spiritual temple.

Conclusion

Next time, we will discuss how to "supplement virtue with knowledge” (2 Peter 1:5), and what it means for Christians to grow spiritually. The word “virtue” refers to all the excellence of Christ's humanity, and the word “knowledge” refers to knowing about Jesus Christ through God's revelation. We must recognize and apply these truths so we can be rooted in the virtue of Christ.

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Bible Study with Jairus- 2 Peter 1 (Part 3)

God’s Glory and Virtue Come from the Divinity and Humanity of Christ

As we have seen in the last few studies, 2 Peter 1 is Peter’s reflection on his experience of Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain. Peter shares his experiences in hopes that readers will be encouraged, challenged, matured, and perfected in their spiritual lives, just like he was through the original experience. In John 21, the Lord Jesus had charged Peter three times to tend His sheep. So he shares his experiences in order to nurture other believers.

During the transfiguration, Peter was shocked to see Jesus transcend time and manifest his eternal glory. Through this experience, Peter realized that believers share the same destiny: to manifest the kingdom and glory of God on earth. To achieve this goal, believers must grow spiritually. Just like the potential for a towering oak tree lies within the acorn, the potential for God’s power and glory lies within the seed of our faith. But going from a seed to a big tree requires a growth process. During this process, believers need to constantly know God’s disposition and constantly accept God’s guidance. The work of the apostles is to help us know God’s disposition through His word. The role of the prophets is to provide guidance for specific situations, showing us how to break free from the sinful desires of the world so we can focus on God’s character and disposition. In this way, we will be continually transformed into the image of Jesus, so we can attain the glorious purpose of partaking in God’s divine nature. This is the main theme of 2 Peter 1:3-4 and the rest of the chapter.

Today, we will focus only on 2 Peter 1:3-4, which describes the seed of faith in our hearts. God’s life and glory are present in our spirits, like seeds, but we need to let those seeds develop and grow in order to reach our glorious purpose. Jesus Christ also contained God’s full glory, but it was hidden in his heart like a seed. But the moment He was transfigured on the mountain, the glory of Jesus, God incarnate, was fully revealed. This is our destiny as well as His. Currently, our life is “hidden in Christ.” But when Jesus appears in glory, “we will also appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4). Peter's mission is to help believers enter this divine glory. The Epistles of Peter, especially the three short chapters of 2 Peter, teach us how to grow spiritually so we can enter God’s glory.

The Parable of the Seed and the Salmon

As we have learned in a past lesson, a seed contains powerful potential for life and growth. When 2 Peter 1:3 talks about "the power of God,” it is referencing both the power of God and the power of God’s life. This power is like a seed. This spiritual seed contains not only the power of God’s life, but also the “genetic material” that produces God's glory, which includes "glory"; "virtue,” "all things that pertain to life and godliness,” "precious and very great promises,” and "the divine nature" mentioned in 2 Peter 1:3-4. In other words, God's glory, virtue, life, godliness, promises, and divine nature are contained in the seed of faith that God has given us. But whether or not that seed can grow depends on many external factors. Just like a seed needs sunlight, water, soil, fertilizer, and other factors, we need to nurture the seed of faith God has given us. The same concept is illustrated by salmon going upstream to spawn. They have the instinct to go upstream, but they must overcome many obstacles to do so. Similarly, although we have God’s “divine power” in the seed of our faith, we still need God’s guidance and help in every situation so we can overcome the obstacles in our path and obtain the blessing of abundant life.

By nature, salmon return to the headwaters of the river to spawn every year. They go upstream until they find the source of the river. This instinct was present when God created the salmon. However, because artificial dams have been set up, the salmons’ ability to go upriver to spawn has been obstructed. To solve this problem, ecologists have introduced several initiatives to change water levels so that salmon can go back upstream to spawn. This parable can help us understand the spiritual life. A salmon’s ability to swim upstream is like the believer’s ability to be “in the world but not of the world.” God has given us the ability to "escape from the corruption of sinful desire in the world" (2 Peter 1:4) and to be salt and light as a good testimony to the world. But just as the dam keeps the salmon from going upstream, the sin and pollution of the world often hinder our ability to "partake of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). Therefore, just as ecologists use modern technology to help adjust the water level in the reservoirs so that salmon can break free from the obstruction of the dam and go back upstream, the Holy Spirit guides believers in each specific situation, helping them draw on God’s power and salvation so they are encouraged and comforted by God’s divine power, glory, virtue, and promises. He gives them "all things that pertain to life and godliness" so that the power of God's life can come into play in their situation. God's promises come from God's character and the redemption accomplished in Jesus Christ, but we need the help of the Holy Spirit to live out these promises in our lives.

As I have emphasized on several occasions, there is a difference between “God’s disposition” and “God’s guidance.” Some Bible passages contain a revelation of God’s disposition while others contain God’s guidance for specific situations. Although there is some overlap between the two, there are also distinctions. God’s disposition (God’s character) never changes, but God’s guidance can vary for different people in different places at different times.

In the same way, the office of apostle and of prophet overlap but have distinct differences. Apostles help believers understand God's disposition, while prophets help believers follow God's guidance. Some apostles are also prophets, holding both offices at the same time. These people should help believers know God’s character and also help them understand and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in specific situations.

A survey showed that 70% of American Christians were addicted to pornographic videos. We know that God does not want us to partake in this kind of filth, but we also know that it is very difficult to break free from addictions such as alcohol, drugs, and porn. Many Christians who are addicted to pornographic videos have tried to overcome this addiction on their own. They make up their minds not to watch them anymore. They have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. What can they do?

Christians have the divine power of God to help them overcome their weaknesses and lives as children of light. If a Christian finds himself in a similar situation, he can rely on the Holy Spirit or His human under-shepherds to help him access and experience God’s “divine power” so he can overcome the sins he could not overcome on his own. These are battles we can only fight through faith.

Salvation and sanctification are obtained by faith, not through the effort and struggle of the flesh. Even Paul said he could not overcome the evil of the flesh on his own (Romans 7). Instead, he found that "the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ set him free" (Romans 8). United to the saving grace of Jesus Christ by faith, he was enabled to set his "mind on the spirit, which is life and peace, but to set the mind on the flesh is death" (Romans 8:6). Even Paul could not overcome through physical struggle, let alone us!

Similarly, we need God’s power to forgive. Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother, and the Lord said "seventy times seven" times (Matthew 18:21-22). In his gospel, Luke records the disciples’ response: When Jesus said, “If he sins against you seven times in the day and turns to you seven times saying, ‘I repent’ you must forgive him,” the apostles replied, “Increase our faith!’" (Luke 17:4-5). I personally believe that the word "apostle" here refers to the disciples, including Peter and the other apostles who were praying for more faith to forgive. Peter realized that Jesus commanded him to forgive his brother, but he couldn't do it on his own. He understood that forgiveness, salvation, and victory do not depend on human efforts and struggles, but on faith. Jesus Christ has provided salvation for all, and we obtain it through faith. So Peter and the other disciples asked the Lord to increase their faith.

Believers need to be taught how to grow in their faith. God's divine power is released in our lives when we are united with God through faith. If you are willing to break free from your bondage to pornography or other vices, I have a prayer that will help you break free from these. Pray along with me:

“Lord, your word says, 'He who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him' (1 Corinthians 6:17). I know that I am joined to you in one spirit. When I look at pornography, you are watching with me because you are one spirit with me. I invite you to come and watch it with me now. If you do not want to, please remove my desire.”

If you pray like this, The Holy Spirit will remove your desires, because the Holy Spirit does not like to watch pornography. This prayer may seem disrespectful, but I can assure you it is not. In fact, it is disrespectful not to pray like this. When you continue setting your mind on the flesh and don’t invite God in, you are defiling God’s presence in you and quenching the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). However, when you pray like this, you are inviting the holy God to remove your filth, because the precious blood of Jesus is stronger than your filth. All you need to do is invite God in, unite with Him in faith, and He will surely take away your sins. If you pray like this every day, you can overcome all addictions and weaknesses! Believe me, I speak from my own victorious experience.

Many American believers have never been taught these faith exercises, so they sin and struggle with the flesh. Desiring to do right cannot help us succeed. It is our union with God through faith that gives us victory. This is the “divine power” of God spoken of by Peter.

Peter learned this lesson personally when Jesus taught him about forgiveness. Peter may have thought it was impossible to forgive people who offended him, such as James and John. But Jesus commanded him to always forgive. He had to recognize it was not through his own effort, but through faith united to the promised word of God. This is why Peter and the other apostles prayed to God to increase their faith.

Who says that Paul was the only one who knew about the principles of justification and sanctification through faith? Peter also had a high level of spiritual experience and maturity, and he knew that faith was the only way he could claim God’s divine power to forgive his brothers who offended him. He also knew that the power of God contained in the seed of our faith cannot be released except by faith.

That’s why he begins the first chapter of 2 Peter by talking about faith, as we mentioned in the first article on 2 Peter 1. Let's emphasize it again here. 2 Peter 1:1 says, "Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ." Every Israelite who entered the Promised Land received their own piece of land. Their pieces of land were different sizes, but they were each equally precious because they were part of God’s Promised Land. Similarly, although we each have different gifts and a different measure of faith, the nature of this faith is equally precious. This faith is the foundation of everything. It is the seed given to us by God, and it contains the "divine power" of God (2 Peter 1:3).

Glory and Virtue Are Supplied by the Divinity and Humanity of Christ

God’s "divine power" is contained in the seed of faith and released by the exercise of faith. How do we exercise our faith to release God’s power? We need to know God’s disposition and God’s promises. The "glory" of Jesus Christ is His divine nature expressed in all the powerful characteristics of his oneness with God. God has destined us to share in God’s glory, or divine nature, which was manifested during the Transfiguration. The "virtue" of Jesus Christ refers to his human qualities and virtues. God wants us to share in these virtues and abilities that God has prepared for us to help us overcome trials. For example, when we are unable to obey, we need to know that Jesus Christ, "although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). Since Jesus Christ lives in our hearts, His obedience can become our obedience. Because Jesus Christ is both God and man, we can partake of His divine life while also appropriating His human virtues to help us when we are weak. The Bible says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).

With this understanding, let us look once more at 2 Peter 1:3: "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue." We are invited to enter his glory (divine nature) and virtue (human virtues). Through His glory and virtue, we have truly been given “all things that pertain unto life and godliness." Once we believe in the Lord, we are “a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). God’s power and virtue allow us to live like the new creation we are!

If Christians are a new creation in Christ, why can they be so addicted to sin that they cannot overcome it? Is he no longer a new creation? No, it is not that he’s no longer a new creation, but that he has not realized he is a new creation, and has not allowed the Holy Spirit to apply God's truth to his heart. He does not realize that Christ’s divine power and human virtues have given him all things that pertain unto life and godliness. Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:17 are still true in this person’s life; however, he does not know the truth of what Paul and Peter said. He does not understand these spiritual truths and is not united to these realities by faith. Instead, he lives in a state of deception. He mistakenly thinks that he still belongs to the old creation, unable to overcome these weaknesses. So he succumbs to the pressure of the flesh and Satan once again. He forgets what Paul said: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). James also said, "Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

How blessed we are to have access to Christ’s glory and virtue! Yet how foolishly we often live! We try to find comfort in pornography, hoping to relieve the inner pressure we feel from the difficulties of life and the pain of broken relationships. But we don’t realize that we are drinking poison to quench our thirst. It will not help at all. Instead, we should realize that God has provided everything we need through Christ. He has saved us through his blood. But we need to access this salvation through faith and persistence. Unfortunately, faith seems to be difficult and out of reach for many people, while sinful indulgence seems to be within easy reach. What a painful struggle!

Escaping the Corruption That Is in The World Through Sinful Desires

How can we escape from the pain and struggle mentioned above? We need to know the promises of God, through which we can partake of the divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4 says, "By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” This means that through his divine power and human virtues, Christ has given us countless promises—too many to mention. One such promise is that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). The word "salvation" here is SOZO in Greek, which includes eternal salvation from hell, healing of the body, and release from Satan’s bondage. It includes the salvation of the human spirit, soul, and body.

God has given us many other precious promises as well. God promises that a day is coming when our bodies will be redeemed (Romans 8:23). God promises, "Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth" (Revelation 3:10). God's says, "By his stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24). God's promises are too many to list.

Paul said, "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Peter deeply understood the same truth. In 2 Peter, Peter shared God has called us through glory and virtue, he has granted us all things we needed through his divine power, and he has given us great promises through his glory and virtue. These promises are yes to us in Christ, and they are also amen to God. At any moment, God is willing to make good on His promises to us in Christ. He is always available to help us through the redemption accomplished by Christ. As long as we ask and act in faith, God is ready to help us escape all the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires and make us partakers of the divine nature.

God has prepared everything that we need. All it takes on our part is faith as small as a grain of mustard seed. God values our faith, initiative, and choices—even if they are very small and weak. When we choose to believe God's promises and set our minds on the Spirit, God gives us life. But when we choose to set our minds on the flesh, we experience death. It's all about our hearts and the choices we make! We are beings of free will. God never forces us to trust him. If we choose to believe God's promises, we will receive God's salvation and constant growth and sanctification in our lives! It all depends on the choices we make!

Conclusion

From 2 Peter 1:3-4, we can see that Peter’s spiritual maturity and understanding were just as advanced as Paul's. In our next episode, we will look at 2 Peter 1:5, which will help believers make the right choice so they can exercise their faith and make it stronger and stronger. Peter teaches us step by step how to know God’s disposition and follow God’s guidance so we can incrementally escape from the corruption in the world and partake in God’s divine nature.

We will compare God’s glory to the throne of God in Revelation 22:1. To reach it, we must partake in God’s divine nature (walk on the streets of gold) and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit (which reminds us of the water of the river, the tree of life on both sides of the river, and it’s twelve kinds of fruits Revelation 22:2). Like the streets of gold, the divine nature defines our boundaries, and this is the only way to the New Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit guides us like the river of life, providing the water of life and the fruits of the tree of life (the virtues of Jesus Christ) to provide us with continuous supply and support. This enables us to swim upstream like a salmon and reach The Throne of God and of The Lamb on top of the New Jerusalem. The glory John saw in the Book of Revelation mirrors the glory that Peter saw when Jesus was transfigured. Our goal (God’s glory) is hidden within the seed of faith, and as we grow in our knowledge of God’s disposition and guidance, we can grow into full-grown trees and reach our goal. We can access the throne of God and of the Lamb. Remember, we are already seated with Him on the Throne in Christ (Revelation 3:21, Ephesians 2:6, John 12:26)! This is also God's promise!

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Bible Study with Jairus- 2 Peter 1 (Part 2)

The Difference Between God's Disposition and God's Guidance

In part one of our study of 2 Peter 1, I emphasized that the church needs the gifts of the apostles and prophets. The gifts of the apostles help believers understand God’s disposition and laws, while the gifts of prophets help believers understand God’s guidance. God's disposition and God's guidance are two different things, though they sometimes overlap. I hope this message will help us understand the difference between the two.

Before we dive into the difference between God’s disposition and God’s guidance, let’s look at an example that shows the importance of the apostles and prophets. A few years ago, I planted a specific variety of tomato that grows indefinitely as long as the weather is suitable. It will continue producing tomatoes as long as the climate is conducive. When I first started growing this type of tomato, I thought I could just turn it loose to grow. I didn’t know it needed pruning, so I let it grow wild. It grew a lot of branches and very little fruit. A lot of nutrients were wasted in growing leaves.

Later, I realized the importance of staking the tomato plants so they did not fall over, as well as pruning them in order to ventilate the bushes and protect them from disease.

This illustration shows the role of the apostles and prophets. We as Christians possess God’s divine nature within us (2 Peter 1:3). God’s power is infinite, and it gives us an infinite possibility for growth if we allow God to change us. God’s power can bring us into the fullness of infinite life.

Yet few Christians have entered the fullness of God’s infinite life. Just like the tomato has infinite potential but still needs pruning, Christians need the help of the apostles and prophets in order to grow. We need the support of the apostles to know God’s disposition and laws. And we need the help of the prophets to know God’s guidance.

Both the apostles and the prophets were commissioned by Jesus Christ, and they reflect the unity of the Trinity. Let’s look at Genesis 1:26 and Revelation 22:1 to help us understand these concepts. Then we will return to 2 Peter 1:3-4 and explore how God’s disposition and God’s guidance work together in the roles of the apostles and prophets, leading the church toward God’s glory. Peter's spiritual experience was deep and rich and his epistles deserve careful study.

What is the Difference Between God's Disposition and God's Guidance?

God’s biblical revelation is composed of two main types of revelation: revelation of God’s disposition and revelation of God’s guidance. God’s disposition refers to his unchanging nature. By nature, God is immutable and eternal (Malachi 3:6). He is always characterized by love, light, holiness, and righteousness.

God’s guidance refers to God’s changing guidance. God is also “new every morning” and expresses himself in new ways. God’s guidance can change depending on the situation, and the way he manifests himself can also change.

These two realities shed light on the entire Bible. Some parts of Scripture focus on revealing God’s unchanging laws and disposition, while others do not. It’s crucial to understand the difference. Some parts of the Bible reveal God’s unchanging disposition; for instance, God has always been holy and will always be holy. Other parts of the Bible reveal God’s situational guidance.

I believe that Paul’s injunction against women in leadership may have been one of these cases. When the Apostle Paul forbade women from preaching, I don’t believe he was revealing God’s unchanging prejudice against women. In other instances in the Bible, God gave special protection to women. In the Book of Numbers, God allowed the daughters of Zelophehad to inherit land alongside the men, even though women did not typically inherit land. God created a new law just for them that stipulated that land could be inherited by women if there were no male heirs. Because of this, I believe Paul’s prohibition against women preachers was God’s specific guidance to the Corinthian church. (To learn more, see the study of the Book of Numbers and the Book of Corinthians.)

However, many people do not understand the difference between God’s disposition and God’s guidance. They often treat God’s time-specific words of guidance as absolute for all times. This leads to many problems. Rigid Christians persecute and condemn their fellow believers who are simply following God’s new, time-specific guidance. How easy it is to label fellow Christians as heretics or even kill them—simply for following God’s new guidance. How often religious authorities have condemned others for their so-called violation of God’s unchanging disposition, rather than understanding God’s changing guidance!

How do we distinguish between God’s disposition and God’s guidance? If your actions compromise God’s glory, love, light, holiness, and righteousness, then this is a violation of God’s disposition. For example, whether you live in Tokyo or Washington DC, it is wrong to murder. Killing people violates the disposition of God. However, if your action simply offends the tradition of a local body of believers but doesn’t compromise God’s glory, then this is a matter of God’s guidance.

Often, believers must boldly choose to break through the limitations of tradition and religion in order to follow God’s guidance. Often, they will pay a heavy price for this. In so doing, they follow not only God’s guidance, but they also obey God’s disposition and laws.

The God we worship is the only true God. This statement expresses God’s unchanging disposition and principles. But the exact way we worship him varies from church to church, and this is an issue of God’s guidance. The Catholic Church has formal liturgy, the Protestant Church focuses on preaching, the Pentecostal Church emphasizes worship, and the Orthodox Church stands while worshiping. Some churches use pianos or organs, while others use guitars. Everyone has different forms. This is not a matter of principle, but a matter of how God leads each believer.

Genesis 1:26: Image and Likeness Respectively Refer to God's Disposition and God's Guidance

The difference in God's disposition and likeness is very clearly shown in Genesis 1:26, which says, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” What do the words “image” and “likeness” mean? Does this mean that humans look like God? Does God have two legs and two arms? Possibly. When God appears to prophets, they often see a form “like the Son of Man.” God also appeared in human form when he talked to Abraham. Though it’s possible the image of God refers to the physical form of God, I believe it’s more likely that mankind reflects the inner characteristics of God’s glory. Jesus Christ "is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3). The image of God revealed in Jesus was not that he looked like the Father in human appearance, but that he manifested the glory of God and the disposition of God: love, light, holiness, and righteousness. This is the meaning of the image of God.

Jesus said that whoever had seen Him had seen the Father (John 14:9). Many people today are confused by this statement, just like Philip was. We want to see God’s visual and external appearance. But Jesus is more interested in manifesting God’s inner qualities of love, light, holiness, and righteousness. These are the qualities that Jesus displayed. He exuded the radiance of the glory of God the Father, the imprint of the divine nature. He was and is the manifestation of the Father.

This is not to say that the Father does not have an external form. I believe He does. Isaiah and other prophets have described the external appearance of the Heavenly Father, and I have longed to see it. But the Father’s outward appearance is not the key characteristic of the image of God. The key attributes of God are his internal characteristics of love, light, holiness, and righteousness.

Even though God is unchanging in his key attributes (“God’s image”), his outward appearance can change (“God’s likeness”). His manifestation in the material world can vary. For example, God appeared to Abraham in the form of a man, and he also compared himself to a great eagle (Ezekiel 17:7). When Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, they often didn't recognize him, indicating he looked different than usual. In the same way, when Jesus appears to me in visions, he does so in a variety of ways. I have heard that Jesus appears to the Japanese in one way, and to the American Indians in another way.

Why does Jesus change his appearance? I believe Jesus manifests himself in different ways because he is trying to communicate a different message to each person. For instance, when he lifted my spirit to Japan and showed me His nail marks, his purpose was to tell me about His love for the Japanese people. When he lifted my spirit to China and placed his hands on me, he wanted to give me a new mission to preach the gospel in China. He also appeared to me in a blinding light, which showed me that his great light would lead the idolatrous Chinese people out of Egypt. Another time, Jesus sat across the table like a friend. This was the most intimate meeting I had with the Lord. His only goal was to comfort and encourage me, as well as show me around heaven. Another time, Jesus showed me two rivers, indicating that several aspects were about to converge. He appeared in different ways in order to address unique situations and needs that required unique help and guidance from God.

God’s “image” (internal character qualities) does not change, but his “likeness” does (Genesis 1:26). In the same way, His guidance is different for every person and every situation, because our needs are different every time.

In order to better understand the difference between God’s image (God’s disposition) and God’s likeness (God’s guidance), let’s look at Revelation 22:1.

Revelation 22:1: The Street of Gold and The Water of The River of Life Speak of God's Disposition and God's Guidance Respectively

Revelation 22:1 says, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 21:21 has revealed that “the streets of the city are pure gold.” This street of gold represents the unchanging disposition of God. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God" (2 Corinthians 13:4) are eternal, but guidance and “fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (2 Corinthians 13:14) can and does change.

To show humankind God’s nature and disposition, Moses gave the Old Testament Law. This law taught the Israelites not to violate God’s disposition; that is, they were not allowed to murder, lie, commit adultery, covet, or dishonor their parents. These sins, including murder, dishonesty, adultery, greed, and disrespect to parents, are not in line with God’s disposition and violate God’s laws.

But God’s guidance is different. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were required to keep the Sabbath, but in the New Testament, it was not required. In the same way, Moses allowed the Israelite men to divorce their wives because of their hard hearts. But in the New Testament, Jesus forbade divorce because it was never God’s original design (Matthew 19:7-12). God’s unchanging disposition detested divorce because His original intention was “what God has joined let not man separate.” However, because of human weakness and real-life difficulties (adultery, domestic violence), God allowed divorce under certain circumstances. The latter is a matter of divine guidance.

The laws of the Old Testament reflect God’s bottom line. Crossing this line is not pleasing to God, and it is not good for humans, either. The law alerts us of our sin, just like the rumble strip alerts us that we have crossed the yellow line on an American highway. If you cross this boundary, you will be in danger. But there are certain situations in which it is reasonable to drive over the yellow line or even drive on the rumble strip—for example, if the lanes have been altered in a construction zone.

In addition, traffic laws tell cars to stop at a red light and go forward on a green light. But if another car runs a red light, you should not mechanically obey the green light and go forward. Otherwise, you will have a traffic accident. In the same way, the law is a boundary or a "guardian" that keeps us in line (Galatians 3:25). However, after the "faith" in Christ arrived (Galatians 3:25), we were united with Christ and “justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). Israelites who refused to accept Christ because they were focused on obeying the law are like cars who drive through a green light, even though they will get hit. They are like sheep who refuse to leave the sheepfold and follow Christ into green pastures (John 10).

The purpose of the law was to keep Israelites from crossing God’s boundaries until Christ could arrive on the scene. When God’s time came, Jesus was born from the descendants of Israel as a descendant of Abraham who would bring blessings to the Gentiles, that they might receive the promised Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:14). At this point, the law of the Old Testament was fulfilled as the indwelling “law of the Spirit of life,” which set people free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). The Lord Jesus also said many times that He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17-18). This is what it means.

Let's return to Revelation 22:1. The verse states that the water of life was running down the middle of the road. Have you ever seen something like this on Earth? No. How can a river flow in the middle of a street? I believe this verse is a beautiful picture that speaks of God’s unchanging nature and changing guidance. The streets of gold remind us of the unchanging disposition, nature, principles, and boundaries of God. The water speaks of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which will always stay within the boundaries of God’s essence. When an individual claims that the Holy Spirit led them to divorce their wife and marry another woman, this is often wrong. The Holy Spirit will not lead you to do things that are not in line with God's unchanging character.

Just like our blood stays within the boundaries of the blood vessels. If you are bleeding, you need help. When we leave the boundaries of God’s character and law, we need help. The Holy Spirit may temporarily tolerate our weaknesses, but he will eventually guide us back to repentance.

The New Jerusalem descended on a mountain, and the throne of God and the Lamb was at the top of this mountain. If the New Jerusalem covers the entire surface of the mountain, the streets of this city may spiral around the mountain. Thus, the river may also spiral around the mountain. This represents the spiraling, ever-changing guidance of the Holy Spirit. God's guidance and his likeness are ever-changing and always new. God's eternal nature, grace, love, and disposition are eternal, stable, and unchanging, like the golden streets of the New Jerusalem. But the flow of the Holy Spirit is ever-changing, like the water on those streets.

We worship the unchanging uniqueness of God, but we express our worship in unique, diverse ways. Many people don’t understand this distinction. They rigidly assume that one particular way of worship is God’s only way. They perceive God’s guidance for a specific situation to be the only right way. Thus, any deviation from this rule is seen as heretical. They refuse to recognize God’s new work. They stick to the law, not knowing that God can change. This rigidity leads to the prevalence of legalism.

On the other hand, some people do not know about God’s unchanging disposition and the unchanging principles revealed by God’s words, so they are tossed about by the wind and confused by the waves of heresy (Ephesians 4:14).

There are many examples of this in the church today. For example, is it against God's character for women to be pastors? If God’s principles were opposed to women in leadership, Deborah and Esther would not be prominently featured in the Old Testament, nor would God have distributed the land to Zelophehad’s daughters. I believe it’s a matter of God’s guidance. God can guide us differently in different situations. The leadership at Saddleback Church believes that women can be pastors because they believe a woman's role in the body of Christ should be respected and encouraged. The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) opposes women in leadership because they want to resist the continued invasion of liberalism into the church. Each of them believes they are right; perhaps they have been led differently by God. As a result, they parted ways. Perhaps this was the best and easiest way to deal with this situation. It is not necessarily true that one party is absolutely right, and the other is absolutely wrong. God is bigger than the entire controversy, and he guides each church differently. Everyone must stick to God's guidance for their church and bear their own unique testimony for God. If the people of the Southern Baptist Church think that denominations with female pastors are generally more inclined to liberalism and homosexuality, then they should not have female pastors. Yet those who like female pastors should be free to elect female pastors.

In general, I don't think God disapproves of churches having female pastors. Many Pentecostal Churches have female pastors, and the sky has not fallen. This is a question of God’s leading, not his character. While China was being evangelized, the earliest revivals began in rural churches. Many women and elderly people were saved, but few believers were men. As a result, many women became missionaries, preaching the gospel in villages and alleyways. They brought revival to China. If they had believed God’s unchanging principles prohibited women from being pastors and leaders, as the SBC does, then China's revival would have been greatly compromised. Because many Chinese men had gone to the cities to work, and the government did not surveil and control rural women and the elderly with the same level of diligence, the Holy Spirit used rural women to begin a great revival.

On one occasion, I attended a female-led gathering in my hometown in rural China. When the leading sister knelt down to pray the Lord’s Prayer, I was moved to tears. I was so moved by her innocence. These ladies rode bicycles through villages and alleyways to preach the gospel. Because there were not many men in the church, they naturally became the leaders of the church. I was touched by their absolute commitment to God.

I think we should gather 1,000 Chinese rural sisters who are church leaders and have them share their testimonies with the brothers in charge of the Southern Baptist Church in the United States. After they have heard 1,000 such stories, perhaps their hard hearts will finally open and they will no longer object to women being pastors.

Anything that compromises God’s glory is against God’s disposition and principles. But a woman becoming a pastor does not necessarily compromise God's glory. If a woman becomes a pastor as an act of rebellion, this is against God's disposition. Of course, we know that the SBC and the entire US conservative movement were raised by God when Western liberal theology was in vogue. Perhaps God guided them to forbid women from being pastors because of the current situation of the United States. Because American society was opposing God and liberalism and homosexuality were prevalent, they realized that churches that promoted female pastors also allowed homosexuals to serve as priests. Perhaps God guided the SBC to take that stance based on a unique cultural situation, but they should not assume this principle prohibits all women everywhere from serving as pastors. I’m guessing that this would not be pleasing to God.

2 Peter 1:3-4: God's Disposition and God's Guidance Work Together to Lead Us into Glory

As I said before, the river of the water of life remains within the boundaries of the streets of gold, just blood remains within the boundaries of the veins and arteries. A tree grows inside the boundaries of the bark, and it also grows incrementally from a sprout to a tree with roots, branches, a trunk, leaves, and fruit. In the same way, God’s nature (His glory), sets a growth goal for us, and God’s guidance (the Holy Spirit), will help us every step of the way (2 Peter 1:3-4). Only then can we reach the end goal: God's glory. It is a process.

The Old and New Testament writings help us better understand God’s principles by revealing God’s disposition. At the same time, the guidance of the Holy Spirit helps us apply God’s principles to every situation so that we can constantly realize the purpose of God's glory and escape from the temptation of sin. God wants to set us free from “the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire" (2 Peter 1:4), and he wants us to “become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). God’s disposition sets glorious goals for us through the “precious and very great promises have been given to us” (2 Peter 1:4). Then God guidance walks with us, helping us bear our weaknesses, so we can receive the full fulfillment of God's promises to us. The prophetic office also walks with people, revealing God’s guidance for their individual circumstances.

Second Peter 1:3-4 paints the same picture as Revelation 22:1. We are perpetually climbing higher and higher on Mount Zion, toward the throne of God and the Lamb. We climb higher on the spiraling road of gold that leads upward to the throne of God. Down the road runs the river of life of the Holy Spirit. Peter shared his experience of Jesus’ transfiguration, because he saw how radiant the glorified Christ was, and he also understood that the way to God’s glory was the way of the cross. He shared his spiritual experiences so that believers could gradually mature and become like him. In the next lesson, we will continue to examine how 2 Peter 1:3-4 describes Peter’s thoughts about Jesus’ transfiguration.

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Bible Study with Jairus—2 Peter 1-1

The Epistles of Peter Are His Reflection on the Lord’s Transfiguration

Peter was the first apostle chosen by the Lord, and he was also one of Jesus’ inner circle of followers. Peter, James, and John were the only ones who were allowed to see Jesus’ transfiguration and to be near him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter’s spiritual journey was full of dramatic change as Jesus taught him and dealt with his weaknesses. Peter wrote two epistles that record these spiritual experiences, but many believers do not seem to have a firm grasp on Peter’s life. Believers study Paul’s writings and experiences, yet seem to neglect Peter’s. As I have studied Peter’s epistles with fellow brothers and sisters, I received some inspiration which I hope to share here. These inspirations are not original to me, but they are important for a deeper understanding of the Bible.

George Campbell Morgan, known as the "Prince of Expositors,” commented that the epistles of Peter are an extended reflection on his experience of the Transfiguration.[1] Do you agree with this statement? I thought the same thing while reading the Scripture, even before reading Morgan’s statement. I couldn’t agree with him more. I hope to be able to explain in detail why both of Peter's letters are his reflections on Jesus' transfiguration.

Peter had many deep spiritual experiences which he wrote about in his epistles. But many people ignore or fail to understand Peter's spiritual experiences as expressed in his two epistles. I hope that by explaining his epistles, I can help more readers understand God’s work in Peter’s life. I hope that our study of Peter’s experiences will help us grow in faith and capacity like Peter did, so we can grow into Christ, who is the Head.

The Significance of the Transfiguration

What is the significance of the Transfiguration of the Lord Jesus? The divine glory of Jesus Christ had been restricted by His physical body, but He temporarily transcended the limitations of the flesh and fully expressed His eternal glory. Let’s use an example to illustrate this idea. An acorn contains the future glory of a towering oak tree. But all that glory is hidden while it is a seed. In the same way, Jesus’ glory was hidden within his earthly body. In addition, we as Christians have the seed of God's life in our hearts, and we have the potential to grow into a glorious tree. Colossians 3 says, "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:3-4). Peter, John, and James were given a taste of Christ’s glory at the transfiguration. But when Christ returns, we will see the full manifestation of His glory. Today, our lives are hidden with Christ in God. But one day, we will appear with Him in glory. At that time, His full glory—and ours—will be revealed. This is the full expression of the kingdom. Jesus’ Transfiguration on the mountain is a shadow of the coming kingdom, as we Christians are also a shadow of the future kingdom. The purpose of our lives is to allow the life of Christ to continue to expand and grow within us, like an acorn growing into a towering tree, so we can bring the full expression of Christ’s kingdom to the earth. This is God’s ultimate will, as well as Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:23, “which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

The words "seed,” "growth,” and "full-grown tree" sum up the three stages of expressing the reality of God’s kingdom here on earth. "Seed" is the starting point, "growth" is the process, and "big tree" is the final goal. Going through these three stages takes time. But in the Transfiguration, Jesus transcended time and allowed Peter, James, and John to skip the "growth" stage and preview the glory of the "full-grown tree.” When he saw it, Peter was completely overwhelmed, even dazzled. When he went down the mountain with James and John, he was met with the harsh reality that he would still need to go through the growing process. He faced the fact that he and the other disciples were not even able to cast out the demon at the foot of the mountain. After Jesus cast out the demon, he rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith. Jesus was able to cast them out, however, because he already experienced the reality of the kingdom of God. Jesus said, "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:28). In the kingdom of God, there is no place for evil spirits and demons, so wherever the kingdom of God is, demons are not allowed to exist. But the disciples were not filled with the Holy Spirit and the kingdom of God. In other words, they could not drive out this demon because they still allowed space for enemies and evil spirits.

After seeing the glory of the kingdom, and then experiencing the harsh reality that he could not cast out the demon, Peter must have thought about the process of growing from a "seed" to a "full-grown tree.” Peter’s epistles describe his newfound understanding that believers must go through a growth process so that the “seed” of the life of the kingdom of Christ can grow into a towering "tree.” Peter's Epistles are a handbook for the disciples he shepherds so they can better understand and experience this growth process. Then the reality of the kingdom will be manifested in them and in the world.

2 Peter 1 Starts with a Seed

The kingdom of God and our faith in God’s kingdom are often referred to in the Bible as a "seed.” The Lord Jesus used this metaphor many times. For example, Jesus says, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how" (Mark 4:26-27). The coming of the kingdom of God begins with the word of God or the seed of the Gospel. When people hear the Word, their hearts are like different types of soil. If the seed falls on good soil, it will yield 30, 60, or even 100 times as much grain as was sown. But if it lands on bad soil that is thorny or compacted, the seed cannot grow well or will be eaten by birds (Matthew 13:3-8). The Lord Jesus also compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed (Mark 4:30-31). In other words, Peter is very familiar with the idea that God’s word is like a seed, and he also knows that the Lord Jesus often used seed as a metaphor for the kingdom of God.

In this passage, Peter also uses seed as a metaphor for the word of God. He states, "You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God" (1 Peter 1:23). We'll come back to 1 Peter later since we're dealing with 2 Peter here. 2 Peter also begins with seed. But the seed he mentions here does not refer to the "word of God" but to "faith" (2 Peter 1:1).

Let's see what Peter says in the first sentence of 2 Peter: "Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Note that I bolded the words "faith of equal standing.” Those of us who are familiar with the stories of the Old Testament know that after the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they each obtained a piece of land to cultivate. Here Peter is using a metaphor to say that the inheritance of faith that God has given us is like the beautiful land of Canaan. Just like the Israelites obtained a piece of land after entering the Promised Land, we can obtain a portion of faith to cultivate. In other words, our faith is our seed, and it will grow gradually into something just as beautiful as the Promised Land. Paul said something similar. He mentioned the “riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians 1:18). Just as the land of Canaan was God's inheritance to the Old Testament Israelites, we as New Testament believers, receive a spiritual inheritance through faith in Christ. We are born again through the Word of God, which is compared to a seed. Jesus Christ, through whom we were born again, is also called an indestructible seed. And our inheritance is the seed.

This seed of faith, by which we are reconciled to God, is only the first step. The next step is to continue to grow in our spiritual lives so that the kingdom of God is fully manifested in us. "More than that … we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:10-11). These are the words of Paul, and Peter teaches the same thing. Like Paul, Peter deeply understood that our regeneration by the Word of God, the incorruptible seed of God, was only the first step. When he glimpsed the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ on the mountain, he saw his ultimate goal. But when he descended the mountain and was unable to cast out the evil spirit, he realized he would need to take many incremental steps to reach that goal. He did not yet possess the glory of Jesus Christ, nor could he cast out demons—yet the glory of Jesus Christ was his promised hope. To get there, he would need to be conformed to the death and resurrection of Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Only then would he reach the mountaintop and become the powerful leader of the book of Acts, who could heal the lame, raise the dead, and lead three thousand to salvation. Before he could become mature, Peter had to experience countless spiritual lessons, including:

• Denying the Lord three times
• Being restored by Jesus as he asked him three times, “Do you love me?” (John 21)
• Experiencing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, recorded in the beginning of Acts.

Jesus Christ is the only perfect person in the Bible, but there are many people who have undergone great transformations, including Jacob in the Old Testament and Peter in the New Testament. Peter’s transformation is not only recorded in the Gospels but also reflected in 1 and 2 Peter. We hope that in the future we will have the opportunity to revisit all of Peter's experiences in the Gospels to see how he was transformed. However, today we are only focusing on Peter's reflections on his life in 2 Peter.

The Power of God Reserved in the Seed

As a vegetable gardener, I understand the importance of high-quality seeds. I usually buy organic seeds and then choose the plumpest seeds to plant. Because I chose good seeds, I am confident they will germinate. Why? Because in the mystery of life, God has placed the power of reproduction in the seed. If I plant the right seed, it will produce new life. Peter understands this concept well. After he speaks of the "seed of faith" in the first chapter of 2 Peter, he continues, "May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord" (2 Peter 1:2). Note that I have bolded "grace and peace" and "multiply" in this sentence. Just like the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5, “grace and peace” are the fruits that grow from the seed of faith. The word "multiply" shows that Peter is confident God’s seeds will multiply and germinate.

Peter then begins to speak about the power of God contained in the seed. We need to take a good look at 2 Peter 1:3-4. These two verses contain so much truth about the profound mysteries of the kingdom of God. Let's preview these two verses and then break them down in detail.

2 Peter 1: 3 says, "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” This verse refers to the power of God hidden in the seed God gives us. As we’ve mentioned, an acorn contains the genetic material to create an entire oak tree. Just like the seed contains the power of life, God has given us "divine power" contained in the seed of His Word. God's "glory" is the full-grown tree, and His "excellence" is the "seed.” Glory is the glory of the kingdom of God, which is the full-grown tree—our hope for the future. Excellence is the genetic material or embryo which manifests the excellence of God contained in Jesus Christ. The excellence of God expressed in Jesus Christ provides us with spiritual life and power in every way. This seed contains power and potential for growth. Glory and Excellence both call us to go through the process of growth.

When Peter refers to "all things that pertain to life and godliness,” he echoes Paul’s words in Ephesians 1: "… the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places " (Ephesians 1:3). This spiritual blessing has two aspects. On the one hand, these blessings have already been accomplished in the spiritual realm. On the other hand, we need to go through the process of growth to access it. All the genetic material for the oak tree is already present in the acorn. But it takes many years for the acorn to grow into a towering oak tree. In the same way, we have already been given everything that pertains to life and godliness. We have been given all spiritual gifts the moment we were saved. They are present in our spirit like the embryo within the seed. What a mysterious truth! The seed takes so much time to develop and mature. This is a continually unfolding mystery. Colossians 3:3-4 says that when Jesus Christ appears in glory, we will also appear with Him in glory.

2 Peter 1:4 says, "By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” These "precious and very great promises" point to the “full-grown tree.” Our goal is to grow into a full-grown tree. This reality is not only a "precious and very great promise”; it is also a present reality. Right now, we can "become partakers of the divine nature.” The destiny of the church is to become a type of Jesus Christ, full of the divine nature. This "precious and very great promise" may also include the final manifestation of glory in heaven, as well as the different stages in between.

Verse 4 has profound meaning. It mentions two gifts given to apostles and prophets, which work together to lay the foundation of the church. Why do I say that? I will explain this concept in more detail in this article and upcoming articles.

What is the ministry of an apostle? To teach the church about God’s character. The word “glory” refers to the ministry of the apostles, because apostles help believers to learn about God’s character and partake in the glory of God.

What is the ministry of the prophets? To provide timely guidance to people so that they can understand God’s goals for their lives and walk on the right path. The word “excellence” refers to the prophets’ ministry. Spiritual excellence is like a signpost, providing onlookers with ability and direction. Because Jesus Christ is the firstborn Son, we are also sons of God, and we must be conformed to the image of the Firstborn Son. The ministry of prophets is also implied in the words "precious and very great promises." God’s guidance to us through the prophets is often manifested as promises. Of course, “excellence” also implies the ministry of apostles because many Biblical promises were written by the hands of the apostles. The teachings of the apostles help us understand the character and laws of God, while the promises of the prophets give us direction.

When we follow the teachings of the apostles and prophets, we will gradually understand God’s character and guidance. As a result, we will be gradually set free from the corruption of the lustful world. By continuously partaking in these promises, we will become partakers of the divine nature. In other words, as we partake in the divine nature, we grow closer and closer to our goal of reaching the full height of Christ’s stature (Ephesians 4:13), just like an oak seedling growing closer and closer to its goal of being a great oak tree. The life of the oak tree is contained in the acorn, and the life of God is contained in believers.

How can Christians grow spiritually? Through the apostles’ ministry, Christ’s followers can recognize their identity in Christ so His nature can grow freely in their spirits.

How can Christians follow God's guidance without going in the wrong direction? Through the prophets’ ministry, believers can learn to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Prophets continuously encourage believers with God’s promises so they do not grow weary. Although God’s word through the apostles reveals many principles that help us understand God’s character, we all know that we often get discouraged and weak. That’s why we need the prophets to encourage us when we grow weary and feel down. Prophets help believers reach the finish line and enter into the fullness of God’s life.

All these ideas are implied in Peter's epistles, although Peter does not explicitly say that we are "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone," like Paul does (Ephesians 2:20). This does not mean Peter does not have the same spiritual insight as Paul. Perhaps Peter just could not express these concepts as clearly as Paul, who was more well-learned.

Unfortunately, many people underestimate Peter’s spiritual insight. Peter says that in Paul’s letters, “there are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16). However, Peter does not say he does not understand Paul's words. There is no proof that Peter’s spiritual experience was lower caliber than Paul’s.

Peter knows very well that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, so the apostles’ ministry is very needed to help the saints learn about God’s character and partake in the glory of God. The apostles help us learn about God’s character, as shown in Christ’s virtues. The virtues of God in Christ are our signposts. When we first believe in Christ, one person may be particularly attracted to a certain virtue of Jesus Christ, such as his love. Another may be attracted to Jesus’ patience. The first is attracted to Jesus’ love because he lacks love; the second lacks patience. A third person may be attracted first by one virtue, and later by another. These virtues attract us, transform us, strengthen us, and eventually conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. God’s guidance for everyone is different, and the different virtues of Jesus Christ are the signposts that guide us on the path to the image of Christ.

Conclusion

Peter is well aware of the need for believers to "grow” from an "acorn" into an "oak tree.” During this growth process, believers will encounter many challenges. The seed of faith may be snatched away by birds, trampled on the road, or choked by weeds. Only those seeds that fall in well-watered, good soil will grow into towering trees that touch the sky. This growth journey is described in The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. Christians encounter many trials and tribulations as they journey toward heaven.

As we journey, we need the help of the apostles and prophets. The apostles help believers understand God's laws, like Moses did (Psalm 103:7). To know God's law is to know His character. As Paul says, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Peter writes about the same truth: "And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:19-21). The Bible contains laws that reveal God’s character, promises, and guidance. The character, promises, and guidance of God overlap in some way, yet are distinctive. The ministries of the apostles and prophets also overlap. Many believers are gifted as both apostles and prophets, such as Moses and Paul. Moses certainly acted as both an apostle and a prophet. Although the Bible doesn't mention Paul as a prophet, he certainly prophesied. The reason we make the distinction between apostles and prophets is to help us understand the different ministries related to these two gifts. Before we move on to Peter's spiritual experience as revealed in 2 Peter, we'll take a moment to talk about the character and guidance of God and the corresponding ministries of apostles and prophets.

[1] See https://www.jgospel.net/c/2/26845/283/3986/%E6%91%A9%E6%A0%B9%E8%A7%A3%E7%BB%8F%E4%B8%9B%E4%B9%A6-%E9%A9%AC%E5%A4%AA%E7%A6%8F%E9%9F%B3-(%E7%99%BB%E5%B1%B1%E5%8F%98%E5%83%8F).aspx “This passage records the story of the Transfiguration of our Lord. We should pay special attention to the place of transfiguration in the ministry of our Lord as King. The most important question for us now is, what significance did the king's transfiguration have to the three disciples who were allowed to witness it? It is natural to then ask, what significance did this have for the other disciples who heard this? It would not be too much to say that the glory of the Mount of Transfiguration is all collected in the two epistles written by Peter. As he wrote, he heard the voice and saw the glory on the ‘holy mountain.’ Although he did not understand the significance of this at the time, in the years that followed, he gradually understood its value. When he looked back from the mysterious cross and resurrection to the Mount of Transfiguration, he called it ‘the Holy Mountain.’ The two levels of impressions he received on the mountain constitute the content of 1 Peter. He describes these two impressions as the coming and power of Jesus Christ, or more accurately, the presence and power of Jesus Christ.” (Original texts are in Chinese and the translation is mine.)

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Bible Study with Jairus – Genesis 49 (part 1)

Jacob’s Prophecies about His Twelve Sons

At first glance, Jacob's prophecies about his twelve sons seem very mysterious (Genesis 49). They bring up many unanswered questions.

First, how does Jacob know the future of his twelve sons? Jacob’s grandfather Abraham was described as a prophet, but the Bible never calls Jacob a prophet. Yet both Isaac and Jacob can predict the future and give prophetic blessings to their sons. Their ability to prophesy is based on their intimate fellowship with God, just like Abraham’s was. Although Jacob does not have the title of prophet, his actions prove he is one.

Second, how should we understand Jacob’s prophecies about his twelve sons? The Holy Spirit has given me a series of inspirations that help me understand Jacob’s prophecies. I believe that God works persistently, like ocean waves, to accomplish his will. Like ocean waves that continually hit the rocky shoreline, over and over, until they erode the rock or knock them into the sea, God continues to work in repetitive waves. When humans resist him, like solid stone, God continues to work until his will is accomplished.

God’s purpose was to continue the lineage of Christ through Jacob's twelve sons. When Jacob’s firstborn Reuben failed, God began to work through Simeon and Levi. When Simeon and Levi failed, God worked through Judah. And even though Judah also failed, the lineage of Christ continued through the cunning plans of Judah’s daughter-in-law. Satan's work was to destroy people one by one, first Reuben, then Simeon, then Levi and Judah. Satan’s plan was to stop God from producing the genealogy of Christ by destroying God’s people. But God's work never stopped. When one person failed or resisted God, God turned to the next person. Like the ocean waves, God continued to work on people, and Christ’s genealogy continued through Judah and Tamar. Tamar was the only one who was willing to be used by God to produce the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

In the same way, in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit continues to work in waves, turning sinners into sons of God, preparing us for the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem. Although Jacob's prophecies about the twelve sons speak about their future, their outcome reflects the different stages of the Holy Spirit's work in the church, culminating in the New Jerusalem.

The Progress of God’s Revelation

God’s revelation in the Bible is progressive. He continues to reveal more and more of his plan, and one revelation builds on another. In the beginning, God revealed to Abraham that his descendants would be as many as the stars in heaven and the sand on the seashore, his descendants would possess the gates of the enemy, and all the nations of the earth would be blessed by the descendants of Abraham (Genesis 22:17–18). We do not know whether God told him the identity of this descendent who would bless all the nations of the earth. However, we know that Paul later received a revelation that names this descendent: "Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). Paul also says, "So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spiritthrough faith" (Galatians 3:14). In other words, Jesus Christ blesses not only the Jews but also the Gentiles. Through Him, we all can receive the Holy Spirit and be born again as children of God. Such revelation is progressive.

I believe that Abraham received considerable revelation and knew God's will. In Hebrews, it says, "By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God" (11:9-10). Jacob received the same promise from Abraham. In a dream, the Lord said to Jacob, “‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed’" (Genesis 28:13–14).

From reading the words of Paul, we know that the descendant who would bless the nations would be Christ. But the Bible does not say from which tribe Christ would be born. Even when the Gentile prophet Balaam prophesied, "A star shall come out of Jacob" (Numbers 24:17), he did not mention from which tribe Christ would come. It is not until the Book of Micah later in the Old Testament that God revealed, "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days" (Micah 5:2). This verse specifies the tribe and location where Christ would be born. This prophecy later helped the astrologers follow Christ’s star to Jerusalem at His birth. Jacob's prophecy about Judah in Genesis 49 may point to Jesus Christ. The verse reads, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be”" (KJV, 49:10). "Shiloh" means "the one who brings peace" and this term is often interpreted as pointing to Christ. But when Jacob gave this prophecy, he may not have understood what it was referring to. Perhaps Jacob understood this vision, but his sons, especially the firstborn Reuben, did not.

My personal belief is that God did not have a precise plan for which tribe Jesus would come from. Although God promised Abraham and Jacob that Christ would come from their descendants, God may not have ordained the exact tribe Jesus would come from. Reuben was the firstborn son, and I believe God gave him the opportunity to carry on Christ’s lineage. But he failed, and he lost his birthright and the blessing of being the Messiah’s ancestor. In destroying Reuben, Satan must have thought that the line of the Messiah would be destroyed as well.

However, God's work cannot be stopped. Reuben failed, and both Simeon and Levi failed by falling into Satan’s temptation. Finally, Judah failed as well. But Tamar fulfilled God’s will. Satan's destructions came in waves, but God's work also came in waves, and God’s will was ultimately accomplished. If we, as individuals, are willing to actively cooperate with God's work, we will become like Tamar, Christ’s life will be manifested in our lives. But if we obey our enemy instead of God, we will be like Reuben. He not only lost God's blessings, but also hindered God's work.

Let me repeat this again. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi all had the opportunity to be used by God to produce the genealogy of Jesus Christ. But their failure made them lose this blessing. Judah also sinned and fell into lust, and he would have lost this blessing too if it were not for Tamar. Her perseverance and faith changed everything.

The Failure of Reuben

What is the reason for Reuben’s failure? First, he did not receive God’s revelation. He did not see the vision that Jacob saw. Just as a child growing up in a pastor's family does not automatically receive the same calling as his parents or experience the same spiritual experience as they do, Reuben did not hear the voice of God as Jacob did. Jacob had learned to know God and understand his will through many hardships and many revelations along the way. He had learned not to take his birthright lightly like his brother Esau did. But Reuben was different. He did not long for God like Jacob did. If we long for God, He will reveal His will to us. Jesus says, "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." (John 14:21). God did not show himself to Reuben because Reuben did not love God nor long for Him.

God did care about Reuben; he never said he hated him like he hated Esau (Malachi 1:2–3). Jacob blessed Reuben with words of respect: "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power" (Genesis 49:3). He obviously expected that Reuben would be honored. Yet he also said of Reuben, "Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch" (49:4). The lust of the flesh caused Reuben to sin and lose the blessings of God and his father. But the root of the problem was that Reuben had no desire for God.

The Deeper Reason for Reuben’s Failure

In Genesis 35, we learn that Reuben slept with his father's concubine, Bilhah, when Jacob was grieving the death of his favorite wife, Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel dearly, and Jacob must have been deeply sad at this time. In the midst of such emotion, Reuben slept with Rachel's handmaid Bilhah and threw Jacob into even deeper depression. Why would Reuben do such a terrible thing? In addition to being “unstable as water”, there may have been a more profound reason: Reuben’s animosity toward Rachel and even toward his father. As the eldest son, Reuben must have noticed the way his father treated his mother Leah, as well as the rivalry between Leah and Rachel. When Rachel was unable to bear children, she gave Jacob her handmaid as a concubine. The handmaid gave birth to Dan, whose name means "to do justice," and Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son." (30:6). When Bilhah gave birth to a second son, Naphtali, Rachel said, “‘With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.’ So she called his name Naphtali" (30:8). "Naphtali" means "my wrestling."

Later, the Bible records a story that further illuminates Reuben’s attitude toward Rachel. Reuben went out to the field to look for mandrakes, a fertility drug. Rachel wanted some, but Leah refused to give her any. Finally, Rachel agreed to let Jacob sleep with Leah in exchange for some mandrakes. Perhaps Jacob had not slept with Leah for a long time. Leah was neglected, and her sons may have been, as well. This may have negatively impacted Reuben. I personally speculate that Reuben’s lust and hatred were used by Satan to deceive him, in order to prevent the continuation of the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

Reuben’s failure should teach us a profound lesson. We must never harbor hatred toward anyone. We must forgive people as Christ commanded so that we will not be used by Satan to hinder God's work. If we do, we will miss out on God's blessing to us. Reuben was a spiritually blind man. He saw no visions, he did not love God, and he did not receive spiritual manifestations. As a result, he did not become the ancestor of Christ.

Reuben did not sleep with his own mother's handmaid, Zilpah, but with Rachel's handmaid, Bilhah. Zilpah may have seemed like family to Reuben because she was Leah's handmaid. Bilhah may also have been neglected by Jacob, because he loved only Rachel. The emotions caused by this neglect and jealousy may have been used by Satan to lure them into sin, so they would miss out on the blessing of the birthright. They were disqualified from carrying on the genealogy of Christ. What an ignorant person Reuben was! What a blessing he missed out on!

All Sinners Are Like Reuben

Jacob's prophecies about the twelve sons represent not only the twelve waves of God's work in the Old Testament but also the twelve waves of God's work in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God’s work was to choose Israel from among the nations, make them a kingdom of priests as a witness to all nations; and create the lineage of Jesus Christ, who would be a blessing to all nations.

We are all sinners like Reuben until we are saved. One preacher has said that if you could go back in time and identify every ancestor in your genealogy, it probably wouldn't take many generations to find someone who committed adultery. God has revealed to me through a series of dreams that I am a descendant of Jews who came to China in ancient times. In one of these dreams, God said to me through my deceased grandmother that among her ancestors, there was a Jewish woman who committed adultery with a Chinese man and gave birth to one of our ancestors. I was born of sexual immorality, and we are all born of sexual immorality, as David says in the Psalms, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5). Some hypothesize that David's mother may have been a concubine of his father Jesse, or that his mother was a prostitute. They speculate this because David, as the youngest brother, was not favored by his older brothers. If they had been born of the same father and mother, the older brothers likely would have adored their youngest brother. We don't know for sure. But we do know that David's great-grandmother Rahab was indeed a prostitute who became the ancestor of Jesus Christ by choosing to follow God. Tamar also did unethical things and deceived her father-in-law Judah. But when Judah found out about it, he said that Tamar was more righteous than he was because he had refused to follow God’s command to give his youngest son to Tamar as a husband so that she might have descendants (Genesis 38:26). In short, we are all sinners, but our greatest sin is forsaking God. Tamar longed to be in the lineage of the Messiah, so her firstborn son was blessed by God to become the ancestor of Christ.

It is no accident that Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah all failed. This was the result of Satan’s attacks as he battled with God over mankind’s future. Satan wanted to prevent the birth of Jesus Christ, but God wanted to bring Jesus Christ into the world through Jacob's descendants to be a blessing to all nations. The ultimate cause of sin and failure is not only lust and hatred, but ignorance of God's will. If we see this, we will begin to understand the true meaning of Jacob’s prophecies about his twelve sons. In other words, many people who were in Christ’s lineage still sinned in some way. Rahab sinned, Tamar sinned, and David sinned. Yet they all became the ancestors of Christ. What was the difference? Why were they included in Christ’s ancestry? Because they repented, loved God, longed for God, and knew God's will. A person who does not know God's will rejects God’s blessings, which leads them to commit the greatest sin: betraying and forsaking God. If we don’t know God’s will and He is not showing himself to us, it is because we do not love Him nor desire His appearance.

From Sinners to Salvation to Being Built into the New Jerusalem

As the firstborn, Reuben was a sinner who had lost God's blessing. Benjamin, as the youngest son, received the following blessing: "The beloved of the Lord dwells in safety. The High God surrounds him all day long, and dwells between his shoulders" (Deuteronomy 33:12). Although this is Moses' prophecy about Benjamin, it reveals that Benjamin’s future would be blessed by God. Jerusalem and God’s temple are both located in the territory of Benjamin. Jerusalem later became the city of the great kings, the city of the temple, and the place where God was present. Benjamin foreshadowed the victory of Jesus Christ, who was the ultimate Temple where God would dwell among men. The name Benjamin means, "son of the right hand," and this reminds us that we who believe in Him will be built together into a holy temple. We will be stones in the New Jerusalem as we participate in the victorious experience of Jesus Christ's resurrection.

The blessings given to the middle ten sons also represent the different stages of renewal and transformation on the way to being built into a dwelling place of God. In another study, we will examine each one of these prophecies in detail and discover the profound spiritual meaning they contain.

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God’s Call for me to Fight for the Independence of China

Each year on July 4, Americans celebrate their independence from the tyranny of the British Monarchy. On July 4, 2023, I was co-hosting a show named “Fringe” on the Himalaya Global Alliance Farm’s GETTR account. The Himalaya Global Alliance is a temporary structure to manage the branches (also called Farms) of the New Federal State of China, which was co-founded by Chinese billionaire Miles Guo and American right-wing leader Steven K. Bannon on June 4, 2020. On the show, I shared the story of Peter Muhlenberg, a pastor who became a soldier to fight for the independence of America. When I first heard his story, I was studying for my Doctor of Ministry degree at the United Theological Seminary (UTS) and had no plans to join any political movement. But through this story, told by Dutch Sheets on his “Give Him Fifteen” program, God called me to stand up to fight for the independence of China. I want to help free China from the tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Though it is not a foreign tyranny, it is surely the worst tyranny in human history. Peter Muhlenberg’s famous line was inspired by Ecclesiastes 3: “There is a time to preach and a time to fight. Now is the time to fight.” This quote gave me great encouragement. Previously, I had only been planning to preach. But now God was calling me to fight against social injustice and tyranny and free the Chinese people from modern slavery. The gospel will play an essential role in the success of this venture. I was called by God to not only join the political movement (The Chinese Whistleblowing Movement) but also to preach using the media platform it created. Like the Israelites in Nehemiah’s day who were rebuilding Jerusalem, I was holding a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other. In this article, I will share how I was encouraged by the story of Peter Muhlenberg.

Hearing Peter Muhlenberg’s story on “Give Him Fifteen”

If you read my post published on the Elijah List website, you know that I heard Dutch Sheets preach in January 2016 at the Elijah List Conference. Since then, I have been regularly following him on his podcast “Give Him Fifteen.” One day, Dutch shared a story about Peter Muhlenberg which I had never heard before.

At the time of America’s War of Independence, about one-third of Americans were loyal to the British Monarchy. One-third were indifferent and still another one-third were passionate about independence. As a pastor of an Anglican church, Peter’s church may have contained the same demographics. It may not have been politically correct for him to join the Continental Army and fight against the British. However, he overcame all those obstacles and followed the path he had chosen. One day, he walked up to the pulpit wearing a military uniform under his pastor’s robe. He then shared this sermon based on the following passage.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear, a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak; a time to love, a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

Peter Muhlenberg then explained, “There is a time to preach and a time to fight.” He believed God’s divine calling and providence were directing him and his fellow parishioners to fight for American independence. He believed God was doing something new and America would become a nation on the hill and a light to the nations. Then he suddenly threw off his priestly robes, revealing his military uniform hidden underneath.

Peter had received an invitation from George Washington to start an infantry and join the fight. He was calling his fellow church members to join him. This heroic act is portrayed in a painting that is displayed in a museum in Washington DC. His statue is also displayed in his hometown of Woodstock, Virginia.

I had never heard this story before, but it was the right time for me to hear it. I was completing my seminary training and was planning to start my life as a minister. I had no plans of joining any political movement. However, God began to speak to me via prophetic dreams, telling me that the Chinese Whistleblowing Movement led by Miles Guo was of Him. The goal of this movement is to create a Chinese democratic country. The movement’s online presence also offers Christians a platform to preach the gospel to millions of Chinese people online. As the gospel changes the hearts of the Chinese people, democracy will take root in China.

Miles Guo is a controversial person, so some Chinese people avoid associating with him. I also felt hesitant to join ranks with him. I knew that many Chinese Christians had already joined this movement and that I could help them bring great changes to China. But I could still not overcome my fear of standing up against CCP. The main reason was that I still had family members in China and I was afraid that I might not be able to go back to see them again. However, God’s prophetic revelations showed me that I would need to work with him, and I began to overcome my prejudice toward him.

As I heard Dutch telling the story of Peter Muhlenberg, I was touched by the high price the American patriots paid to obtain the freedom we enjoy today. I felt God calling me to pay the price to free the Chinese people from the tyranny of the CCP. As I did, I began to earnestly pray. “What shall I do while I am facing the pressure?” I asked. “I love my mom and I really want to go back to see her one day. But she is aging, and I may not see her again if I cannot go back to China until the CCP is abolished.” Eventually, I felt God was asking me, “What if you have to become a martyr? Are you willing?” My answer was yes. I knew I could not deny the Lord, even if I had to be martyred. His next question was, “Isn’t this price much easier than being a martyr?” I could not deny this, and I finally overcame my fear. This was a much smaller price to pay, and I was willing to pay it.

Comparing and Contrasting the Story of Peter Muhlenberg with Ancient China

The story of Peter Muhlenberg reminded me of a story of an ancient Chinese scribe who threw away his pen (Chinese brush) to join the military and fight for more territories in China. His name was Ban Chao. He was a scribe in the Han Dynasty (78 AD) and was a very famous man in China. He was not satisfied to be just a scribe; he was willing to fight for the great honor of his country. He carried out great exploits as he conquered the small kingdoms in the Northwest region of China and made them subordinates of the Han Dynasty of China. When I was young, he was my role model.

However, this kind of heroic nationalism does not line up with the modern notion of the sovereignty of small states. It was a form of imperialism. The story of Peter Muhlenberg was not about imperialism, but about creating a country that would be a city on a hill to promote the Kingdom of God. Imperialism flows in the blood of the Chinese people, and many long to rekindle it. Even after China was humiliated and conquered by Japanese and Western imperialism, many still long to conquer more territories. The evil Chinese Communist Party promised to reincarnate this spirit of imperialism. With this promise, they were able to take power. Even today, they still promote this dream, promising to restore China to the imperialistic glory of the Han dynasty or Tang dynasty. These were the periods when China received the greatest glory and respect from surrounding nations. The CCP’s imperialistic intention is clearly seen in China’s One Belt One Road initiative. To fulfill her dream, China must defeat the most powerful country in the world: America.

China realized that America was difficult to defeat militarily, so they devised a plan called “Unrestricted Warfare.” Through this plan, they intended to infiltrate America with their “Three F plan.” The Three Fs were: “ferment weakness, ferment chaos, ferment destruction” in America. This plan was unknown to the common people until Miles Guo blew the whistle. The CCP planned to support the drug cartels in Mexico, helping them send Fentanyl to the US in order to weaken American families and ferment weakness. This was an act of revenge for the British import of opium to China in the 1900s, which brought disaster and humiliation through two opium wars. You may say, “America was not part of that sin!” But the CCP does not differentiate between America and Britain, since they consider Westerners and White people as one and the same.

The CCP has also implemented a “BGY” plan to infiltrate American elites. “BGY” stands for “Blue, Gold, Yellow” which respectively represent “cyber-attack,” “bribery” and “sexual kidnapping.” American elites were gathered into the CCP’s database through computer hacking and then invited to China to do business. There, they were offered bribes. Some were bribed with sex, which was videotaped. The CCP then took them hostage. Many American elites fell into the trap. This “BGY” plan is a top secret of the CCP, but Miles Guo made this known to the public for the first time.

America Will Be Independent Again

In the Fringe program I mentioned at the beginning of this article, my co-host chose the topic of independence. If you are honest with yourself, you will admit that America is not a free and independent nation, even now. The media is controlled by globalists and the government is overreaching its power and taking control of the American people. Citizens are censored on social media and canceled if they dare to stand up for what is right. The judicial system and government agencies such as the FBI and IRS are weaponized to suppress the opposite parties and American citizens. You hear horrible reports on these topics every day.

The fundamental problem in the US is the degradation of her faith and her rebellion against God. As a result, God has handed her over to her enemies. This reflects an unchanging principle in the Old Testament about how God deals with nations who are in sin. In the Old Testament, whenever Israel fell into idol worship, God would hand her over to her enemies. If she repented and called for God’s help, God would deliver her from the hands of her enemies and even punish her enemies. We can relate this Bible principle to our current affairs. This is exactly what is happening right now. God has handed us over to our enemies, whether domestic or foreign. The CCP is obviously the biggest foreign enemy.

I believe America will one day be set free from the infiltration and unrestricted warfare of the CCP. I believe the solution is the same for us as it was for Israel. We need to repent and call for God’s help. Then God will deliver us from the hands of our enemies and will punish them as well. I call this strategy “killing two birds with one stone.”

God has given me many revelations about China’s great revival and China’s future as a democratic country. God will awaken America and bring a massive awakening to China as well. God will use the CCP to chastise America for a season. When America repents, God will punish the CCP and overthrow its regime. Then a massive revival will come to China. For more information and revelations on this topic, please check out the other prophetic revelations I wrote earlier.

“We Will Sign a Thousand-Year Peace Treaty with the West”

Miles Guo famously said, “The New Federal State of China will sign a thousand-year peace treaty with the West.” The new China will never wage a war against the West—unlike the CCP, whose plan is to “extinguish the White.” This is another top secret of the CCP which was revealed by Miles Guo. The CCP’s evil plan is to use all colored people and their hatred toward White people to extinguish all White people. The CCP actively promotes hatred toward “White Supremacy” and memories of White oppression. They also use other Marxist ideologies, such as Critical Race Theory, to stir up hatred from colored people toward Whites. The CCP gave specific instructions to their internet spies to “utilize the case of George Perry Floyd to take the most advantage of this case to ferment conflicts in the US.” This intel was revealed by the Chinese Whistleblowers Movement through insiders in the CCP. It was verified by leaked Chinese official documents. In addition, it is easy to see the CCP’s strategy to invade America’s southern borders. Some American people are cooperating with these strategies. They are not necessarily receiving instructions from the CCP, but they—like the CCP—are receiving orders from Satan himself.

God has a great plan for America and China. These two countries will work together in the next few centuries to lead many nations in the West and the East to Christ. They will help bring many tribes and nations to the Gospel. Then God’s kingdom will advance on earth. I believe the next battle will be in the Middle East. Through many prophetic dreams and visions, God showed me that the great Chinese revival would spread to North Korea, Japan, the Middle East, and even Israel. But I believe God first must change the political climate in America and China to provide the right environment for the Gospel and revival to burst forth. The upheavals that we see in the physical realms are the outward signs of Satan’s resistance to the great revival that is about to come to China, America, and the whole world. God’s plan is to revive America in order to advance His gospel work in all Western nations. On the other hand, China’s great transformation will advance God’s kingdom in Japan, North Korea, and the Middle East. Satan’s plan is to destroy America and turn China into a great weapon of destruction to bring harm to the world. But God will intervene and turn China into a Christian nation instead. China will have a great future! Just like the pandemic began in China and had a negative impact on the world, the Chinese revival will begin in China and have a great impact on all nations. The former is from Satan, but the latter is from God. God always prevails. I saw in a prophetic dream that the Chinese revival would arrive like a tsunami. I can’t help but get excited about this!

Conclusion

To summarize, God has called me again to join the fight for Chinese independence and become part of the movement to bring the New Federal State of China to fruition. In my ignorance and prejudice, I had not been planning to join any political movement. But God hijacked my plans through several prophetic revelations about Miles Guo, the Chinese Whistleblowers Movement, and China’s Great Revival. I was shown that many Chinese CCP members would receive the gospel and that China would go through a peaceful, bloodless transition to the New Federal State of China. When I was struggling with fear, God strengthened me through the story of Peter Muhlenberg. I want to thank Dutch Sheets for telling this story. I also want to thank all the American patriots who paid the highest price to gain the freedom we enjoy today. It is our turn to sacrifice for the great cause of regaining America’s independence and freeing Chinese people from slavery! Just as the co-founder of the New Federal State of China Steve K. Bannon famously said, “Until the Laobaixing (Chinese people) is free, the world is not free!”

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Bible Study with Jairus - Revelation 12

The Body of Christ Matures

Revelation 12 depicts a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, being crowned with twelve stars (12:1). This represents the body of Christ, the mature bride. This woman is the wife of the Lamb and represents the New Jerusalem (21:9-10).

When the Bible depicts God in anthropomorphic terms, it mentions that heaven is his throne, and earth is his footstool (Isaiah 66:1). This is a description of God's greatness and His magnificent stature. In Revelation 12, the body of Christ (the bride) has grown into “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13 ESV) and is mature enough to open heaven, enter God’s heavenly temple, usher in the exaltation of the heavenly ark, and bring about the judgment of God (Revelation 11:19). In chapter 12, the body of Christ (represented by the woman) gives birth to a male child (overcoming believers) who will further judge Satan and evil spirits on behalf of the church. Chapter 12 thus becomes an important turning point in the book of Revelation.

This chapter is important for several reasons. First, Satan is so angry that he tries to devour the boy and persecute the rest of the woman's children, which ushers in the apocalypse of the last three and a half years of Revelation. Second, as the bride continues to mature, the labor pains of the rebirth of the universe continue to intensify, birthing the first fruits (the male child). This means the creation and construction of God's new universe (new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem) will soon be complete, and Satan's ultimate failure will soon come to pass. Just as the Israelites exterminated and judged the Amorites after their sinfulness reached its full measure, the church will judge Satan on God’s behalf once his sins reach their full measure. Just as the body of Christ grows into Christ who is the Head, Satan and his followers will grow into their full measure of sin.

The great red dragon mentioned in this chapter is the ancient serpent who constantly drinks the blood of the saints. Riding the red dragon is the great prostitute, also known as Babylon the Great, who is also drunk on the blood of the saints and of Jesus' witnesses. Babylon the great is the mother of prostitutes and earth’s abominations (17:5-6), while the mother of the saints is the heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians 4:26), and this new Jerusalem is the wife of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9). Satan is the father of sinners (John 8:44), and God is our heavenly Father. The union between sinners and evil spirits, who take Satan as their life, produces Babylon the Great, who becomes the mother of earth’s abominations. On the other hand, the union between God and men who take the life of Christ produces the body of Christ and the bride, who becomes the spiritual mother of all new creation.

After a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, the pupa no longer exists and the cocoon loses its value. In the same way, the whole creation awaits the manifestation of God's sons (Romans 8:19) so it can be freed from its bondage to corruption and obtain the glorious freedom of the children of God (Romans 8:20). Once these birth pains are over (Matthew 24:8) and a new creation is born, the old creation shall pass away. This new creation consists of:

• Christ being the head and the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15)
• Christ's church being the bride and His body, the fullness of him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:23)
• All things reaching freedom and unity with Christ who is the Head.
• God being all in all. "When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28). “… one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:6).

The Iniquity of the Amorites Mirrors Satan’s Iniquity

The story of the Israelites leaving Egypt and conquering the Canaanites in the Promised Land can help us understand the Book of Revelation. God revealed to Abraham that his descendants would live in slavery in Egypt for 400 years (Genesis 15). Why? Even though God had promised to give Abraham the land of Canaan, there were a few reasons why they could not yet occupy it. First, God explicitly told Abraham that “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (Genesis 15:16). God was giving the Amorites an opportunity to repent. Second, God was giving the Israelites the opportunity to multiply in Egypt so that they could grow in strength, maturity, productivity, and rest. When Simeon and Levi killed the people of Shechem, Jacob said that they were outnumbered and that they would be exterminated by the Canaanites. It seems they were not yet strong enough to destroy the Canaanites. When Abraham’s family moved to Egypt, there were only seventy Israelites. But in Egypt, they grew in number and in strength. By the time they left Egypt, the population of Israelites has grown to three million.

Although God gave the Amorites opportunities to repent, God knew that Satan would not repent, even when given time. Yet God still allowed Satan’s iniquity to reach its full measure before he was punished. For Satan, the evil spirits, and the sinners who follow them, a time will come when their iniquities reach full measure.

Satan is full of sin and bloodshed. The Lord Jesus says that Satan is a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44) and that "the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). Satan's hands are stained with the blood of saints and mankind. The same goes for the evil spirits and sinners who follow Him. At the end of Revelation 14, angels harvest grapes with sickles and throw them into the great winepress of God's wrath, and blood actually flows from the winepress, as high as the horses’ bridles for 300 kilometers (Revelation 14:19-20). This indicates how many they have killed. Babylon the Great is also filled with the blood of the saints (Revelation 17:6). These passages prove Satan’s wickedness.

Just as God uses the Israelites to judge the seven tribes of Canaan, God will use us to judge evil spirits. Strictly speaking, we are not the judge. God is the judge, and we just carry out the judgment. In order to carry out God's judgment, we must be mature enough, just as the Israelites had to grow in strength before they could carry out God's judgment on the Canaanites. Christ’s body must mature in order to ultimately carry out God's judgment on Satan and the evil spirits.

But is today’s church mature enough to carry out the final judgment on Satan and evil spirits? Can we even cast out the demons that live among believers? Or are we like the seven sons of the Jewish priest Sceva? When they tried to cast out demons, the demons said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" (Acts 19:15) The demons then attacked and wounded the sons of Sceva. Many modern-day churches cannot drive out demons because they are possessed by them. Many people in the world are possessed by demons, yet the church is powerless to help.

In the Bible, Jesus’ disciples tried to cast out a mute spirit, but they couldn’t. When they asked Jesus why it was so difficult, he said that this type of demon could not be cast out except through fasting and prayer. Only mature believers can cast out evil spirits. If the church today can't even cast out demons, how can we be mature enough to judge Satan and evil spirits? The church’s judgment on Satan and the evil spirits will be a large-scale exorcism. This means the church must increase in spiritual authority as we grow into Christ who is the Head. Only then will we be able to carry out God’s judgment.

We must learn from the Israelites' experience in Egypt and the wilderness. This will not only help us grow and multiply, but also help us learn the lessons of faith. Like Israel in Egypt, we must grow and multiply through suffering as we become firmly rooted in Christ. Like Israel in the wilderness, we must receive spiritual provision (manna) and draw near to the presence of God (the Ark of the Covenant). Just like the Israelites needed to break free from Egyptian influences and stop yearning for chives, garlic, green onions, cucumbers and watermelons, and fish, we must break free from past influences. In addition, we need to learn the lessons of faith. The first generation of Israelites was destroyed in the wilderness for their disbelief and disobedience, but the second generation entered the land of Canaan under Joshua’s leadership and defeated the enemy. In the same way, the church today must overcome sin (foreshadowed by Egypt), and the world (foreshadowed by the wilderness), so it can enter the triumph of the spiritual life (foreshadowed by the conquest of the land of Canaan). As it goes through this three-step process, it will mature enough to judge Satan, angels, and demons.

Satan often tries to incite us to do things we are not yet prepared for. Satan will provoke us to come fight him when it is not yet time. This was the case with Moses. God did call Moses to be the leader of the Israelites and to save them from slavery. But he fell for Satan’s tricks and took action before it was God’s time. He acted prematurely and killed an Egyptian in his flesh. Because of this, Moses was forced to flee to the wilderness, where he herded sheep for 40 years. It was while shepherding in the wilderness that he encountered the burning bush, which was the manifestation of God’s presence. God’s presence took root in his life.

We must learn from Israel’s 400 years in Egypt and Moses’ 40 years in the desert. During these times of exile, we must take the opportunity to root ourselves deeply in Christ, draw from his strength and nourishment, grow into the temple of the Lord, and grow into Christ who is the Head. The church must mature in grace, power, life, and authority so it can finally carry out God’s judgment on Satan.

In summary, we are waiting for the Lord to come back. But Jesus is also waiting for our lives to mature so he can return.

A Woman Clothed with the Sun, With the Moon Under Her Feet, and on Her Head a Crown of Twelve Stars

Who is this woman? Some say it is Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus. Some say that it is the bride of Christ (Revelation 19) and the wife of the Lamb (Revelation 21). First, let us examine the idea that the woman is Mary and the male child she gives birth to is Christ. This explanation seems to make sense. The passage seems to portray what was happening in the spiritual world when Jesus Christ was born. But there are some flaws with this explanation. After the boy is born, he is caught up to the throne of God (12:5). But the woman flees to the wilderness, where she is fed for 1,260 days, or three and a half years. The concept of three and a half years is a prophetic period of time mentioned throughout Revelation and Daniel.

• Revelation 13 mentions that the first beast is allowed to do whatever he pleases for forty-two months (13:5), or three and a half years.
• Revelation 11 says the outside court would be trampled by Gentiles for 42 months (11:2).
• The two witnesses prophesy for 1260 days, which is three and a half years.
• Daniel mentions seventy sevens: “Know therefore and understand thatfrom the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again…" (Daniel 9:25)
• "And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shallbe cut off…" (9:26)
• Daniel speaks of the Antichrist and says, "And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering." (9:27).

In other words, these passages all mention three and a half years, which are the first half of the last seven years prophesied by Daniel, while the three mentioned earlier are the latter half. So the three and a half years that this woman is in the wilderness must refer to the end times. If this woman refers to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the wilderness she flees to refers to Egypt, then why does it reference the three and a half years, which are part of the last seven years during the end times of human history? Besides, if the boy is Christ, how can we explain that the woman flees into the wilderness after the boy is caught up to the throne of God (Revelation 12:4)? Although the dragon's attempt to devour the child can be interpreted as Satan seeking to kill the infant Christ, Joseph and Mary didn’t flee to Egypt after Jesus ascended to God’s throne after his resurrection. They fled when he was an infant.

The Bible talks about three stages of Satan’s rebellion. First, he and one-third of his rebellious followers were driven out of heaven by God. They went from the third heaven to the second heaven. Second, Lord Jesus speaks of Satan falling like lightning (Luke 10:18). Again, the Scripture says that Satan’s “tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth…" (12:4). It also says that " the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it" (12:4). "Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus…" (12:17). If the woman is Mary, then the dragon should be fighting with James and Jacob, the brothers of the Lord Jesus. But that is not the case. The rest of the woman's children are those who keep God's commandments and the testimony of Jesus. This indicates that the male child also keeps God's commandments and testimony of Jesus, which means he is not Jesus himself. Perhaps the boy represents the overcomers, martyrs, or raptured saints. In any case, they are the first fruits of overcomers.

Our Mother, the Heavenly Jerusalem

In any case, I believe the woman in the passage is not Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, but a spiritual mother who gives birth to many children. Paul makes it clear that our mother is the heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians 4:26). Paul compares the heavenly Jerusalem to Abraham’s wife Sarah and believers to Isaac. But he compares the earthly Jerusalem to Hagar, who "is in slavery with her children" (Galatians 4:25). Paul compares these two women to the Old and New Testaments. Hagar represents the Old Testament and the law that enslaves humankind. We as believers must go through the process of maturing. The law was a guardian for underage children (Galatians 3:24) who were guarded by the law because the gospel of faith had not yet come (Galatians 4:25). When God’s people were children, they were not yet free. Paul says, "The heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything" (Galatians 4:1). But God sent Christ to "… send the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father! So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God" (Galatians 4:6–7). God wants the church to mature into the glorious freedom of Jesus Christ, so that the glory of God's sons may be revealed. Then the entire creation will be set free (Romans 8:21). It is a process of being born again, growing up, and maturing.

Romans 8:16-17 says, "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ provided we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” The Bible uses four Greek words for God’s “children” that depict different levels of spiritual maturity.

• The first one is "Nepios,” which depicts an infant. The infant child of a king cannot take the throne immediately; he must first grow up to maturity.
• The second word is "paidion," which means a young child or a toddler. Toddlers also need to grow up.
• The third one is “teknon,” which is used in Romans 8:17 for “children”. It means “teenager or a young adult.”
• The last one is “huios,” which is the word “sons” in Romans 8:14. This verse says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

These four Greek words show the growth curve of children of God from infants (Nepios) to toddlers (paidion) to young adults (teknon) to fully mature sons (huios). God desires the body of Christ to grow to its full maturity so all creation can be liberated from its bondage. This is exactly what is happening in Revelation 12.

Revelation 12 is the turning point in the book of Revelation. Before long, God will do away with the old creation and welcome a new heaven and a new earth. I don’t believe this passage is talking about Christ being born, but about God’s sons being glorified. The birth, death, and resurrection of Christ are complete, but His body, the church, is still going through the process of maturing. Their birth, suffering, and rebirth mirror Christ’s suffering and usher in the rebirth of the universe that Jesus refers to in Matthew 24. And the bride of Christ, the heavenly Jerusalem, will be the mother of the new creation.

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The Spiritual Warfare Behind the Closedown of GTV

“What? Are you crazy?” I replied with anger and puzzlement when my wife told me she wanted to “invest” a large amount of money in the GTV Group and other entities. This happened one night in early 2021 or late 2020. The GTV Group and other entities were promoted by Miles Guo and the Whistleblower Movement he started in 2017.

“Isn’t it obvious it’s a scam?” I said in my heart. Later, I asked my wife the same question. In my mind, there were many reasons not to pursue this investment. First, I had encountered many financial scams in China that claimed a large and quick return on investment but later turned out to be scams. My parents and one of my aunts were personally affected by these scams. Second, as a journalist, I had reported on many stories of scams and frauds. Third, I was busy with my Doctor of Ministry studies at United Theological Seminary, where I was preparing myself for the ministry God had called me to. God had revealed to me through many prophetic dreams[1] that a great revival was coming to China, and he had called me to be a part of this greatest revival on earth.[2] I didn’t want to be a part of any political movements or controversial movements that might hinder me from traveling freely back to China to participate in this movement.

But even though I saw many reasons to avoid this investment, my wife was adamant that we should move ahead. She even threatened to do it on her own if I refused. Through years of experience in marriage, I knew if she wanted to do something, I should pay attention. It may be something very important. I am a naturally stubborn person, but I had learned that God often speaks to us through people in our lives—our friends, our neighbors, and especially our wives. While I was taking my Christian Prophetic Certification Program (CPCP) at Global Awakening, a ministry founded by Randy Clark, one of the prophetic teachers emphasized this very point. He jokingly said that he had read a book titled, I Heard the Holy Spirit, But it Sounded like My Wife. So I had learned the importance of listening to my wife. From experience, I realized that God often stirred my wife’s heart to do something I did not yet understand.

So now, as I contemplated investing in GTV, I decided to ask God directly. As a “humble” servant of God, I asked God, “Am I wrong? Or is she deceived by Mile Guo and his movement?” My wife had been following Miles Guo’s movement for some months, but I had not been paying any attention to the movement. Guo is a controversial person and I had heard rumors about him. I’d heard that his live interview at VOA was shut down in 2017, as well as other rumors. But I paid very little attention to him, even though God gave me two prophetic dreams about Miles Guo in 2017 and 2019. In the first dream in 2017, I was a reporter who was reporting on a news story related to him. In the second dream in 2019, God gave me a book with Miles Guo’s picture on the cover. I wrote these prophetic dreams in my journal but never paid attention to these dreams.

God’s Providence For My Calling in Gospel

My argument with my wife grew even more intense. She was so adamant and refused to change. When I brought the question to God, I knelt to pray for God’s leading. “Am I wrong or is she deceived?” I asked. That night, or soon after, I had this prophetic dream.

I was taken to Miles Guo’s library, and I was led to read a comic book telling about how people will get to heaven. It was a vivid comic book with details about different individuals arriving in heaven. As I scanned through it, I heard a voice saying, “Your wife has read some pages of this book and you haven’t read it.”

In another dream, I was riding an airplane with Miles Guo to beautiful gold mines. In a different dream, I was conversing with this mystery man and realized God was writing a book with Miles Guo’s picture on the cover, as I mentioned earlier. In this dream, I clearly saw the name of this book, Heaven’s Quest (天问). I had the strong impression that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit had decided to write a new book about China.

After praying over these dreams, I finally got it. God was telling me He was behind this political movement and that this political movement would give Christians a platform for preaching the gospel to China. Gospel preaching would then produce better citizens in China, which would eventually help this political movement establish a democracy in China. At last, I decided to join this movement. I started to utilize the platforms this movement provided to preach the gospel to these democracy-loving people inside and outside of China.

God Revealed to Me that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Is Coming Down

In March 2020, I was given another vision. This was the most vivid, three-dimensional vision I had ever had. In it, I saw a great revival taking place in China. The revival was bursting out everywhere! People were dancing, celebrating, and worshiping God all over the streets of China.

In the next scene, I was brought into a heavenly meeting where many saints in glory, including Chinese and Westerners, were meeting. There was a Chinese lady who gave me a tour of the place and she specifically told me that this revival was something she had never seen when she was on Earth.

In the end, the angels bound an evil political spirit. I realized that after the great revival, a great political change would come to China. China would become a democratic nation and they would worship God.

In that dream, I was so surprised to see the evil political spirit bound. I asked the angel in great surprise, “Is this the CCP?” The angel told me, “Yes.” Now, I don’t quite know when this will happen in the present physical world, but I believe it is a reality in the spiritual realm. I’ve talked to a friend who believes that the CCP will be taken down very soon. However, in this dream, I first saw a great revival bursting forth with people dancing on the street. Only then was the evil spirit bound.

God’s Revival vs. Satan’s Plan to Stop It

Even though I didn’t know many details about GTV Group and how it was run, I agreed to invest in it since God had revealed to me that this movement was of Him and could become a platform for me to preach the Gospel. So I uploaded all my preaching and sermons onto this platform. But soon afterward, GTV was suddenly closed down. I didn’t know why it was shut down and continued hoping that a new version of GTV would be released shortly. But it never was. As a result, I gradually moved my preaching onto the Gettr platform. I began to preach and volunteer on other shows including News Talk.

In the meantime, one of my close friends at church showed genuine concern that I had joined the Whistleblower Movement (New Federal State of China). He asked me to pray more and consider whether I had been misled. So I once again asked for God’s confirmation. As I prayed, God gave me another prophetic dream. In this dream, I was clearly shown that many Chinese officials will be converted via our broadcasts. In the dream, these officials held a large tent meeting to celebrate their conversion and show appreciation to Jesus Christ who saved them. As I walked into various tents, I marveled at the size of these tents and the number of people inside them. They were all like the tax collector Matthew in the Bible, full of gratitude for their salvation!

Through countless prophetic encounters with God, I became convinced that the Whistleblower Movement is of God and that platforms such as GTV exist for the purpose of taking down the CCP and spreading the gospel. So I believe there is a spiritual battle behind the closedown of GTV. Outwardly, it may involve compliance with regulations, but spiritually it is about the regime change and the revival coming to China. Satan is trying to utilize some Americans who do not understand this to stop the revival coming to China. I urge the Christian brothers and sisters in America to pray and ask God for guidance on this. I urge them to help the Chinese people to receive the Gospel. In the past, missionaries from the West traveled all the way to China to reach people with the good news of the gospel. But now God has raised up a generation of Chinese Christians that he is using to turn China upside down. Like any movement in history, it may be controversial. But God clearly showed me he is behind this. People in this movement may not be perfect, but God will use imperfect people and even non-believers to carry out His perfect plan.

Please check out my website jbwm.org for more stories on God’s revelation to me regarding the revival of China. Feel free to reach out to me at info@jbwm.org. I urge you to help us to awaken the American people for the right cause!

Your dear brother,

Sean Song

[1] Please check my testimonies and prophetic dreams at www.jbwm.org.

[2] Please see my prophetic dream, https://jbwm.org/dreams-about-china/.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Revelation 10

The Mighty Angel Strengthens Churches that Go Through Birth Pangs

After the sixth seal judgment, God sends an encouraging vision to those who have endured the six seal judgments. The encouraging vision helps them see the positive things God is doing in the spiritual world, including the mass salvation of the Jews and Gentiles. Similarly, God sent an encouraging vision after the sixth trumpet judgment, before the seventh judgment. Again, the vision helped people see the positive things God was doing in the world. This vision included a mighty angel that gave John a little scroll, which he ate. Since the judgments and trials were extremely harsh, God mercifully gave John two encouraging visions to share with others.

The number seven is a number of completion, foreshadowing God's complete plans. God created the world in six days, and on the seventh, he rested. When six days are over, the seventh brings in a new phase of peace. In the West, Sunday is the first day of the week. Jewish people observed the seventh day, Saturday, as their day of rest. Similarly, the seventh seal and the seventh trumpet each ushered in a new stage of God’s work. After the seventh seal, God's judgment of the church was complete, and He pivoted to judging the world with the seven trumpets. With the seventh trumpet, God completed his judgment of the world and began to judge evil spirits. God accomplished the phases of his plan one at a time, leading to the finale, the birth of a new heaven and a new earth.

The vision right before the seventh trumpet reveals an important proclamation from the angel: “…there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets” (10:7). What is God’s mystery? It is to unite the Jews and Gentiles into a unified bride of Christ. Revelation 19 clearly states that Christ and His bride will have a wedding feast. Revelation 12 tells how the bride gives birth to a newborn male child who eventually will judge evil spirits.

The angel “swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it” (10:6). This verse proves that the purpose of the seventh trumpet is to judge the world and everything in it. When the seventh trumpet judgment arrives, the focus of God's judgment at this time will turn to the evil spirits. He will judge them through the bowl judgments. Now that the bride has been created and her male child has been born, they will judge the angels (1 Cor. 6:3). The judges must take their places. This is why God gives John the little scroll to eat, so he can “prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” He is calling the bride of Christ to take her place so that the male child may be born and the evil spirits may be judged. God's judgment on the church (as revealed in the seven letters to the churches and the seven seals) and on the world (as revealed in the seven trumpets) will usher in God's judgment on the evil spirits (as revealed in the seven bowl judgments). Then the dragon will appear in Revelation 12, and the beast in Chapter 13. They will deceive people to continue rebelling against God. However, this is their last struggle. God will judge all evil spirits, including them.

The Holy Spirit Judges the Church, the World, and the Evil Spirits.

As I have said before, it’s important to look at the overarching ideas in Revelation, not just the details. For example, in Revelation 10, many people pay attention to the details: the mighty angel, the seven thunders, and the mysteries that the seven thunders utter. God tells John not to record the words of the seven thunders, but to seal them. This makes people even more curious. In addition, scholars have different interpretations of the seven thunders. What exactly are they? Some say they are the sounds of God's wrath; some say they are the voice of God that sounds like thunders; some people say the seven thunders are angels. We don't know. We have no clue what the seven thunders are or what they sounded like. But that's not the point here. The point is that God's judgment on the world is almost complete, and the next stage is about to begin. The next stage will usher in the birth of the male child. This child, who represents the overcomers birthed by Christ’s bride, will judge the evil spirits.

God’s judgment starts with the house of God. The letters to the seven churches are God’s judgment on His church. When the judgment is over, heaven opens and God starts to take action from His throne, revealing the seven seals. The seven seals continue to cleanse the church as well as the world. These judgments intertwine with one another, and their target is the church. The vision that takes place after the sixth seal describes the Jews being sealed and the Gentiles being saved. After the seven seals, the seven trumpets come along, continuing the judgment on the church. At the same time, the evil spirits (and the beast from the bottomless pit) show up to kill prophets (Revelation 11). The main target of the seven trumpets is the world. A massive wave of evil spirits comes out in Revelation 12 when the male child is about to be born. A great dragon (12:3), a beast (13:1), and another beast (13:11) come into the picture one by one. The male child by this time has been born and caught up to God and His throne (12:5). A war breaks out and the great dragon is thrown down (12:9). Why is the dragon not thrown down after the child is caught up, and not at another time? Because the overcomers are judging Satan. The church will judge the evil spirits, and the angels will carry out the judgments. Satan becomes even angrier when he is thrown to the ground, and he persecutes the woman and the rest of her children (12:17). This event begins a three-and-a-half-year tribulation.

All these events are allowed by God, for God specifically says that the outer court “is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months” (11:2). Instead of measuring this court, John is asked to “measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there” (11:1). This reveals the three stages of God's judgment that we have just mentioned. The three stages of God's judgment target the church, the world, and the evil spirits. In the same way, the measurement of the temple has three stages: first the temple and altar of God, and then those who worship in the temple. When John measures the temple, he most likely measures the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place (or sanctuary). But the Outer Court is not to be measured yet, because it has been given to the Gentiles. Measurement represents judgment and sanctification; God's judgment brings sanctification. The church is judged first, just as the temple is to be measured first. Next comes the judgment on the world, during which time some people in the world are saved. The evil spirits are the last to be judged, and more people repent and are sanctified during this time. But those who follow evil spirits and refuse to repent will be judged in the same way as the rebellious evil spirits. Finally, heaven and earth are cleansed, which is symbolized by the cleansing of the last courtyard.

The same principle applies to our personal spiritual experience. God first sanctifies and regenerates our spirits (John 3:16). He continues to renew our hearts and change our minds throughout our whole life (Romans 12:1). In the end our bodies are sanctified as well (Romans 8:23). This spiritual principle is clearly present in the structure of the book of Revelation. God's judgment begins with the house of God. Then comes the cleansing of the world, which includes heaven, earth, and the people in it. Finally, the evil spirits are judged, along with the old heaven and earth. Yet throughout the process, people are being saved because God shows His mercy at every step.

The Mystery of God Will No Longer Be Delayed

If we are clear about the structure above, it will be very easy to understand the vision in Revelation 10 and 11. The mighty angel in chapter 10, “wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire” (10:1), “had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land” (10:2). He then “called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring” (10:3). I was taught that this mighty angel was Jesus. But I’ve recently rethought what I’ve been taught. The Bible never says this angel is Jesus Christ. I personally believe this is just an angel whose job is to deliver a message announcing God's judgment and work!

God's judgment of the world has yielded considerable results. Just like a little chick pecking through its eggshell, the judgments have prepared the world for birth. The man-child will soon be born, and the universe will be reborn. Labor pains have been going on for some time, and as birth becomes imminent, the labor pains intensify. So the mighty angel comes to strengthen the church during such a difficult time. Angels appeared to Jesus several times during his earthly ministry, such as during his temptation in the wilderness and during his painful struggle in Gethsemane. “And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43). Similarly, this mighty angel has come to strengthen and encourage the church that is about to go through the most difficult labor pains of childbirth. When my wife gave birth to my daughter, she was in a lot of pain. I stood next to her and held her hand tightly. I constantly encouraged her and provided moral support. Similarly, this angel appears at just the right moment to encourage the church. He roars at the enemy like a lion. The church, Christ’s bride, will soon experience the fiercest attack of all (the three-and-a-half-year tribulation) so God sends a mighty angel to strengthen His church.

The seven thunders speak, but God does not allow John to write down their words. We can only speculate about what the seven thunders are saying. My guess is that the seven thunders are more disasters that will follow the seven trumpets and the seven bowls. However, it is not yet God’s time to send these seven thunder judgments. The man-child must first be born so God can judge evil spirits and cleanse the entire universe. After the seventh trumpet is blown, God’s wrath falls on the earth (Revelation 11:18). As the heavenly temple opens, the ark of the covenant appears, and there are earthquakes, thunder, and hail (11:19). Perhaps the thunder in this chapter is related to the seven thunders. But of course, this is just my speculation.

John is not allowed to record the words of the seven thunders, but he does record what the mighty angel says. The angel swears “by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay” (10:6). This oath is very interesting, especially because it is made between the sixth and seventh trumpet, when the labor pains and childbirth are about to begin. The entire universe is waiting in expectation for the sons of God to be revealed (Romans 8:19). It’s as if the universe is expecting a baby! The church has matured to a stage where its birth can no longer be delayed. The mighty angel comes to support the bride in her pain, and he reports to God that the birth process is moving along productively. In addition, the mighty angel reports the good news to humans: “In the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets” (10:7). After reporting the good news to God, the angel speaks words of encouragement to people.

John Eats the Scroll, Prophesies, and Summons the Bride to Judge Evil Spirits

Prophecies are words of encouragement. Paul says, “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation” (1 Corinthians 14:3). John also writes down the words of another angel: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). The spirit of prophecy is to bear witness for Jesus. In John’s vision, in addition to strengthening the church through the mighty angel, God Himself speaks words of comfort and encouragement.

John hears a voice from heaven that asks him to take the little scroll from the angel who is standing on the earth and the sea. John does so. The angel said, “It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey”. Why would the scroll be sweet in the mouth but bitter in the stomach? While people have different interpretations of this passage, my understanding is that prophetic words are sweet because they come from God's good will. But the process of fulfilling the prophecies is difficult because it involves birth pain and spiritual battles.

Let me give an example from my own life. In January 2016, I received a prophecy telling me that I would have a child that year. I had been praying for a child for ten years before I received this prophecy. When I returned to China in February, I told my family about this prophecy. Everyone laughed at me. After getting back to the United States, the struggle continued. On May 12, God again told me in a dream that I would conceive my child within the next month. After I told my wife and other friends about it, I was strongly attacked by Satan. My wife argued with me and refused to speak with me for two weeks. On May 28, my wife found out that she was miraculously pregnant, and we finally reconciled. The beautiful prophecies I received were sweet, but the birth difficulties and labor pains brought misery.

This is exactly what is happening in Revelation 10. The promises are sweet, but the process is difficult. The birth pangs that Christ's body will experience are much greater than what I went through. This is why the book in John's mouth was as sweet as honey, but it turned bitter in his stomach. The visual imagery describes the sweetness of hope and the bitterness of waiting for that hope to come to fruition.

This chapter concludes by saying, “And I was told, ‘You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings’” (10:11). Who gave John this message? Was it an angel? Once before, an angel has been said to speak from heaven. If the voice from heaven is the voice of the angel, then this interpretation is acceptable. But if the voice from heaven is the voice of God, then God and this mighty angel were the ones who gave John the message.

In any case, the point here is that John is going to prophesy. Just as Ezekiel prophesied to the dry bones and they became a great army, John would prophesy to God's chosen people, especially the overcomers. His prophecy would call forth two great prophets (11:3-12), as well as other believers who would glorify God after the seven thousand deaths in the earthquake (11:13). When the seventh angel officially blows the trumpet, all heaven declares, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever" (11:15). This prophecy will directly prompt the birth of the male child in Revelation 12, which is a major turning point in the book of Revelation.

God's judgment in the world has produced positive results. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of Christ. The next step is for the bride and the overcomer to judge evil spirits on behalf of the church. Then God will cleanse the entire universe.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Revelation 11

The Maturity of the Church Opens up the Heavenly Temple and the Ark of the Covenant

Revelation 11 talks about John measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshipers. He does not measure the outer court, because it has been given to the Gentiles to trample for three-and-a-half years. The chapter also mentions two witnesses prophesying for three-and-a-half years. Are these two facts related? The three-and-a-half years in which the Gentiles trample the outer court are the last three-and-a-half years of the seven-year tribulation mentioned by Daniel in his vision. However, the three-and-a-half years when the two witnesses prophesy may be the first three-and-a-half years of the tribulation. What is the purpose of the first three-and-a-half years? To prepare for the disasters that will come during the last three-and-a-half years. The last three-and-a-half years of the tribulation are the ultimate judgment of mankind. They are the final labor pains of the universe before it gives birth to a new creation. The birth of the male child in Revelation 12 represents this new creation and initiates one of the greatest transitions in Revelation. When the bride of Christ gave birth to a baby boy (representing the overcomers mentioned throughout the book of Revelation), Satan and his evil angels recognize that these overcomers will judge the evil spirits. Satan and the evil spirits are so furious that they begin to destroy the world. Their anger lasts three-and-a-half years. They persecute the world and resist God's judgment on themselves, which will be carried out through the church. However, their fate cannot be changed. At the end of the book of Revelation, the evil spirits are judged, and Satan and his followers are thrown into the lake of fire.

As we studied last time, God’s judgment falls onto the house of God first, then on the world, and finally on the evil spirits. The house of God was judged through the admonitions in the letters to the seven churches, and through the seven seal judgments. The world is judged during the seven trumpet judgments. After the seventh trumpet, the focus of God's judgment turns to evil spirits.

We can see the positive outcome of God’s judgment on the world by looking at the encouraging vision inserted between the sixth and seventh trumpets: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15). The kingdom of God was born long ago in the hearts of his children; the Morning Star rose in the hearts of his followers (2 Peter 1:19). This internal experience mirrors the experience of worshipers in the Holy of Holies. But the kingdom of God has continued to manifest itself outwardly until the outward, earthly kingdom has also become the kingdom of our Lord and Christ. God’s presence has moved outward to the Holy Place.

Finally, after the seventh trumpet sounds, God reclaims the outer court. Although the outer court is temporarily trampled by the Gentiles (the Gentiles are the tools used by evil spirits) for three-and-a-half years, God purges and purifies all of creation and brings in a new heaven and new earth. God’s presence moves from an inward kingdom that regenerates people’s souls (John 3:16) to an outward kingdom that transforms people’s lives (Romans 12:1) to eventually a victorious kingdom that redeems all of creation (Romans 8:23). As the church matures and becomes victorious, God’s victory spreads to all of creation, and the temple of God and the Ark of the Covenant are opened.

The Significance of John’s Measurement

Why is John given a reed (NKJV) to measure the temple? Perhaps the reed is a living tool that is used to measure the living temple of God built out of living stones (believers). Measurement represents judgment and sanctification. Things that are measured by God have been judged and sanctified by Him. As we mentioned above, John measures the temple, altar, and worshipers, but not the outer court. This shows that God's judgment starts first with the house of God. The temple and the church (the worshipers) will be judged and sanctified first. Secondly, God judges the world, including people who have come to faith but are still deeply trapped in the world. God's judgment on the world will free these people from the domination of the world. Finally, God judges evil spirits. This judgment allows repentant people to be liberated from the domination of evil spirits so they can receive salvation. Those who refuse to repent are thrown into the lake of fire along with the evil spirits. These are God's three steps of judgment and sanctification.

The three courts of the temple also remind us of God’s salvation of the soul. God first cleanses the Holy of Holies, which represents the inner sanctuary of our spirits which have been saved by God. He then cleanses the Holy Place, which reminds us of the renewal of our souls. Finally, he cleanses the outer court, which reminds us of the redemption of our bodies.

In this phase, John only measures the temple, the altar, and the worshipers because the time of final redemption of all creation has not yet arrived. At this point, the outer court has been given to the Gentiles to be trampled on for 42 months. These 42 months are the last three-and-a-half years of the seven-year tribulation that Daniel speaks about, also mentioned in Revelation. During this time, the Antichrist will break the covenant and ruin the worship of God (Daniel 9:27). But God will eventually judge all evil spirits and unrepentant sinners.

Perhaps the measurements are also intended to preserve and protect. Perhaps those who have already been judged and sanctified will be protected in the coming tribulation. Although there is much debate in the church about whether Christians will be raptured before or after the tribulation, the Lord Jesus tells overcoming believers in Philadelphia, "Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10). It is clear that some overcoming believers will be protected from suffering. Additionally, in the fifth trumpet judgment, the locust can only harm “those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads" (9:4). From these passages, it is evident that God protects those who have marks on their foreheads. At every step of God's judgment, some people will be shielded from suffering. Some Christians live their lives in the Spirit, while others are trapped in the world, and still others are deeply drowning in the flesh and sin. At each stage of the tribulation, some will repent and be saved. I believe that when God judges the outer court, some Christians who are deeply involved in the realm of evil spirits (the outer court) will be judged severely so they can repent and be saved. But other Christians may be protected by God from these calamities.

The Significance of the Two Witnesses Who Prophesy for Three-and-a-half Years

While there is debate about whether Christians go through the Great Tribulation, many agree on this fact: Even during the final judgment, God will graciously provide opportunities for people to repent. The appearance of these two prophets is the proof of this fact. Although there are different understandings of who these two prophets are, we know that they will prophesy and testify for God and for Jesus. "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10). The purpose of their testimony is to bring people to repentance.

These two witnesses, dressed in linen, prophesy for 1260 days. Linen represents righteous deeds. Revelation 19 says that the Lamb’s Bride “clothe[s] herself with fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints" (19:8). The two prophets are dressed in righteous deeds. They are the first-fruits and manifestation of the Bride of Christ. They prophesy and testify for three-and-a-half years, encouraging people to repent before the last three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation. In symbolic terms, they are the olive trees, lampstands, and oil of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

These two men have the authority to stop rain from falling from the sky, turn water into blood, and strike the earth with plagues (11:6). But in the end, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will kill them (11:7). People who dwell on the earth will celebrate the death of the two prophets because they have been a torment (11:10). How hardened people’s hearts have become! They refuse to repent. Later, God raises the prophets from the dead. There is an earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapses, killing 7,000 people (11:12-13). Only then do people repent. The Bible says, "The rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven” (11:13).

Sometimes, God allows people to die in order to bring others to Himself. God did not hesitate to put Jesus Christ on the cross in order to save his lost sheep. Throughout the ages, God has allowed countless martyrs to bear witness for the Lord, all in order to save sinners. The two prophets here are also martyrs, and the story of their death and resurrection will bring many people to repentance and salvation.

The Seventh Trumpet Brings the Transformation of the Era

The visions inserted between the sixth and seventh trumpets give us a glimpse of God's work in the spiritual world. There seems to have been some sort of delay in God's work before the seventh trumpet is sounded, because Revelation 10:6 specifically mentions that "there would be no more delay but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets" (10:7). Sure enough, "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever’" (11:15). This was a major turning point.

At least four times, the Bible mentions the twenty-four elders who worshiped before God's throne. The first mention is when the church is being judged. John sees a vision of heaven being opened. He sees twenty-four elders bowing down before God’s throne and saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (4:11). During this stage, the elders are saying that God deserves all the praise, even if many people on earth are not yet praising Him.

The second reference to the twenty-four elders is when the Lamb opens the book. The Bible says, "The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (5:8). Here, the twenty-four elders offer the prayers of the saints to God. These prayers advance the work of God.

The third time occurs in chapter 11. When the seventh trumpet is sounded, "the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, ‘We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign’" (11:16-17). This vision of the twenty-four elders allows us to see that God's work has reached a new stage. At this stage, "The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth" (11:18). God was judging the Gentiles, the demons, and the wicked ones who destroyed the earth, also known as Babylon the Great.

The fourth time occurs after the judgment of Babylon the Great (Revelation 18). "And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’” (19:4) At this point, God's work is nearly complete, and the chant of the twenty-four elders is full of pure praise.

These four accounts of twenty-four elders reflect the progress of God's work. This is the first time that I noticed this unique progression.

God Opens the Heavenly Temple to Prompt the Final Judgment on Evil Spirits

The last verse of this chapter states, "Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail" (11:19). The Ark of the Covenant is often associated with battles. In the Old Testament, the Israelites sometimes took the Ark of the Covenant into battle. Numbers 10:35 says, "And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, ‘Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you'". The Ark of the Covenant represented God’s exaltation and victory over his enemies.

We talked earlier about the three steps of God's judgment (the judgment of the church, of the world, and of the evil spirits). In order to judge evil spirits, the overcoming believers must arrive on the scene. This is represented by the birth of the male child in Revelation 12. God has promised that the church will judge angels, but in order to do so, it must mature. The overcoming believers (represented by the male child) will judge evil spirits on behalf of the church. I believe that the moment when the temple opens in heaven marks the beginning of the judgment on evil spirits. On the one hand, God is helping the church in its battle against the enemy by sending lightning, thunder, earthquakes, and hailstones. On the other hand, God is demonstrating that the church has matured sufficiently to approach the Holy of Holies, where it can begin to judge evil spirits on God’s behalf.

Hebrews 4 tells us that we can enter the Holy of Holies through Christ. Jesus, our great high priest, can sympathize with our weaknesses (4:14-15). Because of this, "let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (4:16). This is a spiritual reality, yet not all believers have accessed the reality of entering the Holy of Holies. Just like God's Tabernacle consisted of three parts (outer court, sanctuary, and Holy of Holies), we each possess a body, soul, and spirit. Even though God has given us access to the Holy of Holies, we often live at a distance from him in the outer court. It is as if we are living far from the Promised land, in Egypt. This represents the flesh. If we draw a little closer to him, we draw near to him in our soul, which represents the sanctuary. It is as if we are wandering in the wilderness, getting closer to the Promised Land. Finally, sometimes we are able to draw near to God in our spirits. We enter the Promised Land and the Holy of Holies. We need to leave the flesh and the world and enter the fullness of spiritual life. Believers must collectively be built into a unified, mature body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12) "Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

Just like Jesus Christ’s victory could open the scroll in God's right hand, the maturity and victory of the church can open the temple of God. Then the Ark of the Covenant will appear, and God will send lightning, rumblings, thunder, earthquakes, and hailstones. We have said many times that the prayers of the saints advance the work of God from his throne. And the maturity of the church can prompt God's final judgment on evil spirits.

Some people spend their time guessing when the Lord Jesus will return. Others become lukewarm and apathetic as the Lord continues to delay. However, there is no need to speculate about when the Lord will return. We are not the ones who are waiting for Him to come. He is the one who is waiting for our lives to mature! Only when the church matures enough to open God's temple will God’s final judgment on evil be unleashed. That's why Jesus said He would come soon, but not yet. He longs to return at any time, but the maturity of church is delaying His return.

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Bible Study With Jairus - Revelation 9

God's Great Love for the Lost, Hidden Within the End-Times Plagues

As God unveils the fifth and sixth trumpet judgments in Revelation 9, the plagues are becoming increasingly serious. In the fifth trumpet judgment, locusts torment people on Earth for five months. The pain is so severe that people wish for death, yet death flees from them. In the sixth trumpet judgment, after the angels are released from the River Euphrates, they kill a third of the human race. But people still do not repent of their idolatry and other sins.

Anyone in their right mind would feel that these plagues were very cruel, and may even wonder why God is so “cruel.” But in fact, hidden within these disasters is God's great love for the lost. Jesus said that the Father loves us just as a shepherd loves his sheep. “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost” (Luke 15:3-6). Jesus said, "Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance" (15:7).

The purpose of these judgments is to get the attention of sinners! Many people repent and come to know the Lord as a result of hard times. Revelation 9:20-21 indicates that God’s purpose in sending the judgment was that people would repent. Therefore, we need to look at the trumpet judgments from the perspective of love. God wanted to wake up sinners, show them their sins, and help the lost sheep return home. This is why he hits them so hard. He spares no effort to get their attention, hoping his lost sheep will return to their heavenly home.

The Angel's Trumpet Brings the Jews Back to the Fold

Currently, most Jews do not trust in Jesus. Their eyes are not open to Jesus as their Messiah, and they have fallen into sin and worldliness. But the Bible promises that in the last days, His chosen people will return to Him from all four corners of the earth. In Matthew 24, when speaking to a Jewish audience about the end times, Jesus said the sun would be darkened, the moon would not give its light, the stars would fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens would be "shaken" (24:29). These are the same disasters described in the fourth trumpet judgment (Revelation 8:12). In Matthew 24:31, Jesus goes on to say, "He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to the other.”

After the trumpet is sounded, will God’s chosen people return all at once? Or will the Israelites, who have been scattered all over the world, return gradually to God? I believe that this will be a gradual process.

No one wants to leave their native land, and people have a strong sense of loyalty to their birthplace. I grew up in China, and Chinese people have a strong sense of locality. Many Chinese people would rather die than leave their hometown. In the same way, the Israelites have gotten used to living far from the Promised Land, and are unwilling to leave the places where they live. During World War II, the tragic and brutal suffering that the Jews endured nonetheless motivated many Jews to return to the Land of Israel. In the last days, the final return of the remaining remnant of Israel may take place under similar circumstances during the seventh trumpet judgment. Between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments, we read about a vision in which many Jews were sealed. Then the seventh trumpet judgment takes place. The plagues’ increasing intensity forces the scattered Jews to leave their temporary homes and return to Israel. This is the work of God's hand. I believe these disasters motivate the Jews to continue to return. They also motivate the lost sheep of the Gentiles to repent.

God’s Gleaning

My eldest aunt lives in a village near my home. The village lies next to a river, so it has a long sandy beach. Sandy soil is perfect for growing peanuts. During harvest, it was impossible to harvest every last peanut. Some peanuts remained in the sandy soil, and others were accidentally dropped on the sand. People in the neighboring villages who did not have the conditions to grow peanuts would arrive to gather the leftover peanuts after the owner had already finished harvesting. Because the owners had already finished their harvest, they did not care about the remaining peanuts. Meanwhile, as the gleaners dug through the sand to harvest the remaining peanuts, they helped plow and aerate the soil. This benefited the farmers, and they were happy for the gleaners’ help. When I was young, I went there with my aunt and some others to gather peanuts. The countless people on the river beach looked like a swarm of locusts. Each of them took a shovel and a bag, turned over a shovelful of sandy soil, and picked up the peanuts left behind on the beach. After a day’s work, my aunt and I filled a large bag with peanuts. I still remember this scene vividly.

I believe the fifth plague is a “gleaning” like I described above. The firstfruits have already been harvested (sealed Jews and a large number of saved Gentiles). However, in God’s love and mercy, he continues to search for the remaining unbelievers. He gathers those who are still left behind. These locusts from the bottomless pit—whether they are evil spirits or fallen angels—are instruments in God’s hands to bring in the harvest. We cannot look at the book of Revelation simply from the perspective of punishment and disaster; we must look at Revelation from the perspective of harvest.

Chapter 13 of Matthew specifically says, "The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels" (13:39). Perhaps the reapers are not only the good angels, but also the evil "locusts" of the fifth trumpet judgment. Because all things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28), God could even use evil angels to accomplish his purposes. The plague of "locusts" will continue God’s harvest and bring back the remaining lost sheep of Israel, as well as the lost sheep of the Gentile nations.

God Continues to Harvest After Revelation 10

Since locusts are used for God's harvest, the purpose of their painful stings is to motivate people to seek God and repent of their sins. Though this purpose is not explicitly mentioned in this plague, it is mentioned during another plague in this chapter. During the plague of the horseman, God specifically says that "the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts" (9:20-21). God wants to save those who have not yet repented. He hopes that his severe judgment and discipline will motivate them to return to him in repentance. For this reason, his judgment continues to increase in intensity.

At the beginning of chapter 9, the Bible says, "The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come" (9:12). The first woe refers to the fifth trumpet. The locusts will torment men for five months, and men will seek death and not find it. The other two plagues refer to the sixth trumpet, in which a horseman killed one-third of mankind, and the seventh trumpet, which unlocks the seven bowls. Between the sixth and seventh trumpets, God gives John a vision to encourage His people (10:1-6). At the beginning of the seventh trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled (10:7). This mystery is the gospel that God announced to His servants the prophets (10:7). This gospel is that Jesus Christ will become the salvation of mankind and bring about the restoration of all things. John is given a small scroll and a prophecy (10:11) and he measures the temple (11:1-2). Then two witnesses rise up and fight the beast that rises up from the bottomless pit, and the beast conquers and killed them. But God raises them up, and this resurrection demonstrates the truth and the power of God. In addition, the earthquake kills 7,000 people, and "the rest were terrified, and gave glory to the God of heaven" (11:3-13). Through these events, God continues to harvest souls for his heavenly kingdom. The earthquake is the second woe, and the third woe is coming soon (11:14). A voice from heaven says, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever" (11:15). Why? The woman in Revelation 12 is about to give birth to a male child. The male child typifies the overcomers, who are the body and bride of Christ. It is God’s will for believers to become His bride. So the male child is caught up to God and to His throne (12:6), and the devil and his angels are cast down from heaven (12:9). This is the prelude to the plagues of the last three and a half years of the tribulation. This is the turning point of Revelation. Harvest and judgment are two themes that run through the book of Revelation. God’s work in the book of Revelation is a process of continuous harvest and judgment, and the purpose of judgment is to harvest more souls.

Are the Locusts and Horsemen Really Locusts and Horsemen or Evil Spirits?

We know that Revelation is full of pictorial symbols and eschatological types. This raises a valid question: Are these locusts and horsemen really locusts and horsemen, or do they represent evil spirits? These locusts are certainly not ordinary locusts, because they are not allowed to harm grass, green things, or trees of any kind, but only those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads (9:4). They are not like the locusts we see on earth. Instead, they are unique locusts that come up from the bottomless pit during this plague. And the horses in this passage are not ordinary horses, either. They have power in their mouths and tails; their tails are like serpents with heads; their tails can inflict wounds (9:19). Even if these are real horses with human riders, they are certainly not normal horses and normal humans.

This reminds me of the contest between Yahweh and the false Egyptian gods and between Moses and the magicians. When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, Aaron's rod turned into a snake. The magicians could also turn their rods into snakes, but Aaron's rod swallowed their rods. Just like the contest between the snakes represented the contest between God and the false gods, these locusts may represent evil spirits fighting against God. The red dragon in Revelation 12 and the two beasts in Chapter 13 represent a similar contest between Satan and God. I personally believe that the locusts and the horses are not ordinary locusts and horses, and the horsemen are not necessarily human. I don't rule out the possibility that the horsemen are human beings, but I know for sure that they are not ordinary people.

As we work to understand these symbolic images, we must have a supernatural perspective. As the end times approach, both righteous and evil people on earth will draw on the supernatural power of their deity, either God or Satan, to give them strength to fight their enemies. Even though this may seem fantastical, we must believe it by faith. Although we did not personally witness Aaron's rod turn into a snake and swallow the snakes that the Egyptian magicians’ rods turned into, we still believe that the biblical record is correct. Similarly, in the last days, believers will gain supernatural powers, and the wicked will also gain supernatural powers. The two witnesses in Revelation 11, and the male child in Chapter 12 who is caught up to God and to His throne to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, both have supernatural powers. The two witnesses even have the authority to shut up the sky so that no rain may fall. They also have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague (Revelation 11:6). The mention of turning water into blood reminds us again of the ten plagues in Exodus.

The events of Revelation must be understood through the lens of the supernatural. The things that happen in Revelation are things we have never seen before. We will only truly understand them when they happen in the future. We should not make assumptions based on our present understanding. We should not conclude that the 200 million horsemen represent China just because China is in the east and has a large population. Many Bible scholars in history have said this, but I think this is incorrect. God is raising up a great revival work in China. God has revealed to me on many occasions that China’s revival and evangelization will have a huge impact on the world. I firmly believe that China will become a Christian country full of sheep, not goats. If this happens, China will not become the birthplace of the 200 million future horsemen.

God's Principles of Dealing with Man

We cannot fully understand the many things that will happen in the future. But this does not keep us from understanding God's principles of dealing with mankind which are revealed through these events. If we recall how God dealt with Pharaoh, we see an important principle: God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so he could multiply His signs and wonders (Exodus 7:3), so that His power would be manifested, and so His name would be proclaimed in all the earth (9:16). This principle also appears in Revelation 9. Despite seeing God’s powerful and devastating signs, the people are still hard-hearted and refuse to repent. Why is this? Because even though God has judged the evil spirits in their lives, they have not received Jesus’s Holy Spirit to replace the evil in their hearts. As a result, they are filled with even worse evil spirits.

The Lord Jesus Himself gave a good example to illustrate this principle. The Lord Jesus told a story in Matthew 12. He said, “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation”(Matthew 12:45).

When we were studying Deliverance Ministries, our teachers often told us that if a person is not willing to accept Jesus Christ as Lord, it is best not to carry out deliverance on him. If we temporarily drive out evil spirits from a person who is not filled with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, the spirits may return. I have personally witnessed some people accepting Jesus Christ and repenting of their sins when they received deliverance, and when we prayed for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we could actually see the spirits coming out of them. The first time I saw a spirit cast out of a sister in Christ, I was amazed. She kept coughing, and then we prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill her, and she was eventually filled with the Holy Spirit and fell to the ground.

The plagues in the book of Revelation are like a large-scale deliverance. God is judging evil spirits and demons through the various plagues, and judging those who to a certain degree are possessed by these evil spirits and demons. His purpose is that they would repent of their sins and accept the salvation of Jesus Christ and the filling of the Holy Spirit. If men repent of their sins and accept salvation, demons will be cast out of them permanently. If they refuse to repent, the demons will return, bringing worse spirits with them.

This principle reveals how God works in people’s hearts, and how He deals with evil spirits. Is God the one who is sending worse evil spirits to torment people? Or is it men’s unrepentance that is providing opportunities for evil spirits to torment them even more? God is good (Mark 10:18), and God does not tempt (James 1:13). It is man’s lack of repentance that is making things worse. Now we can better understand why the Lord said that He hardened Pharaoh's heart. It’s not just that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. If Pharaoh had repented, God's mercy would have fallen upon him. But when Pharaoh refused to repent, it brought an even harsher judgment from God. This is the same principle at work in the judgment of the last days.

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Bible Study with Jairus - John 21

When God Establishes Us and Deepens our Spiritual Life, We Can Witness His Resurrection

As John wraps up his gospel in chapter 21, he acknowledges that his account of Jesus’ life is not comprehensive. He says that if he had written down every event in Jesus’ life, “I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (21:25).

However, as he finishes the book, he does tell two key stories: the story of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples by the seashore, and the story of Peter’s restoration. Obviously, the two stories that were included were carefully selected to serve the author's purpose. So what is the purpose of John 21? While there are many ways to approach John 21, I am going to view it through the lens of Peter’s growth and restoration.

Peter later wrote the book of 1 Peter. In chapter 5, Peter teaches his readers to be humble (1 Peter 5:5-6), cast their worries on the Lord (5:7), be watchful, resist the devil (5:8), and overcome suffering (5:9). He assures his listeners, “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (5:10). I believe that when Peter wrote these things, he was speaking from experience. In John 21, we see how Peter was humbled, learned to cast his cares on Jesus, resisted Satan, overcame suffering, and was eventually comforted, restored, confirmed, strengthened, and established by Christ himself. Christ established Peter as the foundation of the church.

As we mentioned in the last study, John 20 shows how Jesus appeared to different disciples. Before they could see the resurrected Christ, they had to remove their unbelief, doubt, and other blockages that were keeping them from knowing the risen Jesus. Even today, the Lord is willing to appear to anyone, but we must open our hearts and overcome the obstacles that are preventing us from knowing Him. It takes time for us to get to know the resurrected Christ, but only then can we help others learn to know Him. Peter went through this process, and it took time. Only when he knew the resurrected Christ could he become a true follower of the Lord (21:19) and a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19).

John 21 is a wonderful segue to the next book, Acts. In the first half of Acts, Peter is one of the most important leaders of the church. But he could only fill this role because the Lord had strengthened, restored, and established him in John 21. Only then could Peter be filled with the Holy Spirit so he could bring salvation to 3,000 people (Acts 2:41).

A Deepened Spiritual Life Is Necessary for Witnessing the Resurrected Christ

To experience the resurrected Christ, we must open our hearts. This implies spiritual growth, as seen in John 20-21. Even if we have learned to know the risen Christ, we must deepen our spiritual lives so we can be the nurturing shepherds that Jesus expects us to be. This was the experience of many Bible characters, such as Moses. Moses was called and prepared by God to lead his people out of Egypt. After he tried to rescue one of his people with his own strength and wisdom, he was forced into exile in the wilderness. While shepherding sheep in the wilderness, he saw the burning bush and came to know the true living God. The Lord told him, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). Centuries later, Jesus told the Sadducees, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32). Jesus said this to prove the validity of the resurrection. So it’s not too much of a stretch to say that Moses had experienced the living God, the God who can make people live again.

Despite experiencing the living God, Moses rejected God’s calling. He refused to lead the Israelites out of Egypt because he thought he lacked capability and eloquence. Even after God showed him three miracles, Moses still yelled, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13). Finally the Lord became angry (4:14) and tried to kill him (4:24). Only after his wife Zipporah circumcised their son did the Lord let him go. Many are confused about this incident. They wonder why the Lord tried to kill Moses. To be honest, it is not difficult to understand, especially if we compare this incident with Peter's experience. Why? Because it is one thing to see the resurrection, but another thing to experience it. Abraham had the same experience. He had known the Lord since the time God promised him his son Isaac. But it was quite another thing altogether to experience God’s resurrection power when God rescued Isaac from death.

Jesus’ Repeated Appearances Deepen Our Understanding of the Resurrection

After Jesus' resurrection, He appears to His disciples many times. But why does He appear to Peter and the other disciples while they are fishing? Each appearance of the Lord Jesus deepens our understanding of the resurrection so that we can truly experience the death and resurrection of Jesus in our own lives.

This principle applies to both the Old Testament and the New. Each of God’s seven appearances to Abraham deepened his knowledge of God. The first time God appeared to Abram was to call him out of Ur of the Chaldeans (Genesis 15:7). He then appeared to him again in Haran (Genesis 12:1). Both times, God promised to give Abram the land of Canaan. As a result, Abram left the land of idols. Genesis 12:7 records the third appearance where the Lord said to Abram, “To your offspring I will give this land.” The fourth time God appeared to him, he promised to bless Abraham with countless descendants, as numerous as the sand of the seashore (Genesis 13:14-17). God appeared to him for the fifth time after he rescued Lot from the five kings. God told Abram that one of his very own sons would be his heir (15:4). Thirteen years after his biological son Ishmael’s birth, God appeared to Abraham again. This time, he changed his name from Abram to Abraham and told him he would become the father of many nations (17:5). The seventh appearance happened after Abraham sacrificed Isaac to the Lord. God once again promised, “I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of hisenemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:17-18). Every time God appeared to Abraham, his understanding of the resurrection was deepened. Finally, God inspired Abraham with supernatural knowledge about his descendant, Jesus Christ so that Abraham could look “forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10).

Galatians 3:16 says, “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. Notice here that the Scripture uses ‘his offspring’ instead of ‘all offspring,’ which indicates one person – Jesus Christ.” And verse 14 says, “So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” Abraham’s transformation—from living in a place of idolatry to knowing and waiting for God—was the result of his multiple encounters with God.

Similarly, after Jesus' resurrection, he chooses to appear to his disciples multiple times. Each time they see him, their understanding of Him is deepened, they become more aware of God’s will, and they better understand their glorious inheritance in God's calling. When they realize their identity in Christ, they can become what God desires them to be.

We Must Have a Clear Understanding of Our Identity

Why does the Lord Jesus choose twelve disciples? First, it is the will of God the Father. Everything Jesus does on earth is in accordance with the will of the Father. Luke 6:12-13 records, "In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles." Jesus' choice of the twelve disciples is not a random action, but an obedient action based on the will of the Father, which he discerned by praying all night. What is the Father's will? To duplicate Jesus Christ in the lives of his twelve disciples, and then for them to duplicate his life in others.

God's work is not a rapid growth like mushrooms that spring up overnight. Instead, it is a slow process of reproducing himself in others’ lives. Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God, and the twelve disciples are called to manifest Christ to the world. To spread the life of God to others, the disciples must recognize their identity in Christ so that they can mature and grow in Christ. If these disciples fail to recognize their identity in Christ, they cannot be an accurate representation of Christ's life. Jesus appeared to his disciples multiple times after his resurrection so he could help them recognize their deficiencies and fully understand their identity and calling in Christ. Only then can they experience resurrection in their own lives.

John 21:14 says, “This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.” The first time was when Jesus appeared to them on the first day of the week, when they were hidden behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. “Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’” (20:19). The second time was eight days later, when the disciples were gathered again, this time with Thomas. “Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you’”(20:26). The first time Jesus appeared to his disciples, he helped them overcome their fear and lack of joy (20:20). A regenerate person is a person of joy. When Jesus appeared to his disciples the second time, he addressed Thomas' unbelief. What is the purpose of the third appearance? Jesus Christ will fill His promise to make Peter a fisher of men.

God Himself Establishes Us and Makes Us Perfect and Strong

At one time, Peter had confidently proclaimed that even if everyone else betrayed Jesus Christ, he never would. However, Jesus Christ told him that he would deny the Lord three times before the rooster crowed three times. And this was exactly what happened. Now, Peter is deeply ashamed of it. When he sees Jesus again, he was very embarrassed. But instead of scolding Peter, Jesus nurtures and restores him, and lifts him up again.

Peter learns several deep spiritual lessons which we find in the books of 1 and 2 Peter. As a fisherman, Peter may not have been very knowledgeable, yet his two epistles contain rich spiritual lessons. These are Peter’s only two epistles in the Bible, so they encapsulate the totality of the spiritual depth that Peter has acquired throughout his life. Although Peter did not have spectacular linguistic abilities, and many commentators do not spend much time interpreting his writings, the spiritual richness of Peter's letters is well worth excavating.

The first lesson Peter learned was the importance of humility. First Peter 5: 5-6 says, "... Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”

Second, Peter learned to trust God. Peter instructs believers to "cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). After seeing the resurrected Lord Jesus three times (once by himself and twice with other disciples) Peter still lacked faith in the risen Christ. He went back to fishing with other disciples, but caught nothing. When Jesus Christ appeared, they caught 153 fish. Through this experience, Peter learned a powerful lesson about trusting God.

Third, Peter learned about resisting temptation. Jesus Christ had repeatedly warned Peter and other disciples about Satan’s temptation. In Luke 22:31, Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat.” Sure enough, Simon failed when facing Satan's temptation. So Peter shares what he learned through blood, sweat, and tears: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9).

Finally, Peter writes his famous line, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you" (1 Peter 5:10). I love this verse. Whenever I go through trials and failures, I sing a song based on this verse. I believe that God will one day restore, strengthen, perfect, and establish me.

Every Failure is the Foundation of the Next Victory

John 21 is crucial because it documents Peter's restoration. Without it, the Gospel of John would end on a sad note. Even though Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, the book would end with Peter’s failure. This is not the will of God. Jesus Christ has won the victory, and each of us has also won the victory through Him. Jesus wants us to live a victorious life. That is the purpose of his victory. Therefore, the Gospel of John cannot end with Peter's failure. It must end with his restoration.

The book of Acts, which follows John, tells about Peter’s leadership in the early church. He worked many signs and wonders in Jesus’ name. The book of Acts is about the work of the Holy Spirit through his vessels, the apostles. The filling of the Holy Spirit takes a moment, but the preparation of these vessels for his service takes decades or a lifetime. John 21 shows us how Jesus prepared his vessel, Peter, for the birth and growth of the Church and for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit promised by the Father in the book of Acts. This is the great will of the Triune God.

Every failure of ours reveals where we need Christ. When we repent and ask God to transform us, God will be able to remake us in his image. We will become victorious vessels through which the Holy Spirit can work. May we all cherish our failures so we can learn and grow from them.

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Bible Study with Jairus - John 20

How To Deepen Our Knowledge and Experience of the Resurrection of Jesus

Do you know the risen Christ? Have you experienced His presence? Has he appeared to you personally? You may say, “Is it possible to experience the resurrected Jesus and know him personally?” My answer is, “Yes, you can. But you have to remove the obstacles that are preventing you from seeing the risen Jesus.” In John 20, Jesus helped various disciples remove the spiritual blinders that were preventing them from seeing the risen Jesus. When these veils were removed, each of them experienced Jesus’ presence and the risen Christ appeared to them. When we properly use our minds, wills, and emotions, we will be allowed to experience the resurrection of Jesus Christ as well.

For example, when we meditate and ruminate on Jesus’ words, it often leads to spiritual experiences. Madame Jeanne Guyon once said that when we pray and meditate on the Lord's words, we will certainly be able to enter the presence of God. But if we do not meditate and pray properly, then hindrances in our minds, wills, and emotions will prevent us from knowing and experiencing the resurrection of Christ. For example, the disciples’ closed hearts, doubt, fear, and guilt prevented them from seeing the resurrected Lord. Let’s look at these stories more closely.

• Mary’s strong emotions kept her from recognizing Jesus when he appeared to her.

• Thomas had to see the Lord's nail marks before he believed. Jesus showed him His nail marks, and only then were the doubts in his mind were resolved.

• John believed in the resurrection when he saw the empty cloth that had been around Jesus’ face (John 20:8), but there is no record that Peter believed at that time (John 20).

• Peter’s guilt about his betrayal kept him from fully embracing the risen Jesus.

In John 20 and 21, Jesus helped each of his disciples overcome any obstacles that were keeping them from experiencing the resurrected Christ. With his help, they were each able to experience the Lord’s appearance. This is true not only for the first-century disciples, but for all of us. “God is no respecter of persons,” as Peter said in Acts 10:34. Everyone in the Bible who loved the Lord, whether Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, or Solomon, each experienced the Lord’s appearance. It is hard to imagine anyone who could love God that much and not experience His personal presence. The experience of his presence only further increases our love for him.

Every disciple present in John 20 knew and experienced the appearance of the resurrected Christ, but each was unable to believe in the resurrection or recognize the resurrected Christ because of some kind of hindrance. As modern-day Christians, we must learn from their experiences so we can know and experience the appearance of the resurrected Christ today.

Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen and Yet Have Believed?

We should desire and believe that we can experience the life-changing presence of the risen Christ. Yet in modern times, many people have belittled the reality of personal spiritual experiences. They underestimate the benefits of pursuing the Lord’s appearance. They dismiss these experiences for several reasons. Let’s address the reasons for this overcorrection.

• Some people say that this type of spiritual experience is only for spiritual giants. When lay people testify that the Lord appeared to them in dreams or visions, others protest that God doesn’t appear to common people. But in reality, the Lord desires to appear to everyone.
• Many Muslims testify that the Lord Jesus appeared to them in dreams which led them to become Christians. They are very ordinary people, not spiritual giants. Yet some people dismiss these experiences for American believers, saying that the Muslims only had those experiences because they lived in countries where the gospel was forbidden. That is the only reason that Jesus chose to preach the gospel to them in this way. This is correct, but it absolutely cannot be used as an excuse to say the Lord only appears to certain special people.
• Some people point to Jesus’ words to Thomas to prove that we do not need to see Jesus. Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Many people mistakenly understand this verse to mean that those who have the most faith do not desire to see Jesus.

Let’s examine these claims. Yes, those who believed without seeing are indeed blessed. But this does not mean that the Lord does not approve of us longing for His appearance. In John 14:21, the Lord Jesus said, "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” The Lord said that He will appear to those who love Him. Therefore, if we have not experienced the appearance of the resurrected Jesus, it does not necessarily prove that “Jesus does not appear to ordinary people today.” Perhaps we don’t really love the Lord’s appearance enough. When we assume Jesus can’t appear to us, we lower our expectations. However, Jesus wants us to ask for what we desire. A basic principle in Scripture says that “everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:10). James, Jesus’ biological brother, agreed: “You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (James 4:2-3). The Lord promised His presence to those who love Him, so we can be assured that our request to experience His appearance is not wrong or selfish.

Factors Hindering Us From Experiencing the Risen Lord

Eventually, every disciple in John 20 experienced Jesus’ appearance. Their experience is instructive for each and every one of us. We need to see how the Lord Jesus helped each of the disciples to move from the expectation of being with Him in His physical presence to being able to experience His resurrected presence in faith and spirit. The disciples needed to learn this lesson in order to experience the resurrected Christ.

Let's take a look at the problems of each of the disciples in John 20 and how these problems prevented them from believing in the resurrection of Christ. Let us look first at Mary, whose love for the Lord caused her to go to the tomb very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark. There, she saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance of the tomb. She didn't immediately think about resurrection. Instead, she assumed that someone had taken the Lord's body. So she went to tell Peter and John. Peter and John set out for the tomb. John ran to the tomb and saw the linen cloths, but he did not go into the tomb. Peter arrived, went in and saw the linen cloths and the face cloth. The Bible does not mention whether or not he believed at that point. After Peter arrived, John went into the tomb, saw the face cloth, and believed that Jesus was alive (20:8). This passage seems to indicate that the first person to believe in the resurrection was not Peter or Mary, but John.

This account is very interesting. Why was John the first to believe? Why did he believe when he saw the face cloth, but did not believe when he saw the linen cloths initially? The Bible says the face cloth was not lying together with the linen cloths, but was folded up in another place by itself (20:7). Why was the face cloth of Jesus lying in another place? Is it so that John would believe in the resurrection? My personal guess is that John, the Beloved Disciple, was familiar with the Lord's way of folding his face cloth. Just like a person’s signature cannot be imitated by others, John knew that no one else could imitate Jesus’ signature style of folding a cloth. When John saw the way the Lord folded the face cloth, he knew that it had been done by the Lord Himself, not by anyone else. I believe this was the Lord's personal message to John.

However, John’s faith was not yet complete. The verses that follow explain that the disciples did not yet fully believe: "For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead" (John 20:9). The disciples’ minds and hearts were not yet fully open, so God would need to open their hearts through their emotions or other means.

The two disciples saw that the tomb was empty. John believed that Jesus was alive, but Peter most likely didn’t believe, so he went back home. Why do I say that Peter did not believe? Because the Gospel of Mark records that the angel told Mary after the Lord’s resurrection, “Go and tell His disciples and Peter…” (Mark 16:7). So Peter probably did not believe.

Let's return to Mary. Mary loved God, and her deep affection for Jesus moved Him to appear to her before He ascended to the Father. But when the Lord appeared to her, she did not recognize the risen Christ because she was too caught up in emotions. When an angel appeared to her, she didn't realize it was an angel. She just kept on weeping. The Lord appeared to her, but she did not recognize Him either. She did not recognize the risen Lord until the risen Christ called her by name: "Mary.” The Lord awakened her spiritual identity in Christ, and only then did she recognize Christ. Mary was one of the Lord's sheep, and the Lord's sheep know the Lord's voice (John 10:3), so she recognized the Lord when He called her name.

Peter failed to fully experience Jesus’ resurrection because of his guilt about his betrayal. The Lord Jesus had appeared to Peter and the other disciples several times. Yet despite these appearances, Peter still went out to fish, as if his relationship with Jesus was a thing of the past. It was then that Jesus appeared to him again and asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" Peter then had his own personal experience of spiritual death and resurrection. Jesus helped Peter finally overcome the guilt.

In John 21, the Lord Jesus appeared to the disciples, but they did not recognize Him at first. Similarly, the disciples on the road to Emmaus failed to recognize the resurrected Christ. Only after the Lord broke bread and gave it to them were their eyes opened to recognize Jesus (Luke 24:31). These disciples returned to Jerusalem and told the other disciples what they had seen. While they were still talking, the Lord Jesus appeared to them again. But they thought He was a spirit (Luke 24:37). The Lord Jesus said, “A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have" (24:39). To prove he was real, he ate a piece of broiled fish.

As Jesus opened the disciples’ minds to understand the Scriptures (24:45), they finally understood the resurrection. Clearly, the disciples’ closed minds were an important factor in their inability to recognize the resurrected Christ. Another factor is that Jesus’ resurrection body may have looked different from his natural body. This may be why the disciples could not recognize him. He may have looked different every single time he appeared. Perhaps his appearance was different each time, personally tailor-made for every individual he appeared to. For example, in my personal experience, Jesus has often appeared to me as an old Chinese lady. I never realized she was representing the Lord until the last day of 2017, when she took me into heaven and transformed into Christ.

To prove this point, let’s look at John 21. When the Lord appeared to Peter and the other disciples by the sea, John said, “Just as the day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus” (John 21:4). These disciples had seen the risen Christ several times already, yet they still did not recognize the Lord. Most likely, Jesus’ appearance was different every time he appeared. For this reason, we need to be discerning so that we can recognize the risen Lord in our spiritual experiences.

There are many reasons that we fail to experience Jesus’ presence in our lives, just like the disciples did.

• Emotions: our lack of desire for the Lord.
• Mind: accepting wrong concepts and beliefs.
• Will: stubbornness and self-will.

Each of these can hinder us from experiencing the presence of the risen Lord. These obstacles are like electrical insulators, preventing us from experiencing the appearance of the resurrected Christ. It's as if the power is connected to our house, but a small insulator is keeping us from connecting to the power supply. We need to remove those insulators so we can powerfully connect to Jesus.

Our Love for God Is a Response to God’s Appearance to Us

The Bible says that Jesus appeared personally to Peter, but God does not describe this meeting in detail. The disciples on the road to Emmaus told the other disciples that the Lord Jesus had appeared to Simon (Luke 24:34), and Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:5, "He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.” According to this passage, Jesus appeared to Peter before he appeared to the twelve disciples (John 20:19-25), so this can’t be the same experience recorded in John 21, which occurred after Jesus’ appearance to the disciples and Thomas (John 21:1). Clearly, there was a personal meeting with Peter that is not described in the Bible.

Why is there no detailed record of the Lord’s appearance to Peter? Jesus Christ gave John a sign with the face cloth so he would know He was alive. The Lord Jesus called Mary's name so that Mary would recognize His voice. The angel told the women to go and tell the disciples and Peter that the Lord was alive. This may have been a prelude to the Lord's appearance to Peter.

The Bible does not record this appearance to Peter in detail, but we know that 1 Peter and 2 Peter are summaries of Peter's experiences with Jesus. Perhaps these two books can give us some perspective. In Peter's epistles, there is no explicit mention of this conversation with Jesus. But Peter did say, "The tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory" (1 Peter 1:7-8). The "revelation" mentioned here can be understood as the future appearance of Jesus Christ. But perhaps it also refers to experiencing Jesus on earth. Peter goes on to say, "you have not seen Him.” He did not say, "I have not seen Him.” Peter had seen Jesus, both in his pre-death body and in his resurrection body. Before the resurrected Jesus appeared to Peter, he had experienced the trials of faith mentioned in this passage. When he passed through these trials and was restored by the Lord Jesus, his faith in Jesus Christ was as precious as gold that had been tested by fire.

The Appearance of Christ Gives Us a Deeper Understanding of the Resurrection

In the Catholic "mysticism" tradition, there are many accounts of Jesus' appearing to people. It’s easy to dismiss all of these experiences because Catholics tend to believe in superstitious accounts, such as the appearance of the Virgin Mary. I once translated a Catholic documentary that described the Virgin Mary’s appearance to many people. Personally, I think this is just a superstition, like the stories of idols appearing in Chinese idol temples. Martin Luther saw the corruption in the Catholic church and decided to completely deny all such experiences. He overcompensated by taking refuge in rationality. But we must not throw out the baby with the bathwater. We need to distinguish which of these are superstitions and which are real manifestations of the Lord’s presence.

After the Reformation, the church began to emphasize the prominence of Scripture and to ignore spiritual experience. This led to a focus on dry dogma. However, the saints in the Bible almost all experienced God’s personal presence to some extent.

When Jesus appears to us, it ignites our love for him. At least that has been my experience. After I was baptized in 2002, I lost interest in spiritual things. But during a conference in 2004, the Lord appeared to me and spoke to me personally, calling me to dedicate myself to Him. After that day, I began to love the Lord like crazy.

I believe we need to oppose the false teaching that leads people to ignore personal spiritual experiences. We need to bravely pursue the appearance of Jesus Christ. Remember, Jesus promised to manifest Himself to those who love Him (John 14:21). In John 20, Jesus patiently helped each of his disciples overcome their obstacles so they could each experience the presence of the resurrected Christ. He will do the same for each of us today.

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Bible Study with Jairus- Daniel 2

The Relationship Between the "Great Image" in the Book of Daniel and the "Kingdom of Christ" in the Book of Revelation

The book of Daniel discusses a great image that was crushed by a large stone. The stone was cut out of a mountain without human hands. It then became a great mountain that filled the whole earth (Daniel 2:35). Each of these objects is symbolic. The idol represents the rise and fall of the empires in human history. Specifically, it depicts Babylon the Great and its fall (Revelation 18:2). The stone that becomes a great mountain represents the moment when “the kingdoms of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” The great image and the great mountain are both symbolic images.

The church is the body of Christ, a very real representation and image of Christ. But the false image mentioned in the book of Daniel is created by evil spirits and sin. It is a fake imitation of the body of Christ. It represents Babylon, which is the mother of harlots, and the Tower of Babel, which is the symbol of rebellion against God. God wants to build up the Body of Christ, but the enemy wants to build a false imitation. The Bible says, "For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).

In the wisdom of God, God allows the growth of human kingdoms. The Bible says, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:26-27). These kingdoms exist in temporary space and time. Whether Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom or Pharoah’s, Babylon or Egypt, these kingdoms are all tools in the hands of God. God uses them to help people seek him. But neither Nebuchadnezzar nor Pharaoh could overstep God's authority, thinking the kingdom was their own. When God's time came, God tore down their kingdoms and gave them to others. In the same way, when God’s time for mankind comes, all the kingdoms on earth will be smashed to pieces and the kingdom of our Lord and Christ will be ushered in. Right now, God allows Satan and evil spirits to deceive people. But when God's time comes, he will judge them permanently. The Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation are closely related.

The Body of Christ is an Image of Christ

I once heard a Christian brother testifying about a vision he saw. He saw a vision of the body of Christ, which looked like a huge image of Jesus. The great image looked like a giant human, but every part of the body contained many believers living and dwelling in it. The Bible reveals that we are members of the body of Christ. “For behold, the kingdom of Christ is in the midst of us.” (Luke 17:21). When the life of Christ works within us, then we become a part of the kingdom of Christ. In a sense, the body of Christ is the kingdom of Christ. This is the kingdom that God wants to build, and Christ will rule as king within this realm.

This is God's ultimate purpose. This plan existed even before God created the world, even though it was hidden from humankind for a while. That is why Ephesians 3:9-10 says, “and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”

God intends to help his children grow and mature until they become the mature Body of Christ, which will manifest all the riches of God and reveal His wisdom to all angels and demons in the heavenly places. Since Satan is a created being, he did not know about this plan. When God’s plan was revealed, Satan was filled with jealousy. Satan had been an archangel whose job was to lead all things to worship God. But when God chose mankind to represent His image, share his authority, and receive His glory and fullness, Satan became jealous. Satan was upset because this plan did not involve Satan at all! Satan began to rebel against God. He hated mankind extremely much. Satan decided to create a counterfeit Body of Christ. He wanted to defy God's plan, counterfeit God’s works, mock God, and try to lure people toward the same eternal punishment that he was destined for.

The Image in the Book of Daniel is a Counterfeit Body of Christ

This great image that Nebuchadnezzar saw had a golden head, which represents Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar himself. The Bible doesn't tell us which empires are represented by the arms and chest made of silver, the belly and thighs made of bronze, the legs made of iron, and the feet made of iron and clay. Some biblical interpreters believe that they represent the Medo-Persian Empire, the Macedonian empire, the Grecian empire, and the Roman empire, respectively. The Medo-Persian empire began in 539 B.C. in Babylon; King Cyrus let the Jews return to Jerusalem in 537 B.C. The Roman empire started ruling Israel in 63 B.C. and destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. This interpretation says that even though the Roman Empire has perished, the Anglo-American empire is now the continuation of the Roman Empire. Other biblical interpreters believe that the image represents Medo-Persia, Greece (Alexander conquered the Persian Empire in 331 B.C.), Rome, and the Anglo-American empire. These scholars point to the Anglo-American empire because of the Rise of the Anglo-American world dominance during the First World War from 1914 to 1918. The Macedonian Empire is not mentioned in this interpretation. I was taught the first interpretation. It divided the Persian Empire into the Macedonian Empire established by Alexander the Great and the Grecian Empire formed by the division after his death.

When I think about these two interpretations, I have a question. How do we know the Anglo-American empire is the last great modern empire? What happens if China, Russia, or a prominent country in Africa arises as a world ruler in the future? We can’t deny the possibility. China has already risen to power, and it will soon become the most influential country in the world. But China is not part of the Roman Empire, nor is it part of the Anglo-American Empire. In addition to China's political, military, and economic rise, I also believe that China’s future revival will bring great spiritual growth, which will influence great changes in Chinese society and politics. China may become a powerful Christian country that could be counted among the influential empires in eschatological history. Even a so-called Christian country (like the United States) does not always act in accordance with God’s will, so China could qualify as one of the empires represented by the image. In addition, it’s dangerous to assume that the Anglo-American empire is the only modern empire. What about the Portuguese Empire and the Spanish Empire that colonized the world, through which Catholicism spread? The British and American empires do not represent all modern empires.

Therefore, I think the two interpretations mentioned above are too linear and too constrained by time and the current course of human history. If the second coming of the Lord is delayed, there may be many more changes in human history. In other words, if we interpret scriptures based on the things that have already happened in human history, we may not get a complete picture. A lot of things haven't happened yet, and even the things that have happened can be interpreted from different angles.

The great image that King Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream was a symbolic, prophetic picture that has not yet been completely fulfilled. At that time the only kingdom that existed was Babylon, the head. The other empires had not yet risen to power. If we interpret the last empire as the Roman Empire or the Anglo-American Empire, then why have we not seen an eternal kingdom ushered in during the reign of the fifth king (Daniel 2:45)? Although this verse mentions crushing the image’s feet, another verse references striking the entire great image (2:34-35). We know that historically, during the reign of the fifth king of the Roman empire, the Babylonian Empire and Nebuchadnezzar were long gone. Yet in the vision, the golden head still exists when the entire image is destroyed. I believe this word picture is describing the spiritual reality of the five kingdoms rather than their physical reality. Physically, Babylon no longer existed; but spiritually, it was still the head.

What exactly does this head of gold represent? And what about the silver, bronze, iron, and clay mentioned in this verse? These precious metals are a picture of the continuous degeneration of human regimes and their separation from God. Gold represents God's disposition. Because God had direct contact with Nebuchadnezzar, he publicly extolled the God of heaven. But his descendant Belshazzar completely forgot about God and offended Him. The human regimes were already beginning to deteriorate. The next empire was likened to silver, the next to bronze, the next to iron, and the next to clay. In each of these substances, the value was getting lower and lower as the substances contained less and less precious metal. This shows that the human regimes were becoming less and less obedient to God.

Despite their disobedience, human regimes have a measure of God-given authority. God uses human governments as tools to perfect His chosen people. He uses them like a rider uses a mounting block to mount the horse. God uses the nations like scaffolding to support his purposes until his work is complete. For example, King Nebuchadnezzar was God's servant to discipline Israel. After the seventy years of Israel’s captivity were over, God raised up Cyrus to lead the Israelites back to Jerusalem. All this happened in God’s timing. Just like God had designated a specific length of time for Israel’s captivity, God has designated a specific length of time for the entire history of mankind. Again, these human governments serve as scaffolding for God’s purposes. During the construction process, the scaffolding takes on the general shape of the building and assists in the construction process. But it is not part of the building itself. After the construction work is completed, the scaffolding will be dismantled. Similarly, to a certain extent, Satan can build imitation kingdoms that imitate God's work. He builds the kingdom of Babylon around the kingdom of God to tempt people to worship Satan. God may allow these kingdoms to exist for a time to serve his purposes, like scaffolding serves the purposes of the builders. But he will eventually tear them down.

The Work of God is to Build the Body of Christ

Human empires are a hybrid between God's will and Satan's infiltration. Paul said, “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” (Romans 13:1); On the one hand, these rulers are used by God to maintain justice; but on the other hand, Satan infiltrates human governments and uses human greed to do evil things. I believe that the further down you move on the image (gold, silver, bronze, iron, and mud), the more Satan has infiltrated the good purposes of that human kingdom. I have been taught that feet of iron mixed with clay represent an end-time empire that is half democracy (clay) and half autocracy (iron). There may be some truth to this explanation, but I am more inclined to think that the half-iron and half-clay empire represents an end-time empire that has rejected God even more fully.

The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 24:12, "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold." This was His reply to His disciples when they asked when the end of the world would come. He then said, "But the one who endures to the end will be saved" (13). Jesus continued, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (14). What is the gospel of the kingdom? It is the stone cut out without human hands which struck the great image into pieces. In other words, it is Christ. In Matthew 24:15, Jesus made a very meaningful statement referencing “the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (let the reader understand).” Then Jesus spoke about the Great Tribulation.

Why did Jesus ask his readers to understand the prophecies of the book of Daniel? Because the prophecies in the book of Revelation and the visions of Daniel were all connected. Jesus wanted them to fully comprehend the essence of the imagery, dreams, and visions in Daniel, not just their literal meaning. We must fully understand the essence of what the image of Daniel represents. What is this essence? The essence is that behind human government lies human pride, and behind human pride lies the work of Satan—just like when the ancient people built the Tower of Babel to make a name for themselves. Behind their human pride lay Satan’s influence, as he tried to get them to build a tower to worship him. When humans work in pride, they are actually worshipping Satan. The Lord destroyed the Tower of Babel, and he also destroyed the great image mentioned in Daniel. These two stories depict the same theme: destroying idolatry. The big question is: Who is receiving worship? Satan wants to seize people's worship, and God wants to receive humans’ worship. The issue of worship lies at the heart of the reason this great image was destroyed.

Satan used human regimes and human pride to garner worship for himself. Even though the nation of Babylon was destroyed long ago, the pride and arrogance of Babylon live on. It is as if the golden head of this great image still exists. The human regimes of the ages have built a great spiritual Babylon. They are a counterfeit version of the body of Christ, and they worship Satan instead of God. However, the great stone that fell from the sky is Christ and His true body, which will completely smash Babylon to pieces. The worship of Satan will be destroyed, and the true body of Christ will be built, ushering in the true worship of God.

As Revelation 18:21 says, "Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, ‘So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more.’” This is why Revelation 19:7 says, "Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready.” This is the greatest mystery in the universe, which is why Paul said, "Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness! and without controversy He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, and taken up in glory (1 Timothy 3:16).” Christ was manifested in the flesh, not only to save us from the hold of sin, but also to take us as His Bride and bring us together with Him into glory. This is God's ultimate plan.

Although the fall of Babylon the Great occurred in Revelation 18, the birth of the man-child in Revelation 11 had already laid the foundation for this event. Revelation 18:2 says, "Babylon the Great is fallen!" Revelation 11:15 says, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

Conclusion: The Great Image is a Furnace

The great image mentioned in Daniel, the apostasy mentioned in Matthew 25, and Babylon the Great mentioned in Revelation all represent one thing: the reign of Satan. Jesus says that in the end times, lawlessness will abound, and the love of many will grow cold. Through this lawlessness, Satan steals the glory and worship that God deserves. On the one hand, our human regime is being infiltrated by Satan in an attempt to seize man's worship of God. But on the other hand, God is using those same human regimes to work all things together for the good of His chosen ones. God uses those regimes to bring salvation to his people and maturity to his bride.

When Daniel’s friends were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow to the golden image, Christ was with them and saved them. In the last days, when the Antichrist creates a time of unprecedented distress, the Lord will save those who do not bow to the Antichrist. God uses these human regimes and human suffering to refine his people like a fiery furnace. When God’s precious vessels of God are completely forged, the furnace will no longer be necessary. That is why the image representing the kingdoms of this world was eventually crushed, giving way to God’s eternal kingdom. Just like Nebuchadnezzar tried God’s chosen people in his fiery furnace, God is testing our faith like gold.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Revelation 8

The Prayers of the Saints Advance God’s Plans for Judgment on the World

In Revelation 7, we learned how Jesus, the Cornerstone, connects the Jewish and Gentile believers and lays the foundation for the New Jerusalem. The construction of the New Jerusalem is one of the themes of the Book of Revelation.

Another theme is that the newly-built body of Christ will judge evil spirits. Paul says explicitly, “Do you not know that we are to judge angels?”(1 Corinthians 6:3) This judgment of angels culminates in the judgment of Satan and his evil spirits, as they are cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10). This judgment is also pictured in the earlier chapters of Revelation, such as Revelation 8. God’s judgment is seen in the sixth seal, as well as in the vision between the sixth and seventh seals. The prayers of the saints are necessary to bring about God’s just judgment on humans and angels.

Why Is There Silence in Heaven for Half an Hour?

When the Lamb unveils the seventh seal, there is silence in heaven for half an hour. Why? Because when the seventh seal is opened, it will unveil seven more trumpet judgments. I believe that these judgments are dependent on the powerful prayers of the saints. The saints must cooperate with God’s sovereignty through prayer so that the Lamb can open the seven seals. The prayers of the saints are a necessary condition for the advancement of God’s kingly work. This is why verse 2 says that when the seven trumpets are given to the seven angels standing before God, they do not blow them right away. Instead, the angel offers up incense, which is the prayers of the saints. Its smoke rises up before God (3-5). Those prayers are necessary to bring about God’s judgment. Only after the incense of the prayers ascends to God do the angels prepare to blow the trumpets (6). Only then does God’s judgment unfold at last (8:7-13). So it is natural to infer that the prayers in verses 3-5 are the driving force for the blowing of the trumpets in verse 6.

Another reason for the silence in heaven is revealed in Revelation 6. God asked the persecuted saints "to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been" (6:11). These slain saints asked God to take revenge on those who had shed their blood (6:10). But after the judgment of the sixth seal was complete, God waited quietly for the prayers of the saints to fill up the golden censer. This was a gradual process. When the prayers of the saints reached the required amount, the next step of judgment occurred, as recorded in verse 5: “Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.” Judgment comes from the throne of God, but the prayers of the saints have great power in bringing it about (James 5:16). Prayer can influence God, who sits on the throne, to carry out his judgment on evil spirits and on the world.

Don’t think that the seven trumpet judgments are too cruel. Peter predicts that God will even judge believers: "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And ‘If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?’”(1 Peter 4:17-18)

I can say from experience that it is extremely difficult to go through judgment. Years ago, I went through a long-lasting period of God’s discipline, and I learned many lessons of obedience through these times. In the end, I was able to praise God for what he taught me. The author of the book of Hebrews says, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him” (Hebrews 12:5). When we experience God's discipline, our knee-jerk reaction is to feel discouraged. When my wife and I were experiencing ten years of infertility, a sister was going through the same difficulty at the same time. She had been barren for many years and had no children. One time, she lamented, “For so many years, nothing has gone well for me. Everybody else is having a good life but me.”

Of course, we felt the same way at the time. But I frequently comforted myself with the words of Hebrews 12:11, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” I knew the Lord was disciplining me because of his love: “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves” (Hebrews 12:6). I knew in my spirit that God would use me greatly in the future and in order to prepare for that time, I had to grow in faith and yield my flesh to Him. I had to stop serving Him by my own power. The journey was a slow process. Learning to obey took a long time, and it took even longer to learn to thank God from the heart for His discipline. The process required time, and I kept praying desperately for God’s work.

After ten years of God’s discipline, I had an internal breakthrough. Though I still hadn’t seen God's blessing outwardly, I had surrendered myself to God inwardly. Even though the external difficulties didn’t go away, and Satan's attacks often made me burst into tears, I still worshiped and prayed to God from the bottom of my heart. I sang songs and praises to God, even while weeping. At this time, I experienced a miracle in my life. God gave me a miracle baby. In addition, the infertile sister I mentioned earlier also received a son and a daughter.

The judgment of the sixth seal depicts an extremely difficult lesson of God’s discipline. Even the martyred saints struggled to learn this lesson. After this difficult lesson, it took them a while to send enough prayers to fill God’s censor. God was patient with the process. During the half an hour of silence in heaven, he was waiting patiently to begin his spiritual discipline of mankind as a whole.

This is not a wild guess from me, but a lesson that I have learned through my own spiritual experiences with God Himself. Even though God’s word is greater than our personal experience, yet our experiences are necessary to help us better understand His word. We should not only learn His words, but also experience them for ourselves. The spiritual lessons a person learns through experience can help him understand the words of the Bible from a higher spiritual vantage point. In this case, God’s discipline reveals his love and patience.

When Jesus was on earth, he lived a life of meekness and patience. No one can immediately utter words of praise when they are slapped in the face. Most people would complain or even curse. For example, when James and John were rejected by the Samaritans, their first reaction was to command fire to come down from heaven and consume their enemies. But Jesus responded differently. His prayer was full of gentleness: “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will” (Matthew 11:25-26). Why? Because Jesus knows the loving nature of God the Father. Through suffering, we can learn about God’s love, patience, gentleness, and meekness.

Watchman Nee says that when a person goes through suffering, he either becomes spiritually stronger or spiritually weaker. No one goes through difficulties without transformation. He says, “A believer can never be the same after passing through suffering. Either he will have his capacity enlarged or he will become more hardened. For this reason, when believers are passing through suffering, they must pay attention and they must realize that maturity in life is the sum total of receiving the discipline of the Holy Spirit.”[1] Through suffering, our hearts become more tender toward God, and we learn more about his attributes. This will equip us to advance God’s work through prayer. This can only be accomplished by the overcomers who win a final victory, represented by the male child in Revelation 12. These overcomers are the ones who will judge evil spirits and the entire world on behalf of the church.

The Transition of Judgment

Another reason there is silence in heaven for half an hour is because all of heaven is waiting with bated breath for a huge transition that is taking place in this chapter. As we’ve mentioned, Revelation 12 is a turning point in the book of Revelation. Revelation 8 is another turning point. The focus of God’s judgment is turning from the house of God to the fallen world!

As 1 Peter 4:17 says, God's judgment begins with the house of God. We can see this truth in Revelation. God starts by disciplining the seven churches through His letters to the churches. This leads to heaven being opened. John sees God sitting on the throne with a scroll in his right hand. This scroll contains God’s plan for the church, the victorious body of Christ. Although this scroll includes God’s judgment for the world, it mostly focuses on God’s judgment for his chosen people. This is why the saints in Revelation 6 shout, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10) The saints are undergoing God’s judgment, and they are longing for God to judge unbelievers as well.

The vision that follows the sixth seal reveals that a large number of Jews have been saved and that countless Gentiles have turned to Christ. They are the firstfruits chosen by God. Though some people will need further discipline, others have experienced God’s discipline process and have matured spiritually. They now sit on the throne with God, judging the world. So we see that the seven seal judgments are focused on helping the church mature so it can bring forth conquerors. However, the seven trumpet judgments are for unbelievers and are brought about through the prayers of the conquerors. This is the difference between the seven seals and the seven trumpets.

This also points to the reason why heaven is silent for half an hour after the Lamb opens the seventh seal. Times are about to change. Why did God stay quiet 400 years after Malachi’s last prophecy? Times were changing, Jesus Christ was about to be born, and heaven was holding its breath for the coming of the great era. In the same way, even now, “the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19). After the sixth seal, God is already beginning to reveal his sons. God’s times are changing. His creation is about to be set free. Romans 8:20-21 says, “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” All of creation is awaiting the revealing of the sons of God with great anticipation. And after three short chapters, the great production is about to happen in Revelation 12.

My wife went through great difficulties when giving birth to our daughter. Since the delivery didn’t go well, we had no choice but to agree to a Cesarean delivery on the spot. I was full of anxiety at that moment. I prayed to God but got no response from Him. I was restless and kept pacing up and down the hospital corridors. When I saw the doctor pull our baby girl out of her mother and pat her buttocks to make her cry, I was so relieved. How can heaven not be silent for half an hour? The earth has been going through birth pangs. The moment of birth has arrived! The drama is about to unfold! It is so exciting! Just like God waited in silence for 400 years while he was preparing to send Christ at just the right moment, God is also waiting in silence at this pivotal junction in human history. He is filled with awe and is waiting with bated breath!

Many people read the book of Revelation as if they were chewing on wax. They are neither excited nor amazed. Why not? Because they cannot visualize this amazing picture in their spirits. We need to be spiritually enlightened, just like Simeon, to whom God revealed that he would see Christ Jesus with his very own eyes before he died. When he saw baby Jesus, he recognized him instantly and glorified and praised God (Luke 2:26-28). Many other people did not have spiritual eyes to see Jesus, so they did not recognize Him. This led to "the fall and rising of many in Israel" (Luke 2:34) because people could not recognize God's work.

The Terrible Judgment of God on Unbelievers

The Bible repeatedly warns that God's judgment on unbelievers in the last days will be great and formidable. Malachi 4:5-6 proclaims, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” These are the final words of the Old Testament, and they uncover God’s principle for the New Testament. God has appointed a day of great terror on which he will judge all human beings, especially unbelievers, with finality. But before that, God will continue to work through His grace and through the Gospel of His Son. He promised to send the Spirit of the prophet Elijah to reconcile people with the Father. The Spirit of Elijah is represented by the Baptism of Repentance proclaimed by John the Baptist. The Lord Jesus says clearly, "But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands" (Matthew 17:12). The Lord Jesus is referring to John, and also alludes to His own destiny.

After the turning point in Revelation 8, the target of the judgment turns to unbelievers. During the transition, God’s grace is still available. However, the hardness of the human heart is incredibly great. Even though a third of the human race was killed after the severe trumpet judgments, (Revelation 9:18), people still worshiped various idols. The Bible says, “They did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Revelation 9:20-21). Therefore, God's hand strikes more harshly, and the judgment keeps getting crueler. It’s not until the great earthquake happens in Revelation 11:13, killing 7,000 people, that humans finally are terrified and give glory to God in heaven. Later, Revelation 12 describes the birth of a male child who will judge Satan. This child is persecuted by Satan, and the curtain opens on the catastrophe of the last three and half years of the tribulation. But even during the great tribulation, people are still getting saved and overcoming sin. God’s grace is still visible and available, even in His judgment.

The Seven Trumpets are God’s Judgment upon Evil Spirits

The ten plagues of Egypt were not only God’s judgment upon Pharaoh, but also God’s judgment on the ten evil spirits they represented. The same principle is found in the seven trumpet judgments of Revelation 8. Here is a fun fact: evil spirits like to live where there is water. Many of the trumpet judgments involve water so that God can judge the evil spirits in the water. Here is a summary of the way God judges evil spirits through the trumpet judgment:

• The first trumpet is God’s judgment upon the earth, because the earth is filled with human beings possessed by evil spirits. The earth is defiled by demons.
• The second trumpet judges the sea. This is God’s judgment upon the evil spirits in the ocean.
• The third trumpet judges the evil spirits in the rivers.
• The fourth trumpet, which strikes a third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, is God’s judgment on the head of all rule and authority.
• The fifth and sixth trumpets of Revelation 9 release the locusts from the bottomless pit to torment people. In addition, the angel of the Euphrates River is released to bring in mounted troops to kill one-third of mankind.

In the first trumpet judgment, God judges the spirits that are targeting humans. Jesus says that when an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it is unable to find rest in waterless places, so it returns to the house from which it came. When it returns, it brings seven worse spirits with it, so the person ends up worse off in the end than he was in the beginning. Jesus says the same principle is true of the evil days (Matthew 12:43-45). Humankind is created in the image of God, so evil spirits target humans. They possess humans and try to influence them to commit sins. This is why God’s judgment starts with driving out evil spirits.

However, when the people who have been released from Satan refuse to allow the Lord to enter their hearts, their hearts will be like empty houses. Even worse spirits will take up residence inside them. This is seen in the locusts that come out of the bottomless pit. Those who refuse to repent and break free from evil spirits will eventually be tortured by unclean spirits that are far worse than the original ones. Their situation will only get worse and worse.

We will learn more about the seven trumpets in our study of Revelation 9.

[1] Watchman Nee, A Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age, Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministries, 1991.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Revelation 7

The Cornerstone Brings Together Jews and Gentile Believers

The end of Revelation unveils the beauty of the New Jerusalem, a magnificent city that has been recently constructed. First Peter 2:5 tells us that we as believers are the living stones that compose that spiritual temple, the New Jerusalem: “You, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the cornerstone of the entire structure. First Peter 2:4 states that Jesus is “a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious.” First Peter 2:6-7 also agrees that Christ is the cornerstone. Both Isaiah and Ephesians talk about how Jesus Christ, the cornerstone, unites Jews and Gentiles.

As the body of Christ matures at the end of Revelation, the construction of the spiritual temple is completed. Naturally, we would expect to see more about the progress in earlier chapters as well. And that is exactly what we find when we study Revelation.

The image of the New Jerusalem from Chapter 21 correlates to the vision in Chapter 7. Chapter 21 says that the New Jerusalem has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and on the gates are written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (Revelation 21:12). The city has twelve foundations, and on them are written the names of the twelve apostles (Revelation 21:14). And Chapter 7 describes a vision that takes place between the sixth and seventh seal. It encourages believers to stay hopeful when going through suffering because God is already building his spiritual temple.

Let’s look at the vision more closely. In this vision, God describes 144,000 people from the tribes of Israel who had been sealed (Revelation 7:3-8). He also introduces “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9). This vision is a vivid depiction of the truths revealed in Ephesians 2. The hatred between Jews and Gentiles has been removed. The Israelites and the multicultural tribe are all united before the throne of God. Because Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, believers from every nation can grow together into the temple of the Lord (Ephesians 2:11-22).

We Need to Understand the Overall Structure of Revelation

When we go for a walk in a forest, there are signposts or maps to guide us. If we do not see the signposts or misinterpret the signs, we will get lost. In the same way, when we read the Scripture, it’s easy to get lost. Especially when we read a difficult book like Revelation, we often miss the signposts and take the wrong path. There are signposts everywhere in the Bible. But sometimes we fail to see them. Perhaps they are overgrown with moss or shrubs and we must make extra efforts to find them. In the same way, when reading the Bible, we need help from the Holy Spirit to help us find the signposts.

In addition, we must not pay too much attention to the details in the Bible, or we will lose the forest for the trees. We will get lost because we fail to see the big picture. Just like you solve a jigsaw puzzle by creating the outer border and the main picture first, we need to see the outline and the big picture in the Bible. Only then will we be able to fit the details into place.

So here is an important question: What is the overall picture of Revelation? The overall structure is that God will judge the church and the world in order to mature the bride of Christ (the New Jerusalem) and prepare her for the second coming of Jesus Christ. In Revelation 12, we see a description of the bride giving birth to a male child. Because he knows that the church is destined to judge the angels, Satan’s anger grows exponentially after the male child is born. He begins to persecute the church and the overcomers. This event initiates a three-and-a-half-year tribulation.

Let’s review the structure of the Book of Revelation:

• Revelation 1-3 describes the Lord’s judgment upon the church.
• The Lord shows John a heavenly vision of God’s throne (4-5).
• After cleansing the house of God, the judgment of the world begins, which is the purpose of the seven seals (chapters 6-8) and the seven trumpets (chapters 9-11).
• In between the judgments God includes visions to encourage believers to see God’s grace and kindness amid suffering and judgment. The vision between the sixth and seventh seals reveals the foundation the New Jerusalem is built upon: Christ.
• Through Jesus Christ, the Cornerstone, the Jews and Gentile believers are united (chapter 7).
• The vision between the sixth and seventh trumpets encourages believers to see that the mystery of God will be fulfilled (10:7). This is the signpost of Revelation. And this is the overarching structure: judgment comes first, then comes encouragement. Then the cycle repeats itself.
• After Revelation 12, the battle between Christ and Satan intensifies until it culminates in the Battle of Armageddon. Of course, Christ and His bride win the final victory over Satan and his demons. God puts down the rebellion, destroys all evil in His universe, and invites the New Jerusalem to come to earth.

We must see the hidden structure of the Book of Revelation so that we will not get lost as if we were in a forest.

The Vision in Revelation 7 Reveals the Foundation of New Jerusalem

Revelation 21 mentions the names of the twelve tribes written on the twelve gates, as well as the names of the twelve apostles written on the twelve foundations. The angel has a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, including its gates and its walls (Revelation 21:15). Those who have worked in construction or visited a construction site know that measuring is an important part of the building process. Whenever the Bible is talking about taking measurements, it is often referring to the building process. Both Revelation 21 and Revelation 11 talk about an angel taking measurements. Revelation 11:1 says, “Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there’” (11:1). Here, the idea of measurement may indicate sizing up the building and the building materials.

Even though the Book of Revelation contains a lot of judgment, it also contains rebuilding and growth. Paul says it in this way: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). God’s judgment demolishes the old creation, while God’s renewal builds up the new creation.

Although the Bible says that the New Jerusalem came “down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:2), it does not exclude the possibility of building it on Earth. The word "parousia" contains both the idea of a public appearance and a hidden manifestation. Jesus Christ will return to earth publicly, but he also manifests himself in more subtle ways within the hearts of his followers. He appears quietly, like the morning star mentioned in 2 Peter 1:19. In the same way, the construction of the New Jerusalem has two aspects. On the one hand, she comes down from heaven; on the other hand, she is built up in each of our hearts. This is what Peter proclaims: "You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5).

The themes of tearing down and building up are two main themes of the Book of Revelation. They mirror the concepts of judgment and encouragement. God never tears down if he doesn’t intend to build up again. God's work does not stop at tearing down or judging. He also rebuilds and encourages his people, the world, and the new creation.

We can see this structure clearly at the beginning of Revelation 7. After the first six seal judgments, the four angels at the four corners of the earth were about to harm the earth and the sea (7:1-2). This judgment would have been part of the sixth seal, because it was happening before the seventh seal. However, another angel asked them to hold back the judgment until he sealed God’s servants with the seal of the living God (7:3). The severe judgment was temporarily suspended.

Chapter 6:12-14 says, "When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth… The sky... was removed from its place.” Jesus uses a very similar description of the end times in Matthew 24: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Matthew 24:29). In Matthew 24:21, He goes on, "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be." Then verse 31 says, "And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Jesus’ words correlate closely to the vision in Revelation 7. After the angel with the seal of God stops the four angels who want to harm the earth and the sea, the chapter never records that the four angels actually executed their plans. Perhaps Jesus was referring to these four angels when he said that unless these days were cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of God’s chosen people, God's grace had cut these days short.

In addition, Matthew says that an angel will blow a trumpet to gather His chosen Jews together. This corresponds with the opening of the seven seals. Revelation 7 says that 144,000 Israelites were sealed, and their return to God may have begun during the blowing of the seventh trumpet. However, none of the 144,000 came from the tribe of Dan. Perhaps this tribe comes back to God in Revelation 21. This is beyond the scope of our current discussion.

Let’s return to our discussion of tearing down and building up. Judgment is not an end, but only a means to an end. The purpose of judgment is to bring people to repentance and gather God's chosen people—not only the Jews but also the saved people from all nations—to himself. Jews and Gentiles are built together on the cornerstone, Jesus Christ, who is the foundation of the temple.

Christ, the Cornerstone, Unifies the Jewish and Gentile Believers

Christ is not only the Lamb of God who takes away sin, but he is also the Designer and Architect of the City of God. Speaking of Abraham, Hebrews 11:10 says, "For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." I believe this city is the New Jerusalem in Revelation. That raises a question: What is the building material? As a spiritual building, the temple is made of living stones. And who are those living stones? Believers! Both Gentile believers and Jewish believers are the living stones that make up this building. The Jewish people rejected Christ as their cornerstone, but he nonetheless became the Chief Cornerstone that united Jews and Gentiles. Acts 4:11 maintains, "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone." (See also Matthew 21:42.)

The Bible refers to Jesus as the cornerstone many times. Isaiah 28:16 says, "Therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am the one who has laidas a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone.’" The cornerstone refers to Christ, who is the foundation of a spiritual building. Obviously, Jesus Christ is not a physical stone; he is a "spiritual Rock … and the Rock was Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:4). Jesus is the foundation of the church, and we are the living stones being built upon it. We are being built into a spiritual temple, the dwelling place of God’s Spirit.

Nowhere is this building process better described than in Ephesians 2. First, Paul reminds the Gentile believers of how they were formerly separated from the promises God made to the Jews (2:12), but how that hostility was removed through Jesus Christ (2:14). They now have access in one Spirit to the Father (2:18). Paul tells them that the church was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone (2:20), "in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit" (2:21-22). The "whole structure" includes both Jewish and Gentile believers who grow together into a holy temple in the Lord. This temple is the New Jerusalem. Christ, as the cornerstone, must include both Jewish and Gentile believers as he builds his temple.

Paul’s words can help us understand John’s vision in Revelation. If we are not familiar with Paul’s writings, our understanding of Revelation will be limited. The Bible is written by different people, but they are all inspired by one Holy Spirit. We must look at the Bible as a whole and interpret the vision in Revelation in the light of the inspiration that Paul saw and received.

The Building of the Foundation in Revelation 7 Is Necessary for the Seventh Seal and the Seventh Trumpet

In the Bible, we see a spiritual principle: God gradually does away with the old as he incrementally brings in the new. He does not get rid of the old too quickly, or the new growth wouldn’t have a foundation to stand on.

We see this principle in Revelation 7. In the seventh seal judgment and the seventh trumpet judgment, God judges the old creation so he can bring in the new creation. But he will not destroy the old creation before the new creation is fully formed because we still need the old creation to supply the physical needs of our natural existence.

In the same way, when we first put our trust in the Lord, the Holy Spirit gives us some sense of repentance, but he doesn’t show us all of our problems at once. Instead, as we mature, he gradually reveals more and more sins that we need to deal with. Another example comes from the Old Testament. When God commanded the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites, he didn’t allow them to do it all at once. If they had, the wild beasts would have grown and multiplied in the vacated land before they could fully take possession of it (Deuteronomy 7:22). Israel needed to drive out the Canaanites gradually. The Canaanites represent the aspects of the physical body and the physical world that are still useful. In Deuteronomy, the Canaanite’s presence served a purpose: to restrain the increase of wild beasts. The same principle applies to us today. We need our physical bodies so we can continue to develop our spiritual lives. Only when we reach heaven or obtain a glorified body will we escape the restrictions of our physicality. Until then, we need our bodies. Although there is no way to escape from the physical body, we can still experience freedom from the bondage of the sinful flesh.

Our spiritual maturity determines how well we deal with our flesh. For example, Watchman Nee often held trainings to help brothers and sisters mature spiritually and overcome the flesh. Sometimes when people asked him questions, he would speak out about their spiritual problems very frankly, sometimes even mercilessly. But other times, he refrained from pointing out their shortcomings, instead giving them compliments. People asked, “Why do you have such a strange way of handling questions?” He responded, “Everyone's spiritual life is different. For those who are more mature spiritually, critical words can help them. But for those who are spiritually immature, words of criticism would make them stumble.”

This story illustrates this principle well. Before the old creation can be judged and torn down, the new creation needs to be built up. The seventh seal and the seventh trumpet judgments that take place after Revelation 8 will be even more severe. That’s why Revelation 7 is so important. This chapter serves to build up the Jews and the Gentiles and bring them together in reconciliation. As God unites Jews and Gentiles upon the cornerstone, Christ, he lays a solid foundation for the spiritual temple. Only then will the church be able to endure God’s harsh judgment on the old creation. We hope that this spiritual principle helps you better understand God’s words in Revelation 7.

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Bible Study with Jairus —Revelation 6

The Beginning of Birth Pains

In Revelation 6, God reveals the first six of the seven seals. In Revelation 7, God gives John an encouraging vision that takes place between the sixth and the seventh seals. And in Revelation 8, the Lamb unveils the seventh seal and begins to reveal the seven trumpet judgments. The vision that takes place between the sixth and seventh seals encourages believers to notice the positive things that are going on in Heaven, despite their suffering on Earth. And the vision between the sixth and seventh trumpets encourages believers that they will be able to overcome these judgments and enter into their final victory.

In Matthew 24, the disciples ask Jesus, “What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3 ESV) The Lord Jesus replies, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:6-8 ESV) What are these labor pains? They are the first four seals mentioned in Revelation 6! The first four seal judgments bring war, famine, pestilence and death, just like Jesus described in Matthew 24.

If these signs are the beginning of birth pains, what is being born? I believe the Bride of Christ and her victorious child are about to be born (see Revelation 12). The request of the martyred saints in the fifth seal is the appeal of Christ’s bride. God tells these saints that they must continue to endure until the number of martyred saints is completed. When the sixth seal is opened, an earthquake occurs, the sun turns black, the full moon becomes like blood, the stars fall from the sky, the heaven is rolled up like a scroll, and the mountains, seas, and islands are removed from their places. These are labor pains as well, because a new heaven and a new earth are about to be born. In the process, the old heaven and earth will shake violently and eventually pass away. Then God will create a new heaven and a new earth.

These birth pains remind us of a chick hatching from an egg. When the chick is ready to hatch, it pecks through the eggshell that once protected it and comes out of the shell. The old heaven and earth are like an eggshell that formerly housed the growing chick. Once this new life is ready to be revealed, the eggshell is no longer needed.

The Paradox of the Future and the Present

Does the book of Revelation reveal things that will happen in the future, or things that have already happened? On the one hand, it does reveal things that will happen in the future. Revelation 1:1 clearly says that one purpose of the book is "to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.” This verse is clearly speaking about things that are going to happen in the future. But at the same time, we notice that the whole book of Revelation is written in past tense. Since time does not exist (or is limitless) in the spiritual realm, we must go beyond the limits of linear chronology when we try to understand the prophecies of Revelation. Even though there are events in Revelation that have not happened yet, we can still apply the timeless principles the book reveals.

This concept will help us to better understand the following question about Revelation 6: Does the opening of the seven seals represent a future event, or an event that has already happened? It is obvious that many of the events described in this passage are still future. The stars have not fallen from heaven, the great tribulation has not occurred, and heaven has not moved out of its place. However, I believe that Jesus has already opened the seven seals in the spiritual realm, and it just takes time for these events to unfold in the physical, earthly realm. Many interpretations of Revelation focus too much on assigning meaning to each of the seven seals by linking them to events and chronology. However, this often leads us astray. We are not God, and only God controls time. Jesus warned His disciples not to speculate about the time of the Lord's second coming. If the angels and Jesus himself do not know when Jesus is coming back, how can we presume to know (Matthew 24:36)? Even though we can’t assign specific dates to these events, we can make sure we are always ready for His return, watching and praying, so that his return does not catch us off guard (Matthew 24:44). Therefore, the most important thing about Revelation 6 is not the timetable, but the principles that Jesus reveals. The Lord Jesus has commanded us to watch and pray, and this is our most important mission.

An Interactive and Dynamic Book

In Revelation 5, we began to discuss the seven seals. The scroll in God’s right hand is sealed tightly with seven seals. Only Jesus Christ is worthy to open them. As we read the accounts of the seven scrolls and related visions in Revelation 6, we must not forget that each seal is bringing us one step closer to seeing what is written inside the scroll. The scroll contains the ordained plan of God for man. Until the seven seals are opened, no one can see what is inside.

Maybe the scroll was more than just words printed on paper with ink. Perhaps it was more like a multimedia presentation with moving images. This movie was not just a record of past events, but like a live broadcast happening in real-time. Perhaps it was like the multimedia presentations I often see in my prophetic dreams. Frequently, in a dream or vision, I first see a video playing on a big screen and then I go inside that video to participate in the events it is depicting. Later, I come back out to observe from the outside. For example, in one dream, I first found myself watching a TV program about Chinese people sent to Japan to preach the gospel. Then I entered the TV screen and joined this live event. In the dream, I was walking with the Chinese evangelists as they went from village to village, sharing the good news. In the dream, I saw that their testimony was initially rejected, yet they eventually gained traction and established a stronghold. At first, I was watching them up close and in person. Yet at the end of the dream, I was once again standing in front of the TV and watching the scene from the outside. As you can see, spiritual revelations are not limited by time and distance.

This prophetic dream is about a great future revival in China, after which numerous missionaries will be sent to Japan to bring about a great revival. This dream has not yet been fulfilled in the physical realm. But since God has ordained the revival to happen, it has already become a reality in a sense. God is not bound by time, so this event is already taking place in the spiritual realm. God used the dream to reveal His will to me so that I could prepare for it in the physical realm. Even though I have never been to Japan, I was able to interact with Japanese people and missionaries through my dream. For this reason, I am considering translating my Bible Studies into Japanese to prepare for this great revival.

The reason I am telling this story is that John must have experienced similar things. He could interact with and observe the events God was revealing in the scroll judgments. Although the events he was seeing were not happening in his physical world, he was able to vividly experience them (like watching a live show). This type of occurrence is very common in the spiritual realm because the Spirit is not limited by time and space.

The Meaning of Four Horses

One time, a Buddhist friend asked me how I understood the four horses. My answer was that many people believed the four horses were the representation of the gospel (white horse), war (red horse), famine (black horse), and death by pestilence (gray horse). There is a lot of agreement on these points. But are these horses referring to future events, present events, past events, or all of the above?

My personal understanding is the latter. John wrote Revelation about 90 years after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, when the Lamb won his final victory. Did the Lord Jesus Christ have to wait over 60 years after His crucifixion and resurrection to be worthy to open the scroll in God’s right hand? No! He was worthy the moment he was crucified and resurrected. Moreover, the Bible reveals that the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Christ was foreordained by God before the foundation of the world, but did not come to earth until much later (1 Peter 1:20). Therefore, Jesus Christ was worthy to open the seven seals of the scroll even before He was crucified by Pilate. He has been worthy since the beginning of time and from eternity past.

We must leave behind our limited, time-based perception so we can better understand the Book of Revelation. These events took place outside of time in the spiritual realm, which is why Revelation was written in past tense. They also are taking place within time at this very moment. And they will happen again in the future. In the spiritual realm, the four horses are always running. In the physical realm, these four horses’ running causes things that have happened, things that are happening, and things that will happen in the future.

Let's talk more about these horses and the principles they represent. First of all, the white horse represents the gospel, which always brings conflict. The Lord Jesus says, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law" (Matthew 10:34-35). No person can have a neutral opinion about the gospel; they either accept or reject it. To some people, the Gospel is the “sweet savour of Christ,” but to other people, it is “the savour of death unto death” (2 Cor. 2:15-16). Those who reject the gospel have been influenced by Satan. They not only reject the gospel, but they also oppose those who have decided to accept it.

After my conversion, many spiritual battles took place in my family. For many years, I suffered spiritual warfare regarding my unbelieving family members, especially my unbelieving father and my mother who worshiped Bodhisattvas. It took more than ten years for them to be saved and baptized into the Lord. There are still other relatives who persecute us. These actions are motivated by Satan, for Satan does not want people to leave the realm of darkness and enter the kingdom of light—just as Pharaoh did not want the Israelites to be set free from Egypt.

So how does God respond to these objections? He sent famine, pestilence, and death to Pharaoh because he was being used by Satan and the evil spirits. God judged Egypt over and over again with famine, pestilence, and death before He eventually led the Israelites out of Egypt. Outwardly, these judgments were against Egypt, but spiritually speaking, they were against the hosts of spiritual wickedness in high places. Only after God struck down the firstborn did Pharaoh finally allow God’s people to leave Egypt. In the same way, famine, pestilence and subsequent death will bring people freedom from the kingdom of darkness. In an ongoing spiritual cycle, the gospel brings warfare, which in turn eliminates wicked people and the evil spirits behind them. Finally, through war, famine, and pestilence, people are released from the power of darkness into God’s glorious Kingdom. That is why the description of the saints under the altar follows directly after the description of the four horses.

The Appeal of the Slain Saints

In the book of Acts, the story of Paul's encounter with Jesus follows immediately after the account of Stephen's martyrdom. As is often the case, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Martyrdom can bear much gospel fruit. Paul's salvation was certainly the result of his encounter with Jesus, but it is also the direct result of Stephen's testimony at his martyrdom. Stephen’s martyrdom was the seed that later blossomed into Paul’s salvation. When Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission sent Western missionaries to preach the gospel in mainland China, they arrived in the middle of the Boxer Rebellion. As a result, many of them were killed. Hudson was severely distressed by this fact, but what he didn’t realize at the time was that the blood of these missionaries would eventually bear beautiful flowers and gospel fruits. In one such story, the Boxers tied up a female missionary and brought her to the execution ground. A frightened Chinese man hid in the doorway and peeked in. He saw the Christian sister's face glowing, just like Stephen’s did when he was martyred. This man was deeply touched by what he saw and eventually became an evangelist. At that time, there were only a few Christians in China. But now, just 100 years later, that number has increased to about 100 million. The blood of the martyrs has truly been the seed of the church. God loves us so much that besides giving up His only begotten Son, He also allows many to be martyred so the gospel of God and the message of His love for mankind can be spread to as many people as possible.

In the fifth seal, the martyrs cried “with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" (Revelation 6:10) These saints knew that God was righteous and would surely judge those who shed their blood. They knew God would give them justice; they just did not know when. They were not blaming God for not giving them justice, but were asking Him when the "cycle of the four horses" would end. God comforted them by giving them white robes and letting them rest for “a little season until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Revelation 6:11). God is the only one who knows what the total number of martyrs will be, and when it will be complete. Even though we are not omniscient like God, one thing we know for sure: that time is nearer than ever before.

The Conception and Birth of a New Heaven and a New Earth

A sister once asked me how to understand the catastrophic scenes in Revelation 6: the sun turning black, the moon turning to blood, the stars falling to earth, the heaven being rolled up like a scroll, and the mountains, hills, and islands being severely shaken (Revelation 6:12-13). I explained that this was a description of birth pains, like a chick hatching from an egg. Before it develops, an egg has three parts: the yolk, the white, and the shell. The yolk contains the life of the chick and provides food to the growing chick. The egg white provides a liquid medium for the growing chick, and the shell provides protection from outside dangers. A chick cannot hatch successfully if any of these parts is missing. By the time a chick is ready to come out, the yolk and the white are both fully absorbed by the chick and the chick begins to peck at its shell. After the chick breaks out of its shell, the shell can be discarded.

Like an eggshell, the old heaven and earth, with their cultures and physical supplies, provide for the material and spiritual needs of human existence. But they will pass away after the new heaven and new earth are born. As the new creation comes into being, the old creation, like an eggshell, will be violently cracked and shaken. Then we will be given a kingdom which cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28). These shakings remind us that the new heaven and earth are real and are about to arrive (Revelation 21:1).

(The chick analogy also reminds us of our new life in Christ. Just like a chick looks similar to a hen, we Christians are “little Christs.”)

At the end of Revelation 6, people will say “to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (16-17) It is time for God’s judgment to come to earth, in answer to the prayers of the martyrs. But God’s promise of judgment cannot be fulfilled without the birth of the new heaven and the new earth.

Paul says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). The old creation is a part of all things that work together for good. The old creation is the eggshell or egg white that supports the new chick as it grows. When the new creation is born, everything in the old creation is discarded like a scroll being rolled up (6:14). Why? Because we have turned a new leaf, and the old creation has passed away. We will enter a new creation. Revelation 6 mentions the scroll in the right hand of God. When this chapter ends, the we will turn over a new page and begin a new reality.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Revelation 5

The Prayer Of The Righteous Person Has Great Power

In Revelation 5, John has a vision of God seated on his throne. In his right hand is a scroll which is sealed with seven seals. This scroll reveals God's plans and mysteries for mankind. And this mystery can only be unlocked by the victorious Christ.

As the chapter opens, John is weeping because no one is worthy to open the scroll (Revelation 5:4). Why is John weeping? In our study of Revelation 4, we saw that something was missing from the throne room scene that John saw. Though he saw God on his throne, the elders worshiping God, the four living creatures, and thousands of angels, he did not see anything related to mankind. He realized that God’s plan for mankind was contained in the scroll in God’s right hand. This was the missing puzzle piece. But no one was worthy to open this scroll and find out the mysteries of God.

John, as a human and as an elder of the church on earth, was deeply distressed because no one could unravel the mysteries of God's plan for mankind. He was deeply distressed by the weakness and failure of the church. So one of the elders in heaven told him, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." (ESV, Revelation 5:5).[1] I have always understood that John received comfort from the fact that Jesus Christ had prevailed and was found worthy to open the seals. Recently, the Holy Spirit has given me additional insight into this passage. In verse seven, the Holy Spirit shifts the focus from the scroll in God’s right hand to the prayers that were going up like incense. I believe that these prayers played a crucial role in allowing the scroll to be opened.

As a film director shifts the focus of the camera lens, the Holy Spirit shifted the focus from the "Lamb who took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne" (vs. 7), to "the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders” who were “each holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (vs. 8). Why did he do so? Because the victory of Jesus Christ, together with the prayers of the saints throughout the ages, eventually brought about God’s just judgment on mankind and the ultimate revelation of His plan for man. John was not only comforted by the victory of Jesus Christ, but also by seeing how the prayers of the saints had had such an impact. John saw that the church’s weaknesses were superficial, while their prayers were deep and effective. The prayers of the saints throughout the ages had been collected by God. As the angels waved the golden censer full of prayers, God delighted in these prayers and the scroll with seven seals was finally opened. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power.” The prayers of the saints and the power of the victorious Christ finally allowed the scroll to be opened.

Why Is John Weeping?

How would you feel if God had asked you to write to seven churches and point out their problems? Although these seven letters contained words of encouragement from the Lord, they also pointed out many of the churches’ shortcomings. John, as one of the apostles, would not only have seen these shortcomings as the churches’ problems, but also as his own. As the “Beloved Disciple” and the apostle of the church, he had the spiritual responsibility of shepherding the church. When the church was weak and failed, he, as an apostle, would surely feel responsible for it. So when he finished writing the letters to the seven churches, he must have inevitably felt disappointed with their lack of progress. So why is he weeping? Because the scroll containing God’s plan for the church is sealed with seven seals, and no one can open it. And the failure and weaknesses of the church made him feel that no one—not even himself—was worthy to open this scroll. That's why the elders came to comfort him, saying that the victorious Christ was worthy of opening the scroll. The next verse describes the golden bowls of incense, which contained the prayers of many saints. These prayers on earth promoted God’s sovereign, kingly work.

The Victorious Christ

Let's examine John's description of the victorious Christ. He is "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" (Revelation 5:5). Finally, humankind has shown up in the narrative! Judah is a human tribe, and David was also a man. And of course, the Lord Jesus was a hundred percent man. He, the Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), had been victorious and "could open the scroll and its seven seals" (Revelation 5:5).

What are the seven seals? The seven seals include the seven stages of God's dealings with mankind and the church. We will discuss the seven seals in detail in Revelation 6. But for now, we focus on understanding the victorious Christ.

Revelation 5:6 says, "And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." As we were studying this verse, I suddenly noticed the word "between.” This is something I’d never noticed before. What does it mean that the Lamb is "between" the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders?

Is this "between" two-dimensional or three-dimensional? I personally envision the throne room as a three-dimensional cone. The throne of God is at the top of the cone, with the four living creatures also at the top of the cone, circling around the throne of God. The four living creatures are around and on each side of the throne of God (Revelation 4:6). Then the elders’ thrones would be circling the bottom of the cone, as mentioned in Revelation 4:4. This is my personal guess.

The fact that the Lamb is in between the throne and the four living creatures has a very profound meaning. The Lamb is Jesus Christ. He is over all things, and he leads all things to God (Ephesians 1:22). The book of Hebrews says, "God appointed Christ to be the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Hebrews 1:2-3).

In the throne room, I envision three concentric circles.

• God’s throne is in the innermost circle, like the Holy of Holies. The four living creatures can enter this area. Of course, the victorious Christ can enter it, along with we who rely on the precious blood of the victorious Christ. We can enter the Holy of Holies with confidence and come before God’s throne in order to receive mercy, grace, and timely help (Hebrews 4:16). Overcoming believers can also sit on the throne with the Lord, just as Jesus overcame and sat down with His Father on the throne (Revelation 3:21).
• The second circle is where Jesus Christ is. He is the Mediator between God and man (1 John 1:2) and is our High Priest in heaven. No one can come to God and His throne without passing through Him. Like the veil that separated the Holy of Holies and the sanctuary in the Old Testament, Jesus opened up the way to God.
• The third circle is where the 24 elders and thousands of angels are. Revelation 5:11 says, "Around the throne and the living creatures and the elders were the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands." Many people seem to be envious of the position of the 24 elders, but I think we have even greater authority in Christ to draw near to God! Can the 24 elders get into the innermost circle? The Bible does not mention that they can sit on God’s throne. My personal guess is that they cannot. Either way, we know that we can approach God’s throne and even indwell God himself. Instead of focusing on the 24 elders and the thousands of angels before the throne of God, we should focus on the throne of God and the Lamb who stands among the four living creatures. The Lamb is in the outermost circle with the 24 elders, and he is with the four living creatures and on the throne.

This description depicts the tabernacle of God. To the degree that we trust in Jesus’ sacrifice and live with confidence in him, we can enter God’s tabernacle.

Verse 5:6 says, "And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." The seven horns and seven eyes represent the seven Spirits of God. There are many different interpretations of the seven spirits. The teaching I’m most familiar with says that the idea of the seven spirits refers to the one Holy Spirit, intensified sevenfold. They say it’s like trying to open a bottle cap. When the lid doesn’t open, you exert sevenfold pressure to try to open it. Others say that the seven spirits are angels. Revelation 1:4 mentions "the seven spirits who are before His throne.” Some people say that the seven spirits are angels standing before the throne of God.

Personally, I think there are some problems with this explanation. Revelation 5 clearly states that the seven Spirits (the seven horns and the seven eyes) are part of the Lamb. Angels cannot be part of the Lamb, so I believe the seven spirits are manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The Bible clearly states that the "seven spirits of God” were “sent out into all the earth,” which is in line with what the Lord Jesus said in the Gospel of John, "the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name" (John 14:26).

In addition to the Holy Spirit, Jesus is also a spirit. The Bible says, "The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17). 1 Corinthians 15:45 says, "The last Adam became a life-giving spirit" (NASB). This verse shows that Jesus Christ is already a spiritual being. The Father is also a spirit. Jesus Christ clearly stated, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:23). This doesn’t mean that the Father is the same as the Holy Spirit, but it expresses the truth that the Father is spirit.

This does not mean that we can confuse the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Father is the Father, the Son is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit. But they can enter into each other, and they are all spiritual in nature. The Holy Spirit is a spirit by nature. The Lord Jesus Christ and the Father are also spirit, but are not to be confused with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit and the Son are depicted as being before the Father's throne, on the Father's throne, and in the Father. The Father is over all: “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (Romans 11:36). All of the members of the Godhead are spirits, and they can enter into and indwell one other.

We as humans are also spirits. We can also indwell and enter into the Triune God. We have the same nature as God, and we have divine life. These are privileges that the angels do not have. Only mankind can become God’s children. This is a great mystery. If we can understand it, we will have a new perspective on the value of mankind.

God’s Just Balance

In the Bible, God mentions his "just balance" (Job 31:6, Proverbs 16:11). I read a prophetic testimony that described how the "just balance" in heaven worked. The general idea was that our sins were on one side of the scale, and when our sins became too numerous to record, the judgment on the other side would fall. But if we were willing to repent of our sins and accept God’s redemption through Christ's precious blood, “mercy would triumph over judgment” (James 2:13), and God's grace would be given to us. We can clearly see how this principle works in Revelation 5.

The seven seals are God’s plan for judgment on humankind, but they are just a means to an end. God’s purpose is to bring about our salvation, applying what Jesus Christ accomplished on our behalf. Through these trials, the church will grow and mature into the body and bride of Christ, leading all things back to Christ and God. The seven seals will also help unbelievers accept the redemption won by Jesus Christ. Those who refused to accept the preaching of the gospel will be exposed to judgment and discipline which will motivate them to repent. As a result, many people will humbly accept the salvation of Jesus Christ. Christ’s redemption is finished, but God in his great love will continue applying the work of redemption to individual lives. The seven trumpet judgments will accelerate this process as many people humbly accept His salvation.

In addition to God's discipline, the prayers of the saints are also very important in the process of winning souls to Christ.

The Power of the Saints' Prayers

Recently, many people have called their worship services “Harp and Bowl.” This name comes from Revelation 5:8: "And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." The harp refers to singing, praise and worship. The bowl refers to prayer. So the combination of "harp and bowl" describes the combination of worship and prayer. This is a pattern we see in many church worship and prayer meetings.

Since Jesus Christ has already been victorious, is our prayer still necessary? Do we just need to wait passively, or do we need to actively pray and cooperate with God’s work? The answer is almost undisputed. We must actively pray and cooperate with God's work. Our prayers are very important. James said, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power." (James 5:16). The four living creatures and the 24 elders offered worship and prayer as an incense offering before God. The prayers of all the saints throughout the ages were like a "pleasing aroma" to God (2 Corinthians 2:15). This aroma greatly pleased Him and promoted God’s sovereign work. Prayer is one of the most powerful ways we can influence God’s kingly work.

I read another testimony that said that when we sing hymns to God on earth, they will be collected by the angels and stored in the angels’ harps! The angels will collect the praise and worship of saints on earth and dedicate the beautiful music to God. Therefore, not only the prayers of the saints will be collected in the incense, but the praise and worship of the saints will also be collected in the harps. What an honor that when the four living creatures and 24 elders fall down to worship the Lamb, their offering consists of the praises and prayers of the saints! (Revelation 5:8) Angels are God’s ministering spirits, and we are God's beloved!

Remember, the driving forces behind God’s work revealed in the scroll are the prayers of the saints and the victory of the Lamb! Both are indispensable!

We Shall Reign on the Earth

Let's look at the prayers of the four living creatures and the 24 elders. The four living creatures and the 24 elders prayed, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:9-10). Please note that I put the word “for” in bold. The reason why the Lamb is worthy of opening the scroll is that He was killed. He redeemed us with His blood and bought us back to God. In God’s eyes, we are so precious that He gave His only begotten Son to save us (John 3:16). We must never underestimate ourselves. We will become a kingdom, priests, and kings on the earth. This is our destiny.

This is also the purpose of the seven seals. When the church submits to Christ, God will use His power to make all things submit to Christ, just as the church does. The church, as the firstfruits, leads all things to worship and surrender to God. The church will reign on earth so it can guide all of creation toward the worship of God. John says in verse 13, "And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’” After the church surrenders to Christ and begins to reign on the earth, all things begin to worship God. Revelation 5 ends with, "The four living creatures said, Amen, and all the elders fell down and worshiped" (5:14). This provides a beautiful picture of the future time when all things will submit to God.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study With Jairus- Revelation 4

Where Are the Humans?

Revelation chapter 4 records the vision John saw after heaven opened. In previous lessons, we’ve discussed the seven stages of spiritual growth for the church, which are described in the seven letters to the churches. As we pass through these seven areas of growth and deal with the seven aspects of spiritual problems the Lord reveals in this letter (whether corporately or individually), heaven will be opened to us, as well. Not only will we see God’s throne and God sitting on the throne, but we will also see God’s actions performed from the throne, namely his dealings with mankind which are revealed by the seven seals and seven trumpets. I believe Revelation chapters 4 and 5 are closely linked.

As I read Revelation 4, I noticed that John saw various visions of God, the twenty-four elders, the seven spirits, and the four living creatures, but there was no mention of humankind. This struck me as odd, because the entire Bible is the revelation of God's plan for mankind. Human beings, especially Israelites, are the apple of God's eye (Deuteronomy 32:10). Man is at the center of God's plan.

So where is mankind in this passage? Humans are not mentioned in Revelation 4, but that does not mean they aren’t present. God's plan for mankind is in the scroll in the right hand of God as he sits on the throne (Revelation 5). This scroll can only be opened by the victorious Lamb. We will talk about this scroll next time. The vision in chapter 4 foreshadows the opening of the scroll that contains God’s plan for mankind in chapter 5. The fourth chapter of Revelation is a wide-angle shot that gives us a vast image of heaven, and the fifth chapter of Revelation is a close-up shot. In Chapter 5, the lens zooms in on the scroll in God’s right hand. Although mankind is not mentioned in Revelation 4, mankind is hidden in the right hand of God, who sits on the throne.

A New Inspiration

In the past, when I read Revelation 4, I always paid close attention to the beautiful realities revealed in John’s visions. I focused on the descriptions of God, the twenty-four elders, the seven spirits, the four living creatures, and the angels. But I never realized that mankind was missing from the chapter until recently. One day, I was teaching about this passage in a Bible study. While I discussed the passage out loud, I was praying internally and waiting for enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. Many other brothers and sisters in Christ do the same thing while teaching or discussing God’s word. We constantly pray for inspiration from God. That’s what happened when I was leading a Bible study recently. I was in a constant state of prayer, waiting for God’s revelation. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit gave me an idea that I had never thought of before.

This is one of the most common ways that the Holy Spirit speaks to me. When my mind is quiet before God and I am waiting for the Holy Spirit to speak to me, my mind is like a piece of poster board hanging on the wall. When a brand-new idea suddenly enters my mind, it is like a post-it note stuck on the poster board. These new ideas are not things that I’ve thought of in the past or read somewhere—they are things that have never occurred to me before. When I have a new thought, I pay attention to it and speak it to others with faith. This has often happened during our Bible study meetings over the past few years. As I share these inspirations, I often gain a clearer view of the topic during the process of sharing. As I started teaching, I didn’t have a full picture of this chapter, nor was I completely clear about the little inspirations that God gave me. But as I shared them with faith, God gave me more light.

At the beginning of our Bible study, we were discussing the worship of angels, as well as the identity of the four living creatures and the other angels. As I waited prayerfully for the Holy Spirit to speak, I suddenly received an inspiration. I realized that Revelation 4 is like a puzzle with a missing piece. The missing piece is God’s plan for mankind contained in the scroll in God’s right hand. As mentioned above, Revelation 4 contains a discussion of God, the twenty-four elders, the living creatures, and countless angels, but it contains no mention of mankind.

In the Bible, God reveals three main things: His character, His plan for mankind, and Satan’s deceit and final destiny. Aside from God’s self-revelation, the most important theme in the Bible is God’s plan for mankind. God’s plan for mankind is inextricably woven into the entire content of the Bible so that they cannot be separated. Since human beings are at the center of biblical revelation, I knew that man must be in the scene somewhere.

The answer came to me: the mysteries of God’s plan for mankind are hidden in the scroll in the next chapter, which contains the plan of redemption that the incarnate Christ would accomplish. The missing piece from Revelation 4 is waiting to be unfolded in detail in Revelation 5. After the puzzle is put together, it will point toward God’s next move, the plan of judgment and redemption for mankind revealed by the seven seals and seven trumpets.

Can We See God?

God is the protagonist of the book of Revelation; there is no doubt about this. As Revelation 4 begins, John sees heaven opened, and he sees God sitting on a throne. I believe the image of God depicted in Revelation 4 is God the Father, not the Lord Jesus Christ, because the Lamb described in Revelation 5 is Jesus Christ. But this creates a conundrum: How did John see God, if the Bible says that humans cannot see God and live? John once said, "No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared him" (John 1:18). Paul also said that "no one has ever seen or can see" God (1 Timothy 6:16). Moreover, Moses could only see God's back, not His face, because God says, “Man shall not see me and live" (Exodus 33:20). However, there are also some scriptures in the Bible that mention people seeing God face to face. God says that He spoke to Moses "face to face" (Exodus 33:11), and Moses saw “the form of the Lord" (Numbers 12:8). In addition, at Ford Jabbok, Jacob "saw God face to face and yet his life was delivered.” Plus, "seventy of the elders of Israel saw God, and ate and drank" (Exodus 24:11). Most famously, the Lord Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).

So, can man see God? I personally think that we can see the image of God to a certain degree, but the extent to which we can see God’s glory may be limited. Perhaps John’s understanding of God's appearance continued to grow over time. Biblical truth is ever-evolving, not static. Although God's principles and disposition are unchanging, God's revelation is progressive. I personally feel that John's understanding and experience of seeing God may have developed over time. Perhaps he had a different understanding when he wrote Revelation than when he wrote the Gospel of John. Let’s take a look at John's description: "And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald" (Revelation 4:3). This is John's description of God's appearance. He doesn’t describe God’s face directly, but he describes his appearance. We can at least be sure that John saw God’s appearance to a certain extent.

Since God began to give me prophetic dreams in 2015, I have seen the appearance of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit many times. I even saw the glorious face of Jesus. I am very eager to see the appearance of the Heavenly Father as well, and I am envious of sisters Lai Wang Xiulan from Taiwan and Anna Rountree from the United States, who described their experiences of seeing the Heavenly Father. I often pray for this to happen to me, but so far I have not had the same experience as they have had. Only a few times have I vaguely seen the appearance of the Heavenly Father. Once, my spirit was lifted up to heaven, and after sharing a short greeting with the Lord, the Holy Spirit led me to enter a door. He told me that the Heavenly Father often passed by there in a vehicle. I immediately saw a wisp of smoke, and the Holy Spirit told me it was traces of the Father flying by. Psalm 18:10 says, "He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.” Isaiah 66:15 says, "For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind.” Although the Father is omnipresent, He has all kinds of mounts and vehicles in heaven. Many people focus on John's description of the Father in Revelation 4 as the only picture of God, thinking that God the Father has glue on his buttocks and can only sit motionless on the throne and receive everyone's worship. This is a wrong concept. God the Father often walks around in heaven. He also makes frequent visits to the earth, including when he warned the Israelites to cover up their excrement so that he would not see anything indecent as he walked through their camps (Deuteronomy 23:14). God the Father is the “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:6). In fact, God the Father visits us far more often than we can imagine. But we don’t perceive His presence because our spiritual eyes are not prepared to perceive His secret appearance. In the dream I just mentioned, I was very disappointed. I had seen the Lord face to face, and the Holy Spirit was with me, leading me to visit heaven, so I was hoping to see the Father as well. But I couldn’t even see His back clearly, not to mention getting to see a vision of God on the throne as described by John in Revelation 4. So I could not help but feel disappointed.

During another spiritual experience, the Holy Spirit was driving a vehicle to take me into heaven for a visit. I saw a lion and a horse lying peacefully on the same hillside. After crossing the hillside, I saw many people playing in a place similar to a swimming pool. Suddenly, someone said that God was coming to visit us. It immediately started raining rainbows, and everybody was so excited. I didn't see the Father clearly, but I was told that the Father had visited through the mode of the rainbow rain. Revelation 4 mentions a rainbow surrounding God’s throne, so we know that rainbows often accompany God the Father’s appearance.

In another dream, some believers and I went on a long trek. It was a difficult climb to get to heaven, but we finally got there with the help of Jesus Christ. From a distance, I saw the Heavenly Father and Jesus talking to one another, and I heard them talking about a big performance that was about to begin. God said he was waiting for more believers to join the action. (This may be a sign of The Great Revival to come.) But I only saw them vaguely from a distance and overheard their discussion. I have written more about this dream on Elijah List. You can find a detailed account of this dream by searching for "Shake Off Disappointment and Keep Climbing!" on Elijah List by Sean Song.

I describe these experiences of mine to show that after hearing other people’s testimonies, I began longing to see the Father. I had not had these experiences in the past, but after I fervently prayed, I began to have supernatural experiences of seeing the Father. I personally think that we don't need to be limited by our theology. God the Father’s decision to appear to us does not depend on our theology, but on his own will. Remember, the Lord Jesus said, "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him" (John 14:21). Although this verse is referring to Jesus showing himself to us, not the Father, it reveals a universal principle. Our love and desire for God is a prerequisite for God showing himself to us. In addition, don’t forget that the Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Instead of debating about whether or not we can see God, let’s focus on developing a pure heart full of love for God.

When I heard other people’s testimonies about seeing the Father, I didn’t condemn or criticize them. Instead, I prayed from the bottom of my heart: “God, let my heart be as pure as that person’s so that I can see You!” I prayed fervently and left the rest to God. Rather than pursuing the experience of seeing God, I pursued becoming a pure-hearted person. Only then did God allow me to see him to a certain extent.

Angels Are Ministering Spirits

In Revelation 19, John saw an angel and wanted to worship him. But the angel rebuked him and told him to worship only God. He explained that angels and human believers are fellow servants, and we all hold to the testimony of Jesus (v. 10). In his epistles, Paul also critiqued the church's teaching on the worship of angels (Colossians 2:18). Hebrews 1:14 clearly says, "Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" Paul also said, "Do you not know that we are to judge angels?" (1 Corinthians 6:3). Clearly, the Bible prohibits angel-worship.

Let’s take a look at John's description of the twenty-four elders and of the various angels (including the four living creatures) that were standing before the throne. Most of us agree that the four living creatures are a kind of angel. Ezekiel 1 has a detailed description of the four living creatures, and a similar description of the cherubim in Ezekiel 4. These beings have multiple wings with wheels under their wings and have four faces: the faces of a lion, a cow, a man, and an eagle. The four living creatures described in Revelation 4 are similar. It seems that the four living creatures are a kind of cherubim, angels created by God.

Who are the twenty-four elders sitting on the twenty-four thrones surrounding the throne? Some believe they are the twelve sons of Jacob and the twelve apostles. Personally, I find this statement unreliable. John, one of the twelve disciples, was the one describing the vision, yet he was still alive on Earth. Was he serving as one of the twenty-four elders in heaven while he was still alive on earth? Personally, I think this is untenable. I personally believe that these twenty-four elders may have been another type of creature created by God. I said they were "creatures" and not angels because I can't be sure if they are angels. But I do know that there are many mysterious creatures in existence that are beyond our current understanding. For example, the Bible mentions that Melchizedek has no father, no mother, no beginning no end, and no genealogy (Hebrews 7:3), but he has a physical body and served as the king of Salem and the priest of the Most High God. The Book of Hebrews says Jesus Christ is a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek cannot be an angel, because an angel has no body. He cannot be an ordinary person, because he has no father, no mother, no beginning, and no end. Melchizedek is also not God, because he is a priest of God, nor is he Christ, for Christ is a high priest according to his order. So who is Melchizedek? We do not know. So we can see that there are many kinds of creatures that God has created, and we do not necessarily know about all of them. The Bible doesn’t give us a clear answer, because this is not the main point of biblical revelation. What is the main point of biblical revelation? The center of biblical revelation is God's plan from eternity past to one day come to earth, be crucified, and be resurrected so he could woo his bride, the Church, the manifestation of his glory. In other words, the destiny of the church is to become mature and eventually sit on the throne with God (Revelation 3:21). We need to shift our focus from the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures and the other angels in front of the throne to God, who is sitting on the throne with a scroll in His right hand. That scroll reveals the mystery of God’s plan for mankind. That is, after we have gone through a process of maturation, we will become the glorious bride who sits on the throne with God. We must not seek to end up in front of the throne; we must seek to be on the throne as overcomers (Revelation 3:21). Many people still have the same mentality as John, feeling that angels are very great and we must worship them, but that is incorrect. We must worship God alone. The purpose of us sitting on the throne with God is not to be equal to God or to accept the worship of all things, but for us to embody the fullness of God’s glory, leading all of creation in the worship of God. We are above the angels, not below them.

We are Seated on God’s Throne

Revelation 4 does not mention God’s plan for mankind, but Revelation 5 contains the missing piece of the puzzle. It contains the mystery of God, His hidden plan for the church. Let's dive a bit deeper into this topic by looking at Ephesians. Ephesians 1:9 mentions the mystery of God, which is “a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (v. 10). The church will first submit to God in Christ as the first fruits. After that, all things will submit to God in Christ. The church is Christ’s body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (1:22-23). God’s plan for the redemption of mankind includes the redemption of all creation: “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God (that is, us), for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21). In other words, the mystery of God’s plan for man’s redemption (which is revealed in the scroll) will eventually lead to the redemption of all things.

God has given humankind an amazing honor. The Bible never says that the twenty-four elders are allowed to sit on the throne with God, but it does say that human believers can sit on the throne with Him (Revelation 3:21). The Bible does not say that angels can abide in God, and God in them, but Jesus said to his human followers, “I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you” (John 14:20). God is a tabernacle into which we can enter, and we are also His tabernacle and dwelling place. Colossians 3 reveals that our life is hidden with Christ in God (3:3). The Bible does mention that before the fall, Satan was a cherub created to cover the Ark of the Covenant, and he was covered in all kinds of precious stones and walked on the holy mountain of God (Ezekiel 28:13-14). But the Bible never says that any angels can receive the life of God like we can. Angels will not become the bride of Jesus Christ, the image of Christ, the brothers of Jesus Christ, or the children of God. But we humans can become sons of God! We are different from angels, and we are higher than angels. Satan is jealous of mankind, so he spreads lies to confuse our minds and prevent us from realizing just how precious our identity in Christ really is.

Conclusion: Our Destiny Is To Be Children of God

Rather than focusing on the angels and other creatures, we should focus on God and on the scroll which contains the mysteries of God’s plan for mankind (explored further in Revelation 5). When we look at the vision in Revelation 4, we see that man is not standing before God’s throne with the elders, living creatures, and angels. Instead, mankind is seated on the throne with God (Romans 3:21). Man is a child of God, has the life of God, sits on the throne with God, and manifests the glory of God. The purpose of sitting on God’s throne is not to be worshiped like God, but to lead all things to worship God. Just like children have the life of their father but are not the same person as their father, Christians share God’s life but are not a member of the Godhead.

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria said that God became man so that man could eventually become God. The Local Church Movement goes a step further and teaches that God becoming man is for man to become God in terms of life and nature, and not in Godhead.

This teaching is considered heresy by many Christians. But, in fact, this is not a heresy at all; it is a profound truth. Yet many people’s minds have been deceived by Satan to the point that they no longer accept this truth. Again, we must be clear about the fact that man is not to be worshiped as God, even though he sits on the throne with God.

Instead, God’s presence is a tabernacle that people can enter, and only those who overcome can sit on the throne with the Lord, just as the Lord sat on the throne with His Father after He overcame (Revelation 3:21). In order to personally experience this divine truth, we must go through a process of sanctification. We must grow incrementally closer to God, as if we were a worshiper entering first the Outer Court, then the Holy Place, and finally the Holy of Holies and the presence of God (Ephesians 2:18). This process of human sanctification is accomplished gradually through the seven seals and seven trumpets mentioned in Revelation 5.

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Bible Study with Jairus- Revelation 3 Part 3

The Lord’s Work in the Church in Laodicea Opened the Heavens

Unlike the letters to the other churches, Jesus’ letter to the church at Laodicea does not begin with words of praise. Instead, it only appears to contain criticism. To further understand Christ’s rebuke to Laodicea, let’s look at Christ’s words through Paul to the sister church in Colossae. Colossae and Laodicea were only about ten miles apart. The two churches shared each other’s spiritual resources, and may well have also shared each other’s problems. When Paul wrote to Colossae in 64 AD (about 25 years before the book of Revelation was written around 90 AD), Paul instructed that the epistle he wrote to the church in Colossae should be read in the church of Laodicea. The letter he sent to Laodicea should also be read to the church in Colossae (Colossians 4:16). However, this epistle no longer exists. Because Paul wanted the letter to the Colossians to be read to the church at Laodicea, it’s probable that the Laodiceans were struggling with the same things the Colossians were.

The book of Colossians mentions the strengths of the Colossian church and also mentions the areas where they needed improvement. The Bible was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so the rebukes to the Colossians were likely in the same vein as the rebukes to the Laodiceans in Revelation. We can refer to the book of Colossians to understand what Revelation says about Laodicea.

Twenty-five years before the Lord rebuked the Laodicean church in the book of Revelation, God had already warned them through Paul. Yet they had not repented. Neither church worked on their problems. This is why Paul later bemoaned that “all who are in Asia turned away from me” (2 Timothy 1:15). Jesus’ strong words to Laodicea in Revelation were a rebuke for their failure to repent. Paul had warned them 25 years earlier, but they had not repented. Instead, they had fallen into a state of lukewarmness.

Jesus promises Laodicea that if they overcome, they will sit on the throne with the Lord (Revelation 3:21). These promises are also consistent with the theme of the book of Colossians. The theme of the book of Colossians is to allow believers to grow up into him who is the Head, Christ. This means we will sit on the throne with Christ (Colossians 1:18). Immediately following the letter to Laodicea in Revelation, we read about John’s vision of heaven being opened (Revelation 4). This shows that God’s work with the church of Laodicea ushered in the opening of heaven.

Paul's Exhortation to the Colossian Church

Let’s take a look at the exhortations Paul gave to the Colossian church and the Laodicean church through the book of Colossians. Perhaps this exercise can help us better understand the spiritual situation of the church in Laodicea. Paul begins Colossians 1 by praising the believers in Colossians for their “faith in Christ Jesus and the love they have for all the saints” (1:4). He also reveals that Jesus Christ is “first in everything” (v.18). Paul goes on to say, “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ” (Colossians 2:1-2). This statement reveals very clearly the burden Paul had for the believers in Colossae and Laodicea. He prayed for them to come to a full knowledge of Christ. But did they actually fully know Christ? No, we know that was not the case because Paul mentions in verse 4 that he fears that they will be deceived with enticing words. These enticing words include vain deceit, the traditions of men and the rudiments of the world (v. 8); ordinances (v. 14): meat, drink, holy days, new moon, Sabbaths (v. 16); pious self-denial, worshipping of angels (v. 18) and so on. All these works of the flesh were at work in the church in Colossae and the church in Laodicea. Therefore, after praising their faith, Paul urged them to abandon these deeds of the flesh. Jesus did not need to praise the Laodiceans in Revelation because he had already commended them through Paul in the book of Colossians, which he asked to be read to the Laodiceans as well. The letter in Revelation is just a continuation of this letter, giving further promises and exhortations to the Laodiceans.

In Colossians 3, Paul continues to encourage the believers to set their minds on the things that are above and not on earthly things, because they have been crucified with Christ (3:1-4). He goes on to encourage them to “put to death what is earthly in them: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry, on account of this, the wrath of God is coming on the children of disobedience” (3:5-6). Paul also wants them to put away “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from their mouth” (3:8). He asks them to stop lying (3:9) and to start forgiving (3:12-15). He instructs husbands and wives, parents and children, and earthly masters and servants to love one another (3:18-4:1) and to watch and pray (4:2). These exhortations are the words of the Holy Spirit to both the church in Colossae and the church in Laodicea. This is why Paul urged that the Book of Colossians be read in the church in Laodicea (4:16). The book of Colossians mentions several fleshly actions and attitudes that we must defeat before we can enter into the abundance of spiritual life.

Overcoming the Flesh is the Final Stage of Spiritual Victory

I believe there are three stages of spiritual maturity. The first stage is overcoming sin, when new believers overcome sinful habits that characterized their lives before salvation. After salvation, new believers need God’s presence and God’s word to constantly permeate their souls so they can break free from the sinful habits that try to control their lives. Even though the new believer will still be occasionally overcome by sin and transgression, it is possible to break free from habitual sin. For instance, a drug addict who comes to know Christ can be set completely free from his drug habit. Though he still sins occasionally, he has been freed from the habit of sin. Many Christians have experienced freedom and victory to a greater or lesser degree. Yet some still live in bondage to the shackles of sin. God wants us to be free from sin in our lives. This is the first stage of spiritual victory.

The second stage of spiritual growth is to break free from worldly influence. Even after overcoming sinful habits, a Christian can still be attracted to the world. Many Christians cannot seem to get rid of their attraction to the world, even though they have had victory over sin. There are many stories of Christians in the past who have learned to let go of the world to follow the Lord. For example, a famous evangelist from China, John Sung (Song Shangjie), had gotten a Ph.D. in the United States. But when he received a call from God to return to his country to preach the gospel, he got on a ship and threw his doctoral diploma into the sea. Another Christian tells the story of how he longed for the infilling of the Holy Spirit but couldn’t get it. He later realized that he valued his Ph.D. too much. He was proud of his doctorate and valued it more than he valued surrender to God. Because of this, he could not receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit. When he surrendered to God and was willing to give up his Ph.D., God immediately filled him with the Holy Spirit.

The third stage of Christian growth is overcoming the flesh. Being free from the flesh is the hardest challenge of all. Christians may attain victory over outward sin and let go of their love for the world, but it is very difficult to gain freedom from the flesh. Fleshly attitudes like jealousy, competition, and ambition will stand in the way of spiritual victory.

In the temple, there was a veil separating the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, and the veil was embroidered with cherubim. The cherubim represented the glory of God and prevented humans from entering the Holy of Holies. In Genesis 3, God stationed cherubim and a flaming sword in front of the tree of life to keep humans away. This is because man’s sinful flesh had made it impossible for man to get close to God. But after the Lord Jesus was crucified on the cross, the veil that divided the Temple was torn from top to bottom, signifying that God’s salvation on the cross had solved the problems of sin and the flesh. We can come back to God through Christ.

Although we understand this spiritual fact mentally, we often struggle to experience it. The phrase "entering within the veil" is often used as a metaphor for breaking away from the entanglement of the flesh and entering into intimate fellowship with God. Some people find it helpful to use the Old Testament tabernacle as an analogy for the stages of spiritual growth. The Old Testament tabernacle is divided into the Holy of Holies, the Holy Place, and the outer court. These three parts are often used to describe a person’s spirit, soul, and body, respectively. In our earlier stages of spiritual growth, we are in the outer court, working on overcoming sinful habits of the body. Before entering the Holy Place, we must remove the filth and defilement of the world, just like the priests who had to wash themselves in the bronze laver. We must experience sanctification and inner transformation of the soul (Romans 12:1). Inside the Holy Place are the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, and the golden altar of incense. These represent God’s provision, God’s illumination, and intimate fellowship with God, respectively. As we experience even closer fellowship with God, we enter within the veil, just like the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. God punished Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu for entering the Holy of Holies with strange fire. In the same way, our flesh can not enter the Holy of Holies. If we do not overcome the flesh, it will be difficult to enter into God’s presence and experience deep fellowship with God.

The Lord’s Work in the Church in Laodicea Opened the Heavens

The Lord’s harsh criticism of the church in Laodicea does not necessarily mean that the Laodicean church was the worst. Remember, the letters to the churches reveal different stages of corporate and individual spiritual growth. It may simply mean that the Laodicean church should have known better. When we speak God’s word to others, we often deliver the message differently depending on the level of spiritual maturity of our audience. For instance, when a baby starts to walk, we praise everything he does. A six-year-old child, however, needs more discipline; and a teenager can be held to an even higher standard. In the same way, Jesus’ harsh words to Laodicea don’t necessarily mean the church was the worst off spiritually. It may just mean God had higher expectations for them.

Revelation 4 says that John saw “a door standing open in heaven.” He saw God on the throne, as well as the visions of the seven seals and the seven trumpets (chapters 5-11). I believe the door of heaven did not open until after John had written the last of the seven letters to the churches. We should all seek to have the door of heaven opened to us so we can see God on his throne and so we can observe his works. Only then can we become overcomers, represented by the male child in Revelation 12.

So how can the door of heaven be opened to us? The letter to the church in Laodicea reveals some clues to us. First, we must become people who are on fire for the Lord. A lukewarm believer will not experience an open door in heaven. I had heard testimonies about people being lifted up to heaven to meet the Lord, and I was very eager for such an experience. Every day at noon when I prayed, I asked God to give me such an experience. Then one night, my spirit really was lifted up to heaven and I saw the Lord. This experience shocked me greatly. A lot of people are so apathetic that they do not even pray for such an experience. But if you do not pray for this experience, you will never have it. The Bible tells us to ask and we shall receive (Luke 11:10). The Lord rewards those who long for His appearing. The lukewarmness of the church (Revelation 3:15-16) does not please the Lord.

Self-righteousness is another barrier that prevents us from experiencing an open door in heaven. Self-righteousness is a common problem among Christians who have been in the church for a long time. I remember an older brother in Christ saying he had always thought he had a lot of Biblical knowledge, and he was proud of his service to Christ in the church. But one day, he attended a conference where the preacher mentioned that we must not be self-righteous. This man was deeply shocked. He realized that he was actually spiritually poor. He had been distracted with his pride and self-righteousness, and the Lord’s work had already carried on without him. Because of this, he sold the house he had lived in for decades, moved to a new place, started a new church, and became a vigorous witness for Christ. His testimony inspired many people, including me.

This older man had a teachable heart and a willingness to repent and change course. His life is a beautiful testimony to God’s transforming work. But many older Christians find it difficult to break free from self-righteousness. To these people, Jesus says, "I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire" (Revelation 3:18a). Fire speaks of trials and God often allows self-righteous Christians to experience the fire of trials. These trials can purify them and refine their faith, like gold tried by fire.

The Lord went on to say in Revelation 3:18b, “And buy white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen.” Christians are often prideful about their righteousness and service to the Lord. When we are proud or arrogant about the work we do for the Lord, we often are too self-occupied to notice that we have lost our white garment. Just like the Pharisees, we are no longer clothed with the righteousness of God. Like the emperor without clothes, we live in our own deception.

The Lord goes on to say, “And buy salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.” Spiritual blindness is a common theme in the Bible. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their blindness. He said, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt, but now that you say ‘We see,’ your guilt remains” (John 9:41). Spiritual blindness comes from pride, and it is often hard to see because it is hidden under the guise of loving God. Compared to worldly pride and other types of pride, spiritual pride is often the type of pride that is the most deeply hidden and difficult to detect. We become blind to our own pride. The main cause of the church’s blindness is spiritual pride.

The Lord rebukes and disciplines people filled with pride and tells them to repent. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent" (Revelation 3:19). Again, this verse confirms that the Laodiceans may not have been the worst of all the churches. God clearly says that he loves the Laodiceans, and that is why he disciplines them. Jesus also says he stands at the door and knocks, and those who hear his voice will open the door, and he will come in and eat supper with them (Revelation 3:20). In the very next chapter, the heavens are opened. At the end of Revelation 3, the Lord wants to sit on his throne with the overcomers from Laodicea (3:21).

Conclusion: The Opening of Heaven in the Spirit

In our study, we’ve reached the end of the seven letters to the churches. The Lord’s work in the seven churches has come to an end. We can now enter into the next stage of his work in the book of Revelation. As we read about the experience of sitting on the throne with the Lord, we will surely see heaven open for us as well. The sky will become clear, and we will see God’s throne and his working. We will become more spiritually aware of God’s will for our lives, as well as his will for the world. Through our spiritual eyes, we will see that everything that happens is under the sovereign control of God. No matter what disasters, discipline, victory, or success may come our way, God is mobilizing all things to accomplish His will.

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Bible Study with Jairus- Revelation 3, part 2

The Mission of the Church in Philadelphia is to be a replica of the New Jerusalem

Traditionally, our understanding of the letter to the Church in Philadelphia is limited to noticing a few key facts. We point out that this church was one of the few churches in Revelation that was not criticized by the Lord. We also observe that the word "Philadelphia" means brotherly love, indicating that the people of this church must have loved one another. We often use the idea of the church in Philadelphia as a metaphor for revival.

These are all helpful observations. However, let's not forget that the theme of the book of Revelation is to bring forth a mature Bride of Christ who can judge angels, ushering in God's ultimate judgment on the world. Therefore, we know that God’s work in Philadelphia will somehow contribute to the maturity of the Bride of Christ. The New Jerusalem, the holy city that descends from heaven, is the Bride of Christ. Revelation 21:2 says that the New Jerusalem is like a bride adorned for her husband. The Lord’s promise to the overcomers in Philadelphia is that they will not only become pillars in the temple of God, but they will also have the name of God’s city (the New Jerusalem) written on their foreheads (Revelation 3:12). From these verses, we see that God wants the church at Philadelphia to become a model of the New Jerusalem.

God also wants his body to mature into warriors who can eventually judge angels. The work of the Lord in the church in Philadelphia brings maturity to the church and defeat to the enemy. Although the church is not yet judging angels, we can tell that the enemy is already losing ground—especially in the church in Philadelphia. For example, Revelation 3:9 says that the Lord will make the false Jews in the synagogue of Satan come to worship at the feet of believers. Demons cannot worship at our feet if they are possessing us or sitting on our heads like monkeys (to borrow imagery from the visions of people with prophetic gifts). How can an evil spirit riding on your head bow down to you? That is impossible. You must first cut ties with evil spirits, cast them out, and distance yourself from them. Only then can they bow down to you. God’s work in the church at Philadelphia is to continue to break Satan’s ties with believers. Only then will the “synagogue of Satan” be able to bow down before believers. This analogy about evil spirits is not limited to evil spirits alone. Many sinners, including the false Jews mentioned in this passage, have the work of evil spirits behind them. Only when we deal with the evil spirits within these false teachers will they be able to bow at our feet.

We will one day reign with Christ, just like Joseph reigned over Egypt. God used famine to humble his brothers so they would repent of their sin and bow at Joseph’s feet. Joseph ruled over them as second-in-command, the person closest to Pharaoh’s throne. In the same way, faithful believers will be second-in-command to God. The believers in the church in Philadelphia will become the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem, the ones closest to God’s throne. This leads naturally to the next letter to Laodicea, in which we learn that the overcomers will sit on the throne with the Lord (Rev 3:21).

The One Who Has the Key of David, Who Opens and No One Will Shut.

At the beginning of this verse, the Lord reveals Himself as "the holy and true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens" (3:7). What does this verse mean? We know that the Book of Revelation quotes about 500 passages from the Old Testament, many of which are woven naturally into the text and not clearly identified. This verse is quoted from Isaiah 22:22. We must look at the context of the book of Isaiah in order to understand the meaning of this verse.

Isaiah 13 to 23 contains God’s judgments on various nations. These countries that were judged include Babylon (Chapter 13), Assyria and Palestine (Chapter 14), Moab (Chapter 15-16), Damascus (Chapter 17-18), Egypt (Chapter 19), Egypt and Ethiopia (Chapter 20), Babylon and Arabia (Chapter 21), Jerusalem (Chapter 22), and Tyre (Chapter 23). In this context, let us talk in detail about God's judgment on Jerusalem. God's judgment on Jerusalem included the dismissal of the king's steward, Shebna, who symbolized an unfaithful steward (Isaiah 22:19). At the same time, Eliakim, a faithful man, was called to God’s service. He was clothed with a girdle, and the government was committed into his hands. He would become the father of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the house of Judah (Isaiah 22:20-21). Eliakim symbolized God's faithful servant. He would receive an anointing and authority from God to do God's work. In this context, God says he will give Eliakim the key of the house of David and lay it on his shoulder. What he opens, none would shut. What he shut, none could open. Since Jesus Christ used this sentence to describe himself in Revelation, we can infer that Eliakim symbolizes Jesus Christ. Eliakim is a type of Christ.

As mentioned earlier, Joseph is another type of Christ. Joseph experienced many years of suffering and trials and was even imprisoned in an Egyptian prison. But one day, God opened the door for him to become prime minister of all Egypt. This was an open door that no one could close. When it is God’s time, no one can shut the doors he opens. But when it is not his time, no one can open the doors he has not yet opened. During Joseph’s trials—being sold into slavery by his brothers, being falsely accused, being forgotten by the cupbearer—God refused to open the door to power. God’s time had not yet come. Joseph’s experience helps us understand the letter to the church in Philadelphia. God’s appointed time had come. He had worked in the church of Philadelphia, and it had reached a certain level of maturity. Therefore, he was opening a door for future growth. Just like Joseph matured through trials, the church of Philadelphia had gained a level of maturity. God would now use the key of David to open for them a door that no one could close.

The Key of David in Daily Life

In 2001, I left China to study in the UK. Before a year had passed, I had heard the gospel and repented of my sin. In 2002, I was baptized and became a Christian in the US. In 2004, God appeared to me and I surrendered to His service. After this experience, God did not reveal to me exactly how he wanted to use me. Instead, he led me through more than 10 years of study and experiential growth, including many difficult circumstances in the spiritual wilderness. At the beginning of 2017, God ended our ten-year infertility and gave us a miracle baby. On the last day of 2017, the Lord lifted my spirit into heaven and told me that He would use me greatly. At the same time, I received many prophecies from prophets who said that I would do great work for God in the future. Yet I didn’t see God opening the door for me to serve Him. Although I also served him in a few ways, they were all very small-scale.

As I waited, I was being trained by God. While I was getting my Doctor of Ministry at United Theological Seminary (UTS), I knew I was still preparing for God’s service. I continued to receive prophetic confirmation that God has plans for my life. A sister in Christ with the gift of prophecy told me that when she was praying, she saw in her spirit that the enemy had built a wall around me, trying to block the fruits of my service. Not long after that, I also had a dream. In the dream, there was a wall around me. As I tried to tear down the wall and stab the wall with a dagger, a snake slithered away. These prophetic messages told me that there are indeed enemies around me who have erected spiritual barriers in an attempt to hinder my service to God.

A few years ago, I was praying for two of my relatives, hoping that they would come to know the Savior and experience real repentance. I fasted and prayed every day at noon for one family member for six months, hoping that he would repent and be saved. I gave another family member the book of heavenly testimony, hoping that he would also be saved. However, after the outbreak of the pandemic in 2019, and during the months surrounding the 2020 US election, the enemy used the flesh to stir up conflicts among us. Due to these conflicts, my family members moved further away from salvation and repentance. The discord Satan stirred up among us has temporarily prevented them from getting saved. I believe they will eventually be saved. But in the meantime, I wonder, “Why can’t I win this spiritual battle?” One reason is that I am not yet full of light and love. I am not yet fully filled with love, reflecting the New Jerusalem. For that reason, Satan is attacking and using my life.

God has promised me that one day he will open the door for me to serve Him. He will even use me as a healer of spirit, soul, and body. But before I can be used by God in this way, I must experience the healing of my own spirit, soul, and body. My spirit needs to be uplifted, and my soul and body need to be healed. I need to break away from sin, the influence of the world, the entanglement of the flesh, and the oppression of evil spirits. Only then can I truly experience the infilling and the overflowing of the Holy Spirit, manifesting the rule of righteousness that is characteristic of the New Jerusalem. Only then will I be able to cast out the evil spirits in others.

Madam Jeanne Guyon once testified that she wanted to drive out a spirit that was possessing another person. But before she spoke, the spirit went out. The evil spirits knew and feared Jesus and Paul, but they were not afraid of the seven sons of the Jewish chief priest, Sceva (Acts 19:15). In the same way, the spirits are not afraid of me, and I cannot cast out the demons in my relatives. My fasting, praying, and preaching of the gospel only aroused the resistance of the evil spirits inside of them, stirring up their flesh to oppose me. Although I believe that God is still working on them, my job right now is to learn how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Only then will I be able to drive out spirits in others.

I once had a dream in which I was taking a shower in a simple outdoor bathroom in my hometown in rural China. As I bathed in lukewarm water with my clothes on, I sang happily. There were some flies around me. Outside the curtain, a group of children was waiting for me to come out. The inspiration I got from this dream is that God wants to use me to help Chinese people (represented by the children) be freed from the ties of evil spirits. However, God must cleanse me first. Bathing with lukewarm water with my clothes on symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s cleansing of my heart, words, and deeds. The flies around me represent my past sins, as well as the evil spirits of my family and nation. My joyful singing reminds me that the joy of the Lord is my strength. With God’s power, I will eventually be freed from the oppression of evil spirits and become a vessel that brings God’s blessing to others. God has confirmed this call to me through the prophecies of many prophets, as well as His direct words to me. But we must become a living copy of the New Jerusalem before we can make the enemy bow down before us.

When will God give us the key of David? God will give it to us in His Sovereign time, and he will wait until we each become a living replica of the New Jerusalem.

What is the New Jerusalem?

So what is the New Jerusalem? As I said, every letter written to the churches reflects a stage of God’s work in the book of Revelation. The mention of the “pillar in the temple of God” and “the name of God and the name of the city of God (that is, the New Jerusalem) written on the forehead of overcomers” reflects what is written in Revelation 21 about the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven (21:2).

First of all, Revelation 21:11 describes the New Jerusalem, saying, “In the city is the glory of God; its radiance like the rarest jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.” To become a replica of the New Jerusalem, we must be filled with the glory and the light of God. John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness never overcame it.” Whenever we harbor darkness in our hearts, the enemy gains a foothold in our hearts. Only because Christ had no darkness in him could he say that Satan had no hold over him (John 14:30). Madam Jeanne Guyon was able to cast out demons because she was filled with the glory and light of God. Satan and his evil spirits cannot enter the realm of the New Jerusalem. We must remember that any darkness in our spiritual lives provides a dwelling place for evil spirits.

Secondly, according to Revelation 21:12-14, the New Jerusalem demonstrates a unity between Jews and Gentiles. The gates of the New Jerusalem contain the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel (Jews), and the foundations of the city walls contain the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (believers). Ephesians 2:18 says, “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” The word “both” refers to Jews and Gentiles. Through Christ, Jews and Gentiles abandon their hatred toward one another. They can both approach God through the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. To become a replica of the New Jerusalem, we must abide in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus Christ, before God the Father. Only when we live in this intimate fellowship with God can we manifest the light of the New Jerusalem.

Third, we notice that the walls of New Jerusalem are made of jasper. The city is made of pure gold, and the foundation of the walls is adorned with all kinds of precious stones (Revelation 21:18-20). These precious substances illustrate the final result of God’s dealings with the seven churches. Gold is refined by fire, and gemstones are transformed through immense pressure. In the same way, our personal spiritual lives must be refined through fire and pressure so we can be transformed into precious stones in God’s sight.

Fourth, we learn that the twelve gates are made of twelve pearls (Revelation 21:21). Pearls are produced from the secretion of mussels who have been injured. This demonstrates that suffering and trials can produce beautiful gems in the lives of believers.

Lastly, New Jerusalem is filled with the glory of God, and nothing unclean will ever enter into it (21:23-27). From this passage, we learn that the degree to which we are filled with the glory of God is the degree to which evil spirits can be subdued in our lives.

Conclusion: We Need to Become a Replica of the New Jerusalem

The letters to the seven churches reveal the seven spiritual stages of God’s work in the church. These different stages of spiritual work are an outline of the seven stages of God’s work in the entire book of Revelation. If we want to become a replica of the New Jerusalem, we must learn about God’s work described in the six previous letters to the churches.

• We must deal with our sins and return to our first love for God (the work of the Lord in the church in Ephesus).
• We must overcome the attacks of the spirit of death (the work of the Lord in the church in Smyrna).
• We must overcome the teachings of Balaam and deal with all the idols in our hearts (the work of the Lord in the church in Pergamos).
• We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit within (the work of the Lord in the church in Thyatira).
• We also need to outwardly manifest the righteousness of Christ (the work of the Lord in the church in Sardis).
• Only then can we become a prototype of New Jerusalem (the work of the Lord in the church in Philadelphia).
• Finally, we will be enabled to sit on the throne with the Lord (the work of the Lord in the church in Laodicea).

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Bible Study with Jairus- - Revelation 3 Part 1

The Epistles to the Seven Churches Reveal Seven Spirit-Filled Stages of the Church and Individual

The Letter to the Church in Sardis Reveals God’s Expectation for the Church to Live in Righteousness

The letter to the church in Sardis reveals God's expectation for the church to live righteously. As we learned in our last study, the letter to Thyatira reveals God's expectation that the church members become Spirit-filled kings who can rule the nations with a rod of iron. The letter to Sardis describes the outward manifestation of the inward reality revealed in the letter to Sardis. The infilling of the Holy Spirit (Sardis) and its outworking in righteous living (Thyatira) are two sides of the same coin. Without the infilling of the Holy Spirit, we cannot truly manifest the righteousness of God in our actions. We can only live righteously if we are righteous on the inside. If we claim to have the infilling of the Holy Spirit but do not demonstrate any outward righteousness, then our infilling is unreliable. We need to be justified by faith as well as by works.

The letter to Sardis contains some phrases that refer symbolically to people who live in righteousness:

• Those who have “not soiled their garments" (v. 3)
• Those “clothed in white” (v. 4) walking with the Lord
• Those who overcome are clothed in “white raiment.”

The imagery reminds us of the description of the righteous Bride in Revelation 19:8, who is clothed in "clean and white fine linen.” The Bible says that "the fine linen is the righteous works of the saints" (Revelation 19:8). The righteous works of these saints are the righteous deeds that they naturally live out and demonstrate after experiencing the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

From this letter, we can see that God's judgment on the church has produced positive fruits. The church is growing into the spotless Bride of Christ. The stage of growth described in the letter to Sardis will lead naturally to the next stage of God’s work on the church, God’s work in the Philadelphia church. The purpose of the Philadelphia stage is to produce the prototype of the New Jerusalem.

The Progressive Spiritual Relationship of the Seven Churches

In our last study, I mentioned that the letters to the seven churches are not limited to describing God’s work in seven different chronological periods of church history. Nor are they limited to revealing God’s different ways of working in the same time period. Instead, it describes the seven stages of spiritual growth as God helps the church grow toward maturity. I believe the letters reveal a pattern of continuous and progressive spiritual growth.

As I read the book of Revelation, God enlightened me about this message of progressive growth. I believe that Satan and his evil spirits work differently in every church mentioned in Revelation. But God has given each church unique provisions that help it combat the work of Satan. In this way, each letter exposes a different aspect of the work of evil spirits, and also reveals an aspect of the Lord's provision. God’s provision helps the individual church escape the deceptions of evil spirits and “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)

To recap what we have learned, let’s briefly review the ways God provided for the unique struggle in each church.

• In the church of Ephesus, the evil spirit of indifference tempts the Ephesians to abandon the love they had at first. But the Lord reveals Himself as the High Priest who trims the lamps, removes the charred wicks, and anoints the church with oil (the Holy Spirit) to help them return to their first love.
• After the churches and believers return to their first love, Satan raises up the evil spirit of death to persecute them. This is what was happening in the church of Smyrna. The Lord reveals Himself as the resurrection who could strengthen the church to be victorious over the attacks of the evil spirit of death.
• When Satan sees that persecution fails to weaken the faith of the church, he sends false teachers (the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans). Just as Balaam tempted the Israelites to sin, these false teachers tempt the church to commit sexual immorality and leave their position of God’s blessing. As a response to this temptation, the Lord reveals himself as "the sharp two-edged sword" (Rev 2:12). His word is powerful in discerning and defeating the wiles of the enemy in the church of Pergamum.
• In the church at Thyatira, Satan raises up the spirit of Jezebel, which is the spirit of the false prophet, to confuse believers. To combat his schemes, the Lord releases the spirit of Elijah to defeat Jezebel. Elijah foretold the death of Jezebel and anointed Jehu to kill Jezebel. In the same way, as believers defeat the evil spirit of Jezebel, they will grow into spiritual kings. God will give them authority to rule over all nations and they will “reign in life.” (Romans 5:17) In this way, the church will mature to such an extent that it can be “filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)
• This fullness will naturally be manifested in outward righteousness, which is the work that God is accomplishing in the church in Sardis.
• The work of God in the church in Philadelphia is to produce the precursor of the New Jerusalem.
• God’s work in the church of Laodicea is to achieve an ultimate victory, allowing us to sit on the throne and reign together with Christ.

Each of these letters reveals a stage of spiritual growth, a stepping stone toward God’s ultimate purpose for the church. It also represents the seven stages of trials that the Lord sends to the church, the seven ways that evil spirits work, and the seven provisions of God to combat these evil spirits. The Lord’s epistles to the seven churches represent God’s responses to the seven aspects of the work of evil spirits, helping the church to overcome them. In this way, the Church as a whole (the Bride of Christ) continues to grow in all things into Him who is the head, Christ.

God’s judgment begins with the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). Only after the house of God has endured judgment can God continue to judge the rest of the world. This is why the seven seals and seven trumpets (Revelation 5-11) are not revealed until after the Lord's letter to the seven churches. The seven seals and the seven trumpets represent God’s continued judgment and cleansing of the world, which must take place after God’s judgment and cleansing of the church. I believe the letters to the seven churches are the seven stages of God’s judgment and cleansing which purify the church and prepare it to enter the next stage of God’s work.

Our spiritual growth and skill prepare us to “level up” in our ability to withstand trials. A video game player can only advance to the second level after gaining sufficient skills and abilities to “win” the first level. In the second level, there will be even stronger enemies which will help the player prepare to face the challenges of the third level. Similarly, a child is only allowed on certain Disneyland rides after he has reached a certain height. In the same way, our level of growth or spiritual stature determines whether or not God will allow us to enter the next stage of his work.

Only when God’s church is mature and cleansed will God be able to begin the process of cleansing the world. In this age, the church is experiencing judgment, cleansing, and trials. The church’s degree of maturity determines the timing in which God begins to cleanse the world. If we fail to mature spiritually, God cannot allow us to advance to the next stage of His work, which is judging the world. Just as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years, many churches and believers are wandering in circles. But we must mature spiritually so we can cooperate with God's work and enter the spiritual land of Canaan.

The Hologram Theory: The Seven Churches are a Microcosm of the Entire Kingdom of God

Through an inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I understood that the Lord’s epistles to the seven churches not only reveal seven stages of growth in the worldwide church, but also reveal a microcosm of God’s work in the entire book of Revelation. The church is a microcosm of the kingdom of God. In the future, the whole earth will become the kingdom of our Lord and Christ (Revelation 11:15). But before this can be accomplished, the church must first become the kingdom of our Lord and of Christ, which is why the Lord wrote epistles to the seven churches. He wanted to purify the church and defeat the deeds of evil spirits in the church so the church could fully embrace its status as the kingdom of God.

What is the Hologram Theory? In Chinese medicine, the Hologram Theory says that the acupuncture points of our feet correspond to all the acupuncture points on our bodies. If you go for a foot massage, as long as you find the right acupuncture points, you can treat the diseases of the whole body. Similarly, the abdomen also has acupuncture points that correspond to the acupuncture points of the whole body. All diseases in the whole body can be treated by doing acupuncture on the torso. An acupuncturist from our church frequently administers abdominal acupuncture on me, and it works every time to heal my body. What's even more amazing is that the ears also contain acupuncture points that correspond to the acupuncture points on the entire body. Another Christian brother in Christ gives me ear acupuncture to help me regulate my entire body and health.

This principle is not only true of Chinese medicine. In Western medicine, understanding one cell can help scientists decipher the mysteries of the human body. The Hologram Theory means a partial and tiny thing, which can reflect a whole and entire picture.

As I read the Bible, I realized that the seven stages of God’s work in the churches are a microcosm of the work of God in the entire book of the Book of Revelation. Here are a few examples of this phenomenon.

• The Lord’s letter to Laodicea says that the one who overcomes will sit on the throne with the Lord, just as Jesus overcame and sat on the throne with the Father (Rev 3:21). This mirrors the "throne of God and of the Lamb" mentioned in Revelation 22 (22:1).
• The Lord’s epistle to the church at Philadelphia mentions “being a pillar in the temple of God” and that “the name of God and the name of the city of God (that is, New Jerusalem) are written on the overcomers,” both of which are reflected in Revelation 21 as the "new Jerusalem came down from heaven" (21:2).
• The believers in Sardis are "clothed in white,” walk with the Lord and live righteous lives. This concept is reflected in the bride in Revelation 19. The bride wears fine white linen, which represents the righteous acts of the saints.
• Jesus’ letter to the church in Thyatira mentions an iron rod that governs the nations. This reflects the male child in Revelation 12 who “will rule the nations with an iron rod.”
• In the letter to Pergamos, Jesus rebuked the evil spirit of Jezebel and sent the spirit of Elijah. This mention can remind us of the two witnesses and prophets released by God in Revelation 10 and 11.
• The epistle to Smyrna reveals the work of the spirit of death, which can remind us of Revelation 9, where it says, "In those days men desired death, but never died; they longed for death, but death shunned them" (9:6). Not only is life in the hands of God, but death is also in the hands of God.
• In the letter to Ephesus, Jesus mentions leaving our first love. Perhaps this reference can remind us of the seal judgments and the trumpet judgments, the purpose of which was to encourage humans to return to The One who created them. Humans were created by God, but they have left their first love. These judgments will make them return to God Himself.

These examples show that the letters to the churches are a microcosm of the book of Revelation as a whole. In the book of Revelation, God’s purpose is to ultimately reveal the male child, the Bride, and the New Jerusalem. But God must first produce a prototype in the microcosm of the church. When all the prophecies of the Book of Revelation are fulfilled, Christ will publicly return to earth in the Parousia. But God has already returned in a hidden way to his body, the church, in a miniature Parousia. Parousia means the appearance and coming of Christ. Before the Lord's public appearance to the whole world, He has already made a hidden, early appearance in the church. The word Parousia has a two-level meaning which includes both the public coming of Christ and the hidden coming of Christ. For the people of the world, the Lord Jesus has not appeared publicly. But for those who walk with the Lord as Enoch did, God has already appeared to us like the morning star appears before the dawn (2 Peter 1:17). Those of us who walk with God have already experienced the appearance of Jesus.

I once heard the story of Miss Margaret E. Barber who was very eager for the Lord’s appearance. She lived in the constant hope of the Lord’s coming. One day, as she and Watchman Nee were walking along the street, she said to him, "Perhaps, when we reach the corner of that street, the Lord will return.” She lived in great anticipation of the Lord's Parousia (the appearance of the Lord). I believe that because of her love for the Lord, she was already experiencing an internal manifestation of the kingdom of Christ. She already had a practical experience of living in Christ's heavenly kingdom.

The epistles to the seven churches demonstrate the seven stages of the Lord’s work in the church as he perfects his body so we can enter his heavenly kingdom. How is today’s church doing in its spiritual growth? How is your church doing? How are you doing? Can you say that you are already living in the spiritual reality of the kingdom of the Lord? That you are living in the reality of the New Jerusalem? This is the question that we Christians must ask ourselves today.

God Wants Us to Live in Righteousness.

The Lord’s letter to the church in Sardis reveals that God wants us to live in righteousness. How do we live in righteousness? We must experience the filling of the Holy Spirit, which is exactly what God did for the church in Thyatira. The filling of the Holy Spirit and a life of righteousness are two sides of the same coin, as demonstrated in this personal testimony. When I was in the Local Church Movement, I was encouraged to pursue the filling of the Holy Spirit. I was taught that only when we are filled with the Holy Spirit can we be greatly used by the Lord. Only when individual believers experience revival can the church as a whole experience revival. And revival comes from the filling of the Holy Spirit. As a result of this teaching, I began to pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit.

First, in order to experience the filling of the Holy Spirit, we must confess our sins. As I sought God’s infilling, I confessed my sins, repented of the weaknesses of my flesh, and removed the spiritual impurity brought about by the filth of the world. Since sin hinders us from receiving the filling of the Holy Spirit, we must deal with our sins before we can please God. We must deal with our sins because they hinder our fellowship with God and pull us away from our first love, our love for God. Jesus addressed the sin of the church at Ephesus, and we must address our sins as well.

Second, in order to experience the filling of the Holy Spirit, we must overcome spiritual death. For example, watching worldly TV programs is not necessarily a sin, but it can bring us spiritual death. After watching TV for a long time, our prayers feel dry and dull. We feel like we are far from God and it is difficult to get into the spirit of prayer. This is the work of the spirit of death. Just like God overcame the spirit of death in the church at Smyrna, God can resurrect us from our spiritual death. Spiritual death comes from our sin and from our exposure to the world.

The third thing we have to deal with is the influence of the world. The church in Pergamos was a church that was married to the world. The word "Pergamum" means "married, united, and strong tower.” This symbolizes that the church and believers were united with the world, and even allowed God’s dwelling place to become "Satan's seat" (Revelation 2:13). We must rid ourselves of worldly influence so we can experience more of the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Fourth, to experience the infilling of the Holy Spirit, we must defeat the fleshly strongholds that allow the evil spirits and false prophets to flourish in our midst. Through our strongholds, we allow false prophets like Jezebel to teach "the depths of Satan" (Revelation 2:24) to the church and to believers. Israel’s entry into the land of Canaan is a picture of the filling of the Holy Spirit. If we want to experience the filling of the Holy Spirit, we need to defeat the evil spirits and the strongholds they establish, just like Israel under Joshua defeated the Canaanites. Only then can we have victory in the land of Canaan.

Fifth, after experiencing the former stages of growth, we can experience God’s work in the church at Sardis. That is, we can manifest outwardly through righteous deeds what God has already filled us with inwardly. Jesus said, "A good tree brings forth good fruit" (Matthew 7:17). Just like a cup only spills the contents that are already inside it, we can only manifest the things that are already filling us.

As we “level up” to later stages of growth, we face more direct attacks and challenges from evil spirits. While I was in the Local Church Movement, I experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit to an extent, but I did not experience the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the subsequent manifestation that is described in Acts 2. God led me to join the Charismatic movement, where I received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. According to Brother Derek Prince, the most obvious sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not tongues or gifts, but increased troubles. After receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, I began to experience more attacks from evil spirits and observed more acts of evil spirits, neither of which I had experienced in the past. When we advance in our experience of the filling of the Holy Spirit, we will definitely experience more attacks from evil spirits. Through these attacks, God is training us to judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). God’s work in Philadelphia and Laodicea also demonstrates the continued work of God through the infilling of the Holy Spirit, allowing us to become the “New Jerusalem” (the manifestation of God) and to sit “on the throne together with the Lord” (reigning with Christ).

Conclusion:

The spiritual experience revealed by the letters to the churches not only describes the seven stages of the church’s spiritual growth, but also the seven stages that every individual Christian can experience as they encounter the filling of the Holy Spirit. These seven letters represent a microcosm of the entire book of Revelation. We must see these letters from a new perspective. This inspiration from the Holy Spirit is a timely message for this generation. Both the church as a whole and individual Christians urgently need to grow and mature in their spiritual lives.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Revelation 2-Part 4

Christians Can Defeat the Spirit of Jezebel by Reigning with Christ

The three main roles portrayed in the Old Testament are Priest, Prophet, and King. All of God’s people were called to draw near to God, like priests. All God’s people are invited to have God reign as king in their lives. This was God’s will for Israel, but they were afraid to speak directly to God, as a priest would. They asked Moses to speak to God instead of them (Deuteronomy 5:27), giving up their responsibility as priests. They also rejected God as their king and wanted to have a king like other nations, which God allowed (1 Samuel 8:7).

Kings complement priests and prophets complement kings. When the Israelites refused to draw near to God as priests, God raised up a king, David, to shepherd His chosen people. When the king (David) fell into sin, God sent a prophet (Nathan) to help him get back onto the right path of loving God.

Herein lies the key to Revelation 2. The letter to the church in Thyatira in Revelation 2 mentions the Spirit of Jezebel and the Spirit of the False Prophet. I believe these spirits are related to the failure of Ahab, Jezebel’s husband, to be a good king. When Christians stop acting like kings, false prophets like Jezebel will come in and make the king worse. But during these times of failure, there will also be true prophets, like Elijah, who will come in and anoint new kings, like Jehu, and defeat false prophets and ungodly kings. Elijah and Jehu worked together to prophesy against King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. They also helped fulfill these prophecies of judgment.

This is true not only in the Old Testament but also in the spiritual reality of the New Testament. The Spirit of Jezebel is operating in the church to produce bad kings like Ahab who cannot manifest the power of Christ. Meanwhile, the spirit of the true prophet Elijah is also operating to make people repent. As Malachi 4:5-6 (ESV) says, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction."[1] When people refuse to accept the words of the true prophet, God will strike the land with a decree of utter destruction. The Lord’s discipline of the unrepentant people in the church of Thyatira resembles the judgment mentioned in Malachi. The Lord will first send the spirit of Elijah to call believers to repent. But when they refuse to repent, God's judgment will come upon them.

When Christians neglect to get close to God, they lose their first love and their priestly status. This is what happened to the church in Ephesus. After a believer overcomes persecution and the spirit of death (church in Smyrna) and the teaching of Balaam (church in Pergamum), he/she gradually matures to the stage of reigning in life. If he/she continues to grow up into the Head, Christ, he/she will be given power over the nations, to rule them with a rod of iron. These believers will be rewarded with Christ, the morning star (Revelation 2:26-28). Believers will also become morning stars since they are the reproduction and manifestation of Christ. This is the heart of the spiritual warfare that took place in the Church in Thyatira. The purpose of the trials in the church of Thyatira was to produce victorious Christians who could reign victoriously in their spiritual lives as they rule and discipline the nations with a rod of iron.

Progressive Spiritual Growth Demonstrated in the Letters to the Seven Churches

As I mentioned before, the seven churches in Revelation could either represent seven churches in different time periods or seven different kinds of churches in the same time period. Through an inspiration from the Holy Spirit, I believe that the seven churches represent the concept of progressive spiritual growth. The progression of themes from the first church to the seventh shows God’s continually unfolding work as the church of Christ bands together and builds one another up through God’s help and discipline. On the other hand, the letters to the churches show the different evil spirits that continue to ensnare sinners, weaving a spider-like web. Throughout the section, the aspect of growth and the aspect of opposition continue building cumulatively. The church will progressively grow into the mature Body of Christ and produce many overcomers, represented by the male child in Revelation 12. Meanwhile, the evil kingdom will continue growing until it manifests as Babylon the Great, producing false prophets and antichrists. The two kingdoms are like two trains, constantly gaining new passengers, both headed towards a final collision point, which is the Battle of Armageddon. Armageddon is a defining moment in the history of mankind, and even in the history of the universe. Since Armageddon is so important, we can’t claim that the rest of the Bible has nothing to do with Armageddon. It's all very relevant and tied together. God’s letters to the seven churches are His battle cry that summons His chosen people to participate in the battle of Armageddon.

These letters also prepare and perfect them spiritually for the upcoming battle. The seven letters describe seven aspects in which the churches need to spiritually prepare. It also mentions seven spirits of God and seven stars in Jesus’ hands. Jesus Christ’s seven character qualities provide seven essential provisions for the churches. He judges and exposes the evil spirits’ deception in seven key ways. These difficult exposures will help the church realize its own shortcomings so it can repent, access the seven characteristics of God, and manifest Him fully on earth.

The work of the Holy Spirit and the work of the evil spirits are both increasing in intensity from the first letter to the church to the last. The intensification of one is closely linked to the intensification of the other. God wants to make the church into the body of Christ, a pure bride without blemish. Meanwhile, Satan and the evil spirits want to make the church into the great prostitute, Babylon the Great. Therefore, Satan constantly enlists new and more powerful evil spirits to join his team in opposing the church. But God continues to help the church overcome the attacks of these evil spirits. Through his provision, he helps them overcome trials.

First, the churches and believers overcame the temptation to lose their first love (Ephesus). Then, they overcame persecution and the fear of death (Smyrna). They fought against the teaching of Balaam (Pergamum). Finally, they have arrived at the fourth stage described in the letter to Thyatira. Believers had to learn to resist the attack of the Jezebel spirit in the church. Just as the Israelites experienced more than forty trials in the wilderness, the church also experienced at least seven trials in Revelation 2-3. Trials always bring lessons of faith. We journey through the wilderness to a Holy Spirit-filled place of blessing. The church in Thyatira had matured to a point where it could confront the attacks and trials of the Jezebel spirit. If they could overcome the test of the Jezebel spirit, they would be able to rule the nations with a rod of iron.

The progressive spiritual growth demonstrated in the letters to the churches can be compared to levels in a video game. After you’ve completed the first level, the enemies in the second level will be even more powerful. But after you defeat the enemies in the second level, you will become stronger. We complete increasingly difficult levels in the “game of life” designed by God to eventually select those who are worthy of an eternal reward. People often say that the greater your anointing from God, the greater will be the attacks from evil spirits. But the greater the spiritual opposition, the greater the anointing that God gives to overcome these attacks. As the Chinese say, “the good always triumphs over evil.” The letters to the churches demonstrate the progressive spiritual growth of the church throughout history.

The Lord Has Eyes Like a Flame Of Fire and Feet Like Burnished Bronze

As the web of evil thickens like a spider web, unsuspecting believers will become prey. Let’s compare evil spirits to spiders. Evil spirits catch sleeping believers and tangle them up in their sticky webs of sin and false teaching. To these believers, Jesus reveals Himself as “the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” (Revelation 2:18) Evil spirits can deceive some believers, but they cannot deceive the Lord whose "eyes are like a flame of fire.” The reference to “feet… like burnished bronze" refers to the Lord's judgment. Whether his judgment is against evil spirits or against believers who refuse to repent, God's judgment is severe.

In some ways, the church in Thyatira seemed to be doing well. They were told “I know your works, your love and faith and service, and patient endurance,” and their latter works exceeded the first. (Revelation 2:19) So why did they later accept the teaching of the Jezebel spirit and false prophets? The Jezebel spirit uses these false prophets to do its evil work. The false prophets lure believers to commit sexual immorality and worship idols (Revelation 2:20). The Lord gave these false prophets of Jezebel a chance to repent. But Jezebel refused to repent (Revelation 2:21), so God judged her and threw her onto a sickbed (Revelation 2:22). Those who committed adultery with her and refused to repent were also thrown into tribulation (Revelation 2:22). God would strike down Jezebel’s children (her followers), so that the church would know that "I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works." (Revelation 2:23).

What happened that led some believers to follow the Jezebel spirit? We know that the Jezebel spirit is against the spirit of Elijah. And the spirit of Elijah "will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.” So the church must have "turned her heart away from the heavenly Father" in order to be deceived by the Jezebel spirit. This explanation makes sense. There are many things that might have turned the believers’ hearts away from God. Here are some possibilities:

• Busyness, both ministry busyness and secular busyness. This may have been what the Lord was referring to in verse 19. The church’s schedule was full of works, love, faith, service, endurance, and latter works that exceeded the first. When we are overly busy, we may unknowingly build new idols. even When our ministry is successful, our service to God may become an idol in our lives. Such idols keep our hearts away from God, thereby providing a bridgehead for Jezebel's false teachings to attack us.
• Another reason why we can be deceived by the Jezebel spirit is our interest in status and power. In the Old Testament, the historical Jezebel helped keep her husband Ahab in power by seizing Naboth's vineyard. It is the same in today’s church. When we regard our status, power, reputation and position in the church as more important than the interests of other believers or God, we fall for the tricks of the Jezebel spirit. In every church, there are people who are greedy for power and profit. They are easily deceived and used by the teachings of Jezebel.

But not all the Thyatirans were deceived. There were some who were not in the know, who simply loved the Lord. To these people, the Lord said, "To the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden." (Revelation 2:24).

Overcoming Hidden Weaknesses

We all have hidden weaknesses. These hidden weaknesses include greed, sexual immorality, and the desire for power, money, and fame. As we embark on the path of loving the Lord, we experience unceasing attacks from evil spirits and temptations from the world. John defines the world as “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life." (1 John 2:16). What eventually makes us fail is the weakness of our inner life that we are often unaware of. These unconscious weaknesses give the enemy a chance to attack us. As the saying goes, “Nothing happens for no reason.” Our goal is to be free from weaknesses, so we can proclaim with Jesus that evil has no claim on us (John 14:30).

We can only be victorious if we overcome first our sins, then the world, and finally our flesh, our ambition and our status. A worship leader I like very much talked about his experience with cheating. His weakness was revealed to the world, which prompted him to do things that he later regretted. After Ravi Zacharias, a well-known apologist died, it was exposed that he molested women. He mentioned that he was under a lot of pressure and could not solve the troubles caused by these pressures, so he turned to molesting women to comfort himself. Many American Christians admit to turning to sex, drugs and pornography in an attempt to find solace when facing pressure from the world. These are the hidden weaknesses we need to overcome. We must allow God to continue to work in our unsanctified souls through prayer and fill us with the love of Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

In the process of overcoming our weaknesses through the love of Christ, we often encounter hindrances. The sin of the flesh trips us up and we are encumbered by the strongholds of evil spirits within us. It is difficult to overcome these weaknesses. This was Paul's experience in Romans 7. He said that he kept on doing the evil he did not want to do but didn’t do the good he wanted to do. But the story doesn’t end in chapter 7. In Romans 8, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set Paul free.

For a long time, I have been struggling to overcome a certain weakness of my flesh. I have frequently prayed for victory but have often failed. This weakness took root because I was poor when I was young. The spirit of poverty built a stronghold within me. I have never been able to overcome the attacks of the spirit of greed. I have prayed so hard, asking God to help me.

Then one night, I had a strange dream. I dreamed that I was flying while stepping on a ball made of dirt. As I stamped my feet to shake off the dust from my feet, I proclaimed with a loud voice, "I will certainly be able to overcome the world and all its attractions through Jesus Christ who strengthens me." Although I often struggle and fail to overcome these weaknesses, I do not give up on praying for victory. I often pray that the Holy Spirit of God will fill me more, so that the unsanctified part of my soul will be sanctified by the life of Christ, and I will experience the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit in greater abundance. Although I am still fighting against the weakness of my flesh and the stronghold of the evil spirits inside of me, the Holy Spirit promises that with Jesus Christ strengthening me, I will surely overcome the world and all its attractions.

But I know that like the Israelites, many believers cannot defeat the enemy and drive the enemy out. When they hit a plateau in their spiritual life or when they experience more obstacles from the strongholds built by the evil spirits, they give up. The weaknesses continue to dwell among them, becoming a snare. Similarly, if we fail to overcome our spiritual weaknesses through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will experience the same snare. The failure of the apologist Zacharias is just one example of this concept. A person may be outwardly successful in his career or spiritual ministry, but still fail in his inner life and testimony.

In addition, our spiritual victory is inseparable from the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The "Holiness Movement,” birthed the Pentecostal Movement. This denomination is deeply influenced by the teaching of John Wesley's "Second Blessing.” These believers not only pursued belief, salvation, and satisfaction in Christ, but also pursued sanctification, victory, and a “second blessing” from God. As they pursued a second blessing of victory, some experienced the baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit, leading to the start of the modern Pentecostal Movement. As I have mentioned several times, I was saved in a Local Church Movement where I pursued inner growth. But I observed that many believers could not overcome their spiritual difficulties because they did not have the supernatural help that only came through the Holy Spirit’s baptism.

Conclusion

The letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation illustrate the progressive spiritual growth of the church. Just like the Israelites made forty-two stops in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land, each church experiences many trials along the way. These trials will make the church more mature, building us into a mature bride of Christ which can overcome the evil spirits and Babylon the Great.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Revelation 2 Part 3

The Work of Evil Spirits in The Seven Churches

The book of Revelation reveals that the church and the Body of Christ will judge the evil spirits who cooperate with Satan to deceive and snare people and drag them into hell. First Corinthians 6:3 says that believers will judge angels, and we will also execute God's judgment upon Satan. After the birth of the male child in chapter 12, God eventually threw Satan in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12). This is the ultimate destiny of Satan and the evil spirits. That’s why Satan and the evil spirits are strongly opposing the church’s maturity and the maturity of the bride, because the church’s maturity signals the beginning of their final judgment. For this reason, Satan has sent all kinds of evil spirits into the churches to oppose the victory and maturity of the church. These evil spirits tempt believers and try to snare them into sin and deception.

The letters to the seven churches in Revelation 1-2 not only reveal characteristics of Christ, but also reveal the work of Satan and the evil spirits in every church. By exposing their works, Christ judges not only the church, but also the work of the evil spirits in the church. For example, Jesus not only exposed the lack of love in Ephesians, but he also exposed the evil spirit of indifference operating in their midst. Jesus said that in the end times, "lawlessness will be increased, [and therefore] the love of many will grow cold." (ESV, Matthew 24:12)[1]. When lawlessness increases, righteous things are suppressed, people's expectations are not met, and love grows cold. This is the result of the work of the spirit of indifference in the church. Jesus exposed the spirit of indifference in His letter to the church in Ephesus. When the evil spirits’ tricks are exposed, their defeat will not be far away.

Evil Counterfeits

The Bible reveals three major realities about the world:

1. God’s nature and work
2. The tricks of Satan and the evil spirits
3. Humans’ identity in Christ and our weaknesses.

When we study the Bible we must learn about God, Satan, and ourselves. The book of Revelation is no exception. In the letter to the church in Ephesus, these three things are revealed.

Humans are an object of contention between God and Satan. We were created by God to worship Him, and lead everyone to worship Him. This was once Satan’s role. This is why Satan hates us so much. Satan tempts us to sin and tries to convince us to follow him so he can rob us of our worship of God. We were created as mirrors and vessels. We reflect the light of Christ, see his face, and become like Him, or we accept Satan’s infusion of sin and the disguise of sin.

In the letters of Revelation to the seven churches, there are five major things we can learn.

1. The characteristics of Christ
2. The characteristics of Satan and evil spirits;
3. The positive work of Christ in the church, which is what the Lord praises;
4. The negative work of Satan and evil spirits in the church, in which the Lord criticizes
5. The Lord will give us reward if we correct our mistakes.

To simplify even more, these chapters discuss the characteristics of God, the acts of Satan, and the condition of man.

When we think about the church, we often focus on God’s work and on people’s positive testimony or negative witness. But we often ignore the work of evil spirits. And evil spirits will never stand idle. They will design all kinds of snares to lure believers into sin. So we must pay attention to the work of the evil spirits.

The Work of Evil Spirits

How can we learn about the work of Satan and his evil spirits? This is not an easy task. Many liberal theologians don't even acknowledge the existence of Satan and evil spirits. There are also some church members in the United States who think that evil spirits only exist in the third world where idols are still prevalent. But this is not the case. Evil spirits also exist in American churches.

There are different theological explanations about the origins of evil spirits. But we know that the Bible discusses many different kinds of evil spirits, which seemingly rule over different regions and have different functions. Some evil spirits seem to influence politics, such as the spirit of Jezebel. Others seem to be spirits of adultery. The spirit of indifference tempts people to give up on changing the church, and the spirit of legalism shuts down passion for God and focuses instead on dogmatism. We will not be spending a lot of time discussing the sources and types of evil spirits. But we must know enough about the work of evil spirits to know how to spot and avoid their tricks, and to seek God’s wisdom to know how to deal with them. If we ignore or do not understand the work of the evil spirits, we will give them the opportunity to work in the church.

For example, the spirit of unforgiveness often use people’s unforgiveness to build unforgiving strongholds in their hearts. These strongholds will become the enemy’s bridgehead, hardening believers’ hearts towards God and causing them to lose their love for others. The Lord Jesus taught us many times that we must forgive others. In addition, if we watch sinful videos or commit sexual sins, it opens the door to the spirit of lust. These are some common ways used by the evil spirits at work.

Why Did the Church in Ephesus Leave Her First Love?

The spirit of indifference was likely at work in the church in Ephesus. Some theologians believe that the Nicolaitans in Revelation 2:6 were an arrogant group of privileged people within the church. They wanted to control the interpretation of the Bible and restrict the saints from functioning independently and reading the Bible on their own. They wanted a monopoly on God’s word. In many churches, a small group of privileged people does the majority of the work of the church. Only one pastor preaches the sermons every week. As a result, the other members begin to wither and lack functioning, allowing many people to lose their first love.

This type of behavior is damaging and breeds discouragement and indifference. As members of one body, believers are supposed to be connected directly to Christ, so he can provide for us. However, when a privileged group tries to control God's word and believers, members will lack the direct provision from Christ the Head. They will also lack training of their senses (Hebrews 5:14) and never grow past spiritual infancy.

The spirit of indifference operates in many churches, but many people are unaware of it. When we have been in a church for a long time and friction and misunderstandings continue to grow, we feel a passion to change things. But when a monopolizing group shuts us down, we slowly stop caring. We open the door to the spirit of indifference.

When I was small, I remember having a desire to attempt a certain task. But my family wouldn’t let me do it. “You are too young,” they said. I was sad, because I felt capable enough to do it. Since no one encouraged my passions and desires, I stopped bringing the subject up. I was frustrated and no longer talked about my wishes. In the same way, we often hear people in companies or even churches complaining, "I don't want to raise any opinions anymore. They are the ones who have the final say anyway. They don't listen to us at all." Many people are discouraged because their suggestions are not adopted. Therefore, well-managed companies attach great importance to the annual survey of employees. They collect their opinions and adopt reasonable opinions in response. Poorly managed companies, however, don’t usually pay attention to and adopt the opinions of their employees. Over time, they lose the loyalty of their employees. Jesus was right when He said, "For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light." (Luke 16:8).

When the monopolizing group focuses on its own interests and shuts down other believers, it prevents them from using their talents. These believers can easily become discouraged and disappointed. Even if they are unwilling to leave the church and their beliefs, they become negative and discouraged. They may even lose their first love.

Randy Clark, a teacher at my seminary, told a story that serves as an excellent example of this point. He mentioned that he leads an annual ministry team that preaches the gospel and serves the church in Brazil. One of his burdens has been to train believers to do the work Jesus taught: healing the sick and casting out demons. He believes that everyone can heal and cast out demons. But when he went to a Brazilian church and tried to do this, he was met with opposition from the pastor. The pastor said, “If you teach all the believers to pray and heal the sick and cast out demons, who will still need us?” The pastor opposed their attempts to train the believers in his church. “Please teach the clergy to do this,” they said. “But we do not want all believers to learn it.”

There are many reasons why believers can lose their first love (2:4). But one of the reasons may be the work of the Nicolaitans, which Jesus hates. It is no accident that this is mentioned here. In verse five, Jesus mentions that believers should remember from where they have fallen. And immediately following this statement, he mentions that he hates the works of the Nicolaitans (2:6). It logically follows that the Nicolaitans may have caused the Ephesian believers to lose their first love.

In historic Catholicism, only the clergy could read the Bible, and only the Pope could affirm the doctrine, which limited the enthusiastic growth of individual believers. After Martin Luther translated the Bible into the common language and the printing press made Bibles widely available, a great revival broke out! But unfortunately, the banal influence of the middle class is still circulating in the church today, even in the Protestant church and some Chinese churches. What a strange and unfortunate situation! When a new servant arises in the church, the long-standing church workers feel threatened. As a result, they begin to suppress these new servants. Evil spirits often take advantage of people's narrow-minded and selfish interests to restrict the growth and functioning of believers. This suffocates the growth of the Body of Christ.

Evil Spirits at Work in The Church In Smyrna

What types of evil spirits were at work in the church in Smyrna? To answer this question, we must return to the church in Ephesus. When a privileged group oppresses the rest of the church, as it may have done in Ephesus, some believers become discouraged. But other believers are able to overcome the persecution of this evil spirit. These faithful believers continue to love the Lord. They do not lose their first love. Now Satan is left with a conundrum: what should he do with these people? He decides to directly persecute them, just like he did with Job. Satan had attacked Job’s possessions, property, and family, but Satan had not failed to trust God. Satan concluded that direct persecution would cause Job to curse God. Satan said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life." (Job 2:4). In the same way, Satan launched a direct attack on those who had survived his subtle attack of lovelessness.

The letters to the seven churches build on one another, just like the progressively difficult levels in a video game. After passing one level, the next level is more difficult. In the same way, trials can be progressively more difficult. John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress portrays a man named "Christian" who goes through increasing difficulties and trials in order to eventually reach his destination and find eternal life. In the same way, God allows believers to experience many difficulties on their way to the eternal city of God.

The religious spirit often oppresses believers and tempts them to lose their first love. If believers successfully overcome the religious spirit and stay true to God, Satan may attack them directly to see if they can pass the test. Anyone who can overcome the oppression of the religious spirit in the church will surely suffer persecution. But Jesus tells us that this tribulation will only last ten days. Those who overcome will receive the crown of life (2:10). Not everyone will experience persecution that leads to physical death, but many people will experience the mental and emotional persecution that Paul described in 2 Corinthians 1:8b-9a: “…We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself, felt that we had received the sentence of death..." Many believers have experienced seemingly hopeless situations, yet they have also experienced the hand of the Risen Christ leading them through the valley of the shadow of death.

For example, Margaret E. Barber who trained Watchman Nee was misunderstood and envied by her Christian co-workers. They smeared her with lies, dragged her reputation through the dirt, and left her in the church to serve alone. Despite these struggles, Margaret trained Watchman Nee and others and brought a wave of revival into the Chinese church.

As you will recall, the theme of the book of Revelation is to usher in the victorious overcomers and the bride of Christ (chapter 12); judge Satan and his evil spirits; and bring in the New Jerusalem, the New Heaven and the New Earth. Our trials are like a fiery furnace, designed to smelt away the dross and make our faith more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7).

The Evil Spirits Operating in The Church in Pergamum

Persecution is not always the most effective method of destroying believers. During the early years of the Roman Empire, Satan's persecution of the church reached its climax. Many Christians were burned at the stake or sent into the arena to fight with wild beasts. But instead of losing their faith, they became stronger. Their willingness to die rather than deny Christ strengthened other believers. The blood of the martyrs made Christianity spread more widely. The number of Christians increased even more. Satan saw that his methods were not universally effective. Though believers shrank back as persecution became more severe, still others became stronger.

What would Satan do next? Why not mix the tare with the wheats? He began to introduce the teaching of the Nicolaitans (2:15) and Balaam (2:14). Balaam was a gentle false prophet hired by Balak, King of Moab, to curse Israel. God would not allow Balaam to curse Israel, and blessings poured out of his mouth instead. When Balaam realized he could not call down curses on Israel, he used a trickier method. He could not change God’s attitude toward the Israelites, so he decided to change the Israelites’ attitude toward God. He sent Moabite and Midianite women to entice the Israelites into committing sexual sin. Since the Lord hates idolatry and fornication, the Israelites lost God’s blessings. God sent a plague to punish them. Although God eventually judged Balaam, the Israelites also suffered severely for their sin.

In the same way, Satan deployed a subtle tactic against the believers in Pergamum. The believers had not fallen for the trick of lovelessness (Ephesus), nor had they fallen for the trick of death and persecution (Smyrna). But perhaps he could lure them away with sexual sin and idolatry, like Balaam lured the people of Israel. Satan let loose the religious spirit, the spirit of death, and the spirit of confusion at the same time, allowing them to band together. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, "And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken." What is true in the realm of goodness is also true in the realm of evil. Satan knew that if he could attack simultaneously from several angles, he could seduce more people. He sent several evil spirits to band together against the church. The cooperation of evil spirits and human sinners will eventually become Babylon the Great, which is a combination of religious, political, business and other systems which form a giant snare and attempt to drag the church into hell.

Facing such a united front of evil, believers must recognize that God’s word is even sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). If believers do not know how to use God’s word as a sword (Ephesians 6:17) or how to put on the whole armor of God to fight against the enemy, they will become prey. Satan continues to use all kinds of evil spirits to weave a sticky net, like a spider web, to bind believers and restrict the church. Like flies that get caught in a spider’s web, some believers will fall prey to Satan and evil spirits. But while a spider's web is strong enough to catch insects, it’s no match for a human with a broom in his hand. In the same way, God’s word will easily conquer Babylon the Great.

Why do some believers get stuck in Satan’s spider webs and lose their spiritual vitality? It is because they lack the fellowship with the Lord. The teaching of the Nicolaitans keeps believers from having personal contact with God and His word. It causes them to lose their fellowship with Him and cut off their rich supply directly from the Head, Christ. Furthermore, it discourages them from repenting, asking for God’s forgiveness, and receiving the cleansing of his precious blood. When we fall prey to these beliefs, we get stuck.

However, when we draw close to God and study and meditate on His word every day, we will receive the hidden manna (2:17). We will experience spiritual transformation and become a pure white stone which will never be trapped by spider webs (2:17). We will receive a new name. God will know us personally (2:17). God will keep us through all trials. Although thousands of people fall before us, we will not be afraid of evil, because God will keep us safe (Psalm 91:7).

Conclusion

Despite Satan’s attempts to destroy the church, God's work continues forward despite all opposition. The tests and attacks by the religious spirit (Ephesus), spirit of death (Smyrna), and the spirits of idolatry, immorality, and confusion (Pergamos) only strengthen the church. As they choose to keep their first love, overcome death, and put away idolatry and false teaching, they build up the body of Christ. The church’s progress will eventually lead to the seal judgments and trumpet judgments. Many people will be judged, including the church, since judgment begins at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). These judgments will further purify the church, separate the wheat from the tares, and reap an eternal harvest of souls.

The more the church matures, the more overcomers it will produce. The more Satan’s forces band together, the stronger the opposition. The train has left the station. The train of evil and the train of good are headed for a full-force collision at the battle of Armageddon.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus- Revelation 2 (part 2)

God’s Provision in Difficult Times

Today we will look at the first three letters to the churches in Revelation 2. As we’ve discussed, these seven letters are structured like a sandwich, starting with praise, followed by criticism, and finishing with encouragement. But we often overlook the opening sentence of each letter, which reveals something about the nature of Jesus Christ.

The first sentence of each chapter of the Bible is often the key to understanding the entire chapter and paragraph, as it reveals the Holy Spirit's summary of each chapter and section of the Bible. Therefore, we should pay special attention to the first sentence of each chapter and paragraph. This will help us understand the Bible better.

In the letters to the churches in Revelation, Jesus begins each letter with a revelation of a specific aspect of his character. This characteristic of Jesus is specifically related to the church’s unique trial or sin struggle.

For instance, the letter to the church in Ephesus first mentions that Jesus “holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands” (ESV, Revelation 2:1)[1]. Just like the Old Testament High Priest trimmed the wicks and added oil to make the golden lampstand shine brighter, Jesus trims the wicks of our hearts (removes our idols) and pours oil (the Holy Spirit) into our lives. First John 2:15 says, "if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” so we need Jesus’ help to remove these false loves. The seven stars in Jesus’ hands are the tools he uses to purify our hearts and make our lamps shine brighter.

The letter to the church in Smyrna mentions that Jesus is "the first and the last, who died and lived again" (Revelation 2:8). The letter goes on to discuss the characteristics of Jesus' resurrection and the ways His resurrection provides for the persecuted church. The letter to the church in Pergamum mentions "a sharp two-edged sword" (Revelation 2:12), which reminds us that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). This shows that the church in Pergamum had failed to keep the Lord’s word, leading to spiritual struggles. This church needed to learn to rightly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) and resist heresy and wrong teachings so their witness to Christ could truly begin to shine. Jesus reminded each church of an aspect of his character that could help them in their unique circumstances.

Our Specific Weakness Forces Us to Depend on a Specific Aspect of God’s Character

Not only do churches have different weaknesses, but every person has them also. We all wish we were perfect, but we each have different flaws and weaknesses. Did you know that each specific flaw and weakness in your life provides a unique opportunity to depend on Christ in a specific way? For example, a person who is good-tempered by nature doesn’t need to learn and experience Christ’s patience. But a person who has a short temper has a unique opportunity to learn His patience. When we frequently focus on and pay attention to Christ’s patience, we will gradually be transformed into his image. We will experience spiritual transformation and become patient people. Friends around us who know that we are quick-tempered by nature will be astonished when they see the transformation Jesus has provided. "Only God could have done this! He is real,” they will say. In this way, we will become effective witnesses for Christ—even more than naturally good-tempered people.

Many times, our past failures and struggles become an excellent opportunity to be a witness for Christ. For example, a former drug addict sinned who has trusted in Jesus Christ and overcome his drug addiction can be a very good witness to other drug addicts. A woman who transitioned to the opposite gender and later regretted it has a unique story to tell. She can bear witness to the pain of changing her gender after believing the lies of the enemy in a way that other people cannot. She can testify to the beauty of the gender that God created in a way that most could never do.

This brings us to a crucial question: Are our eyes focused on our own failures, or are we focused on God's provision in this area? Are we paying attention to the specific characteristics of God’s grace that we would have otherwise missed? I am not denying that our failures, weaknesses, and shortcomings cause pain to ourselves and God. I am saying that our primary attention should be on God’s specific characteristics that fill the specific gaps of our weaknesses. In this way, our lives will become a mirror that reflects the glory of the Lord, and gradually transforms us into His image (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Similarly, when many people read the letters to the seven churches, they focus on the shortcomings of each church, rather than on God’s provision to help the churches overcome their struggles. We must focus on the characteristics of God’s provision and reflect on the ways God’s character can help us in our own shortcomings. Only then can we gradually achieve God’s calling and His expectations for our lives. Remember, the first sentence of Jesus Christ's letter to the seven churches reveals an aspect of his character that can help the church with its unique struggles.

He Who Holds the Seven Stars In His Right Hand And Walks Among The Seven Golden Lampstands

One of the duties of the high priest in the Old Testament was to trim the wicks of the golden lampstand. When the wick itself starts to burn rather than burning the oil in the lamp, that wick must be trimmed so that it doesn’t start to smoke. Normally, when oil from the lamp penetrates the wick, the wick itself doesn’t burn—just like the flame in the burning bush did not burn the bush. When our hearts are full of God’s love and his oil, we flourish. But when our hearts love something else, our spirit will be not full of oil, and our fire will be dimmed or nearly extinguished. We will give off a burning smell. Therefore, just like the high priests in the Old Testament walked among the lampstands and trimmed the wicks in the sanctuary, the Lord Jesus will also trim the wicks of the church. As our heavenly High Priest, the Lord Jesus walks among our lampstands to trim away idolatrous love.

No one wants to be trimmed. The place where God prunes us is often the place that our flesh cherishes the most. But if God doesn't prune us, those earthly things we cherish will eventually steal our oil and diminish our fire. God’s pruning and discipline allow us to learn the lesson of obedience. The Holy Spirit is given to those who obey him (Acts 5:32), so God’s pruning allows us to be filled even more with the oil of the Holy Spirit.

Now let’s dig into the meaning of the seven stars in the right hand of the Lord Jesus. Although we know they represent the angels of the seven churches (Revelation 1:20), who are the angels? Are they literal angels, or overcoming saints? Are they seven aspects of Jesus’ nature that can help the seven churches know how to act here on earth?

We know that in the Old Testament book of Proverbs, "wisdom" is personified as a woman. Proverbs 4:8 says, "Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her." Who is "her"? Yet Isaiah 11:2 prophesies of Christ with similar language: "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." In this passage, “wisdom" refers to the Spirit of God or to an aspect of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The church is the body of Christ, and the seven churches are the seven manifestations of Jesus Christ, the head. Wouldn’t it make sense to say that the seven churches should manifest the seven divine characteristics of Jesus Christ or the seven aspects of the Holy Spirit?

For a moment, let’s set aside the idea that the seven stars are seven literal angels or seven overcoming saints. Wouldn’t it be strange to think of Jesus holding seven angels or seven believers in his hand? Wouldn’t it make more sense to see that Jesus holds seven manifestations of the Spirit or seven aspects of his personality: the High Priest, the Resurrection, the Word of God, the Judge, the Living Lord, the Holy One, and the True One, Amen? These characteristics of Christ correspond to the unique needs of each of the seven churches and are designed to help them be set free from their various weakness.

Holding the seven stars in His right hand, Jesus begins walking among the golden lampstands. He first illuminates a shortcoming of the church in Ephesus: they have forsaken their first love. The seven stars are not intended only for the church in Ephesus, but for all seven churches. Whenever the Bible mentions a principle, it is intended to be applied later as well. The seven stars are also mentioned in the letter to Sardis, so it’s clear that the seven stars are not only aimed at the church in Ephesus. Nor is the picture of Jesus walking among the golden lampstands aimed only at the church in Ephesus. At the same time, the picture of Jesus holding the seven stars in His right hand and walking among the golden lampstands is an excellent way to show how the problems of the church in Ephesus can be solved. The believers in Ephesus need to forsake the things that keep their hearts away from God, accept the pruning and discipline of the High Priest Jesus Christ, and return to their first love. They must be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit so their golden lampstand shines brighter and is not removed from its place. If they harden their hearts and refuse to repent, God would remove their lampstand and they would lose their testimony.

The First, The Last; The One Who Died And Lived Again

When going through trials, believers and churches often ask, "God, where are You? Why do You allow these things to happen to me?" Jesus said, "In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Suffering and trials are inevitable, and they bring victory and maturity in a way that a comfortable life does not. A Chinese brother was imprisoned for several years for smuggling and distributing Bibles. Later, he was about to leave for China and immigrate to the United States. A Christian brother was seeing him off. He said, "If you can continue to love the Lord when you arrive in the United States, you will be victorious." The persecution brought about by suffering in China makes people more committed in their faith, while the comfortable life in the United States tempts them to become lax in their spiritual practice.

A dispensationalist view of this passage equates the church in Smyrna with the persecuted church in the early Roman Empire. This is true to a degree, but it’s also true that the persecuted church never goes away. The church will always be persecuted. Persecution and suffering are tools in the hands of God to help the church mature. Over the past few years, persecution of churches in Canada, the United States, and Europe has challenged the faith of many Christians. But it has also strengthened the faith of Christians in many European and American countries. Christians in Europe and the United States have been startled by the rampant oppression brought about by leftists and homosexuals, and they have tried to change this situation through political elections. But they encountered many setbacks. I still believe that the church in Europe and the United States will eventually awaken its power and bring about political reversals. But I also believe that persecution will continue to exist for a long time because God knows that persecution benefits the church. Just like cold weather helps plants grow deeper roots, persecution will help the church take root.

People's natural reaction to persecution is to be discouraged and disappointed. But we must learn not to focus on our political setbacks and failures, or on our enemies, or on our disgrace. Instead, we must focus on God’s provision and the aspects of his character that can meet our specific needs. Jesus is "the first and the last, who died and lives again." The church in Europe and America is currently experiencing a time of weakness and death. But one day, they will experience resurrection, and they will be able to testify even more powerfully that Jesus Christ is "the first, the last, who died and lived again." The churches in Europe and America will one day put their enemies to shame with the church’s powerful testimony of resurrection.

I experienced a time of emotional death and resurrection during my ten years of infertility. My heartbreak and tears were like an emotional death. I walked through the valley of the shadow of death. But I also experienced God’s resurrection power. We must believe that our suffering is short-lived. "We will have tribulation for ten days,” but we will eventually receive the "crown of life.” These rewards are not just something we will receive when we die. They can be experienced today.

Sharp Two-Edged Sword

The sharp sword mentioned in this passage refers to the word of the Lord, which is as sharp and decisive as a double-edged sword. When the church ignores the word of God, demonic teachings will prevail. When we deny that the Bible is the word of God or tamper with His word, we gradually allow the church to become Satan’s throne (2:13). What is Satan's throne? It’s a dominion of lies. God’s word is the truth, and when we ignore the truth, lies thrive.

When a church faces difficulty, it is facing the evil work of a specific evil spirit. For example, the church in Ephesus faced the spirit of indifference. Meanwhile, the church in Smyrna faced the spirit of death, and the church in Pergamum faced a spirit of error.

When the spirit of error operates in a church body, truth is distorted. When the truth no longer guides believers, the church will be plunged into darkness. Any believers who continue to hold onto the truth, will be persecuted by false and evil spirits working through false and religious believers. For example, Antipas of the church in Pergamum, who was called a faithful witness by the Lord, was persecuted and killed. The spirit of error always persecutes those who hold to the truth. For example, Jesus and Paul were persecuted by Judaism, and Martin Luther was persecuted by Catholicism.

A church can fail to keep God’s word in several ways. Some fail by allowing people to sin and commit sexual immorality, not taking God’s word seriously. This church loses God’s blessings because it holds to the teachings of the Nicolaitans and of Balaam. Other times, religious teachers hold a monopoly on the interpretation of God’s word, even prohibiting people from studying it for themselves. For example, Catholics historically would not allow lay people to read the Bible. Only the clergy could read the Latin Bible, and then the pope would teach doctrine to the people. God wants all believers to be able to read His word.

Fallen churches that have failed to learn and keep God’s word must repent. They must study and hold on to His word. If they do not repent, the Lord will come to them with the sword of His mouth. The sword in His mouth represents his words of provision and judgment. The church in Pergamum failed because it did not hold on to His word. But Jesus’ sharp double-edged sword, which represents the living Word of God, could bring health and wholeness to the church.

Recently, the Methodist Church, a large denomination in the United States, went through a major split. The reason for the split was that a liberal faction rejected the authority of the Bible and began to support homosexuality. The conservative faction advocated for biblical authority and opposed homosexuality. Even though this church’s inception was influenced by John Wesley, a large portion of the denomination has abandoned not only the traditions of John Wesley but also the Bible as a whole.

Conclusion

In the letters that Lord Jesus Christ wrote to the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamos, He provided specifically for their individual needs. To the failing and indifferent church in Ephesus, the Lord Jesus revealed that He is the High Priest who holds seven stars in His hand. Just like the Old Testament high priest trimmed the wicks with the scissors in his hand, the Lord Jesus will also prune us and restore us to our first love. To a church that had been threatened with physical death (Smyrna), Jesus Christ revealed that He is the resurrection. To a failing church that was abandoning the word of God (Pergamum), Jesus revealed that He is the living Word of God, like a sharp double-edged sword. When we focus on these characteristics of Jesus Christ, we will be transformed into His likeness. The key to victory is to look to and reflect on Christ, and not just look at our weaknesses.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Revelation 2

Transcending Time: The Concept of Time in Revelation

The book of Revelation is written in the past tense, which seems to indicate that the events it describes have already happened. But a lot of the prophecies in the book are still future; we are still waiting for their fulfillment. How can we understand the difference between time and eternity in the book of Revelation?

As we saw in our study of Revelation 1, a lack of understanding of Biblical symbolism can prevent us from understanding the book of Revelation. Similarly, a misunderstanding of the concept of time will limit our understanding of this magnificent book. However, through the Spirit, we can transcend time and space. This will greatly help us understand the book of Revelation.

The denomination where I was saved was strongly influenced by "dispensationalism," a concept taught by Darby and Scofield. These teachers believe that the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2-3 represent seven different ages. The church in Ephesus represents the original, apostolic church; the church of Smyrna represents the persecuted church in the Roman Empire; the church in Pergamum represents the church’s downfall after the establishment of Christianity as the state religion; and the church in Sardis represents the church after the Reformation; the church in Philadelphia represents the great revivals and the rise of the Missionary Era; and the church in Laodicea represents the lukewarm end-time church. Based on this theory, God eventually had no choice but to judge the believers of this age. Only a few believers were victorious.

Teachings like this are circulating in many churches. Some of these teachings are correct, but often, these teachings are too limited by the concept of time. These seven churches may represent seven churches in different periods, but they could also depict seven different postures of the church in the same time period. Furthermore, these letters to the seven churches transcend time. They are the word of God through the Spirit to the church throughout history. Therefore, we must transcend the concept of time and understand the word of God through the Spirit.

How Linear Time Limits Our Thinking

Does the Bible record everything in chronological order? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. For example, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke may have been written in somewhat chronological order, but the story of John is not in chronological order. The stories of John's Gospel are structured to illustrate certain truths. John presents these truths one by one by combining different stories together. So what does the order of the letters to the seven churches convey?

On the one hand, these letters are structured in a certain type of chronological order, because some things have not happened yet, but will happen in the future. Yet the book of Revelation was written in the past tense; in the eyes of the author, it had already happened. How do we understand these time differences?

We know that Jesus was crucified on the cross 2,000 years ago, yet the book of Revelation says that He appeared "as though had been slain,” presumably recently (Revelation 5:6).[1] Later, the Bible says Christ was “slain before the foundation of the world" (13:8). Similarly, 1 Peter 1:2 says that Jesus Christ was "chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,” and verse 20 says, "Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you." The Lamb existed long ago and will continue to exist in eternity. But he entered time and appeared to us at a specific time and place. Therefore, from this perspective, time is relative to us. If we imagine time as a circle, then outside time (the circle) is eternity, and inside the circle (time) is the realm where we live as material human beings. Generally speaking, we can’t break out of time, just like we can't go beyond the speed of light. But we know that if our speed approaches the speed of light, we will exceed the limitations of time. Einstein's theory of relativity explains this point of view. Similarly, we can break through the limitations of time in the spirit.

We often think that time is linear and sequential. This linear thinking creates a lot of constraints and hinders our understanding of many things. A linear thinker would say, “How can the Lamb be recently killed in Revelation 5 and killed before the foundation of the world in Revelation 13?” If we are limited by linear thinking, we will not be able to understand this paradox. Instead, it is helpful to think of time as a circle. Outside the circle is eternity, and inside the circle is time. The Lord Jesus said that He is the Alpha and the Omega, which are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. If we put all the letters of the Greek alphabet in a circle, this can represent time. When time is imagined as a circle, it will help us understand these dilemmas. If time is a circle, the starting point is very near the ending point.

On a school track, runners compete against each other on a circular track. As they run laps around the track, their positions change, and their perspectives on the starting line and finish line also change. For instance, when the runners start their race, the coach’s eagle looks huge; but when the runners are halfway around the track, the bird looks very small. Both are correct. It’s just that the runner’s vantage point has changed. In the same way, when the apostle John saw the slain Lamb in Revelation 5, he felt that He had just been slain, but when he ran forward to Revelation 13, he said that the lamb had been slain before the foundation of the world. This is because John was looking at the lamb from a different distance, perspective, and angle.

The Spirit Can Break the Limitations of Time

We must understand that the limits of time can be superseded. If the runners leave the track after the competition is over, they will be completely outside of the realm of the competition. Time is like a track, a boundary established by God inside which we can seek salvation and learn to know him here on earth.

Here is another example. When NASA recently crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid during a test, it changed the orbit of the asteroid. Time is like the orbit of this asteroid. When hit by an external force, the orbit can change.

Time is also like Highway I-495 which runs around Washington, D.C. As long as we continue traveling on this highway, we circle D.C. But if we take any of the exits, we leave the circle. In the same way, we can exit time. How? We can leave the realm of time in the Spirit.

The Spirit can raise us up to a new realm of experience and give us a perspective that transcends time. When we are free from the limits of time, we can observe the events taking place within time. We will observe them from an outside perspective, like the spectators observe the people running in the track. From a high vantage point, we have a completely different perspective.

The content recorded in the Book of Revelation takes place within time, but the Book of Revelation helps us see from a perspective beyond time. If we try to understand it from within time, we will encounter limitations that lead to misunderstandings. For example, is the church within time or beyond time? On the one hand, Revelation tells the church of the church’s birth, growth, and development to spiritual maturity within time. On the other hand, the church is beyond time. The Bible says that "he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). So, did the Lord speak to the seven churches within time? Or beyond time? If it is within time, were these letters addressed to the seven churches in Asia in the time of the apostle John, or to the church today? Should we treat this timeline as linear or circular? A linear timeline is constantly moving forward and never repeats itself. Circular time is repetitive. Events can be constantly replicated. At the same time, if an event is beyond time, it is not constrained by the limits of time.

I believe that Dispensationalism is too limited in its concept of time. It is too linear. Even though in many ways, the historical development of the church seems to match up pretty well with the messages to the seven churches, in other ways it does not. The first two letters to the churches indeed seem to correspond to the original church which was persecuted by the Roman Empire and the compromising church that joined itself to the Roman Empire and the secular world. But after that, it’s more difficult to see the correlation. Dispensationalism correlates the church in Sardis to the church of Reformation, and the church in Philadelphia to the dispensationalist revivals. (Countless dispensational churches consider themselves to be the church in Philadelphia.) Does this mean that everyone who believes they are the church in Philadelphia will later experience the death and fall of their church, as happened to the church in Laodicea? I believe this view is a little too limited by linear thinking.

To a certain extent, church history is no doubt a linear development. But it is also a circle, a realm that can be viewed from inside or from outside. The attitudes of the seven churches in the book of Revelation continue to repeat themselves in churches at different times and in different places. God’s people continue to make mistakes, correct their mistakes, and learn, thereby becoming mature. We are God’s pottery; God is the craftsman; time is the furnace. The process of being refined in the furnace requires time. After we have been refined and have matured, time will no longer be necessary. We will enter eternity. During the refining process, our dross is discarded and our gold is retained. Dross represents things that dwell within time, and gold represents eternal things, or beyond time. Therefore, in the process of understanding the book of Revelation, we must see which concepts are temporary “dross” that dwells within time, and which ones are eternal “gold” that dwells beyond time. Time is the furnace that will refine us.

While reading the letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation, it’s important to distinguish between the commands that are restricted to a certain time period and the concepts that are outside of time. There is a staggering contrast between these two. As I have said many times, Jesus’ letters to the churches are presented in a sandwich structure. The first part contains words of praise, the middle section contains words of reproach, and the last part contains words of encouragement. This structure is both outside of and within time. The entire Bible is structured like this. Before Adam's sin in Genesis 3, mankind was perfectly good; although they dwelt within time, people had no sin. The period of time before Genesis 3 also included eternity past, as mentioned in John 1. The middle portion of the sandwich contains Genesis 3 to Revelation 20. After this, Satan is thrown into the lake of fire, time comes to an end, and people will enter into eternity. The last section is the end of the book of Revelation, in which the eternal state resembles the pre-fall Garden of Eden. In a sense, the end of time returns to the beginning of time. The refining fire of time has ended, and time is done away with. Not only does time disappear, but “death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14). Time, death, and Hades are tools in the hands of God to help us enter eternity.

Time is Like Photography: Long and Close Shots

In my prophetic dreams, I have often been taken to heaven, where I have viewed heavenly scenes outside of time. But simultaneously, I continued to live in the material realm of time. How could I experience these spiritual realities while limited by my material body? These experiences taught me that I need to learn to switch perspectives with ease. On the one hand, I will live forever, and I am already beginning my eternal life right now. (Many people think that eternal life starts after death, which is incorrect. Eternal life starts the moment we are saved!) On the other hand, I am temporarily living my eternal life within the constraints of time. So I must be able to switch quickly back and forth between the two different perspectives. I often tell my wife about my dreams of heaven. She says, “You don't even sound like you are living in this world. When presenting your experiences and the things you have learned, you should take into account the different feelings and perspectives of the people around you.”

The Book of Revelation does a great job of speaking about spiritual, timeless realities while also speaking of earthly, time-bound events. These two narratives intersect and switch seamlessly back and forth. One moment, he is discussing things in the spirit, in heaven, beyond time. The next, he is speaking of temporal things on earth. We must be able to switch freely between these two perspectives, just like a camera lens switches freely between close and long shots. Therefore, when reading the book of Revelation, we must understand which events are earthly and which ones are heavenly; which ones are within time, and which ones are eternal. We must learn to see the church in the book of Revelation the same way a geologist sees a gold mine. A geologist does not classify a gold mine by the amount of soil that surrounds the ore, but by the amount of gold. The process in the Book of Revelation is the process of refining the gold to eliminate the useless rock and sand.

When we realize that God's will for the church lies outside of time and within eternity, we can understand our ultimate purpose and direction so that we don't get lost in our current experiences of suffering. And when we look at the temporal needs and weaknesses of the church, we will see the ways we need to be purified so we can cooperate with God's discipline, which removes our dross and makes us spiritually mature. When we read Revelation, we must constantly switch back and forth between these two different perspectives.

Glorious Eschatology

Dispensationalist eschatology and other similar belief systems seem to produce negative results. Many people are restricted by this type of linear thinking. They compare the seven churches in Revelation to the seven ages of the church. The last age is Laodicea, the lukewarm church. God will eventually come to judge the world, take to heaven all the overcomers in the church, and discipline other people. This explanation is partially correct, but it has an overly negative focus. According to Revelation, the last days are extremely glorious. The book of Revelation does contain negative events, such as various judgments, the acts of the evil spirits, and our rebellion; but it is also full of positive visions, encouragement, spiritual harvests, and victory. The appearance of the bride of Christ and spiritual overcomers in chapter 12 is the turning point in the book of Revelation. Later, with the help of God and the angels, the bride of Christ fights against Satan and his army and wins the victory. This not only brings in the glorious millennial kingdom, but also ushers in the end of the age, the new heaven and new earth, and eternity.

We must re-examine our eschatology because many people are deeply influenced by negative eschatology. As soon as there is a sign of trouble, such as disasters, wars, and darkness in the church, they immediately become discouraged, waiting for God to judge them and take them away. They give up trying. This is actually a trick of Satan.

The Lord Jesus taught his followers to pray, “May God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If God had wanted us to fail in the last days, the Lord Jesus would not have needed to pray this prayer. God's will will eventually be done on earth as it is in heaven. As Habakkuk 2:14 says, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (see also Isaiah 11:9). Isaiah 60:1-3 also says, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising."

When the Israelites came out of Egypt, God used a pillar of fire to divide the Israelites and the Egyptians. The Israelites were in the pillar of fire and the Egyptians were in darkness. Whether we are in darkness or in the light of the pillar of fire depends entirely on whose side we are on. If we stand with God and God's elect, we will be illuminated by the pillar of fire. But if we stand with the enemy, we will be in darkness. Unfortunately, many of God's elect have been deceived by the enemy in the last days. They stand in darkness. If your eschatology is negative, dark, and escapist, you may have been deceived by the enemy. You need to pray that God will enlighten you so that you can stand with the right team. In the last days, we should rise and shine. We should not only “shine like a star,” as Daniel said, but also “shines brighter and brighter until full day”! (Proverbs 4:18)

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus- Deuteronomy 7

Do You Have Idols in Your Heart?

In Deuteronomy 7, God gave the Israelites a command to kill all the Canaanites (7:2), but he also commanded the Israelites not to destroy them quickly, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for them (7:22). I believe God’s first command shows the importance of our attitude, and the second command shows the importance of our method.

The theme of Deuteronomy is to teach the second generation of Israel not to worship idols. God says that idolatry and disobedience to God are closely related, even synonymous. For example, when Saul did not obey God's command to destroy the Amalekites, Samuel rebuked him saying, "Rebellion is equal to sorcery; stubbornness is equal to worshiping false gods and house gods" (ESV, 1 Samuel 15:23).[1] Rebellion is disobedience, and sorcery is idolatry. That’s why I say that disobeying God is idolatry.

To expose our idolatry, God often gives us a command that seems unreasonable in order to test our obedience. When we obey this difficult command, it shows that God is most important to us and there are no idols in our hearts. But when we refuse to obey Him, it shows that something else is more important to us than God.

It’s not difficult to understand why God told the Israelites to kill all the Canaanites. The Canaanites represent the strongholds of evil and idolatry in our hearts. We must remove such strongholds from our lives, throwing aside the sins that entangle us (Hebrews 12:1-3). Obeying God’s commands to conquer these besetting sins is often painful and difficult. If we can't overcome these entangling weaknesses, they continue to trap us and drag us into sin. God deals with our attitude as we remove the strongholds of sin from our hearts.

If our hearts are willing to obey God, He will help us overcome evil spirits and idols. This is a matter of method. Our attitude is important, but so is our method. Because of God's wise methods, we can eventually overcome evil spirits and idols.

Obedience To God Is the Criterion For Judging Whether We Have Idols In Our Hearts

As I have said many times, the structure of Deuteronomy is a sandwich. At the beginning, Moses praised the Israelites for learning the lesson of faith in the wilderness. At the end, he blessed the Israelites again. The middle section reiterates the contents of the law and teaches the Israelites not to worship idols. The Israelites learned the lesson of faith in the wilderness, but not the lesson about not worshipping idols. Therefore, God's next step is to test the Israelites and teach them not to worship idols. In addition to commanding the Israelites not to worship idols, God also tests them to see if they will obey His commands.

Let’s look at a few other times God tested people to see if they would obey him. In 1 Samuel 13, King Saul was waiting for Samuel to come and offer a sacrifice to God, but Samuel did not come on time. Saul waited a week, and his troops were beginning to desert him. So Saul decided to offer the burnt offering on his own. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel came. Samuel rebuked Saul for not waiting for him. Saul then replied, “You did not come on time, the people were scattering from me. The Philistines had also mustered at Michmash to come against me at Gilgal.” (1 Samuel 13:8-12). Samuel said, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you." (1 Samuel 13:13-14).

Why was God so offended when Saul did not wait for Samuel to offer the sacrifice? Saul was a king, not a priest. Only the priest Samuel could lawfully offer sacrifices to God. Saul overstepped his authority by offering sacrifices.

Why did Saul decide not to wait for Samuel to come and offer the sacrifice? Because he was afraid of his people and of the enemy. His eyes were not fixed on God alone, like David's were. Instead, he reacted to his people’s preferences. Saul feared the opinions of his own troops and he feared his enemies, but he didn’t fear God.

God deliberately allowed Samuel to arrive late to see whether Saul would obey Him. If Saul decided to obey and wait on God in faith, it would mean that he magnified God above all other priorities. If Saul did not wait, it would show that he feared people more than God. Why did he fear people? Because he was afraid that they would desert him and stop supporting him as king. Being in power was his idol. Later, in order to keep his position of power, Saul tried to kill David on many occasions. This is proof that his position was his idol.

God also tested the Syrian general Naaman to see if he would obey a difficult, seemingly nonsensical command. Naaman had traveled all the way to Israel to ask Elisha to cure his leprosy. But when he arrived, Elisha didn’t even come out to speak to him personally. He just sent a messenger to tell him that if he bathed in the Jordan seven times, he would be healed. This angered Naaman. “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper,” Naaman said (2 Kings 5:11). Elisha’s behavior was completely different from what Naaman had imagined. Naaman said angrily, “Aren’t the rivers in Damascus better than Israel's? Why should I wash in the dirty Jordan river?” Naaman was angry, but his servant persuaded him to obey God. The servant convinced him that washing in the Jordan was an easy assignment; he might as well try it. So Naaman obeyed God, went to the Jordan river, and washed himself seven times. Because of his obedience, God healed him of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:11-14).

God's commands may sometimes seem unreasonable. As Pastor Bill Johnson used to say, “God often offends our minds to reveal our hearts.” His commands may seem unconventional and offensive. But our obedience to these commands reveals whether we are willing to obey God. And our obedience to God reveals whether or not we have idols in our hearts.

God’s command to exterminate the Canaanites seemed cruel and difficult to understand. But it would reveal whether the second-generation Israelites were willing to obey God or whether they were still loyal to their idols. The Canaanites represent evil spirits and idolatry and the strongholds they build in man. Therefore, God asked the Israelites to get rid of them.

God often uses the same method today to see if we will obey Him. His difficult commands reveal whether or not we have idols in our hearts. God wants to break down these strongholds. If we don’t obey him, these strongholds will entangle us.

Canaanites Represent the Strongholds of Evil and Idolatry.

The Canaanite towns were full of evil spirits and idolatries. God knew that their idolatry would rob the Israelites of their ability to worship God. If the Israelites were to unite with the Canaanites and marry their children, they would join their idolatry and be captured by the stronghold of evil. This is why God commanded the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites, not to marry their children, to break down their altars, to dash in pieces their pillars, to chop down their Asherah poles, and to burn their carved images with fire (7:3-5). The Israelites were to destroy every single idol of the Canaanites.

But the Israelites were reluctant to do so, just like we are often reluctant to give up the sins that entangle us. Why? Because we enjoy the pleasure of sin.

Let’s return to the story of Saul. Saul failed God’s first test when he did not wait for Samuel to offer the sacrifice. Then God tested him again. In 1 Samuel 15, Samuel told Saul that God wanted him to kill the Amalekites because they had resisted the Israelites with all their might when they came out of Egypt. Samuel specifically instructed Saul not to show mercy to the Amalekites, but to kill all men, women, children, and livestock.

Saul followed God’s instruction to fight the Amalekites, but he did not follow the command to destroy them completely. He spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and the best of the sheep and oxen. They destroyed everything in the city that was despised and worthless, but he saved the good things. Because of Saul’s disobedience, God sent Samuel to rebuke Saul. God said he regretted making Saul king. And he spoke the famous words equating idolatry and disobedience: "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king." (1 Samuel 15:23).

Many times, our experiences mirror Saul’s. God commands us to completely destroy the sin that entangles us. We’re happy to destroy the sins that we don’t care about, but we hold onto the ones we enjoy. For instance, a brother said he was struggling to overcome the temptation to watch pornographic videos. Clearly, this is an entangling sin that should be destroyed completely. So why is it so hard to destroy? Because we enjoy it so much. The main reason we cannot overcome a certain sin or weakness is that we still love it. If we truly hated it, we would be able to quickly overcome it.

Deuteronomy 7:25-26 says, "The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God. And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.” God knows we must hate sin in order to overcome it.

Lessons of Faith and Obedience in Our Spiritual Experience

As Christians grow spiritually, God teaches them lessons of faith and obedience. Like the Israelites, we must first learn the lesson of faith, and then move on to the lesson of obedience.

Learning the lesson of faith helps us get to know God, his goodness, and his sovereignty. God's goodness never changes, no matter how our circumstances may change. We will encounter storms in our lives, but the sun always shines above the clouds. In the same way, God’s goodness and sovereignty always shine above the difficulties of our lives. God made known his nature to Moses, and he will make known his nature to us (Psalm 103:7). When God appeared to Moses long ago, He revealed his goodness: "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6).

Moses knew God personally, spoke to the Lord face to face, and mastered the lesson of faith. But it took a lifetime to learn the lesson of obedience. Near the end of his life, Moses disobeyed God’s clear instructions when bringing water out of the rock at Meribah. God disciplined Moses and would not let him enter the land of Canaan (Numbers 20:12).

Like Moses, Christians today often learn the lesson of faith more quickly, and the lesson of obedience more slowly. The lesson of obedience is often harder than the lesson of faith. Personally, I experienced a difficult wilderness experience in which I learned the lesson of faith. Through ten years of infertility, I experienced God’s faithfulness and learned to trust him through suffering.

After God had taught me this lesson of faith, he began to teach me the lesson of obedience. The Lord Jesus appeared to me one day and challenged me to obey Him completely. After being taken to heaven, I heard the Lord say, “Surrender to me completely.” I cried, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) Through the mouth of a prophet, the Holy Spirit told me that I was too strong-willed and that I needed to learn to obey God. Many people and things in my environment made it difficult for me to obey. I was struggling so hard. I felt like I could not surrender. But the more disobedient I was, the more severely the Holy Spirit disciplined me. I was really suffering. It was hard for me to fight God’s will. When I finally surrendered to God, I realized that obedience is a blessing.

Unfortunately, there are many spiritual leaders who have attained great success and then fallen into great sin. If we observe carefully, we will realize that the root cause of their sin is that they failed to deal with some weakness in their spiritual life. After they become successful, they start slacking off spiritually. This weakness becomes a snare and traps them in sinful patterns. Whether it is David committing adultery with Bathsheba, or apologist Ravi Zacharias committing sexual assault, we can see that their weaknesses were not fully dealt with. They failed to totally destroy the evil strongholds of sin in their lives, just like the Israelites failed to totally destroy the Canaanites. After these men became famous and successful, their weaknesses came back to haunt them. The weaknesses became idols in their hearts. Eventually, they were trapped, snared, and overwhelmed by a lifestyle of sin.

When I first believed in the Lord, I asked God, “Why didn't You allow me to grow up in a Christian home? Why did you allow me to fall into so many sinful failures?” I felt very confused. But gradually, I came to understand that God sovereignly allowed these experiences for a reason. Because I had experienced failure, I had also experienced the process of breaking down idols and learning to obey God. The sins and weaknesses I experienced before salvation showed me the horrific nature of sin and exposed my weaknesses. I saw very clearly the evil strongholds in our family. Because of these early realizations, I believe I am less likely to fall into sin down the road when I’m in the process of fulfilling God’s call. I would rather have made mistakes and learned from them than fall into unsuspected sin later on in life. It’s better to have my sins exposed early, rather than exposing them later when they would do more damage to the people I am serving. I am truly amazed at God’s wisdom.

The earlier our sins can be exposed, the better. We don’t need to wait until later for our weaknesses to be exposed.

God’s Methods for Overcoming Evil Spirits

After our hearts and attitudes are dealt with, we need to wait for God's leading about the method for overcoming the specific sin we are struggling with. God will lead in different ways for different people, using different methods for different circumstances.

For instance, God gradually removed the Canaanite nations, commanding the Israelites not to destroy them too quickly, in order to prevent the wild beasts from growing too numerous for them (7:22). People generally interpret the beasts here as evil spirits. The Lord Jesus once told a parable about an unclean spirit coming out of a person. It could not find a place to go, so it returned to the person from whom it came. When it saw that the house was swept and put in order, it brought seven other spirits more evil than itself to dwell there. And the state of this person was worse than the first (Luke 11:24-26). The Canaanites represent the strongholds of evil spirits on earth. After destroying the strongholds and casting out the evil spirits, we must invite the baptism of the Holy Spirit into our lives so we can continue to experience transformation. If we do not grow spiritually, our freedom won’t last long. The power of sin may return, and we may still fail.

Conclusion

We must rely on the power and leading of the Holy Spirit to defeat the strongholds of idols and evil spirits in our lives. In this way, our weaknesses won’t be as likely to become snares in the future. Bless those brothers and sisters who are called by God to deal with their weaknesses and impurities so they can become God’s strong warriors.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 6

Why do Christian Nations Fall?

Deuteronomy 6 raises some troubling questions. Why did the second generation of Israel fall after they arrived in the land of Canaan? By the same token, why do Christian countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States—which have been greatly used by God in the past—face widespread degeneration of their faith? Why do second-generation and third-generation Christians often abandon their faith?

Deuteronomy 6 gives us insight into this question. I believe that Christians begin to stray away from God, degenerate in their faith, and worship idols when they treat God’s grace and God’s word as commonplace. Instead, we must keep God's word in our hearts, continue to learn His word, and experience the truth of His word. We must teach God’s word to our children through our lives and actions. If we just lecture our children with surface-level rules but never internalize God’s word or experience His words personally, they will sense our hypocrisy. This will cause the next generation to inevitably stumble.

The Consequences of Apathy

In Deuteronomy 4, Moses previewed the future apostasy of the second generation of Israelites. He said, "When you father children and children's children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger." (ESV, Deuteronomy 4:25)[1]. The second generation of Israel would turn away from God and worship idols because they had “grown old in the land.” In other words, God's blessings had made them apathetic, arrogant, and proud. They needed God to change their environment to remind them to repent. Jeremiah 48:11-12 mentions the same concept: "Moab has been at ease from his youth and has settled on his dregs; he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile; so, his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed. ‘Therefore, behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I shall send to him pourers who will pour him, and empty his vessels and break his jars in pieces.’” Because the wine was not constantly poured back and forth from jar to jar during the wine-making process, the lees had settled. In the same way, Moab had settled in ease and apathy. The lack of trials in their environment meant shortcomings and fallen nature were never challenged.

Is there hope? Can the second generation overcome the natural apathy of “growing old” in their Christianity?

Standing on the Shoulders of the First Generation

As we’ve discussed in previous lessons, the first generation of Israelites learned from the previous generation’s failure of faith. Rather than doubting God like the first generation did, they entered the promised land with faith.

However, they did not so easily learn from the first generation’s failures in the area of idolatry. They inherited the baggage of their ancestors’ idolatry. As second-generation Christians today, we should actively inherit the abundant heritage that our predecessors left to us. We need to “stand on the shoulders of giants,” as the saying goes. We should build on what they left behind. Their ceiling should be our floor. We need to not only inherit their positive abundance, but also avoid their mistakes.

Not all second- and third-generation Christians walk away from God. Historically, many second or third-generation Christians have been greatly used by God. For example, when I read the biography of Andrew Murray, I was deeply inspired. Andrew's uncle and father were both pastors. As a child, Andrew was sent to Holland with his brother to study theology, Hebrew, and Greek. After receiving a good education and training, he went to South Africa to become a pastor. There, he was greatly used by God. He knew the Bible very well and was spiritually mature.

When I compared my own biblical heritage to Andrew Murray’s, I realized that I had very little Biblical foundation. I was a first-generation and had received no Christian inheritance from my family. I was born into a family of idolaters. Before I was saved at age 27, I experienced the entanglement of sin and the flesh. Rather than receiving a deep Christian education, I was educated in the ways of the world. I felt gypped. I was deeply envious of Andrew Murray's experience. I thought, “If I could have been born into a Christian family and received a spiritual education as good as Andrew Murray’s, I might be more useful in God's hands.”

But that wasn’t the life path God chose for me. I later realized that God’s wisdom allowed me to experience these trials and tribulations so that I could better empathize with Christians who fall into sin. I realized that it was not too late to study the abundant heritage passed down to me through Christian books and resources from those who had gone before.

God wants us to pass on our spiritual heritage to the next generation, so that they can have a better starting point. We must share our experiences of faith and even our failures so they can learn from our example. We must learn how to teach the next generation well.

Lead the Next Generation by Example

I once saw a movie about a second-generation American Christian who rebelled against the hypocrisy she saw in her parents. Though the parents claimed to be generous when in church, they showed their true colors when at home. They refused to give a penny toward God’s work. Frustrated, the daughter donated the entire education fund left by her parents to the pastor. When her parents found out, they became very angry and tried to find a way to get the money back from the pastor. The pastor was also a money-grubber. He refused to return the money. He told the parents, "The money donated to the church is given to God and cannot be taken back." The daughter did not see a positive Christian testimony from her parents.

Later, the daughter met some unbelieving friends who were involved with a homeless outreach. She began volunteering with her new friends. The message of the movie is that unbelievers, including homosexuals, demonstrate more true love than Christians. When I watched this movie, I sighed. Unfortunately, this portrayal of American Christian society and family is not far from the truth.

In light of the sad condition of American Christianity, we must pay close attention to Deuteronomy 6. God commanded the Israelites to focus on his word and always keep it in their hearts. Only in this way could they pass his word on to their children. The formula portrayed in this chapter is: First study God’s word for yourself, and then pass it on to your children.

Deuteronomy 6:1-2 records the words that Moses taught the second generation of Israelites. "Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it.” Then Moses addresses the teaching of the next generation: “That you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long." This command encompasses both the second generation of Israelites and their children. Throughout the chapter, Moses first tells the second generation of Israelites how to obey and study the word of God, then instructs them about how their children and grandchildren should act.

Deuteronomy 6:5-6 says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart." In these verses, Moses is addressing the second generation of Israelites. But in verse 7, he says, "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

In verses 8-9, Moses continued to speak to the second generation of Israelites: "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Forgetting God’s word is the first step toward our spiritual downfall. In verses 10-11, Moses reminded the people that their houses, fields, and produce in the land of Canaan were results of the grace of God, not their own effort. Moses reminded the second generation of Israelites in verse 12, "Then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." In verses 6:16-19, Moses continued to remind the second generation of Israelites that they should not put God to the test, like the first generation of Israel did in Massah. Moses reminded them that if they obeyed God's law, He would drive out all their enemies before them. In verses 20-21, Moses continued to talk to them about how to teach their children. He said, "When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.’"

This structure continues throughout the chapter. Moses first taught the second generation of Israelites, who were about to enter the land of Canaan, to obey the law of God. Next, he reminded them to teach their descendants. In my previous readings of this chapter, I had never noticed this generational structure. Now, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I noticed the way this passage is arranged and the truth it points to. Just like the second generation of Israelites, we need to study, understand and obey God’s word so we can teach our children to know and obey God’s word.

Abraham and Jacob: Two Generations Experience God in Different Ways

Moses knew that the second generation of Israelites would not study the law or obey it. He knew they would not teach their children well. Instead, they would fall into idolatry and turn away from God. Does this mean there is no hope?

I believe that there is hope for the second generation, even when they wander away from God—just like there was hope for Abraham’s son, Jacob.

Like Abraham, many first-generation Christians hear the call of God, leave the land of idolatry, and enter the Promised Land. However, second-generation Christians often have the reverse experience. Like Jacob, they start out in the Promised Land but later leave and return to the land of idolatry. Only there do they come face to face with God’s presence. It is normal for second-generation Christians to fall away, and God will arrange their circumstances so that they have an opportunity to turn back to Him. Each individual’s faith journey is unique. But each generation is cared for by God’s loving sovereignty. All things work together for good to those who love Him.

Like Abraham, I am a first-generation Christian who was saved from a land of idolatry. Abraham lived in an idol-worshiping city east of the river, but God called him to leave his homeland and follow Him to a place he did not know. Abraham followed God’s guidance by faith and finally entered the land of Canaan that God had prepared for him and his descendants. Like him, many first-generation Christians are entangled in sin, idolatry, and worldliness. But God’s presence attractively woos them out of sin and into the Promised Land of hope.

However, later generations of Christians often have the same experience as Jacob did. Although he lived in Isaac’s house and received his blessing, he himself did not know God. The God of Abraham and Isaac was not the God of Jacob. Jacob tricked his brother and stole his birthright. He then fled from his hometown and went to live with his idol-worshiping uncle. Years before, Abraham’s servant had brought Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, from Abraham's idol-worshiping hometown. After Jacob went to live with his uncle Laban, Jacob’s wife Rachel stole Laban’s household gods. Clearly, idols were still being actively worshiped in Laban’s household.

Jacob left to the land of promise and returned to the land of idols. He left God’s blessing in the land of Canaan and entered a land of oppression where he would be mistreated and deceived by his uncle for many years. But it was only through these unfortunate experiences that Jacob met God. In the vision of a ladder on the way to his uncle's house and in his experience of wrestling with God on his way back to the land of Canaan, Jacob came face to face with God Himself.

Each of us has a different experience with God. Like Abraham, some people start out in the land of suffering and idolatry, then meet God and enter the land of Canaan. However, others are born in the land of Canaan. Without a personal relationship with God, they walk away from his blessings and return to the land of idols. But God never leaves them alone. He is always with them, waiting for them to return to Him so they can truly know and experience Him.

Like Abraham, first-generation Chinese Christians suffer because of their sins and the oppression of idols and evil spirits. Then they encounter God and are set free.

Like Jacob, some people are born into Christian homes in Christian countries. They do not know God personally through experience. They fall into sin and walk away from God, but his mercy is still watching over them. Like Jacob, they will meet God in a dream and will wrestle with Him at the ford of Jabbok. He will bring them back to Himself.

Conclusion

A recent report by the Pew Research Center stated that at the current rate of decline, the percentage of Christians in the United States will drop below 50% of the population by 2070. This statistic has a far-reaching impact on American politics and society. The article argues that only a great revival can change this downward trend. When Steve Bannon shared the article, he asked a question: “Will the Great Revival change this trend?” When I reposted the link, I stated that I believe it is possible. I firmly believe that a great revival in the United States is coming; God has revealed this to me many times through prophetic dreams. I believe this downward trend will definitely reverse.

We must remember this truth: It was when Jacob was alone and miserable in the wilderness that he met God. In the United States, there are countless second- and third-generation Christians, and those whose families have been believers for many generations. Even if they turn away from God, His mercy toward them will never come to an end. They will eventually come face to face with their loving Savior.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Leviticus 11

The Spiritual Significance of The Law of Clean and Unclean Food

Leviticus 11 talks about God’s instructions for clean and unclean foods. God told the Israelites they were allowed to eat clean animals that had a divided hoof and that chewed the cud. Pigs have divided hooves but don’t chew the cud, so they are unclean. Camels chew the cud but don’t have divided hooves, so they’re also unclean.

We’ve been taught that a divided hoof represents a Christian's ability to discern between good and evil, and that chewing the cud represents Christians chewing on and pondering the Lord's Word. This is certainly a good spiritual explanation. But when the Lord told this to the Israelites, was He really thinking about how Christians would live and read the Bible thousands of years later? Perhaps we can make this current-day application, but I believe the instructions were primarily addressed to the Israelites at the time.

Christians also disagree as to why the Lord gave the Israelites these dietary laws. Some think that it was for hygiene and health considerations, while others focus on spiritual interpretations, such as the one given above. We certainly do not deny that God’s words in the Bible can have spiritual interpretations, but it’s also important to consider these words in context.

What was the context of God’s instructions about clean and unclean food? For one thing, these instructions come on the heels of an important statement about holiness. When Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu were judged by God, he told Aaron that he must be sanctified among those who came near to Him, and He must be glorified before all the people (Leviticus 10:3). In other words, God wanted those who were near Him to break free from the mundane and to live in holiness. In this context, God’s instructions about clean and unclean foods were given for the purpose of creating and maintaining holiness. Chapter 12 then deals with cleanliness after childbirth; chapters 13-14 discuss the cleanliness of a leper; and chapter 15 deals with cleanliness related to bodily discharges. God is dealing with the cleanliness of His chosen people step by step. The laws regarding clean and unclean foods were very important to helping the Israelites maintain holiness before God. God gave instructions about clean and unclean foods in hopes that the Israelites, who were near God, could be sanctified before Him.

Why Are There Clean and Unclean Animals?

Some say that unclean animals are scavengers who help clean up the environment, so they are not suitable for eating. For example, many fish without scales eat decaying animals at the bottom of the ocean to help clean up the ecosystem. This is beneficial to the ecological cycle. While this observation is generally true, it doesn’t apply in all cases. For example, camels and rabbits are unclean, but they eat grass. Perhaps we need to look deeper to understand the reasons God forbade the eating of certain animals.

After the fall of Adam, everything was defiled and affected by sin, even the animals. In the eyes of God, these unclean animals may have been defiled by their rebellion. But animals are not the source of uncleanness. Rather, after humanity rebelled against God, the whole earth was polluted; the animals were only one part of this pollution. The book of Hebrews says that even the heavens and the heavenly tabernacle needed to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 9:23). Satan’s rebellion polluted even the heavens and the heavenly sanctuary. Such pollution is reflected on earth, defiling the animals along with humankind.

Some angels have fallen, while others have not. We know that at least two-thirds of the angels were kept from rebelling alongside Satan. We also know that Satan can tempt people to sin. Our question is, can Satan tempt animals to sin? Some speculate that originally, animals could speak and could converse with Adam. This speculation says that after Satan's rebellion, God may have removed animals’ ability to speak so they would not learn from man’s rebellion and curse God alongside Adam. If this speculation is correct, is it possible that some animals became unclean after Satan's rebellion? In Genesis 1, God saw everything that He made and said, "Very good" (1:31). So, does this mean that there is a possibility that God created all animals to be clean animals? And that some animals were tempted to become unclean after Satan's rebellion? We have no way of knowing because the Bible does not record it. But it's a reasonable guess.

Clean Animals Become Sacrifices to Redeem Unclean Animals

The first time God mentioned clean and unclean animals in the Bible was in Genesis 7. The Lord instructed Noah to take seven pairs of clean animals and one pair of unclean animals (a pair being a male and a female) onto the ark. After the flood receded, Noah took all kinds of clean animals and birds and offered them as burnt offerings on the altar he built. When God smelled the pleasing aroma of the sacrifice, He said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done, and the four seasons shall not cease.” These verses are very interesting. We see that because of man’s sin, the earth was cursed and all living creatures began to suffer alongside humankind. But then we see an interesting phenomenon. As Noah sacrificed the clean animals, God was satisfied and the curse was removed.

God allowed seven pairs of clean animals to be on the ark because he knew they would be needed as a sacrifice for redemption. Through his compassion and grace, he also allowed a pair of unclean animals to live on the ark. The clean animals were sacrificed to save the unclean animals.

It’s important to understand that it was not the burnt offering that pleased God, but the faith and obedience of Noah. Years later, when the Israelites rebelled against God and worshipped idols, the Lord clearly said, “I am not pleased with the sacrifices of the Israelites.” David also said in Psalm 51 that burnt offerings do not please God, but a broken spirit and a contrite heart do. The Lord Jesus explained that it’s not what goes into a person’s stomach that defiles a person, but the envy and strife that come out of one’s heart. Therefore, true cleansing comes when our hearts are right with God. When our hearts are cleansed, it leads to the sanctification of our souls and the hope of the eventual redemption of our bodies. A clean heart and spirit become a sacrifice so that our soul and body can in turn be saved.

So why did God give rules about clean and unclean animals? In addition to health considerations, I believe that God wanted to point to the meaning of sacrifice. Just as clean animals would become a clean sacrifice for unclean animals, God’s Perfect Lamb was offered on behalf of unclean people (Gentiles). Jesus was an unblemished sacrifice that took away sins forever. He was descended from Israel. He was born to redeem all unclean humans and animals. After the Lord Jesus was crucified and resurrected, He not only purified the heavens, but also mankind and all of the universe. That’s why God told Peter in a vision that all animals had been made clean. “What God has made clean, do not regard as common,” God said. Why? Because God's work of cleansing through Christ had already been accomplished on the cross.

The Relationship Between Sacrifice and Redemption

God wanted the Israelites to eat holy food in order for them to become holy. God separated them from the common Gentiles and made them clean so they could become an unblemished sacrifice, the channel through which Christ was born. Just as God allowed clean and unclean animals to live side by side on the ark, He allowed the Gentiles a chance to live alongside the Israelites. The Bible says that God makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Mark 5:45). God's special elective grace to Israel made them the first ones to be cleansed, but God's common grace allowed the Gentiles to survive as well. Eventually, the Gentiles would be completely cleansed because of Israel’s descendant, Christ.

But the Israelites did not understand this relationship. They exalted God's elective grace too much, while ignoring His common grace to the rest of mankind. They became so exclusive that when Paul mentioned that God had turned his grace to the Gentiles (Acts 22:22), the Jews were so angry that they wanted to kill Paul.

This principle is reflected not only in the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, but also in the church. Some Christians are like the Old Testament first fruits. They mature quickly, overcome evil, join the Bride of Christ, and turn into outstanding Christians. Yes, we should celebrate these “clean Christians.” But we must also realize that there are many Christians who mature later. These are also an important part of God’s kingdom.

Contrary to many Christians’ beliefs, heaven is not the end of a Christian’s growth toward spiritual maturity. I believe it is another beginning. Our life on earth is part of the process by which we pursue spiritual maturity, and we should cherish this process. But this does not mean that after arriving in heaven, those who are spiritually immature have no chance to continue to grow. This is a common error in thinking. On the contrary, many people's testimonies of heaven mention that in heaven, everyone is still reading the Bible. They still have the opportunity to learn and grow.

Of course, God cares about our quick maturity. But He also provides opportunities for those who mature late. Just like the clean animals on Noah's Ark and the Israelites in the Old Testament, the first believers who were cleansed in the New Testament will become a sacrifice for the latecomers, allowing all things to be redeemed. Paul mentions in the book of Romans, "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” (ESV, Romans 8:19-22). What is the pain of childbirth? The Israelites in the Old Testament experienced these labor pains. After thousands of years of training, they finally gave birth to Jesus Christ, who became the redeeming sacrifice of mankind. In the New Testament, the church also went through the pain of childbirth, giving birth to many other sons of God through Jesus Christ.

A Lesson from the Hoopoe

The hoopoe bird can teach us an important principle. It is the national bird of Israel. This bird is very beautiful, but it is very sloppy and dirty. In Chinese, the hoopoe bird is called "Smelly Aunt.” Despite its beauty, this bird does not pay attention to hygiene and thus is very smelly.

Perhaps the unclean birds and animals in the Bible represent man’s rebellion and fallen condition, and that’s why the Israelites are prohibited from eating them. On the one hand, they are beautiful, but on the other hand, they are dirty.

Perhaps this is also a picture of the human condition. We are created in the image of God, so we are beautiful. But humans have also defiled themselves through their rebellion, becoming unclean like the Hoopoe. Perhaps every unclean animal represents an aspect of man's uncleanness. Therefore, we need to cleanse ourselves. When we are willing to cleanse ourselves through trusting in Christ, we become a part of spiritual Israel, able to give birth to Christ who can redeem us.

Ignoring our physical diet leads to health problems like obesity. But ignoring our spiritual diet has even more serious consequences. If Christians do not pay attention to their spiritual cleansing, separating themselves from common, fleshly, and sinful pleasure and entertainment, they will be like the hoopoe bird. But when we pay attention to the cleanliness of our spiritual diet, we gradually become a clean sacrifice that can be used by God to help unclean people around us. Not only that, but we can also become the sons of God, revealing His glory and setting all things free. Perhaps the hoopoe is not in bondage by choice; like all of creation, it is in bondage because it was subjected to futility by the fall of mankind (Romans 8:20). I hope that in heaven or in the resurrection, the hoopoe will be absolutely beautiful and will no longer be sloppy and dirty.

I believe that the hoopoe is a picture of the spiritual life of many Christians. On the one hand, they are beautiful because they are saved by Christ. But on the other hand, they’re not focusing on holiness. They are as sloppy and dirty as the hoopoe.

May We All Cleanse Ourselves and Be a Blessing to Others So That God is Pleased

When we Christians cleanse ourselves from sin and focus on sanctification, it pleases God as he smells the aroma of our sacrifice. At the same time, our sacrifice can be used by God to be a blessing to others. By choosing the right spiritual food and breaking free from unclean things, we can become a clean sacrifice that pleases both God and man. If we are willing to cleanse ourselves and be put on the altar, God will send fire from heaven to bless our sacrifice greatly. And we will be a blessing to many.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Leviticus 4

Leviticus 4 mentions different sacrifices that were used in several different situations. When the priest and the whole congregation sinned, they were to offer a bull, put its blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense, and sprinkle the blood seven times on the veil of the Holy of Holies. But when a leader sinned, he was to offer a male goat. And when a common person sinned, he was commanded to offer a female goat or a female lamb. In this case, the blood would be sprinkled on the brazen altar in the outer courtyard, not on the veil of the Holy of Holies.

Why do these differences exist? The differences in the sizes of the sacrifices and the location where the blood was sprinkled represented different degrees of redemption that were needed for different degrees of sins. This picture also reminds us that when we remove the hindrance of sin from our lives, our fellowship with the Lord will be more intimate. As God cleanses us from sin and helps us through our struggles, he reveals a way to deepen our fellowship with Him.

The size of the sacrifice and the location of the sprinkling of blood

Verse 4:2 says, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord's commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them..." When an Israelite sinned unintentionally, he was commanded to offer a bull (verse 4:3). Verse 27 says, "If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the Lord's commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt..." Here, the individual was commanded to offer a female goat. Why this difference in offerings?

For an answer, we need to look at the third verse. Verse 3 says, "if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed..." Following the progression of these verses, we can see that a priest’s sin would bring guilt on all the people of Israel. The same thing would happen when an individual Israelite sinned. Even though only one person sinned, whether a common Israelite or a priest, it would bring guilt on Israel as a whole. These sins were serious, and required larger sacrifices, such as a bull without blemish as a sin offering (verse 4:3).

Later, we learn that if a leader sinned unintentionally, he needed to offer a male goat without blemish (4:23); if a common person sinned unintentionally, he needed to offer a female goat without blemish (4:28). We can speculate that a male goat was worth more than a female goat, and a bull was worth more than a male goat. Therefore, these offerings of different values showed that different degrees of redemption were needed for different degrees of sins.

When a common person sinned unintentionally, the damage and harm he brought to the community were relatively limited. However, because a leader had greater power and influence, the negative impact of his sins was much greater than that of a common person. Hence, a leader’s sin required a larger sacrifice. In the same way, a priest was a representative of God. His sin would have an even greater negative impact. If a common person or priest sinned intentionally, it would bring guilt on the entire congregation. This was a more serious situation. Thus, offering a large sacrifice, such as a bull, was needed.

Let’s read the description of the place where the bull was offered and where the blood was sprinkled: "He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord and lay his hand on the head of the bull and kill the bull before the Lord. And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting, and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the Lord in front of the veil of the sanctuary.” (4:4-6).

The "veil of the sanctuary" was the thick veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the sanctuary. The altar of fragrant incense was located near this veil. In addition to sprinkling the bull's blood on the veil, the blood would be put on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense, and poured out at the entrance of the tent of meeting and at the base of the altar of burnt offering.

When a leader or a common person sinned, the blood would be sprinkled "on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and all the rest will be poured out at the base of the altar." In this case, the blood was not sprinkled on the veil, nor on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense. In other words, the blood was sprinkled near the outer courtyard.

The difference in the location of the sprinkling of blood showed that varying degrees of sin needed varying degrees of redemption.

Different sins require different degrees of redemption

Joshua 7 records the story of Achan's sin, which led to the Israelites’ failure to conquer the city of Ai. Achan’s sin brought guilt on the entire nation and caused them to lose the battle against Ai. Only one man sinned, yet his failure brought judgment and destruction to his entire family.

In Joshua 7:25 “Joshua said to Achan, ‘Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.’ And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.”[1] Clearly, one person’s sin can bring guilt to the entire congregation.

The Bible seems to indicate that there are differing levels of sin. The book of First John says that we should not pray for those who commit sins that lead to death (1 John 5:16-17). Achan, Uzzah, Ananias and Sapphira, and Judas were instantly killed for their sins. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit. Judas betrayed Christ. These may be examples of sins that lead to death.

The book of Hebrews mentions that the blood of Jesus not only cleansed the sanctuary on earth, but also purified the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 9-10). This indicates that some serious sins, such as Satan’s rebellion, defiled the heavenly sanctuary. These sins against the heavenly Holy of Holies were judged severely.

Leviticus 4 is not discussing serious, intentional sins, but unintentional sins that are redeemable. Nonetheless, the extent of the redeeming sacrifice would vary according to the extent of the damage caused by the sin. Some people sin against the outer courtyard, some against the sanctuary, and some against the Holy of Holies.

Many people committed sins against the outer courtyard. All they needed to do was offer a goat, and the blood only needed to be sprinkled on the altar in the outer courtyard. Perhaps the sins of tax collectors and prostitutes would qualify as sins against the outer courtyard. Yes, they sinned, but their sin was unintentional. They did not know God yet. So Jesus treated them as His friends.

In Matthew 21:31, Jesus told the chief priests and elders of Israel, "The tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you." Jesus was saying that the tax collectors and prostitutes were more eager to believe in John the Baptist than the chief priests and elders were.

If a person sinned the sanctuary, he would sprinkle blood on the veil that separated it from the Holy of Holies. The sins committed by the chief priests and elders could be thought of as sins against the sanctuary. These religious leaders did know God, and the priests even served in the sanctuary. Yet they refused to believe in Jesus Christ, whom God sent to save them. Priests serve in the sanctuary. Jesus was greater than the temple (Matthew 12:6); yet the religious leaders did not believe in him. By refusing to believe in the Lord Jesus, they were rebelling against Him. In effect, they were sinning against the sanctuary.

On the other hand, a person who sins the Holy of Holies could be killed. Uzzah is a great example of this occurrence.

The sacrifices mentioned in this chapter remind us of our sinful nature. The bulls, male goats, and female goats offered by the common people were sacrifices that represented different levels of sinful behavior. There is a difference between the sinful nature and sinful behavior. The sins of the priests and the community can remind us of the sinful nature, while the sins of individuals can remind us of sinful behavior.

On the one hand, Christ took away our sinful nature and sinful behavior once and for all. This reality is fulfilled in the Spirit. But we also must constantly experience Christ’s redemption as we confess our sins to him. In the first two examples, the blood was sprinkled on the veil in front of the Holy of Holies, while in the third, the blood was sprinkled on the bronze altar in the outer courtyard. These sacrifices remind us of our sinful nature and sinful behavior, respectively.

In addition to ordaining different types of sacrifices for different types of sin, God also allowed different sacrificial animals for different financial abilities. He offered the people a “sliding financial scale.” God allowed his people to bring female lambs, which were worth less than female goats. Since each person had a different level of poverty or wealth, God took into account their finances when he ordained sacrificial offerings. This shows that God is gentle and compassionate.

Levels of Fellowship with the Lord

Why did God ordain different sacrifices for the sins against the outer courtyard, the sanctuary, and the Holy of Holies? With regards to the sin against the outer courtyard, we cited the example of the prostitutes and tax collectors.

Sinning against the sanctuary is explicitly mentioned in Numbers 18:1. Here it says that if someone enters the sanctuary in the wrong way, or served wrongfully in the sanctuary, Aaron would take responsibility.

God also mentions sins against the Holy of Holies. For example, Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Abihu, offered strange fire to God (Leviticus 10:1-2). This was likely a sin against the Holy of Holies. As sons of Aaron, these men were candidates for the position of High Priest. But since they were not yet ordained as High Priest, they were not allowed to enter the Holy of Holies. When they offered strange fire, they sinned against the Holy of Holies and were consumed by the fire of God.

Uzzah also sinned against the Holy of Holies. Only the Kohathites were allowed to carry the Ark of the Covenant, and Uzzah was a descendant of Merari. Numbers 4 clearly states that the Merarites were only permitted to carry the items in the tabernacle as well as in the outer courtyard. Uzzah was killed for touching the Ark of the Covenant. Most likely, he sinned against the sanctuary or even the Holy of Holies.

The Old Testament is only a picture of the New Testament reality. This picture shows that the closer the relationship, the more relational harm we cause by our hurt and betrayal. A person who is far from the Lord doesn’t bring him as much harm. Unbelievers on the streets may speak disrespectfully against God. While I don’t condone this behavior, I believe that these words do not hurt God as much as if a loyal believer said the same words. Since these people have little connection with Him, he disregards their words.

But the closer you are to God, the more harm your sin brings to him. The words of your closest friends hurt more than the words of a stranger. When a couple first meets each other, they are strangers. Their words are not as hurtful. But when they have been married for a long time, their words of betrayal or distrust can do great harm to the relationship between a husband and a wife.

The same is true between us and God. When we do not belong to God, He demands less of us. He accepts anyone willing to come to Him for salvation. After we know him as Savior, when we sin unintentionally, we bring more hurt to God’s heart. But when we who know God intentionally sin against Him, He will treat us more severely. The differences in the size of the offerings and the places where the blood was sprinkled remind us of this truth.

The closer we are to the Lord, the higher are His demands of us. When we first believed in the Lord, he only corrected our external behavior. But as our fellowship with the Lord deepened, the Holy Spirit began to enlighten us about more subtle sins that took place in our hearts. He begins to show us sins we are less aware of, that dwell in our sinful nature.

Difficulties and the Answers They Reveal

God doesn’t make us aware of a problem without also giving us a solution. Often, that solution is hidden. But if we look for it, we will find it. Our different degrees of sins are our problem, and the different sizes of sacrifices are the solution. God provides a unique provision that matches each unique problem.

In the Local Church Movement, I learned a prayer method called Tabernacle Prayer. This type of prayer is also taught by David Yonggi Cho. In this method of prayer, the elements of our prayer match the items in the tabernacle, in the order a priest would encounter them when entering the tabernacle.

In this method of prayer, we would first go to the altar to confess our sins and remember Christ’s sin offering. Then we would go to the laver to experience the washing of the Holy Spirit and the washing of the water in the word. We reach the table of the bread of the Presence, where we eat, drink and enjoy the Lord. We receive power and illumination from the golden lampstand of the Holy Spirit, and then enter into intercession at the altar of incense. In the Holy of Holies, we experience the Lord Himself as our light, resurrection, food, and life.

Let me explain these specific steps in detail. When we come to the bronze altar in the outer courtyard, we need to offer sacrifices and sprinkle blood to remove our sins. In the Old Testament, the Israelites offered sheep and cattle, but in the New Testament, we are cleansed by Christ’s blood. During prayer, we imagine that we are sprinkling Christ’s blood on ourselves to cleanse us from all sin. We confess our sins to God, repent, and then ask Him to forgive us.

Once we are cleansed by the blood of the Lord, we approach the laver. In the Old Testament, priests washed themselves at the laver so they could serve God in holiness. After we are cleansed from our sins, we must remove the filth and contamination of the world so we can come near to God. We can imagine that we are washing ourselves in the water of the Holy Spirit, who cleanses us from defilement.

After we have gone through these two steps, we can imagine ourselves coming to the table of the bread of the Presence. Here, we eat God’s holy bread. His word is our food. At this time, we can pray through a verse of Scripture, meditate on it, digest it, and speak it aloud to ourselves.

As we do, the Lord’s words will give light. When the unfolding of God’s words gives light, it imparts understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130). We have now arrived in front of the golden lampstand. The light of the lampstand reminds us of the light of God’s word. Both will illuminate the secrets of our hearts. Here, we check the intentions and motives of our hearts. What is our motivation for our thoughts, words, and deeds? We must examine ourselves in the light of the Lord.

The next step is entering into intimate fellowship with God through the altar of incense. The altar of incense represents intercession. Revelation 5:8 says that incense represents the prayers of the saints. Here, we enter into Abraham’s intercession for Lot. As we reach this point of intimacy with God, we let go of ourselves and begin praying for others.

As we continue to have fellowship with God, we pass through the veil into the Holy of Holies, where we meet God and hear Him speak above the mercy seat above the Ark of the Covenant (Numbers 7:89). To pass through the veil, we must experience the cleansing of Jesus’ blood. Not only do we need to be cleansed of our sinful behavior, but we must also be cleansed of our sinful nature. Jesus has cleansed us from these sins so we can enter into a deeper fellowship with God.

Inside the Ark, there is manna (which reminds us that the Lord is our food, the bread of heaven), Aaron’s rod that budded (reminding us of the resurrection), and a tablet with the Ten Commandments written on it (reminding us of the light of God’s word). This is the provision of God for our needs.

This prayer method allows me to personally experience God’s provision. Pastor David Yonggi Cho was asked, “How could you pray for hours when there is often nothing to pray for?” He replied that when he prays the tabernacle prayer, moving from the outer courtyard to the sanctuary and then the Holy of Holies, a few hours will quickly pass by without him noticing.

Let's return to the content of this chapter. In it, God revealed how to offer different sacrifices for different sins. Each different sin had a different sacrifice. Each problem had a unique solution.

In the same way, God will help us solve the unique and different problems that arise in our fellowship with Him. He will provide resolution to the various obstacles that hinder our fellowship with Him. Remember, whenever you face a problem or temptation, God will provide a unique solution that is perfect for your needs. When you face temptation, God will always provide a way of escape, so that you can overcome it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Leviticus 4 mentions different levels of fellowship we can experience with the Lord. It shows us how to overcome each difficulty we face, so we can enter into deeper fellowship with him.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus – 1 Corinthians 14

God’s Principles Regarding Tongues and Prophecy

And how to apply those principles to specific situations

When discussing 1 Corinthians 14, several intriguing questions often come to the forefront. The first is, “Is it possible that speaking in tongues is not of the Holy Spirit?” Some people who oppose speaking in tongues say that some tongues are from the enemy. They believe that if you speak in tongues, you are cursing God. How can we make sense of these objections?

In extreme cases, these concerns may be valid. But generally speaking, tongues are a faith-booster. They help increase our faith. Speaking in tongues is also a way for the Holy Spirit to speak through us, so we don’t need to fear. Rather, we should follow Paul’s teaching: “Each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” (ESV, 1 Corinthians 14:26).[1]

The second question that comes up in the study of this chapter is, “Why did Paul say that women should not speak in church?” (1 Corinthians 14:34). My answer is that we need to distinguish between universal principles of God and specific leading for specific situations. I think verses 1-26 are Paul's explanation of the general principles of prophecy and tongues, while verse 27 starts a section with specific instructions for the Corinthians’ situation. This section deals with specific details about tongues, prophecies, and women speaking in the church of Corinth. Matters of principle do not change with time and circumstances, but matters of leading do.

Let’s look at these issues a little more closely.

Where do Tongues Originate?

A woman was baptized by the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues because of my ministry. But she still felt confused about the issue of tongues. She said, “A pastor who spoke in tongues encouraged me to change how I spoke in tongues, meaning to pray in different tongue. But in my experience, I am only saying a few simple repeated words. Is this normal?” From my own limited experience, I feel this is normal. The tongues we first speak when praying in tongues may be very simple and repeated words, or simple words of praise to God. As Paul said, one of the functions of tongues is to praise or thank God. When Paul mentioned tongues in verse 17, he said, "For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up."

One of the functions of praying in tongues is to give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." The Bible says we should give thanks in all circumstances and that believers should be "giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20). But in our actual experience as Christians, it is difficult to pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances. We don’t give thanks to God the Father very often. This is why the Holy Spirit comes to help us, and one of the ways he does this is through tongues. Many times, we do not know how to pray, so the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26). This intercession is sometimes through tongues. When we pray in tongues, our spirit prays but our mind is unfruitful (1 Corinthians 14:14). When we pray in tongues, we give the Holy Spirit freedom to help us pray. We surrender our bodies, and our tongues, to the Holy Spirit in faith, and the Holy Spirit gives us the appropriate words in prayer through our tongues.

The woman also mentioned that some pastors reminded her that speaking in tongues may originate from evil spirits. They threatened her not to pray in tongues.

“Of course, it is possible that tongues originate from evil spirits,” I replied. “Sometimes we drive our cars into a ditch. But this does not mean that we cannot drive. I've seen some people who are just learning to drive who are scared to drive on the highway. But when they practiced more, they got the courage to do so. Why? Because their faith and their ability grew. The same goes for tongues. After our faith increases, we will receive an increased ability and more faith to pray in different prayer languages in tongues.”

Tongues is a faith booster

Receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a leap of faith. Many evangelical Christians who are against the baptism of the Holy Spirit worry that if they are baptized by the Holy Spirit, they will unintentionally accept evil spirits instead. This teaching originates in fear. Luke 11 clearly says that God gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13) It clearly says that the Father gives the Holy Spirit when we ask. If we ask the Father to baptize us with the Holy Spirit in the name of Christ, we will surely receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

All true Christians believe we are saved by faith. We have not seen the Lord, but we believe in Him. This is a leap of faith. Every one of us must go through such a leap of faith in order to be saved. Receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit is no different. It is the second leap of faith. After we have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we need a third leap of faith: believing that when we open our mouths, the Holy Spirit will give us utterance (Acts 2:4). We are responsible for opening our mouths, and the Holy Spirit is responsible for giving us words to say. Because the tongues we speak are often words that our minds cannot understand, it’s easy to doubt this promise. When other people inject doubts into our minds—“What if the tongues I speak are from evil spirits?”—our faith will inevitably be shaken. That is why praying in tongues is a leap of faith.

Principles of Tongues and Prophecy

In 1 Corinthians 14:1-26, Paul explains universal principles about prophecy. These general principles do not change with time, place, or circumstances. For example, God is love. This is a basic principle. It will not change with time, place, or circumstances. But even though God is love, and He loves every one of His children, He leads us differently. This is the difference between God's principles and His leading. Let’s look first at the principles that Paul gives in verses 1-26.

What is the first principle of prophecy? It is that love and spiritual gifts, especially prophecies, are related. In the first verse, Paul continued the conversation on love that he started in 1 Corinthians 13. We need to pursue love, and we also need to earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. Many have spoken against the pursuit of spiritual gifts and prophecy, saying we should only focus on love. These people want only the fruit of the spirit (including love) and not the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are controversial. But that's not what Paul is telling us here. Paul explicitly mentions that we should pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

What is the second principle of prophecy? It is that the purpose of prophecy is to build others up, comfort, and encourage them (1 Corinthians 14:3). We certainly need to pursue love in our lives. But how do we help others feel the love of God? This is where prophecy is indispensable. When we prophesy and disclose the secrets of others’ hearts, they will fall on their faces and say that God is really among us (1 Corinthians 14:24-25). Why? Because prophecy (including tongues that are interpreted) becomes a tool or a bridge that connects people to God's love.

The essence of the first principle of tongues is to talk to God and love Him. 1 Corinthians 14:2 says, "For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit." If the main purpose of tongues is to talk to God, then Paul's words "I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Corinthians 14:18), and “If we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you" (2 Corinthians 5:13) are very logical. Paul encourages everyone to pray and talk to God more, and praise God by speaking and singing with our minds or through the language of tongues or spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15). This is the first function of tongues. It is wrong to forbid or even discourage speaking in tongues, just because you cannot understand them. The first principle of tongues is to talk to God. This falls under the greatest command: "love the Lord your God with all your heart" (Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27).

The second principle of tongues is to be considerate of others, especially those who don’t understand them. If others don’t understand tongues, you still need to give thanks and praise. But those who don’t understand the languages will not be built up and may even stumble. In such cases, those who speak in tongues should be restricted. When it’s absolutely necessary for them to speak in tongues, they should interpret what they say as much as possible (1 Corinthians 14:6-13; 14:16-19). This principle falls under the second command: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27).

Matthew 22:37-40 records, "Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Here, Jesus clearly said that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love others. When we pray in tongues and praise God, it shows we love God. “If anyone loves God, he is known by God" (1 Corinthians 8:3). When we avoid speaking in tongues on certain occasions out of consideration for others, it means we love and care for our neighbors. So these two principles about tongues are actually consistent with the very essence of Jesus’ teaching about the Law and the Prophets.

The principles of love and prophecy also fall into the categories of loving God and others. People who pursue love and utter mysteries to God in tongues are those who love Him; people who prophesy are those who love others. Speaking in tongues and praying means you love God; you worship and give thanks to Him. Interpreting tongues means you love others and have taken their needs into consideration so they can understand what you’re saying. Therefore, regardless of whether you’re pursuing prophecy or speaking in tongues, the fundamental principle is to love God and others. That’s why Paul strongly encourages us to interpret what we say while speaking in tongues. The purpose is to be considerate of others and show love to them. But that doesn't stop us from falling madly in love with God in private.

The third principle of tongues is to build ourselves up (14:4). We need to focus on growing spiritually, increasing our faith, and "building ourselves up in our most holy faith" (Jude 1:20).

In 1 Corinthians 14:26 Paul said, "What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” I believe verse 26 is the conclusion of Paul's train of thought. He had stated some general principles about speaking in tongues, prophesying, and pursuing love towards God and others. Now, he summarizes his message: “Let all things be done for building up.” When we gather together as a church, we may use any method that builds others up.

Paul's Specific Leading on Tongues, Prophecy, and Women Speaking

From verse 27 onwards, Paul turns his mind to God’s specific guidance to the Corinthian church. Although this specific leading does not violate the basic principles mentioned in the first part, it will vary according to circumstances, time, and situation. Why do I say that from verse 27 onwards, Paul starts talking about God’s leading in a particular situation in the Corinthian church? Let's look at this verse. Verse 27 says, "If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret."

I asked everyone in the meeting, “Does this sentence show Paul's general principle about tongues, or is it a special leading for the Corinthian church?” I think it's a special leading. Think about it: how many believers were in the Corinthian church at that time? How long were their weekly gatherings? Let's assume there were 100 believers who gathered for three hours every week. In such a situation, it would be appropriate for only two or three people to speak in tongues. And it was best to interpret the languages being spoken.

Now suppose we are visiting the church of David Yonggi Cho in South Korea. There are hundreds of thousands of people holding meetings together for three days. Should there be only two or three people who speak in tongues in the church? In these circumstances, there would be plenty of time for more speakers to have a turn.

In other words, different circumstances call for different responses. We must interpret these verses in light of the general principles mentioned above, and we must focus on being considerate of others and loving our neighbors. The point of the passage is not the exact number of speakers that we must have in a given service, but that we should conduct orderly meetings that show consideration to others. We cannot always take God's words in their most basic and literal sense.

Throughout the ages, there has been a lot of controversy about how Christians interpret God’s words. One of the reasons is that it is difficult to distinguish which words reveal God’s principles and which give certain people some specific leading in a specific environment. We must not violate God’s principles, nor should we treat God’s specific leading as universal truth. For example, when Moses allowed the Israelites to divorce their wives, they mistakenly thought this was a universal principle of God. But Jesus clearly told them that this command was only given because they were hard-hearted at that time. But God did not intend it to be that way from the beginning. The principle established by God was, “What He has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:3-8). The teaching on divorce was God’s specific leading, intended for a specific period of time. It was a concession made because of his patience with human weakness.

Is there a specific context to Paul's words in verses 27-40? I think there is. One Corinthian believer must have been wrongly exercising the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy. Paul attempted to correct his behavior in this passage. Verse 28 says to keep silent if there is no one to interpret. Verse 29 says that when two or three prophesy, the others must weigh what is said. Verse 30 says that if a revelation is made to another, the others must give him a chance to speak, and the first person must keep silent. Verses 31-33 say that everyone can prophesy—but don't be confused, because the spirits of the prophets were subject to the prophets and God was not a God of confusion. Clearly, these words were meant to clear up confusion in regards to specific situations in the Corinthian church.

Similarly, the instructions about women not speaking in church meetings must have related to a particular situation in the Corinthian church and were not a general principle of God. In other places, Paul praised many of his female coworkers. For example, he praised Phoebe, a deaconess (Romans 16:1). The instruction about women was not necessarily a universal principle of God, but a special leading intended for the chaotic situation in the Corinthian church. When Paul talked about women being silent and not speaking in meetings, he even specifically mentioned: "Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?" (1 Corinthians 14:36). It is not difficult to guess that there may have been some women in the Corinthian church who were too proud and even thought that the word of God had reached them only. So Paul's criticism may have been directed against this problem.

The second half of verse 34 says, "They should be in submission, as the Law also says." But this is not enough to prove that the law does not permit women to speak. The law does require women to obey men, but there is no law expressly stating that women should not speak. Even though the law originally stipulated that a woman could not inherit her father's land, Zelophehad's daughters appealed to Moses and God, and God added a provision just for them. If there was no man in the family, God said women could inherit the land (Numbers 27). Clearly, God's law does not discriminate against women.

Conclusion

In verse 39, Paul reminds believers to be eager to prophesy and not to forbid speaking in tongues. Verse 40 says that everything should be done decently and in order. This concludes this chapter. I’ll reiterate the difference between the sections in this chapter. Verses 1-26 talk about Paul's general principles on how to love God and others when exercising spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues and prophesying. Verses 27-38 give specific leading based on the chaotic situation in the Corinthian church. In verses 39-40, Paul returns to giving general principles about prophesying and speaking in tongues. We must understand which sections contain God’s universal principles (which cannot be changed) and which contain His specific leading for certain circumstances. We must understand the way God’s Holy Spirit leads us in different circumstances. And we should seek to interpret God’s word in the most accurate way possible.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Acts 18

As we mentioned last time, Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla. They were Jews coming from Rome to Italy. Paul had already left Athens and they all came to meet in Corinth. I’ve said before that their meeting was a turning point in Paul's spiritual life. Why do I say that?We usually think that Paul is an apostle, so he is always better than others and there is no need for him to learn from others. This isn’t the case. All of us have a learning process. Even when the Lord Jesus was on earth, He needed to learn to grow in the grace of God and man. Similarly, Paul also went through a learning process. In our study on Acts 17 last time, we mentioned that Paul may have made a mistake of being rash in Athens. He may have been influenced by the environment possibly having a negative rather than positive effect on evangelism. But in Acts 18, it shows the process by which the Holy Spirit further led and perfected Paul through the circumstances.

Let's take a closer look.

The Holy Spirit patiently leads us into God's will for our lives.

The Lord Jesus said that, “Everything is in the hands of the Father. No two sparrows will fall to the ground without His consent.” (Matthew 10:29). Aquila and his wife Priscilla had just left Rome to Corinth because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul also came to Corinth from Athens. Is it accidental that they met there? No. Everything is arranged by the sovereignty of God. The purpose was to let Paul be further perfected and receive help from others in his ministry.

There is some deeper insight here that the Holy Spirit allowed me to see while reading the Bible. It takes time for a person to completely follow the Lord and walk on the predestined path that He has laid out for us. However, often at the beginning we might not have a clear idea about what God’s will is or how to obey it; so we spend our time and energy following another path and are unable to unleash the gift that God has given us. For example, If you are called to minister in music but you spend all of your time learning to paint because you didn’t follow your heart, it results in failure and has very little effect for the kingdom. When you finally understand that music is your gift and you throw yourself into it, you will find that God has opened all the doors. Another example would be if God called you to be a cartoonist but instead you studied finance because your parents wanted you to be able to support yourself. When you realize that there is no joy in finance and you return to the industry you love, things will flow and you will be successful in the end. There are many examples like this.

So was Paul like this? In modern times we tend to over exalt Paul’s writings as though he could never be wrong. Actually this isn’t the case. Paul is human and has shortcomings. He was on a continuous journey learning to know God in a deeper way. Even in his old age he admitted that he hadn’t completely taken hold of it, but forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, he presses on toward the goal (NIV Philippians 3:13-14). This shows that Paul was continuously learning.

Let’s take a look at how Paul gradually learns to obey God's will and walk on the predestined path that God has planned for him.

When Paul recalls his experience of being called by God in Acts 22, he said that the Lord said to him, “Go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles." If you recall the contents of Acts 17, it said in the beginning that Paul had passed through a couple of towns, and he went on to Thessalonica to preach the gospel in the Jewish synagogue. After being rejected, he went to the Jewish synagogue in Berea to evangelize. In the end, the Jews in Thessalonica had stirred up trouble and he was forced to go to Athens. He preached the gospel to the Gentiles in Athens, but was not very effective. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that Paul had made a great turn here. At that time, Paul didn’t exactly do what God told him to.. God's will for him is just what Jesus said to him, “I will send you far away to the Gentiles” (NIV, Acts 22:21). God chose him to be an apostle of the Gentiles, but he couldn’t bear the thought of not preaching the gospel to the Jews. If you look at his description in Romans chapters 9-11, he said that he would rather be cursed so the people of Israel could be saved. You can understand Paul's burden for the Jews. But unfortunately, this was not God's call for his life.

The Bible has explicitly stated that God called Peter to be the apostle to the Jews and chose Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13, Galatians 2:8). This is very odd. If you were God, would you choose Paul or Peter to be the apostle to the Jews? If I was God, I might choose Paul because Paul is familiar with the Jewish scriptures and was taught by Gamaliel. He is even a Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin. He was also circumcised on the eighth day. No one was more qualified and suitable than him. In contrast, Peter was a fisherman who had didn’t have a high level of education. There are scholars who say that Paul’s level of proficiency in Greek was far higher than Peter's. But God didn’t choose Paul to be the apostle to the Jews. Instead, he chose Peter to be the apostle to the Jews. For the Gentiles, I also think that Peter was more likely to be accepted because he was from Galilee where there were mostly gentiles, and Paul was a strict Pharisee. He was also enthusiastic to persecute the church. So naturally, Paul was more qualified to be the apostle to the Jews than Peter. But God didn’t arrange it like that.

There are people who believe that the reason why God arranged it that way is for us not to use what we are naturally good at. He wants us to do things that we are naturally not good at to force us to trust the Lord. We shouldn’t do things based on our ability, but by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit.

We all have fleshly and natural choices. Often it’s not that we don't know God's will and path for us. Rather, our flesh, human nature, and habits often hinder us so we have a difficult time quickly following God's call . God understands us, so the Holy Spirit often patiently waits and leads us. But the Holy Spirit often tells us through the environment that "the road is blocked" encouraging us to "turn back." The same is true of Paul’s experience here. We mentioned in the previous message that maybe because of Paul’s attempt to persuade people to accept the gospel through debate, it wasn’t very effective. But actually, our understanding at that time was not comprehensive enough. In this reading, we can see more light. It was not because Paul’s debate had gone wrong, but because Paul wasn’t living completely in God’s will so God blocked him in all aspects, making his evangelism ineffective.

Therefore, Acts 18 is a turning point. It is recorded in 18:5 - 6 that:

5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”(NIV)

It was possibly here that Paul may have recalled what the Lord Jesus said to him, “I will send you far away to the Gentiles to preach the gospel.” He had just realized that God’s call to him was to become the apostle to the Gentiles. Even though he was reluctant to leave his fellow Jews who had rejected the gospel, he had no choice but to go to the Gentiles. In this way, he was forced by the environment to go to the Gentiles to preach the gospel. It looks like he was forced by the environment, but actually it was all the wonderful leading of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, in Acts 18, it was definitely not accidental for Paul to encounter Aquila and Priscilla from Rome. Rather, it was arranged by God’s sovereignty. Think about it. When Aquila and Paul were weaving tents together, don’t you think they talked to each other? In the content of their chats, is it possible that Aquila talked about his life experience with the Gentiles in Rome and his experience of dealing with the Gentiles? there’s a good possibility some of that was talked about. Paul's experience of evangelizing the Athenians in the previous chapter was not very successful. Maybe one of the reasons is that he didn’t understand the Gentiles and was not familiar with how to preach the gospel to them.

Became like a Gentile to win the Gentiles

When some Western missionaries first came to China to preach the gospel, they adopted an aloof attitude, as if to say, we are preaching the gospel, you guys are barbarian idol worshippers, so you have to give up your faith and accept ours. Some of these missionaries often have deep relationships with Western colonizers and officials. They will therefore use Western diplomatic and military power to force the Chinese to open their ports and accept the gospel, which caused a lot of resistance from the local Chinese. Consequently, preaching the gospel to them was not very effective. But when Hudson Taylor came to China to preach the gospel, he adapted to the Chinese culture. He dressed in Chinese robe and grew a pigtail like the Chinese. He also lived with the Chinese. His living and eating habits were the same as those of the Chinese, sohis gospel work in China was very effective. He preached the gospel to many places in China.

Paul’s experience of evangelism in Athens seems to be somewhat similar to the attitude of Western missionaries when they first arrived in China. Perhaps he was feeling superioras he wastrying to persuade these people to turn away from idols to Jesus Christ through debates. Unfortunately it didn’t work out well. Is it possible that after his failed attempts to evangelize that Aquila taught him how to witness to the Gentiles and inspired him? I believe that Paul was able to get inspiration and learned something from his experience in Athens. He said in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22:

20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. (NIV)

From Paul's words, we can see that Paul had learned how to become a Gentile in order to win the Gentiles. He learned that he shouldn’t be aloof when he preached the gospel, and he shouldn’t persuade others to believe in the gospel through debate. Rather, he should humble himself and put himself on the level of the Gentiles, live and eat with them, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in a language acceptable to them.

God's later confirmation

I had a special experience recently. I met a prophet who said that God wants me to be a U.S. citizen because this will help me in my service in the future. However, because I am a Chinese citizen and I also have a U.S. green card, it is more convenient to visit China plus I feel that the chance that God will call me to serve in China in the future is huge, therefore, I have been living in the US for a long time and not been naturalized as a US citizen. f After hearing the prophets words I spent time in prayer but didn’t receive any confirmation from God. I reluctantly submitted my application for US citizenship anyway. Not long afterwards, I had a prophetic dream. I found that the Chinese characters on my Chinese passport were altered, and a lot of English letters were written, and I saw a seal falling down from above with the words "U.S. Citizen" above. I felt that this was Lord’s confirmation that the submitted application was directed by Him. The prophecy of this prophet may be correct. But when I prayed for God's leading, God never gave me any confirmation.

This was my own experience, but actually, I’m also explaining Paul's experience here. When Paul didn’t completely live in God’s will, he seemed to be running up against a stone wall everywhere he went. His evangelism in the synagogues in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens was not smooth. Of course, the Lord told Paul before that God's purpose was to send him far to the Gentiles to be a witness for Him. So this was imprinted in Paul's spirit. Therefore, at the beginning of chapter 18, Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla who came back from Rome. This might further remind him of the command he heard from the Lord. When Paul swears to turn to the Gentiles from then on, he went next door to the house of Titius Justus. Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized (NIV, Acts 18-8:9). Afterwards, the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” (NIV, Acts 18:9-10). I called this God’s later confirmation. When Paul finally walked on the right path that Jesus told him, Jesus appeared to him, confirming that he was walking in the will of God. We often have such confirmation in our spiritual experience. The Lord will give us a prophetic word in the beginning. The Holy Spirit will then secretly lead us, give us limitations and leading through the environment. And finally when we walk on the predestined path that God has laid out for us, God will often prove to us again that we are indeed walking on His predestined path.

Acts 18:11 records that Paul lived there for a year and six months, teaching God's words among them. This sentence is definitely not accidentally recorded here. Rather, the Holy Spirit further confirms that Paul came here to preach the gospel and live according to God’s will.

Of course, we are not saying that Paul could’nt preach the gospel to the Jews. In the latter parts of Acts 18, it’s even recorded that when Paul arrived at Ephesus, he went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. But I guess perhaps the emphasis of Paul's ministry had turned towards the Gentiles. In particular, chapter 18:19 records that after Paul had reasoned with the Jews in the synagogue in Ephesus, when they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. This is a clear contrast to what is recorded in 18:11 where Paul stayed there for a year and a half.

Prior to this, Acts 18 also recorded that the Jews had attacked Paul, but the local official did not interfere. After this, Acts 18:18 (NIV) recorded that, “Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila”. But because of a vow he had taken, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea before going to Ephesus. But he did not stay in Ephesus for a long time. He left to go to other places.

The matching of the different parts of the body to Christ's body

In 18:24, it started to introduce a Jew named Apollos. The Bible specifically mentioned that he was an eloquent man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. The Bible didn’t use these words to describe Paul. So looking at this description, Apollos had a gift that Paul may not have. In addition to Apollos' eloquence (that Paul may not have), it is specifically recorded that Apollos had vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ (NIV, Acts 18:28). These records are in contrast with the limited effects of Paul's evangelism before the Jews. These have indirectly proved that God's call to Paul was mainly for the Gentiles because God raised up people like Apollos to preach the gospel to the Jews, and it seems that their work was more effective than Paul’s.

Of course, the Bible has also recorded the limitations of Apollos, that is, he only knew the baptism of John. But Priscilla and Aquila, who were perfected by Paul, had helped explain the way of God to Apollos more adequately (NIV, Acts 18:26). This again shows that the principle of God's work is through the matching of the body; allowing different members of the body of Christ to match and complement each other.

Paul came to Ephesus again in Acts 19. There he found some disciples of Apollos' ministry who only knew John’s baptism; they didn’t know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Paul prayed for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This also paved the way in the beginning of verses 20-21, where he declined the invitation of Ephesians when they asked him to stay there for a while. Instead, he said that, "I will come back if it is God's will." (NIV, Acts 18:21). It is something that the Holy Spirit mentioned specifically here so that Paul later can come back to help those who are under the ministry of Apollo’s.

Why did God arrange for Paul to come back later? What is the meaning and implication of Paul's making up for the lack of Apollos' ministry in Acts 19? Why is it that Apollos’ ministry only knows John’s baptism and not the baptism of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit? This has profound spiritual significance. We hope to continue sharing our understanding in the next reading.

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Bible Study with Jairus- Acts 17

In the beginning of Acts 17 it tells us that Paul and Silas came to the synagogue in Thessalonica to preach the gospel. Some people were persuaded, but it also led to the opposition of many Jews. The Jews wanted to bring Paul and Silas out to the crowd but could not find them. Because of this, the Jews dragged Jason out who had received Paul and Silas. Because of this, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea, and upon their arrival, they started to preach the gospel in the synagogue. The people there were more open-minded than theThessalonians. When the Jews in Thessalonica heard about it, they came over to stir up trouble again. The believers then sent Paul to the coast and escorted him to Athens, while Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.

When Paul arrived in Athens, he asked the people who escorted him to let Silas and Timothy come over. Then the Bible records:

17:16 (NIV) While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.

17:17 (NIV) So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.

17:18 (NIV) A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

The Christian woman who was leading our Bible Study asked, “Why is it that the Jews of Thessalonica were so opposed to Paul's evangelism and when Paul arrived in Berea, why did the Jews from Thessalonica travel to Berea to oppose Paul? Why is it wherever Paul and Silas went, they went to the synagogue first to preach the gospel? And why is it when Paul arrived in Athens, he still let Silas and Timothy to come over? It seems that Timothy had always been with Paul, but why is it he didn’t mention Timothy when he was in Thessalonica and Berea? After the Jews brought Jason to the crowd, why was it recorded in Acts 17:7-8 (NIV) that: "Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus. When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil." Why were they thrown into turmoil?

There are a lot of questions here but we can only answer one at a time so let’s start with why the Jews were thrown into turmoil when they heard Jesus was king.

I shared that there was a historical background to this which I learned while I was studying Christian theology. During the time when the Israelites were against Roman rule, there were several different Jewish factions. The Herodians and Sadducees mentioned in the Bible were Roman advocates; but the Pharisees and the Zealots advocated for independence and were opposed to Roman rule. In particular, the Zealots advocated the use of violent and revolutionary means to overthrow Roman rule, and they launched violent uprisings against Roman rule but were brutally suppressed by the Romans. After the brutal crackdown, the Zealots were almost completely exterminated. The Pharisees were basically politically cautious. They didn’t fiercely advocate revolution, and thus survived. But the faction that advocated cooperation with the Romans occupied a large part of Israel's upper class.

Why were the Jewish crowds and the city officials thrown into turmoil when they heard that Jesus was another king? One of the reasons may be that many Jews advocated cooperation with the Romans. It can be said that they were "Jewish traitors”. So, if Jesus (another king) came and if He was able to lead the Israelites in a successful revolt, would they have to liquidate the history of these traitors? And Jesus is really the king of Israel. Not only were these Jews afraid that He would become king, but even his disciples were hoping that He would really be king in order to lead them to revolutionary success and to drive the Romans out and restore Israel's glory. Looking at these two examples, the identity of the Lord Jesus as a Jewish king does bring hope but it also poses a threat to some groups of people.

Although Jesus had already been crucified when Paul preached the gospel, talking about Him as another king of the Jews could have caused another Jewish revolution. The revolts might have been successful and the Roman advocates would be called traitors. If the revolution wasn’t successful the Israelites would be brutally suppressed by the Romans again.

Therefore, there were valid reasons why the Jews fiercely opposed evangelism. It could even be said that it was a very legitimate reason to protect the Israelites from harm. Those who hold this view believe that the people who were opposing Paul's evangelism were actually protecting ordinary Israelites from the Romans, because the history of the fierce suppression of the Zealots was still fresh in their memory.

It may be for these reasons, plus several others, that these Jews from Thessalonica had gone to Berea to oppose Paul's evangelism. In both places, Paul was forced to leave. Please note that the first time Paul was forced to leave Thessalonica and flee to Berea, he was with Silas. The second time Paul was forced to leave Berea and was escorted to Athens while Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. When he arrived in Athens, the one who escorted Paul had taken orders from him and went back to call Silas and Timothy to come over Athens, and left. Here, I guess the person who escorted Paul is just one person, or even if it’s a few people, they were all gone. After Paul was left alone, he encountered a lot of difficulties. Herein lays the problem.

When American pastors and teachers travel to other countries to preach, they spend many exhausting hours on the plane and then often proceed directly to the place they are to preach. Many times they are already exhausted when they reach their destination. They need to be strengthened by the Lord before they can finish their sermon. Even though we have airplanes and better traveling conditions, a long flight is still exhausting. If that’s the case, imagine that if you were Paul, and you traveled long distances to evangelize and you were continuously being chased. Now you are alone in Athens, and Athens is full of idols. How would you react?

Let’s look at Paul’s reaction.

Acts 17:16-18 (NIV) says that:

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

How should we look at this passage?

The church that I was saved in was more in favor of Paul's work. In my spiritual education, Paul was rarely criticized. But when the Lord led me to look at the teachings of some of the Bible teachers outside the traditions of my evangelical church, I heard some criticisms towards Paul.

I heard a message from Rick Joyner that there are statistics showing that 80% of the Exegetical and Hermeneutical Work of Bible after Martin Luther’s Reformation have been about Paul. Rick saw Paul once in a vision. Paul told him that everyone has highly exalted him. They should not take his work to analyze the four Gospels. Instead, they should use the words of the four Gospels to measure his works.

Rick Joyner also said that Paul’s life has undergone three stages of growth and change. The initial stage seems to be what he said in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Galatians (NIV), “My immediate response was not to consult any human being.” There seems to be some pride in saying these words; but in the second stage, he claims that “For I am the least of the apostles” (NIV, 1 Corinthians 15:9) and “I am less than the least of all the Lord's people” (NIV, Ephesians 3:8); Later he said, “I am the worst sinner of them all.” (NIV, 1 Timothy 1:15). These verses show that Paul had also undergone a process of constant humility.

There is some controversy that arises when reading Paul's work. The controversy revolves around the issue of Paul’s teachings being infallible. Paul is a human being and all human beings are bound to make mistakes. But if Paul was used to write the Bible under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, could there be any errors? If you believe that Paul can't be wrong, that doesn't really make sense because humans are bound to make mistakes. If you believe that Paul can be wrong, then how do you decide which subjects he was right or wrong about? This is an issue in particular with the controversy about Paul's prohibition of women preaching. Was Paul wrong to base it on the customs of that time, or were his words the revelation of the Holy Spirit? How we should view Paul’s teachings? Whether Paul is right or wrong in this matter has become a big debate in Christian exegesis. But for now, we won’t discuss the issue of whether women should or shouldn’t preach.

We certainly believe that Paul's words are the revelation of the Holy Spirit, but we also believe that Paul went through a learning process because he experienced failure. Although the Biblical education I received did not say that Paul's experience in Athens was a failure, I have heard other Bible teachers mention that Paul's attempt to win people's hearts in accepting Christ through debating at Athens was a failure. They specifically compared what is written in Galatians 3:5 with Paul's experience in Athens. Paul says in Galatians 3:5 (NIV), "So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?" Here, Paul specifically mentioned that the Galatians started with the Spirit so that they should not fall into the flesh. He preached the gospel by relying on the Holy Spirit. He had also performed miracles to bring the Galatians to salvation.

Let's take a look again at Chapter 17 verses 16-18 (NIV):

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

I agree more with the argument that Paul’s debating may not have had good results here. Allow me to explain my thoughts.

As I mentioned earlier, Paul was chased twice by the Jews. He was accompanied by Silas the first time, and the second time; he was accompanied by an escort. When he arrived in Athens, the person who escorted him went back to assist Silas and Timothy so they could come quickly to Athens. In this interval, Paul was alone. Even if Paul possessed remarkable abilities/powers, he would still feel lonely when he was alone. The Bible tells us “How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight?” (NIV, Deuteronomy 32:30). The principle that God established was to partner us with the body of Christ. At this time, when Paul was left alone, he might have faced an attack and incitement of the enemy.

My personal view is that after Paul experienced the continuous attacks and rejection of the Jews plus the fact that he was left alone in Athens and saw that the city was full of idols, he became greatly distressed. Then I think he started to reason and ask himself, was he still in the spirit? The Bible does not explain this so we do not know for sure. But the view I mentioned before, that is, the result of Paul's hopes of spreading the gospel to the Athenians through debating did not go very well. So Paul's experience in Athens is regarded as one of his failures.

Let me discuss the inspiration that I received during this meeting. It can be said through the word "react" or more appropriately, "to be influenced by the environment". In our spiritual experience as Christians, we should be seated in heavenly places in Christ, but sometimes our flesh or minds are provoked and make us react in our minds and in the flesh. Afterwards, we often regret the experience.

I recently listened to a very early message from an American pastor named Jack Deere about the discipline of the Holy Spirit. He mentioned a very interesting experience that he had. He said that he is a pastor in a not so well-off place in the United States. As a pastor, he is often misunderstood and attacked by others. One day, a female Christian, in a church where he served as a pastor, said to him, "You are just serving as a pastor here for the money." He was very angry and he answered her back. Things like this seemed to happen all the time. He asked the Lord, “What is going on?” The Lord said that this is the discipline of the Holy Spirit. He said, “When will it end?” The Lord replied, "When you can treat those who criticize you with a gentle and kind spirit." Jack Deere is a pastor who moved from the evangelical church to the charismatic movement. He is well-known in the Christian world in the United States. He is also one of the few American pastors I know of that teaches the discipline of the Holy Spirit. Supposedly, he’s also a person who pursues deeper spirituality, but he shared this experience to let us see that a person who pursues spirituality is often influenced by the environment especially when they are not mature enough.

When Jack Deere’s spiritual discipline was more mature, he would respond more gently and lovingly to those who criticize him.

When a Christian is practicing to be more spiritual, we need to learn not to react to the environment or be influenced by the environment. Instead, we should react to the heavenly reality and our communication with the Lord, and out of our position of sitting together with Christ in heavenly places. Reacting to the environment or what you see will end up pulling you down to the level of the environment itself.

Can Paul’s experience here be pulled down by the surrounding environment? We know that Paul is a man with heavenly experience and vision, but there are times that people become weak, especially when he is constantly attacked by Jews, and his co-workers Silas and Timothy are not beside him to assist him. He might have been very knowledgeable since he received training from Gamaliel, and he was good at debating. After he was enraged in the spirit, his soul also became agitated: "You guys know how to debate, I also know to debate. Your philosophy is great. My philosophy is also very impressive."

As you can see here, not only did he debate with the Jews and God-fearing people, but he has also debated with the people he met in the marketplace every day, and some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers who have argued with him. We are not sure whether Paul is like this, but those who hold the view that Paul has done nothing wrong is untenable because Paul is a human being, and every human being has a process of learning and continuous maturing. In his later years, Paul did not think that he was fully mature yet, saying that “I press on toward the goal to win the prize.” (NIV, Philippians 3:14). If Paul's later years are not fully mature, then Paul's experience should be a process of continuous maturity. The only difficulty is how we see Paul’s continuous maturity process with the help of the Holy Spirit, but at the same time not be affected in accepting the fact that the Holy Spirit has spread the Word of God through Paul's mouth.

Judging from my limited personal evangelistic experience, many times we encounter some atheist Chinese, who often debate with the people who are preaching the gospel. I personally feel that these debates are often not very effective. The best way is to influence them through prayers and testimonies of love. Of course, among many Christians who advocate Power Evangelism, there are many who use the power of the Holy Spirit to let the atheists be convinced. The debate is usually not very effective. Debates often let us fall to the battlefield of the mind, and debates are things that often happen after we have fallen into a reprobate mind. I slowly learned a lesson, that is, when a person is not ready to accept Christ, or the Holy Spirit hasn’t yet reached a point where he has begun to work on the person to open up his/her mind, we don’t need to have too much debate with him/her. Instead, we can silently pray for the person with an attitude of give and take in the service of love. It has a better effect as time passes.

In addition to this it’s important to be spiritually paired with other believers no matter how knowledgeable or spiritual you may be. Paul knows this very well. But does the absence of Silas and Timothy affect Paul's judgment? Although Paul is an apostle, the Bible clearly says that Silas is a prophet. If Silas is there, will Silas pray to God to get any prophetic revelation on how to do the work of evangelism in the city of Athens? Or if Timothy is there, will he be more eloquent to deliver and preach the gospel? Although Timothy is younger than Paul, we have seen how young people can do many things better in the church. When people who don’t know much about God come to church, the effect when the pastor preaches a profound sermon is often not as good as the testimony of a few Christians who have faith in the Lord from the very start. The latter is more appealing to those who have just come into contact with the gospel.

This is also my personal point of view. I think that Paul may be more suitable to teach those who want to seek and experience the truth on a deeper level, but Timothy may be more suitable to test the waters first in Athens. Their human hearts are not prepared yet for the idol worshipping people so we should let Timothy pave the way through his words. Or let Silas pray to God to see what strategic or spiritual guidance God has, and then find ways to preach the gospel here. But it seems that it wasn’t mentioned here that Paul has received any revelation or God's guidance. Instead, the Bible mentions that he had reacted because he was angry in the spirit. Is this reaction completely from God? We don't know.

But I think that those who hold the view that since Paul was an apostle, everything he did was right and he didn’t need to seek God's guidance, and he won’t ever make mistakes is untenable. Although Paul was an apostle, he has the ability to make mistakes and will need a process of learning from them. I personally think that Paul should not be in a rush and do things hastily. He should take a rest and wait until Silas and Timothy come to discuss the matter together and then take action. In other words, Paul is too rash here. This may be one of Paul's weaknesses.

Of course, our analysis is not necessarily right, but it can provide us with another idea, that is, to understand the process of Paul's growth in God. Paul was a person, not a God. Did he have any shortcomings? It’s safe to say that it’s very natural for everyone to have weakness. Did Paul have any weaknesses? If what we propose here exposes the weakness of human nature, what is Paul’s weakness? What effect does Paul's weakness have on his ministry?

We don't know the specific weaknesses that Paul had, but it’s impossible for a person not to have any weakness. Even if people don’t have obvious weaknesses, they need to be paired with other believers who have different giftings. Therefore, the pairing of Silas and Timothy to Paul is very important.

Of course, we are not totally negating the effect of Paul's evangelism in Athens. Although he wasn’t good at convincing the Athenians through debating, he had attracted some people who were seeking the truth.

Acts 17:19-21 (NIV) says: "Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)”

You can see that the explanation in verse 21 is that the Athenians and the foreigners who live there are very busy, and they have no time to take care of other things. So these people took Paul and brought him to Areopagus to talk about these new lessons/ideas which stood out to us. Going back to what we mentioned earlier, Paul may not have the silver tongue of Timothy, or the effect of preaching the gospel to the newcomers or those who are occupied by the world’s affairs, but Paul didn’t fail to attract those who really seek the truth. Paul’s personality may be more suitable to people who are diligent seekers of truth.

Paul spoke a very famous passage in Acts 17:24-27 (NIV) which says that: "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

We have no intention of belittling Paul, and the experience here is also the highlight of Paul's experience in Athens. But I personally don't think that idolizing Paul or assuming that he doesn’t have a process of continuous maturity, is correct. Paul is a human being. When he is continuously attacked and left alone, he will be weak and will be incited by the environment to react. And such a reaction usually pulls us down to the level of the environment or the enemy, letting us lose the commanding heights of victory in Christ. An example is Pastor Jack Deere that I mentioned earlier. When others criticize you, don't rush to react. Instead, rest in the Lord and ask His wisdom and follow his leading to deal these criticisms. Similarly, I think that Paul should not be rash here. He should seek the Lord on how to evangelize Athens which was occupied by idols. He should also wait for Silas and Timothy to come and discuss first before making any decisions. It’s not that Paul has no wisdom, but Paul was constantly attacked and alone. He needs to get a good rest and to be taken care of.

We have a new couple coming to our Bible study. I hoped to give them a prophetic word before the end of our meeting. I prayed to God and asked Him, “Are there any prophetic words to give and bless them?” I heard the Holy Spirit say two names, Aquila and Priscilla. I prophesied by faith that:

I feel that God believes that you are Aquila and Priscilla. They have the same line of work as Paul, but they have also taken care of him. Although Paul is an apostle, the apostles also need to be cared to and helped by people. I feel that God called you to be Aquila and Priscilla to train the Paul of tomorrow, because in this era, God will raise and widely use many Paul-like apostles. God called you to be Aquila and Priscilla to cherish those who are serving as apostles. Whether this person is still your child, or a little brother or sister in your church, God will use you to fulfill them in order to make them become servants like Paul. As we saw in this chapter, Paul also has weaknesses and there are times that he needs help and to be paired with other believers. Paul’s encounter with Aquila and Priscilla was a turning point in Paul’s spirituality, because the couple, Aquila and Priscilla, is very compassionate. They were tentmakers just as Paul was and they had received Paul. We believe that Aquila and Priscilla have tended Paul to a large extent, so after Paul met Aquila and Priscilla, it could be said that spiritually, he became more mature. How God used Aquila and Priscilla to take care of and complete Paul’s ministry, God will also use you two to come along side and complete the Pauls of tomorrow.

I prophesied that according to the principle that “everyone can prophesy” (1 Corinthian 14:31), it’s not because I am a prophet. I was saved in an Evangelical church, but I learned the gift of prophecy after I first came into contact with the American modern prophetic movement in 2015. Of course, I studied five courses at a prophetic school, and their teachings helped me to go and activate this prophetic gift.

I prophesied with inspiration and faith. I don't know if these words are correct for the couple because they didn't give me feedback. However, after other friends who were in the meeting with me verified Acts 18, they began to discover Paul's experience of encountering Aquila and Priscilla. It seems that perhaps, I am speaking by the Holy Spirit. Because when I prophesied, I was not sure when Paul met Aquila and Priscilla, nor was I very familiar with the content of Acts 18.

I hope that when we have the opportunity to read Acts 18, we can learn more about how Aquila and Priscilla have tended and helped Paul with the help of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for reading, listening or watching.

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Bible Study with Jairus-Revelation 1

The Perspective of the Apostle John: Christ as Judge

Though I’ve read the book of Revelation before, I’ve always found it difficult to understand. I’ve often felt that the last days discussed in Revelation were still far away from the times we live in. But as I reflected on the pandemic, war and other current events, my most recent study of the Book of Revelation has been more enlightening than ever. As I studied the book of Revelation at a recent Bible study, I began to feel that the things described in it are not far away from us.

Although I admit that there are still many things in the book of Revelation that I do not fully understand, I feel that the Holy Spirit has given me a better understanding this time. Though I dare not claim that we are experiencing the end of the age depicted in the book of Revelation, I can nonetheless say that the Day of the Lord is very near.

Since 2015, the Lord has revealed to me in visions and prophetic dreams that there will be many great revivals. Many of my dreams featured a great revival of China. But I had absolutely no idea where these revivals would start. Then one day, in a dream, I saw an angel stretching out a huge stick that reached all the way from heaven to the ocean. As the angel began to stir, the waves churned and the ground became unstable. Because of this dream, I realized that a great revival is coming, and it will be accompanied by shaking. God will shake all kingdoms that can be shaken, so that the kingdom that cannot be shaken may be sought and obtained (Hebrews 12:27).

This shaking represents judgment, which is one of the themes of the book of Revelation. After the pandemic, I received inspiration in the spirit that the great revival has already begun. Why do I believe this? Because the great revival begins with cleansing and judgment. This judgment begins in the house of God, and it allows the church to mature. When wheat is about to be harvested, exposure to the sun will help it ripen more quickly. In the same way, exposure to judgment prepares the church for the harvest. God will harvest His sheaves.

This harvest also includes the judgment and harvesting of the weeds. The wheat of God will be gathered into the barn, and the weeds will be thrown into the fire by the angels. All of this takes place because God the Judge has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22).

Although the great revival we are facing may not be the last great revival of the last days, I believe it is nonetheless a preparation for the great revival of the last days. For this reason, I believe that reading the book of Revelation at this moment in history can bring insight and inspiration to our lives today.

The Lord Is Our Judge

We often say that the Lord is both a lamb and a lion. The first time He came to earth, He came as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He brought grace and delayed his judgment. Jesus clearly said, "I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day." (John 12:47-48).[1] God’s word clearly tells us that the Lord will judge those who reject Him on the last day. Revelation, the last book of the Bible, discusses the judgment of the last days. The Lord, as revealed in Revelation, will be the Judge.

The Holy Spirit introduced the drama of the book of Revelation in a very creative way. The Bible is breathed out by God (2 Timothy 3:16). The Holy Spirit inspired people to write the Bible, so the Holy Spirit is its true author. As a writer and playwright, I have often said that the Holy Spirit introduced the drama and He is the best playwright. If we think of the book of Revelation as a movie, and the first chapter of Revelation as the prologue, what would be the best way to introduce the Judge? I personally think that there would be no better way than to surprise the Apostle John with the appearance of the Judge.

John was Jesus' favorite disciple. He often laid in the arms of the Lord and was very familiar with Jesus Christ the Lamb. But just like the disciples whom the Lord Jesus appeared to after His resurrection, John did not recognize the risen Christ at first. Seeing the risen Christ shocked John since he was only familiar with Christ the Lamb. John's visual description of the risen Christ, the Judge, was brand new to John. As the best playwright, the Holy Spirit began the book of Revelation with a vivid and new image of Christ as the Judge, an image that shocked the apostle John.

Revelation Of Jesus Christ

Let's imagine the book of Revelation as a movie. Let’s follow the playwright, the Holy Spirit, into this earth-shattering show. Even though the Holy Spirit is the playwright, the idea for this drama came through the collaboration of the three members of the Trinity. Jesus Christ said that He would receive truth from the Father and declare it to the Holy Spirit (John 16:15). In the same way, Revelation 1:1 mentions that the revelation of Jesus Christ came from the Father and was "given by God” to Jesus Christ. God told Him that He should show His servants the things that would soon take place. He communicated the message by His angel to His servant John through symbols (Revelation 1:1).

The characters in this movie script are the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit; the angels, evil spirits, and devils; saints and sinners; Christ and the Bride, who are united with the Lord; the Antichrist and the great prostitute, who is composed of evil spirits and sinners; dragons and beasts; a woman and a male child. These all comprise the pictorial symbols mentioned in verse 1. We must learn how to understand this symbolic language. I believe I have gained new inspiration about some figurative images, including the sickle and Babylon, which we will describe in detail later. As a preview, let me quickly summarize these concepts. The sickle is a gift from God, and it is up to us to sharpen it. Babylon is a united system of evil spirits and sinners, including but far greater than the fallen system of Catholicism. Babylon includes the fallen religious, political, economic, and other systems in this world. This network of systems devours human minds, hearts, and souls.

The language of symbols is the language of pictures. These pictorial symbols often hinder us from understanding the Bible. That’s why it’s so important to understand these figurative images. If you understand the symbols and visual language, you will better understand the entire book of Revelation. An example of figurative language is the saying, “He was shot by Cupid's arrow.” Of course, we don't mean that a person was actually shot. Instead, we understand that this is a figurative way to say that someone is in love. Although the meaning of this figurative language is clear to us today, it might not be clear to a reader thousands of years from now. No longer familiar with the idiom, people may become confused by the references to “Cupid” and his arrow. Similarly, there are many symbols and much visual language ​​in the Bible which were understandable to the readers at the time when the Bible was being written. However, the meaning has been lost in our current culture, making it difficult for us to understand this visual language.

In addition, many biblical images were based on spiritual inspiration rather than on historical or cultural idioms that were common at the time. For human beings living in the material realm, it can be difficult to put spiritual realities into words. There may be no physical reality that we can compare the spiritual reality to. It is difficult for our natural minds to grasp. In these cases, figurative language and images can help us express heavenly things that are beyond words.

For example, in order to explain how the Holy of Holies in heaven was built, God asked Moses and David to build a tabernacle and a temple that matched the heavenly pattern. The temple itself and the accompanying utensils were pictorial images that represented a heavenly reality. When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year to sprinkle the blood, it was an image of the blood of Jesus which restored fellowship between God and man. When Moses approached the mercy seat, saw God’s glory, and heard Him speak (Numbers 7:89), it represented our ability to draw near the Holy of Holies with boldness through the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 4:16). This pictorial representation shows that in Jesus Christ, we can meet with God face to face.

Since 2015, God has given me dreams that help me express spiritual realities through pictorial images. In my dreams, I have been taken to heaven, paradise, and other places in the underworld. I saw various images and scenes of the lives of the people there. When I would tell my wife about these things, she would ask, “What is the use of these things?” I said, “These visions of the spiritual world have greatly expanded my spiritual imagination, helping me break through many traditional Bible teachings that limit my thinking. These images help me better understand how God speaks through pictorial languages in the Bible.” I believe that the dreams that God gave me were not useless. They helped me better understand the visual language in the Bible. I believe that the more we understand the figurative images in Revelation, the more we will understand the book as a whole. In this study, we will focus on clarifying these images and the message that the symbols are describing.

Preparation to Hear God’s Voice

In Revelation, John heard Jesus speaking to him personally. If we want to learn how to hear Jesus’ voice, we should prepare ourselves like John did. Although some of John’s circumstances were brought about by the sovereignty of God and were beyond his control, we can still learn from John’s example. We can learn about the importance of preparing our hearts before God.

Cultivating a Quiet Heart

The first way we can prepare our hearts is by cultivating a quiet, undistracted heart. God speaks to us often. But if we are too busy, we may not be able to quiet down enough to hear God speak. For instance, if we are on a crowded bus, and someone steals our wallet, we might not even notice it. But if we are sitting quietly on a balcony, drinking coffee, we could feel the breeze blowing across our faces. That’s why it’s so important to find a quiet environment where we can better hear God's words. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God." But we are often unable to quiet down because we live in a distracted world.

It’s easy to imagine that the Apostle John was also very busy. Perhaps he was very busy with his ministry to the seven churches that he later wrote to in the book of Revelation. If he had not been exiled and put in prison, he might have been too busy with ministry to be able to see this vision. God knew how to quiet John’s heart and mind to receive his word.

John was exiled to the island of Patmos. In chapter 1 verse 9 he said, "I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus." The island created a quiet environment for John. He was probably exiled because of his faith in Jesus. Now that he had fewer external distractions, he was able to quiet his heart before God and hear his words. On the Lord’s day, he became receptive to the Spirit and heard God’s voice.

Letting Go of Rigid Thinking.

Another way we can hear the voice of God is by letting go of our own rigid thinking. Our past experiences with God tend to generate rigid expectations about future interactions with Him. The Pharisees, who claimed to love God and obey His laws, were completely blind to the coming of God in the flesh. They were so wrapped up in their rigid thinking, which focused on outward obedience, that they didn’t recognize Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God. In the same way, our minds, prejudices, and traditions can solidify our thinking so much that we cannot understand God’s leading in a new era. In order to become trailblazers who lead the work of God in a new era, we must let go of rigid thinking and receive the fresh guidance and presence of Jesus.

The New Image of The Judge

The Lord Jesus has appeared to me several times in visions, but each appearance was unique. No two visions were identical.

Once, I was taken to China in the spirit. The Lord Jesus appeared to me, robed with light, and laid His hands on my head. After falling to the ground, I got up. But He was gone.

On the last day of 2017, He first appeared to me as an old Chinese lady. Then He took me to heaven in the spirit and changed His form. There, He told me about my calling. Through a glass window, he showed me people going up to heaven. They looked as if they were riding an escalator to heaven. This vision gave me a burden for China's great revival.

Another time, I was taken to Japan in the spirit, and the Lord Jesus appeared to me. He healed my hands, which had been wounded from fishing, with a healing balm drawn from the nail marks on his feet. Yet another time, I was taken to heaven in the spirit and saw Jesus’ face and strong muscles up close. Every appearance has been unique.

Testimonies of people with prophetic experiences abound. I have heard others say that every time the Lord appears, He looks different, depending on the amount of light He emits. Sometimes, he appears as a lion, an eagle, or some other manifestation.

The appearance of the risen Lord can be in many different forms. Perhaps this is why the disciples did not always recognize him when he appeared after his resurrection. When He appeared to the twelve disciples, to the men on their way to Emmaus, to Mary as she wept by the tomb, or to Peter as he fished by the sea, they did not recognize Him right away. In other words, the Lord Jesus Christ often appears in a specific form that communicates an important figurative message.

For example, one day the Lord Jesus appeared to me as an old Chinese lady and led me down the mountain near my hometown. He led me to the entrance of the village. There, I saw some women and children weeping. Then I heard voices saying, “This represents the people in China who are being oppressed by the unfair distribution of wealth.” Suddenly, I saw that a strange currency was about to be unloaded from the bed of a big truck. It seemed to be a huge amount of money, near $200 million. The money was not in US dollars, or CNY. It was in a strange currency. Then I heard voices that said, “The wealth will be redistributed to those who are godly and righteous, so that they can evangelize and transform Chinese society.”

Not long after that, the old lady started to take me to heaven in the spirit. I fought and struggled against her with all my strength, because I was worried that I was being deceived by an evil spirit. But her power overcame me. Then she gave me an enormous push from behind and lifted me to heaven, where she transformed into Jesus Christ. He showed me images of people, similar to the images of saints used in the past, and He asked me if I wished to be like them. I cried, “I am willing in my heart, but my flesh is weak. I still have some fleshly weaknesses that I cannot overcome.”

During this experience, I was shocked to see a cherub flying toward us. What shocked me even more was that the Chinese saints in glory sang a four-verse hymn together to praise God and to bless and encourage me. Sadly, I cannot remember the lyrics of this hymn. But this experience has greatly encouraged me.

Many of these spiritual experiences involved figurative images:

• God often uses my rural hometown in China to represent China.
• Coming down from the mountain on the north side of my hometown represents the presence of God who is with me in heaven (represented by the high place on the mountain) and in China (represented by my village). I believe that one day he will lead me back to China.
• Walking to the entrance of the village represents my future return to China.
• The crying women and children represent the oppression of the Chinese church and Chinese people. They are oppressed by evil spirits and evil people.
• The truck represents the gospel and its ministry.
• The huge amount of strange currency on the truck represents the supply of God's rich gospel, as well as His supply of physical wealth.
• Only when I arrived at the entrance of the village did I see this truck, which represents the timing of these supplies, which may only become available when I arrive in China to preach the gospel one day.
• The cherub I saw in heaven signifies a heavenly atmosphere.
• Being taken behind the glass by Jesus Christ shows us that we can see people going to heaven behind the glass, but they can't see us. This means that everything is in the hands of God; He knows everything.
• Jesus Christ showed me pictures of people going to heaven one by one. These are also symbols. They represent the great revival that will bring people’s saved souls to heaven.

These figurative images greatly shocked my spirit and also gave me a great burden for the future revival of China and the world. Even the Chinese saints who sang hymns in heaven represented the fact that the great revival in China will be a collaboration between God, the saints in glory, and the saints on earth. This deeply inspires me.

This is just one example of a spiritual experience full of visual language that conveyed God's message to me. These images helped me to break through my mental limitations and accept God’s call—a calling that I never dared imagine.

Similarly, the image of the Lord Jesus Christ described in Revelation 1 is not a fixed image, but a symbolic image that describes what God will do during the judgment of the last days. The pictures themselves are God's words to the apostle John and the church in the end times. Let's examine the image of the Lord described by the apostle John.

The golden lampstand represents the church (1:20). Walking in the midst of the golden lampstand represents Jesus walking amongst the churches and checking on them. The robe that reaches down to his feet does not mean that the Lord wears a robe every day in heaven. Rather, this symbolic image represents holiness, just like the robe that Joshua put on to cover his filthiness (Zechariah 3:4), or the bright, clean linen that the bride of Christ wore, which represents the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8). Once, during a vision, I was standing in line to see Jesus. While standing in line, I was asked to first put on a robe. This symbol shows us that filthy people cannot see the Lord, but that Jesus bestows on us a robe of righteousness that covers our uncleanness. In figurative visual language, the robe Jesus was wearing in Revelation 1 reminds us of the righteousness of Jesus that covers His body, the church. Although the church is weak and filthy, we are the body of Christ. As such, we are covered by Christ’s righteousness. His holiness and His blood cover our sins and weaknesses. Later verses will mention the specific weaknesses of each church, but for now, we are reminded through this symbolic image that it is God cleansing us. We must not forget that we are more than conquerors in Christ.

When I was reading the book of Revelation, I was amazed. The Holy Spirit is truly the best playwright and director! He describes the risen Christ to us like a good director of photography. He starts with a long shot of Jesus wearing a robe, then moves to a medium shot of Jesus with a golden sash, and finally moves to a close shot of Jesus’ eyes and hair. The camera focuses on these characteristics one by one, presenting the image of the risen Lord in minute detail.

First, God offers us a wide-angle view of Jesus’ entire body, including a robe reaching down to his feet. Next, the camera zooms in to focus on the Lord's chest, with a golden sash around it. Symbolically, his chest represents love. While he was on earth, John had reclined on Jesus’ chest and in his arms. At that time, Jesus probably did not have a golden sash around His chest, so this vision must have left a deep impression on John. The golden sash on the chest of the risen Christ stood in stark contrast to John’s memory of Jesus’ chest in the past. Jesus had always been God in the flesh, but He was mainly revealed as the Son of Man. Even here, the apostle John calls him the Son of Man (1:13). But this appearance more clearly demonstrated Jesus’ divinity as well. In the Bible, gold represents God’s divine nature. For example, the streets of the New Jerusalem are made of gold. So the focus on the gold sash reminds us of Jesus’ deity.

Next, the director’s camera focuses on Jesus’s hair. This close shot describes His white hair as “white wool, like snow.” These images are symbolic. When Jesus appears to me personally, I often see His hair glowing like His entire body. Sometimes, I don't see His white hair. Some people have seen visions of Jesus with golden curly hair. Each person that sees Jesus, in heaven or in a vision, will not necessarily see the same image John described here. As I said, Jesus is God. He can appear in many forms. John’s description of His appearance is mainly a figurative way to convey the specific message He wants to tell the church.

What does his white hair represent? Some say that His white hair represents his eternal nature. I'm not against this explanation. But I feel that the white hair is another way to express his holiness and flawlessness. As the Holy Spirit, our director, reveals more of the risen Christ and the Judge, we are constantly seeing more of His divinity and holiness. In other words, the gentle Lamb the apostle John was familiar with, who was merciful to sinners and tolerant to those who were against Him, has become the Lord who will judge sinners and those who oppose Him. The setting of the Book of Revelation is the last days. Judgment Day is coming soon. Based on the logic of the “director,” we would expect the next shot to reveal more of His judgment. As expected, the next shot focuses on His eyes, which are like a flame of fire. This image speaks of His judgment.

The next scene also points to judgment. The apostle John describes the Lord's feet as like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, which is a common symbol of judgment. The furnace speaks of trial and testing. Bronze represents judgment as well. After Korah’s rebellion, God asked Moses to hammer the bronze censers of the rebellious Israelites into bronze sheets to cover the altar, as a lesson for future Israelites.

In addition to pictures, movies also use the language of sound, which can make movies more realistic. Through John’s description, we hear the Holy Spirit’s depiction of the voice of Christ. It sounded like the roar of many waters. What does the sound of many waters represent? Judgment. We often refer to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, which is like a gentle maternal reminder. However, a strong rebuke from your mother is more like the sound of many waters. It stuns you and motivates you to obey out of fear of punishment.

One time, when I was taken to heaven in the spirit, I experienced the “sound of many waters” for myself. In the vision, I was waiting in line to see the Lord. I was so excited that my heart wanted to jump out of my chest. While waiting, someone gave me a robe to put on and told me to wait there. As I was entering the room where the Lord was, I found that I could not stand up. I fell backward to the ground. Then I heard the voice of the Lord, like the voice of many waters, saying, "Get up.” I immediately gained strength, stood up, and entered the room to meet Him. The voice of the Lord was so rich and powerful that it could not be described in words. The enemy can’t mimic His voice. Hearing the voice of the Lord is truly shocking and terrifying!

The seven stars in Jesus’ right hand also speak of judgment, because the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches (1:20). Jesus not only walks among the churches (represented by the golden lampstands), but He also judges His churches and angels first. The sharp two-edged sword that comes out of His mouth represents His judgment. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” His face is like the sun shining in full strength, which shows that harvest time has come. The sun has facilitated the drying of the wheat.

With each new scene of this powerful drama, emotions continue to build. The apostle John is already completely overwhelmed. The gentle lamb he knew on earth had become the lion of the tribe of Judah. John saw that Jesus was the King. The Father had given Him all authority to execute judgment!

In the next shot, John fell at Jesus’ feet as if he were dead. John, the apostle who used to lie in the arms of Jesus like a baby, now fell at His feet as though dead. If even the apostle John could not bear the appearance of the glorified and holy Lord, how could we sinners bear it? No wonder the Bible says that the coming of the Lord will great and dreadful (Malachi 4:5)! We will never be able to stand before Him if we do not repent and are not covered by His holy robe!

The Seven Stars and The Seven Lampstands (The Church) are also Symbolic

The seven stars are also symbols of judgment. Why do I say this? Let’s imagine the Lord Jesus walking among the golden lampstands, holding the seven stars in His hand. He expressly states that the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and that the golden lampstands are the seven churches (1:20). Although John briefly mentions that he is addressing his letters to the seven churches (1:11), he also expressly states that the letters are written to the angels of the seven churches (chapter 2-3). In other words, the angels of the seven churches are the overcomers of the seven churches. The Lord is speaking to the overcomers in every church.

Daniel said, "And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." (Daniel 12:3). We are all stars, and we must shine like stars. The Book of Proverbs says, "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day." (Proverbs 4:18). As stars, we must keep shining brighter and brighter until the full dawn appears. Revelation 1 mentions that the face of the Lord Jesus was like the sun shining in full strength. As believers, we are destined to be conformed to the image of Christ, who is like the midday sun. This is not something that one person can do on his own. But when each of us shines like a star, we can collectively become like the midday sun.

A brother made a wise observation. He said, “Elijah, the greatest prophet in Israel's history, appeared during the reign of Ahab, the worst king of Israel. A king is like the moon. If the moon is bright, the stars are less visible. But if the moon is not visible, the stars will shine brightly. In the same way, a good king doesn’t need a prophet to remind him to follow God. But during the reign of a bad king, the prophet's star will be very bright.”

This is a great insight. We as the church are the royal priesthood of God. Collectively, we are both kings and priests. When we fall into sin, we no longer give light to the world. The lamp is put under the bushel; the salt loses its taste, and the function of the Old Testament king is destroyed. Therefore, the prophets of this age (the overcomers, also called the angels of the church) must shine more brightly. They must shine like stars and illuminate the dark church and the world.

The seven stars in the right hand of the Lord Jesus are symbolic. After the Lord Jesus was resurrected, He sat down at the right hand of God the Father. Therefore, the right hand of God represents the exaltation of God. Being held in His hand is also symbolic language. It signifies that He is holding the seven stars tightly. He will never let go of the prophets and overcomers of this age (the angels of the churches). God will not give up on his church! God’s judgment begins with His church and the angels (overcomers) of His church. The letters in Revelation 2 and 3 were clearly addressed to the angels of the seven churches. This is something I had never noticed before. I had thought the letters were written to the church, but the Holy Spirit shows me that the recipients of the letters were the angels of the seven churches (2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3: 1, 7, 14).

The Lord is calling His overcomers from the seven churches to overcome every weakness and attack of the enemy. If they cannot overcome them, the Lord will remove their golden lampstands from their places. In other words, if the light of the church is weak, and the overcomers can no longer conquer their weaknesses and sins, they will no longer shine like stars. Their golden lampstands will be completely dark.

We will continue to share more symbols and figurative images ​​in Revelation 2 and 3. I hope that this introduction to symbolic images in the book of Revelation will help you understand the entire book of Revelation so you can see where God is moving today.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Summary of Revelation

The Turning Point of the Book of Revelation: The Arrival of the Bride of Christ

The purpose of Revelation is to produce the bride of Christ. When the bride of Christ arrives, Jesus Christ and His Bride will have a wedding feast (Revelation 19). Ultimately, God will judge Satan, evil spirits, and sinners, and cast them, along with death and Hades, into the lake of fire. But until this ultimate mission is accomplished, the negative experiences of judgment exist to help the church spiritually mature and become the bride of Christ. This is what Paul said in Romans 8:28: “For those who love God all things work together for good.”[1]

Chapter 12 is a turning point in the book of Revelation. Before Chapter 12, God is judging the church to bring about its maturity. However, after Chapter 12, the church begins to judge the fallen angels and evil spirits. The Bible says, "Do you not know that we are to judge angels?" (1 Corinthians 6:3). The overcoming bride of Christ (represented by the woman and the male child) will judge angels on behalf of the church. The battle becomes fierce, and the final tribulation begins.

Before his rebellion, Satan's mission was to lead all things to worship God. Later, he rebelled against God and failed to fulfill his mission. God created human beings to replace Satan as the ones who would lead others to worship God. Although Satan tried to tempt man and destroy this purpose, the bride of Christ ultimately triumphs over Satan’s temptation. Conquering believers are well qualified to judge Satan and evil spirits.

In Revelation 12, the bride of Christ arrives on the scene. The bride gives birth to a male child (the overcoming believers). To fight against them, Satan's persecution becomes intense, and the tribulation begins. During the tribulation, the battle between Christ with His bride and Satan with his prostitute continues. In the end, Christ and His bride will win the ultimate victory, ushering in the end of the age. This is the summary of Revelation.

The Cycle of Seven in The Bible

Seven is a very important number in the Bible. It reveals the way God has arranged the universe. God created everything in six days, and on the seventh day, He rested. Similarly, he has invited his people to work for six days and to rest on the seventh day (Genesis 3:19).

This cycle of work and rest points to a greater truth. When man first sinned and rebelled against God, they lost their rest in Him. Now, we must accept six days of God’s discipline as we learn obedience through suffering. We then hope to find His rest on the seventh day.

This continuous cycle of seven is the basic structure of life. The Old Testament not only teaches us to rest every seven days, but also every seven years. The Israelites were permitted to sow their fields for six years, and in the seventh year, they were commanded to rest. This is yet another example of the cycle of work and rest. It points to the fact that God will lead his people to find rest.

I believe that if the Israelites had kept the weekly Sabbath and Sabbath year, there would be no need for the Year of Jubilee. But this was not the case for the Israelites. Many Israelites lost their land or were sold as slaves before the Year of Jubilee, so God created the Year of Jubilee to save them. After the seven sets of sabbath years came another cycle of seven to reach the Year of Jubilee. After seven times seven years, in the fiftieth year came the Jubilee, where all lands that had been sold must be returned to their original owners and all slaves must be freed. This represents God’s ultimate salvation.

Daniel's vision concerning the fate of the Israelites also contained seventy “sevens.” Seven “sevens” represented the time it took to rebuild Jerusalem. Sixty-two “sevens” described the time from when Jerusalem was rebuilt to the time the Messiah was killed. These events have already happened. The last seven represents the last seven years mentioned in the book of Revelation. The next time period, which lasts three and a half years, is the great tribulation. But there is a long period between sixty-two “sevens” and the last “seven”, which biblical scholars call the "Age of Grace." No one knows how long this period lasts, but we know it will be a continual repetition of seven days (Sabbath), seven years (Sabbath years), and 49 years (Year of Jubilee).

In addition, the Israelites had seven feasts every year: the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. We will not discuss the first six feasts here, but we’ll take the time to look at the seventh: the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles was a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing after the wheat had ripened. This feast represents the wedding feast of the Lamb and His Bride in the Book of Revelation. God is our tabernacle and will be with us forever. Therefore, the seven feasts of Israel also point to God's final plan in the book of Revelation. If we understand the number seven, the seven feasts, and the prophecies containing the number seven, we will better understand the book of Revelation. The end of Revelation is the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Cycle of Seven in The Book of Revelation

The basic structure of the book of Revelation contains several sets of sevens. Let’s look at seven of those!

1. Seven golden lampstands (Revelation 1:12). The golden lampstand is an Old Testament type that prefigures Christ. It is a vessel in the sanctuary of the tabernacle of God. There are seven lamps on the golden lampstand. The high priest is responsible for lighting the lamps of the golden lampstand and refueling them so that the light of the golden lampstand may shine continually. The golden lampstand represents the church (1:20), and seven is a “complete” number, a representation of all churches. Remember, the golden lampstands in the Old Testament were made of gold. Gold represents God’s divine nature. So, the seven golden lampstands speak of the eternal, heavenly nature of the church.
2. Seven stars and seven spirits. I believe the seven spirits are closely related to the seven stars. Why do I say that? First, John’s letter to the seven churches is a revelation from God the Father (1:4, The one “who is and who was and who is to come”), the Holy Spirit (1:4, “the seven spirits who are before His throne”), the Lord Jesus Christ (1:5, “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth”). This heavenly vision is the joint work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When Jesus Christ was walking among the golden lampstands, He was holding seven stars in His right hand (1:16; 1:20). John explained that the seven stars were the angels of the seven churches. Who were the angels of the seven churches? People have different opinions about this. Some people say that they were the overcomers of the churches; others say that they were the angels who represented the churches. I personally feel that the overcomers, who are filled with the Holy Spirit, will appear as seven stars. Why? First, the angels of the church are probably not literal angels. If they were, they could receive commands directly from God. Why would John need to write letters to the seven angels of the churches? Daniel specifically said, "He who turns many to righteousness shall shine like a star" (Daniel 12:3). This is why I believe that the seven stars are believers who turn others to righteousness. Second, when John wrote to the church in Sardis, he mentioned that Jesus had “the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.” In this verse, the seven spirits and the seven stars were placed side by side. Jesus Christ never left his throne, even when he was walking among the lampstands. Therefore, the seven stars in his hand are the same as the seven spirits before his throne. When we read about the Holy Spirit sitting before the throne of God in heaven, he appears as seven spirits; when we read of the Holy Spirit at work in his church on earth, he appears as seven stars. The Spirit manifests himself through the overcomers who are filled with his spirit. Who are the messengers of the church? Are they the overcomers? Or the Holy Spirit? I think that they are the spirit-filled overcomers. Why do I say that the seven stars are the manifestations of the seven spirits? The Holy Spirit is the essence of the church. He is the Comforter sent by the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, who is the head of the church. Jesus is the reality, content, and representative of the church, and the Holy Spirit is the perfecter of the church. Andrew Murray said that the work of the Holy Spirit is to complete what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross in the life of each believer (in the life of the church).

The Holy Spirit is the essence of the church. We come to the Father in one Spirit and have constant fellowship with Him through Christ (Ephesians 2:18). "He who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him." (1 Corinthians 6:17). The fellowship of the Holy Spirit is at the core of the church. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." (2 Corinthians 13:14). The church is filled with the fullness of the Triune God. Therefore, the seven stars may represent those who are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Third, the Lord Jesus is the High Priest, who walks among the golden lampstands to trim the wicks and add oil. The seven spirits and the seven stars represent the oil and fire in His hands, so they are all manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit as both oil and fire. When we barbecue, we use both firewood, lighter fluid (oil) and a spark of fire to ignite the wood. The spark will turn into fire, and the fire will ignite the fuel and the firewood, which will make the fire stronger. The spark, the fire, the oil, and even the wood (a representation of our sacrifice) are united in purpose. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is the spark that ignites our love, the oil that fans it into flame, and the wood that keeps our passion burning (2 Timothy 1:6). This is why I believe the seven spirits and the seven stars are two aspects of the same Holy Spirit.

1. Seven churches. This description reminds us of the earthly side of the church. Although the church is infused with the divine gold of heaven, we are still earthly in many ways. Even though Jesus Christ sees the church as a perfect bride without spot and blemish (Ephesians 5:27), on earth it is still full of blemishes, spots, and wrinkles. As Lord of the Church and Lord of Heaven, Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God for the sake of his church (Hebrews 12:2). He sees the eternal perfection of the church. But in the here and now, inside of time, the church still needs refinement. That is why Jesus sent seven letters to the seven churches (Revelation 2-3), to point out areas where they needed refinement.
2. Seven seals (Revelation 4-8). The fourth seven is closely related to the third seven. The third seven (seven letters to the seven churches) reveals the earthly side of the church and the ways it needs to be refined. The fourth seven (seven seals) speak of seven disasters, seven purifying fires that will burn the church and take away its earthly dross. As Peter said, "So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7). God’s judgment revealed in these seven seals is the consuming fire of His seven spirits and seven stars.

Let’s examine a few seals in detail. The Gospel (represented by the white horse in the first seal) may be the purifying fire that refines the church in Ephesus. The church in Ephesus had left its first love. Once a church stops preaching the gospel, it will be filled with infighting and internal friction and will gradually lose sight of its first love. Meanwhile, a church that zealously preaches the gospel will often be full of love for God.

Jesus' letters to the seven churches are assessing and diagnosing the seven churches, measuring their spiritual temperature and symptoms to determine the correct remedy. The seven seals are the remedies to deal with the unique and varying problems of the seven churches. I had never noticed this connection before. It was only during our recent Bible study that I received this inspiration from the Holy Spirit. There is no way that Jesus would have mentioned the problems of the churches without providing a solution to the problems in the following verses. Our Lord is a Lord of provision. He not only informs us of our problems but also provides solutions to our problems.

Between the sixth and seventh seals, God gave John an encouraging vision so that the believers would not lose hope. He shared that 144,000 Jews were sealed and that there was a great multitude in heaven serving God. What could be more inspiring? Trials often tempt people to lose their faith, so God specifically asked John to share this encouraging vision between the sixth and seventh seals. Why between the sixth and the seventh? We’ve previously noted that seven is a number of perfection, completion, and ultimate fulfillment. Not only is there an encouraging vision between the sixth and seventh seals, but there is also an encouraging vision between the sixth and seventh trumpets, and also between the sixth and seventh bowls in the great tribulation. All of these passages follow the same principle.

1. Seven Trumpets. The seven seals and the seven trumpets take place before the appearance of the woman and the male child in Revelation 12; they usher in the coming tribulation. In other words, the seven seals and seven trumpets help produce Christ's bride and overcomer. The seven trumpets bring more judgments, including the judgment of the land, sea, rivers, sun, moon, stars, those who do not have the seal of God, one-third of mankind, the dead, and so on. The vision between the sixth and seventh trumpets shows that even though God allowed the Gentiles to trample the temple, the two witnesses appeared to testify of God’s truth. Believers in trials would learn that God was still sovereign, even if the earthly temple was trampled. They should not be discouraged.
2. Seven years, 3.5 years of tribulation. The 3.5 years of the tribulation period began after the bride of Christ began to judge evil spirits. Satan tried his best to persecute the church (the woman) because the time for his judgment by the bride of Christ was near. But she gave birth to overcomers (the male child). This birth process is what Jesus referred to as labor pains. At this time, God and angels helped the church fight against the team of evil spirits and sinners led by Satan and gain the victory. Before the Great Tribulation began, God harvested the firstfruits (true believers) while the angels harvested the tares (false believers). Of course, there were also many martyrs. The bride of Christ continued to mature through suffering as Babylon the Great was thrown down.

The book of Revelation can be divided into two parts. Before chapter 12, God helps the church mature through various judgments; after chapter 12, the mature Bride of Christ continues to fight against the enemy and eventually judges fallen angels and evil spirits.

1. Seven Bowls. These bowls represent the ultimate judgment of God. During the bowl judgments, sores appear on the worshipers of the Antichrist; seas, rivers, and springs turn into blood; the sun scorches people with fire; the kingdom of the Antichrist becomes darkness; the great river Euphrates dries up; a great earthquake takes place; and great hailstones fall. Between the sixth and seventh bowl judgments is a vision that encourages believers. This vision depicts the preparation for the final battle of Armageddon. God reveals his plan and encourages believers that they will be victorious if they persevere.

The Ultimate Seven Brings Jubilee

After the seven bowl judgments, the book of Revelation depicts the destruction of Babylon, the marriage supper of the Lamb, the battle of Armageddon, the imprisonment of Satan, the coming of the millennial kingdom, the last rebellion of Satan, the Great White Throne judgment, the New Heaven and New Earth, the New Jerusalem, etc. At this point, God's judgment is finally complete. Death and rebellion are cast into the lake of fire, and believers reign with God forever and ever. This is the ultimate seven, which is the reality that the Sabbath, the Sabbath year, and the Year of Jubilee point to. It is also the end of human history.

Although I discussed seven sevens in this article, there may be even more sevens in the book of Revelation. The Bible is full of continuous cycles of sevens. Human history is not limited to a linear timeline of 7000 years. Instead, our history culminates with the ultimate Sabbath, an eternity of rest and completion.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Leviticus 7

The functions of offerings: Reinforcement and reduction

In past lessons, we’ve mentioned the significance of the order of the offerings in Leviticus 1:1- Leviticus 6:7, as well as the different order in Leviticus 6:8-7:38. In addition, I believe the different offerings represent different functions. Some offerings (grain offerings, burnt offerings) were for reinforcement, while others (sin offerings and guilt offerings) were for reduction. Let me explain what I mean.

Reinforcement and reduction are concepts in traditional Chinese medicine. Through reinforcement and reduction, we achieve balance. Our body reaches a balance of yin and yang. I believe the essence of the peace offering is achieving a balanced state, in which there is reinforcement and reduction.

Many people may have difficulty understanding this concept. Let me give a metaphor from Western Medicine. When our white blood cells carry away waste and help our bodies fight infection, this is the function of reduction. When our red blood cells carry oxygen, supplying us with life, this is the function of reinforcement.

In the same way, the sin offering and the guilt offering remove our sins and transgressions, helping us “reduce” unhealthy things. The burnt offering and the grain offering, on the other hand, provide positive life and nourishment. The grain offering not only pleased God but also provided food for the priests. The food provided God’s life supply to the priests, which is “reinforcement.” The sin offerings and the guilt offerings (“reduction” offerings), as well as the peace offerings, grain offerings, and wave offerings could all be eaten by priests, which is the effect of "reinforcement". Such "reduction" and "reinforcement" allowed the priest to simultaneously cover their sins and receive God’s life supply, thus achieving a balance.

Just like we have to maintain the balance of yin and yang within our bodies to keep our bodies healthy, we need spiritual balance to maintain a healthy spiritual body. We need “reduction” offerings to remove our sins and “reinforcement” sacrifices to nourish us with spiritual bread so we can grow and mature.

What are reinforcement and reduction?

Reinforcement and reduction are concepts of traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine believes that a healthy body lies in the balance of yin and yang. The balance of yin and yang is also related to qi. For example, the qi from sun and food is positive whereas qi from cold or wind is negative. If there is more negative qi than positive in our body, it is necessary to reduce the negative and reinforce the positive, so that our body can maintain balance and be healthy.

Although I have only a limited understanding of traditional Chinese medicine, I want to use traditional Chinese medicine to create an analogy. Many people in the West believe that concepts such as yin and yang and qi belong to the metaphysics of Eastern culture. But from my limited understanding, they are a good picture to help us understand spiritual things.

We know as Christians that the church is the body of Christ. Does this body need a balance of yin and yang? When Satan and sin attack us, it reminds us of being assaulted by freezing wind. This negative qi must be reduced. Meanwhile, Christ’s redemption (represented by the offerings) represents positive qi. The more Satan attacks, the more we need to nurture an awareness of Christ’s redemption.

According to the theory of Chinese medicine, qi exists and operates in our bodies, but it is invisible. The same is true of the Holy Spirit. He is invisible, but he operates within the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the Helper sent by the Father in the name of Jesus Christ (John 14:26) to give us heavenly "positive qi.” Through him, we have access to the Father in one spirit (Ephesians 2:18). Through the Holy Spirit, we are convicted of sin (John 16:8). He applies Christ’s redemption personally to our lives. The Bible says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17). His work is in line with the work of Jesus.

Jesus Christ became our redeeming sacrifice which takes away our sins. The Bible says, "the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil” (ESV, 1 John 3:8)[1]. This reminds us of the concept of reduction. The work of reduction comes first, as our sins are removed through Jesus’ blood.

In addition, Jesus Christ is the bread that came down from heaven (John 6:58). He is the spiritual manna, the holy food for us to eat. This reminds us of the concept of reinforcement. The work of reinforcement is a further step in our Christian growth that manifests the glory of God.

If we understand the spiritual meaning of the five basic offerings, it will help us apply God’s truth to our everyday lives. The purpose of the offerings was not external obedience, but internal intimacy with God. The offerings were a living illustration of the removal of sin and the pursuit of fellowship with God. God’s purpose was to remove the worshipers’ sins so they could return to God and get to know him better. If you have accepted God’s gift of redemption through the blood of Jesus, God wants you to maintain fellowship with Him and grow closer to him. In this way, you will be filled with His holiness and glory. Redemption through His blood is the foundation. Intimate fellowship is the goal.

The five basic offerings in the Old Testament can all be categorized as either reduction or reinforcement. The sin offering and the guilt offering are for reduction, that is, taking away our sins. The grain offering and the burnt offering are not only offered to God, but also given to the priests to eat. This nourishing supply reminds us of the concept of reinforcement. Although the burnt offering is burned entirely, it benefits the worshiper by giving them a practical way to please God and receive his blessing. The peace offering represents both reduction and reinforcement at the same time. It not only includes a sin offering and guilt offering (reduction), but also a grain offering and wave offering (reinforcement). These offerings help us achieve spiritual balance.

Many people express doubts about the existence of qi and the concept of yin and yang because they cannot be seen or touched. But those who have experience in traditional Chinese medicine can verify through their experiences that the balance between qi, yin, and yang is real. Qi represents the Holy Spirit. His work is invisible and intangible, but we can feel his presence in our spiritual experience. When the Lord Jesus talked about the work of the Holy Spirit, He also likened it to the wind. He said, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8).

In Chinese acupuncture, practitioners hold the needle in the right hand and rotate it in a clockwise direction to achieve reinforcement. On the other hand, when they want to achieve reduction, they rotate the needle in a counterclockwise direction. Many people in the West accept acupuncture, but they may not know that a different rotation of the needle will have a different effect. Acupuncturists use different rotational methods to help adjust the patient’s balance of qi, yin, and yang, which they believe will treat the patient’s disease.

Just like acupuncturists seek to achieve balance, we as God’s children also need balance. To use an analogy more familiar to a Western audience, our white blood cells remove waste products from our blood, while our red blood cells transport oxygen to our body. In the same way, some offerings (sin offerings and guilt offerings) remove sin and waste from the worshiper’s spiritual body, while other offerings (grain offerings, burnt offerings, wave offerings, heave offerings, and peace offerings) please God and supply us with His divine life. The offerings remind us of the importance of not only reducing evil (removing sin) but also increasing goodness as we unite ourselves with God’s divine life. When we achieve balance, we will become spiritually healthy.

The function of the burnt offering and the grain offering

Burnt offerings are entirely burned to God to please Him. Whether it was Noah offering clean animals as sacrifices or Abraham offering Isaac, both were to please God. The grain offering contains a portion that is burned to God, and this portion pleases God. But the rest was reserved for the priests as their food, the staff of life. The food was holy in order to help the priests become holy. After we offer burnt offerings to please God, He begins to share food with us through the grain offering. This is the function of reinforcement. But reinforcement is not enough. For example, if a vessel is unclean and if you put food in it, you will contaminate the food. Therefore, the laws of the sin offering and the guilt offering are needed to cleanse the vessel.

The function of the sin offering and the guilt offering

Before you cook a meal, you first wash the dishes, pots, and pans you will be using. In the same way, the sin offering and the guilt offering remove the impurity from our vessel so we can receive the nourishment God wants to give. We must clean and detoxify our vessels first. Only after the poison of sin and transgression has been removed can we receive the nourishing, reinforcing spiritual food that God wants to give us.

Using another metaphor, God wants to remove the weeds from the crop. If we add fertilizer before the weeds are removed, the weeds will get an extra boost. If we put the fertilizer on first, it will be wasted. In the same way, we should remove the sins from our lives before nourishing ourselves with God’s spiritual food.

Leviticus 6 ends with the regulations regarding the sin offering, and Leviticus 7 continues to discuss the guilt offering. Although the main purpose of the sin offering and the guilt offering is to reduce, they also reinforce. Both offerings were also used as food for the priests. Speaking of the sin offering, Leviticus 6:26 says, "The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. In a holy place it shall be eaten, in the court of the tent of meeting." Speaking of the guilt offering, Leviticus 7:6 says, "Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place. It is most holy."

Furthermore, Leviticus 7:8-10 says, “And the priest who offers any man's burnt offering shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering that he has offered. And every grain offering baked in the oven and all that is prepared on a pan or a griddle shall belong to the priest who offers it. And every grain offering, mixed with oil or dry, shall be shared equally among all the sons of Aaron.” I had not noticed before that the priests could use the skins of the burnt offering and eat the bread of the grain offering (reinforcement). These verses show us that God provides for us when we serve him.

As you can see, both the sin offering and the guilt offering have a reinforcing effect as well as a reducing effect. Although a given offering’s main goal may be reduction or reinforcement, they all may share both purposes. Let’s consider the example of acupuncture once again. When the acupuncturist rotates the needle, he rotates it to the left or the right at each acupuncture point. In different situations, he either reinforces or reduces the qi, to help keep the patient’s body in balance. In the same way, God used the offerings to simultaneously take care of sin and provide a blessing to the priests.

The peace offering is all-inclusive

In Leviticus 1-5, the peace offering is discussed in the middle of the list of offerings. But in chapters 6-7, it is mentioned last. I believe it comes last because it is an all-inclusive offering. It includes the sin offering, the guilt offering, the grain offering, the wave offering, and the heave offering. This is one of the reasons why the law of the peace offering is placed at the end of the list of offerings.

The peace offering is all-inclusive. First, it includes the bread of the grain offering (Leviticus 7:12). The sacrifice of the peace offering is also burned on the altar of burnt offering (Leviticus 3:5, 4:10). So, does the peace offering include an offering that removes sins? Though this is not mentioned explicitly, the law of the peace offering comes directly after the law of the sin offering and the guilt offering, so I believe the peace offering is rooted in the atonement.

The peace offering represents completion. After God removes our sin and we receive his life supply, we meet with God in a state of yin and yang balance. The peace offering represents the intimacy that Moses shared with God: "The Lord and Moses met on the mercy seat of the ark, and there the Lord spoke to Moses" (Numbers 7:89). Before Moses could meet God in glory and hear Him speak, the blood must be sprinkled on the mercy seat (Numbers 7:89).

In the same way, we can come boldly to the Holy of Holies (the throne of grace) through the blood of Jesus. We are not only covered by Jesus’ blood (the fulfillment of the sin and guilt offerings), but we also hear God speaking to us in glory (the fulfillment of the grain offering). The peace offering includes these two aspects. On the one hand, our sins are removed so that we can draw near to God. On the other hand, we are filled with His divine nature and glory. The peace offering reveals that as God removes our sins and supplies us with his love and provision, we can achieve a state of peace with Him.

The difference between the wave offering and the heave offering

The heave offering and wave offering are discussed in Numbers 8 and Exodus 30. Numbers 8:11 records that Aaron offered the Levites as a wave offering to the Lord. Exodus 30:11-16 states that the Israelites who were numbered were to offer half a shekel as a heave offering to atone for their sins. The rich should not give more, and the poor should not give less. From these two scriptures alone, we can surmise that the heave offering was used for basic atonement, while the wave offering represented further and deeper devotion.

Numbers 18:26 also mentions that the Levites were to tithe on the money they received from the people. They were to offer their tithes as a heave offering to the Lord. God seems to give more regulations regarding the heave offering than he does the wave offering. The Levites could offer their tithe to God as a wave offering, perhaps speaking of deeper holiness and devotion.

There are many similarities between the heave offering and the wave offering. I don’t fully understand the differences between them. As God continues to give me an understanding of the spiritual meaning of these offerings, I hope to share the insights he gives me.

Conclusion:

The purpose of the sacrificial regulations was to not only remove sin (sin, guilt, and heave offerings) but also to please God and supply spiritual food to the worshiper (burnt, grain, and wave offerings). The first group of sacrifices reminds us of reduction, which removes the obstacles that hinder our fellowship with God. The second group of sacrifices reminds us of reinforcement, which deepens our fellowship with God. Through eating the heavenly food God gives, we can become partakers of His divine nature and be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. First comes redemption, then transformation. These two aspects are shown clearly in Romans 5:10: “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 5

Moses reiterates the significance of the Ten Commandments

In Deuteronomy 5, Moses restates the Ten Commandments. Today, we will discuss several topics related to God’s law:

• The differences between the Ten Commandments recorded in Deuteronomy and in Exodus
• Whether God's law will punish our children for their parents’ sin to the third and fourth generation
• How Christians understand the role of the law
• The differences between His nature and His guidance.

The original intent of the Law was to provide protection for God’s people, especially the Israelites, and to ultimately introduce them to Christ. The Law is the guardian that protects us. It is like a sheepfold that protects the sheep through the winter. When Christ came, we were set free from the ceremonial laws, just like sheep are let out of the sheepfold when spring comes. We may bravely step out of those protective ceremonial laws and enter His pasture.

Although we live in the age of grace and no longer in the age of law, many Christians act and think as though they are still restricted by the law. Therefore, it’s critically important to understand the spiritual meaning of the Ten Commandments and the Law and to understand the difference between God’s nature and His guidance.

Differences between the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy and in Exodus

The Ten Commandments listed in Exodus 20 are repeated in the book of Deuteronomy, but there are slight differences between the two passages. Here are two differences I’ve noticed.

First, Exodus 20:10 says, "But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates."[1] In Deuteronomy, the passage reads, "But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.” Deuteronomy mentions an ox and donkey. Perhaps the Israelites acquired some oxen and donkeys during their journey through the wilderness. In addition to the general mention of livestock, Deuteronomy places special emphasis on the ox and the donkey.

Second, Exodus 20:17 says, "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; neither shall you covet your neighbor's wife, or his servant, or his handmaid, or his ox, or his donkey, or all that he has." But Deuteronomy 5:21 reads, "And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." The word "field" appears in Deuteronomy, whereas it does not appear in Exodus. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, so they probably owned no land; while wandering in the wilderness, they also owned no land. But when Moses reiterated the commandments in Deuteronomy, the Israelites were preparing to enter the promised land. They were about to cross the Jordan River and enter the land of Canaan, where they would begin to own land. Perhaps this is the reason “field” is added in Deuteronomy.

Why do these records of the Ten Commandments contain subtle differences? Perhaps the addition of oxen, donkeys, and land would bring more trials to the Israelites, so they needed more specific instructions. Perhaps these subtle differences reflect changes in culture and time period. We know that many of the Old Testament passages quoted in the New Testament come from the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Old Testament, and there are slight differences between the Greek translations and the original Hebrew texts. God’s original intention does not change much, though. The application of His words is relatively flexible in different situations.

Will the law of God punish the sins of our children to the third and fourth generation?

Perhaps you have heard pastors quote Deuteronomy 5:9 to prove that children will be punished for their ancestors’ sins. Some pastors say, “When a person sins, encounters misfortune, or has bad luck, it is because their parents or ancestors sinned, as the law of God said: ‘You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.’ (Deuteronomy 5:9).” Is this understanding correct?

I believe that in the New Testament, this is not correct. Galatians 3:13 says: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’” Since Christ became a curse for us, the curse of sin was removed. So how do we respond to the many people who pray to break generational curses during Deliverance and Inner Healing Ministries? Is praying to cut off family ties or generational curses biblical? I think it is. Let’s look at this topic from several angles.

Since we are in Christ, all sin is taken away, but each person still has to repent to be saved. Through our act of repentance, we receive Christ's work on the cross and apply it to our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Likewise, when we pray to break a generational curse, we apply Christ’s curse-removing work to ourselves.

The modern church does not pay attention to the work of Deliverance Ministries or of prayer to cut off generation curses. By and large, the church has not removed Satan’s strongholds in these areas. Satan and evil spirits have established strongholds through human sin. These strongholds may be in the hearts of the sinners themselves or in the hearts of the people who are hurt by them. In other words, it's not that the family curses are still alive, but that our own sins and the sins of our ancestors have opened the door for evil spirits to attack us. It is not that God continues to punish us for the sins of our ancestors, but that evil spirits continue to attack us by taking advantage of the weaknesses brought about by our sins.

An American prophet, Cindy Jacobs, told a story that provides an excellent example of this concept. She said that she was suffering from depression, so she prayed and asked God to heal her. God then inspired her to forgive one of the board members in the church where her father was serving as a pastor. She resented the board member because of what happened in a board meeting that was discussing whether to increase her father’s salary. The board member not only refused her father’s request, but also said something unpleasant about him. Cindy happened to hear about it and has since hated this man. The Lord revealed to her that her depression was the result of her accumulated hatred toward this person. So, if she wanted to be healed, she would need to forgive this person. In this example, although it was a church board member who hurt her, not her father, the board member can also be counted as one of her elders. His actions or sins hurt her, and her unforgiveness provided the conditions necessary for the evil spirits to build strongholds in her heart, causing her to suffer from depression.

As the Lord instructed her, Cindy apologized and forgive him. And she was healed. The same scenario can take place between us and our parents. Our hatred and unforgiveness give evil spirits an opportunity to attack us. When our parents sin against us and hurt us with their words or actions, our unforgiveness and pain opens the door for spiritual attack. This is not to say that God is punishing us for our parents’ sins, but that we must free ourselves from the effects of those sins through active forgiveness. That's why the Lord's Prayer places so much emphasis on the need to forgive others.

Andrew Park, a Korean-American theology teacher at United Theological Seminary, proposed a unique theological theory of "hatred" (or HAN). He said that because the Japanese have hurt many Koreans, many Koreans are full of hatred towards the Japanese, and this hatred has twisted the hearts of many Koreans. He proposed that for sinners, all they have to do is "repent", which is an aspect of salvation. For those who have been hurt by sin, all they have to do is "forgive," which is another aspect of experiencing God's salvation.

Let’s look at the history of the Japanese invasion of Asian countries. The Japanese have not repented, so this unrepentance opens the door for evil spirits to attack their descendants. The suicide rate in Japan is very high. Do Koreans also give evil spirits a chance to twist their hearts because they are unwilling to forgive? The answer is yes. This is not to say that God is punishing the sins of the third or fourth generations in Japan and Korea, but that the enemy has come to destroy and kill (John 10:10).

When David sinned, he repented and God forgave his sin. But God still said that his sin gave Jehovah's enemies a great opportunity to blaspheme Him, so his child must die (2 Samuel 12:14). It appears that God punished David's son for his sin. But I believe this is a special case, because Ezekiel 18:20 clearly says, "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

How Christians Understand the Role of the Law in the New Testament

How should Christians understand the role of Old Testament law in our Christian life today? Is the law completely outdated? Or can we still refer to the Old Testament law as we grow in our New Testament faith? The Bible says Christ is the end of the law (Romans 10:4), so should we abandon the Old Testament law? The Lord Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." (Matthew 5:17-18). How do we understand Jesus’ words? Many Christians are confused by these questions.

First, the role of the law is to introduce people to Christ and help them find Him. When a person finds Christ, the law’s role as guardian is fulfilled. After finding Christ, believers should fix their eyes on Jesus Christ Himself rather than on the law. But this is not to say that the law has lost its effect in helping people know Christ. The law is the word of God, and the word of God reveals His unchanging nature and principles. However, God's leading revealed by His word is always new and fresh. The moral law of God is unchanging, but the ceremonial law can be removed. The so-called ceremonial law mainly refers to the Jewish regulations for keeping the Sabbath. In the New Testament, Jesus demonstrated that he had set aside some of these ceremonial laws. He did not strictly observe the Sabbath; He even healed the sick, saved people, and provided food on the Sabbath.

Second, we must view the law correctly. Although many people have abandoned external laws such as observing the Sabbath, they are still psychologically restricted by the observance of the Old Testament Law. They believe that after they are saved, they must continue to obey God’s external laws: they should not have long hair, wear short skirts, use jewelry, or disobey the traditions of the church. Even though they acknowledge the New Testament, their way of thinking is restricted by the Old Testament. Let me cite a simple example. In the Old Testament, priests were the only ones who were allowed to enter the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies. Ordinary Israelites were not allowed to come close to God. However, in the New Testament, all believers have become priests. We all have access to the Holy of Holies through Jesus Christ, and we can all draw near to God. However, Catholics still believe that the members of the clergy are the only ones who can draw near to God, like the Old Testament priests. Only after Martin Luther's reformation did believers realize that everyone could read the Bible and serve God as priests.

In the same way, in the Old Testament, only prophets prophesied, but in the New Testament, Paul says that we can all prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:31). I have seen Paul’s teaching being practiced in some of the churches in the Pentecostal Movement. But many traditional evangelical churches cannot accept this. Instead, they emphasize that there are no prophets today; therefore, not everyone should prophesy. Their way of thinking has not changed from the Old Testament way of thinking. In the Old Testament, prophets could only prophesy accurately when the Spirit of God came upon them outwardly. But in the New Testament, the Spirit of God lives within us to inspire us. When He inspires us, we speak this inspiration out loud. Sometimes, we mix our own thoughts and emotions with God’s inspiration, so sometimes there may be biases. The mode of the Old Testament Prophecy is "visitational". Samuel and Saul could prophesy only after being baptized by the Holy Spirit. But the mode of the New Testament Prophecy is "habitational." After receiving the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we speak his words out loud. If there are mental and emotional obstacles that cause us to make mistakes, we need to get closer to God so that we can be a better outlet for His words.

These examples help us see that although we live in the New Testament era, we often continue to think in an Old Testament way. Similarly, although some Christians live in the New Testament age, their knowledge of God and His law may still be in an Old Testament mode. In the New Testament age, we still need the Old Testament law, but our level of knowledge of God's law needs to match the level of teaching in the New Testament. The Old Testament Law gives us the spiritual history of the Israelites. It is a rich heritage for us to inherit. But in the New Testament age, when we have the help of the victorious Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit, our knowledge of the law and our historical heritage should no longer be blind acceptance.

Third, we must recognize how Christ enables us to keep the law. Metaphorically, the law is the road, Christ is the vehicle, and the Holy Spirit is the GPS. Let's imagine that we want to get to New York from Washington DC. We have to have a road, such as I-95. But we also need to have a car. Furthermore, we need to know how to get around, so we need a GPS. The law is the road, the limits set by God. We cannot go beyond it, just like we can’t cross the shoulder of the road. But we can't get to our destination just by having the road. We must have a car, which is Christ. After God has prepared the road (the law), He provides the vehicle (Christ) at the right moment, because the end of the law is Christ (Romans 10:4). When we are born again, we enter this vehicle. Can we walk from Washington to New York? While technically possible, it would be terribly difficult. Similarly, being justified by keeping the law in the Old Testament is theoretically possible, but most people find it difficult. So, God has prepared the vehicle (Christ) to help us reach our destination. After the ascension of Christ, God also sent the Holy Spirit to guide us to our destination. Although I have the vehicle (Christ), I will not be able to reach New York if I don't know how to get there. So, the Holy Spirit guides us as our GPS.

If someone says that New Testament believers don’t need the law because Christ has come, it's like saying that once we have the vehicle, we don't need roads. No, we need roads, vehicles, and also a GPS. God (the Father) is our road, since the law is given by the Father, and the law manifests the Father’s goals and purposes. Christ is our redemption and our vehicle; no one can reach the destination (heaven) without Him. Of course, Christ is also our road, because He and the Father are one. But we still need the Holy Spirit as a Comforter or GPS to guide us throughout our lives and keep us from going astray. On a trip to New York, we need the road, the car, and the GPS every minute of our journey. This is a wonderful picture of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit working together in our sanctification.

Conclusion:

We must let go of our black-and-white conceptualization of the law. We cannot separate the law of the Old Testament from the reality of the New Testament. We must become partakers of the divine nature (revealed in the law; see 2 Peter 1:4) and be conformed to the image of Christ (see Romans 8:29). We must also be joined to the Lord in One Spirit (the guidance of the Holy Spirit, see 1 Corinthians 6:16).

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Acts 22

The Nature of Radical Conversion: Why Do Some People Change and Some Do Not?

Acts 22 tells us how Paul was radically converted after his encounter with the Lord. Saul had received a letter from the high priest Caiaphas, giving him permission to arrest the Christians in Damascus. But on the road, he encountered the Lord and was converted. His name changed to Paul. Saul, who formerly opposed the gospel, was now a powerful preacher of the gospel. The light of the gospel removed the veil from Saul's heart.

However, the next chapter tells us that high priest of Israel was still blinded by the veil. He ordered his servant to strike Paul on the mouth. The High Priest Ananias was not converted. His attitude toward the gospel did not change, because the legalistic religious atmosphere of his day created a veil over his heart.

Jesus commanded Paul to leave the hostile religious environment in Jerusalem and preach to the Gentiles, because his testimony would not be accepted in Jerusalem. I believe that abandoning empty religiosity and receiving the light of Christ can help us get rid of the veil that blinds our hearts. It will help us experience a wonderful transformation in our lives.

Religiosity Is Like A Veil Covering Our Hearts

In Acts, there was a new high priest. The man in charge had changed, but the attitude of the priests toward the gospel had not changed. Both the old high priest and the new high priest persecuted believers. Why is this? It is because the atmosphere of empty religiosity was so strong in Jerusalem. This type of lifeless religiosity formed a veil that covered the hearts of the Israelites so they could not see Jesus’ glory or get to know God (2 Corinthians 3:14-16). It was a stronghold of the evil one.

Paul knew this very well. He said, "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" (ESV, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5).[1] Such strongholds must have existed among the Jews, and these strongholds prevented them from knowing God.

Our hearts are like mirrors. Because our hearts are contaminated, we cannot reflect God’s light accurately. So it is very important to get rid of empty religiosity and remove the veil from our hearts.

This removal involves two changes. First, we need to humble our hearts. But this is often difficult to do, because we are all influenced by the environment. It is very difficult to escape its influence. The religious atmosphere is like a dusty room. If the mirror is placed in this room, dust will accumulate and eventually cover the mirror, preventing it from reflecting light. The same is true of our hearts. When our hearts are constantly influenced by empty religious teachings, the dust of legalism will eventually cover our hearts.

In Acts 28, Paul told the Jews who did not believe in the gospel, “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: ‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’" (Acts 28:25-27).

Paul said that their hearts had grown dull. There was a veil covering their hearts. Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 3 that when the Israelites read the Old Testament, the veil was still on their hearts. But when their hearts turned to the Lord, the veil was removed (2 Corinthians 3:15-16). The same thing can happen in any Christian community. When we accept too many traditional teachings, these teachings become a hindrance to our knowledge of God's new leading and enlightened truth.

Staying Away From Empty Religiosity

In Acts 22:18, Paul said, "I saw the Lord say to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’" Why did Jesus tell Paul to get out of Jerusalem quickly?

God is very tender-hearted and merciful. He is not only merciful to sinners, but also to those who are stuck in old religious mindsets. They are trapped inside old wineskins, afraid that the new wine will burst the old wineskins. Every new movement of God is often persecuted by those involved in the previous movement. But this does not mean that God will completely abandon the people He used in His previous movement. These people tend to prefer old wineskins; they don't want new wineskins. But new wine must be put in new wineskins; otherwise the old wineskins will burst. In the same way, God will raise up new apostles and move to create new wineskins to store the new wine. This is why he asked Paul to leave Jerusalem, the place which was saturated with religiosity. He didn’t want him to be trapped in “old wineskins.”

Paul Needed To Leave Jerusalem To Receive The Light Of God

I believe that God could have appeared to Paul while he was in Jerusalem, because His light is strong enough to pass through all veils and obstacles as well as all strongholds that prevent us from knowing Him. However, I believe the fact that Paul encountered Jesus while he was on his way from Jerusalem to Damascus is very meaningful. Despite the power of God’s light, I believe the strong religious atmosphere in Jerusalem still blocked God’s light to a certain extent. Galatians 2 tells us that Peter and Barnabas were influenced negatively by the atmosphere of religiosity. Peter used to eat with the Gentiles, but after the people from Jerusalem arrived, Peter was scared. He stopped eating with the Gentiles, and even Barnabas went along with Peter’s fear-based response. Clearly, religious culture had a great influence on them.

In the same way, it is difficult to break through the grime of tradition and receive the light of God while we are still stuck in a suffocating religious environment. One of the reasons is that long-standing religious teaching covers our hearts with a layer of dust. When we are stuck in one denomination, we are unable to see the light of God’s truth shining through other denominations. The teachings we receive may be partly biblical, but also partly based on man’s tradition. Human tradition becomes a factor that prevents our hearts from being illuminated by God. It is a grueling process to separate truth from error and to clean the grime off the mirror of our hearts.

I went through such a grueling process when I left a traditional evangelical church to study at a charismatic church. My traditions told me that some of the teachings and practices of the Pentecostal Movement were wrong. My church had unknowingly instilled in me the idea that my denomination’s teachings were most biblical. But in reality, the teachings of my denomination were a mixed bag. There was truth mixed with traditions and the teachings of man. These traditions and teachings of man greatly limited my thinking and left me unable to learn from and recognize the abundance of other churches. The pride in my own denominational teaching and the fear of being influenced by the wrong teachings of others kept me from stepping out bravely, learning and accepting the abundance of others.

But I was forced by my new environment to gradually learn new perspectives. I realized that each denomination has a different kind of abundance. These are all things that I slowly learned after I left my original church and started attending a different church. To supersede the limitations of thinking that one denomination teaches us, we must dare to leave that denomination. Going to another denomination will teach us different perspectives that will help us widen our horizons. I found that many brothers and sisters who did not have the opportunity to study outside their denomination are still stuck in the same mode of thinking and cannot go beyond its limitations.

Many denominations do not encourage believers to go to other churches to learn different teachings. They mainly use intimidation to prevent this from happening. They use threats to control believers. They lock believers into their own denominational sheepfold. However, just as plants need to be interbred, believers of different denominations also need to communicate with each other. We need to break down the barriers between us and supersede our denominational limits. We can learn from the abundance that God has bestowed on other members of His body. One day, the Lord appeared to me in a dream and specifically mentioned convergence. He told me that the different denominations should converge. I personally believe that this is His work in this age.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many believers were unable to go to in-person church gatherings. This situation made it difficult for many Christians to understand God’s will. Gradually, many believers began to turn to online gatherings and started to listen to sermons from preachers of other denominations. Many heard messages they would never have listened to if they had been busy with in-person meetings. Christians began to listen to the messages and preaching of a variety of pastors. I was saved in the Local Church movement (LCM). Several LCM believers told me that during the pandemic, they privately listened to messages from Charismatic preachers on the baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues. They even practiced praying in tongues in an attempt to be filled with the Holy Spirit and receive more vitality. Another believer from the LCM told me to send my doctoral dissertation on convergence to a leader of the LCM, hoping that God would inspire him to accept this vision.

I believe the Covid-19 pandemic is a big reset from God. God allowed this to come upon us to break the habits and routines the church had been stuck in for many years. At the beginning of the pandemic, many churches hoped that it would end as soon as possible, so that they could get back to normal. But gradually, they discovered they would never be back to normal. Recently, I heard that a Chinese church stopped all online gatherings and asked believers to return to church in person. But many Christians had already been exposed to the teachings of many different pastors during this period. Their eyes had already been opened. Churches may be worried about attrition, but that's not what God is worried about. What God wants to do is to break down the walls between our denominations so that believers can accept convergence.

Rigid Thinking and Refusal To Change

In Acts 22:1-21, Paul testified about how Jesus appeared to him. Paul told the Jews that the Lord told him to go to the Gentiles to preach the gospel. This made the Jews very angry. They threw off their cloaks and flung dust into the air (vs. 23). The Jews rejected the idea that Gentiles could be saved. They could not receive God’s light and new leading because of their rigid thinking.

In the same way, many believers are stuck in rigid thinking patterns. If someone criticizes or goes against their beliefs, they feel threatened. They will do everything in their power to prevent this. For example, I was blessed by some concepts I learned in the Pentecostal Movement, and I shared them with a brother in the LCM movement.

He told me, “God's intention is one church, one city so it is wrong for you to leave the LCM to join the Pentecostal Movement.”

I told him, “There is much to learn from the Pentecostal Movement.”

But because of his rigid thinking, he was unable to accept my testimony. Instead, he condemned me. During my thirteen years in the LCM, I firmly believed in the “one church, one city” teaching. But upon reflection, I found that this teaching did not have the effect the LCM movement desired. The teaching of “one church, one city” did not actually lead to the unity of the body of Christ. Although this teaching is a beautiful ideal, it has not been practically effective. Yet this teaching is one of the most basic dogmas of the LCM as a Christian group. If they abandon this teaching, it may have very negative consequences for the group, and even lead to its collapse. But taking too firm of a stance on this issue will not give the believers the chance to be exposed to truths from other denominations. Such rigid thinking will greatly hinder people from accepting God’s new leading.

What God is doing in this age is convergence. Keeping the believers in the sheepfold through rigid thinking does not please Him, and will cause churches to lose the presence of the Holy Spirit. I personally think this is one of the reasons why the LCM has become more cold and spiritually dead in recent years.

In addition, some people think that "tongues are of the flesh” and that "spiritual gifts are useless". Their rigid thinking patterns prevent them from learning from the truths revealed by God throughout the 100-year history of the Pentecostal Movement. I am not saying that there are no problems that need to be corrected with regard to the teaching and practice of the Pentecostal Movement. But I must say that the root cause of the division between the Pentecostal Movement and evangelicals is that the evangelical church has not been able to recognize God's many new revelations about the Holy Spirit and his work and gifts. Some Evangelical churches are rigid in their thinking. If they systematically study the development of the Pentecostal Movement, accept the truths revealed by God through them, and then continue to critique and improve their Christian brothers and sisters, they will bring about the unity and growth of the church. Therefore, evangelical and charismatic churches must converge. The breakthrough lies in the humility of evangelical churches and their willingness to learn.

When we hear a testimony, we often have one of two reactions. If the testimony is thought-provoking, we may allow it to challenge our rigid thinking. Or we may choose to condemn and reject the testimony based on our rigid teachings. Some Jews accepted Paul’s testimony, while others rejected it because of their rigid mindsets. Although some people rejected my testimony, others took it into consideration and began to study spiritual gifts privately. God revealed to me in a series of dreams that the LCM would eventually receive the baptism and gift of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for them to break free from rigid thinking and gain a vision for convergence.

Our Hearts Ultimately Decide Everything

All of these decisions are determined by our hearts. If our hearts are purely devoted to God, we will not be bound by fixed traditions. Instead, we will be open to bravely learning new things.

Although Paul once had a veil over his heart, he loved the Lord with all his heart, and God eventually removed the veil from his heart and brought him into His destiny. But the priests’ hearts had grown dull, so they rejected the testimony that God gave them through Paul. This reflects a heart problem.

We must test our hearts. Are we afraid of man or God? Are we afraid of going against tradition, or are we afraid of losing our share of God's work in this current age? Our hearts ultimately determine our choices. God judges us according to what is in our hearts. May every Christian bravely break through the rigid thinking patterns handed down to them by their denominations. May we bravely take steps of faith, and not miss out on the greatest work of God in this age: convergence. The great revival is coming. Don't be a part of the group who is opposing God’s work. Convergence will bring together the abundance that each denomination has to offer. It will prepare the church to be a vessel for God’s great revival. May God have mercy on us.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - 2 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians Is Spiritual Milk, while 2 Corinthians Is Solid Food

The book of 2 Corinthians helps believers gain a deeper understanding and experience of God as they grow in their spiritual lives. If 1 Corinthians is spiritual milk for infants, then the book of 2 Corinthians is full of solid food that boosts spiritual growth. I believe that 2 Corinthians is a continuation and expansion of the ideas presented in 1 Corinthians.

The book of 1 Corinthians dealt with several problems of spiritual immaturity, such as overemphasis on spiritual gifts (ch. 14), overemphasis on knowledge and truth (ch. 15). People on both sides needed to become more spiritually mature. 1 Corinthians 16 talks about Stephanas, a spiritually mature man. This content bridges naturally into the content of 2 Corinthians.

The book of 2 Corinthians teaches about spiritual maturity. Chapter 3 tells us that when we turn away from the law and toward the Lord, the veil is removed from our hearts. As we learn to know the Spirit of the Lord, we gain freedom. Our hearts become like mirrors that reflect the glory of the Lord as we are transformed into his image (3:16-18). These verses speak of a Christian's deeper experience in his spiritual life.

After Paul dealt with the problems of spiritual immaturity in his first letter to the Corinthians, he began to lead believers into a deeper spiritual life and experience in 2 Corinthians. He told readers that this deeper spiritual life and experience was inseparable from the training of suffering. Paul shared his experiences of suffering many times in 2 Corinthians, telling the Corinthian church how these experiences had led him to become spiritually mature.

Summary of the Last Three Chapters of 1 Corinthians

Let's briefly analyze the link between the last three chapters of 1 Corinthians and the first chapter of 2 Corinthians.

• In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul dealt with those who were overemphasizing spiritual gifts. He encouraged them to not only pursue spiritual gifts, but also to care about others’ feelings and more importantly, to pursue love.
• In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul dealt with those who were opposed to spiritual gifts and who were biased against the truth of resurrection because of their excessive pursuit of knowledge and truth and their lack of experiences of the risen Christ.
• In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul highly recommended a man named Stephanas. He was baptized by Paul and was one of the first converts in Achaia. Apollos had also preached the gospel in Achaia, where he was helped and welcomed by the brothers. So Stephanas may have been a convert of both Paul’s and Apollos’ joint ministry.

Of course, there were many problems presented in 1 Corinthians, but when Paul dealt with these problems one by one, he provided solutions to their problems. The solutions were unity and love, which are two important themes of 1 Corinthians. (See the studies on 1 Corinthians for an in-depth explanation of these themes.) In 1 Corinthians, Paul dealt with the believers' spiritual immaturity. The goal of 1 Corinthians was to free believers from spiritual infancy.

2 Corinthians 1 Continues the Train of Thought of 1 Corinthians

The book of 2 Corinthians continues the same train of thought. Although Paul also wrote several other letters to the Corinthian church, God sovereignly allowed them to be lost. However, the book that was preserved (2 Corinthians) continues the train of thought from 1 Corinthians.

In 2 Corinthians 1:1, we read that Paul and Timothy wrote to the church of God in Corinth and to the saints in Achaia. This verse is very interesting. As I mentioned earlier, Stephanas probably became one of the leaders of the Corinthian church. This is very important. When a church has a good leader, things go more smoothly. Since Stephanas was saved in Achaia, he probably had close ties with the saints in Achaia. Perhaps Stephanas played a very important role in bringing change to the Corinthian church.

According to the introduction of the "Comprehensive Bible Prayer Reading Website" (cmcbiblereading.com), the background of 2 Corinthians is as follows:

Paul first came to Corinth during his second missionary journey in A.D. 50-51. He worked with Aquila and Priscilla, preached the gospel there for a year and a half, and established the church (Acts 18:1-18). After Paul left Corinth in A.D. 51, he wrote the first letter to the Corinthian church, telling them to "have no fellowship with fornicators" (5:9-10), but this letter has been lost. During Paul’s stay in Ephesus on his third missionary journey, Chloe’s people brought a message that there was division in the Corinthian church (verse 11), and the church also wrote a letter to him (1 Corinthians 7:1), hoping that Paul would give them some guidance on problems. Paul may have written a second letter at Ephesus in A.D. 54, and 1 Corinthians as his answer (1 Corinthians 16:8-10; Acts 19:22). Later, the situation in the Corinthian church continued to deteriorate. Paul may have traveled directly from Ephesus to Corinth by boat (2 Corinthians 1:16), making a second brief visit to Corinth (2 Corinthians 13:2; Acts 20:2). The visit was not very pleasant at the time. Afterwards, Paul wrote a third letter that was severe (2 Corinthians 2:4; 7:8), which was delivered by Titus, but was also lost. Later, Titus brought the news to Macedonia, saying that everything was alright (2 Corinthians 7:6-7). Paul was thus overflowed with joy and wrote the fourth letter in Macedonia in A.D. 56, which is "2 Corinthians" (2 Corinthians 2:12-14; Acts 20:1). After this, Paul probably visited the Corinthian church for the third time (2 Corinthians 12:14; 13:1), and wrote the book of Galatians and Romans in Corinth in the winter of A.D. 56-57 (Acts 20:3).

This summary helps us see that although the Corinthian church had some problems, Paul worked tirelessly to help them. Through his efforts, their lives were transformed. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready.”[1] Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians were addressed to the fleshly believers who were so spiritually immature that they could only drink spiritual milk.

What is spiritual immaturity? In addition to the sins of the flesh (competition, sexual immorality and gluttony, mentioned in the first few chapters of 1 Corinthians), spiritual immaturity also includes two additional aspects.

• The first aspect is the excessive pursuit of spiritual gifts described in 1 Corinthians 14. Even today, some believers pursue spiritual gifts but neglect love and spiritual growth.
• The second aspect is the overemphasis on truth described in 1 Corinthians 15. Though these Christians pursued knowledge and truth, they lacked a personal understanding of the risen Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. They may have even been against it. We see this problem in many traditional churches. In Chinese terms, these people are only “cultural Christians.” They lack a personal experience of Jesus.

The first type of church tends not have a solid foundation in God’s word and are more are easily deceived by the winds of teaching. The second type of church is often overly concerned with knowledge and truth, which leads to dogmatism and legalism. They often are against the work of the Holy Spirit. And they easily condemn others as heretics. These two extremes cause problems in Chinese churches and American churches alike.

It may surprise you to learn that these errors are a manifestation of spiritual immaturity, not of maturity. Paul told the Corinthians that it was difficult for him to lead them into deeper spiritual life and experience since they were stuck in immaturity. But the path toward maturity was inseparable from God's training through suffering.

A Deeper Spiritual Life and Experience

After the believers’ spiritual immaturity was addressed in 1 Corinthians and the lost letters to the Corinthians, Paul could finally give the believers some solid food in 2 Corinthians. The solid food is not only obtained through suffering, but it also provides the sustenance we need to survive suffering. This concept is described in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11.

In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul says that the life of Christ within us gives off the "aroma of Christ" (2:14) to those around us. This aroma brings life to some and death to others. When we testify to others, some believe in Christ and are brought back to life, while others oppose Christ and are left to die. What a privilege it is to represent Christ in this way. Jesus told his disciples, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." (John 20:23). This does not mean that we have the authority to forgive like God does. Rather, it means that God has given His authority to the church, and he has entrusted us with a tremendous responsibility. When we as Christians demonstrate a consistent Christian testimony to the world, others often believe in Christ as a result of our witness. When Christians do not have a testimony and do not love one another as what Jesus taught, the world stumbles and cannot see that we are His disciples (John 13: 35).

2 Corinthians 3 tells us that God can remove the veil from our hearts. When our heart turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Our hearts are like mirrors that reflect the glory of the Lord and transform us into His image. This is why Paul said believers are to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

2 Corinthians 4 talks about treasure in jars of clay (4:7). Although we are weak on the outside, we have a treasure within us, the resurrection life of Christ. Regardless of the difficulties we face in in our external environment, the resurrection life of Christ can help us be victorious.

2 Corinthians 5 tells us that we are new creations in Christ (5:17). Once we are saved, we are new in Christ. Yet many people do not live in the full knowledge and experience of this truth. Instead, they continue to live in past sins. So, Paul taught them not to look at past failures, but to look at the victory that was theirs in Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul encourages believers not to associate with idols, because believers in Christ are incompatible with idols and darkness. Instead, believers should pursue holiness (6:14-17).

2 Corinthians 7 continues to talk about the believer’s pursuit of holiness. In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, Paul encourages believers to give generously to God’s work. In 2 Corinthians 10, Paul teaches believers to destroy strongholds (10:4). In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul tells the believers to remain pure because they are pure virgins betrothed to Christ (11:2). In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul shares his experience of being caught up to the third heaven, and uses his own experience to testify about Christ. In 2 Corinthians 13, Paul explains that Jesus was crucified in weakness, but resurrected in power. When we are weak physically, we can be strengthened spiritually (13:4-9). Paul uses his own spiritual experience to teach the Corinthian believers to enter into a deeper spiritual experience. Paul shares his experiences of suffering as well. These sufferings trained him and helped him become spiritually mature.

Suffering is an Important Ingredient for Spiritual Maturity

Suffering is an integral part of our journey toward spiritual maturity. The book of Hebrews says that even the Lord Jesus learned obedience through the things that He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Hebrews 12 tells us that God’s discipline, though painful, bears the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).

Suffering has a positive effect on a person’s spiritual maturity, just like the storms encourage trees and vines to grow deeper roots. Once the sun comes out, we can see the benefit of these harsh weather conditions. The deeper the roots of the plant or tree, the more vigorously it can produce rich fruit.

Therefore, after a brief greeting in 2 Corinthians 1:1-2, Paul talks at length about suffering (vs. 3-11). His words about suffering are intense. Paul shares that the suffering he endured in Asia was so great that he felt that he could no longer live (vs. 8). His trust in God, who raises the dead, was the only way he was able to endure this great suffering.

Although Paul also talked about God's comfort to believers who are suffering, this chapter gave some harsh truths. This “solid food” was not easy for immature believers to accept. But the readers of 2 Corinthians had grown considerably in their spiritual lives, and they were able to handle solid food.

The more we mature, the more we are able to handle suffering. After I dedicated myself to God, the difficulties in my life increased. God sent these difficulties to help me crucify my flesh, so that I could learn to experience the cross of Christ. These trials helped me grow spiritually. They helped me become more deeply rooted in the life of Jesus.

Around 2016, I experienced a breakthrough in my personal life. Our prayers were answered by God. Not only did we give birth to a miracle baby, but I also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit that I had been longing for. I once heard Brother Derek Prince say, “The most obvious manifestation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not prophesying or speaking in tongues, but increasing difficulties.” My experience has proved this to be true. After receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the evil spirits began to attack me even more. My own flesh and the people around me began to attack me, causing never-ending trouble. But these troubles and difficulties were actually tools in God’s hands, helping me grow spiritually and learn more humility.

The Holy Spirit Guarantees a Rich Spiritual Life

In 2 Corinthians 1:20-22, Paul tells us that all God’s promises are Yes in Christ. Because we are joined to Christ, we are given His Spirit as a guarantee. What does this mean? It means that God’s promises are more amazing than we can imagine. He can do more than we ask or think. But when we are spiritual infants, we often do not access these promises or manifest them in our lives.

God has given us many promises to enjoy in Christ. But in order to experience them, we must grow spiritually. The seal of the Holy Spirit within us is like a sample, similar to the soil sample we get when we buy land. We need to not just settle for this sample, but to dig deep into all the riches we have in Christ.

I believe that the United States' spiritual decline is a result of the church’s decline, which in turn is a result of the decline of every Christian's faith and spiritual life. The decline in Christians’ spiritual lives comes from the fact that they never matured spiritually. They lost the power of their witness; their lights did not shine and their salt lost its flavor (Matthew 5:13-14).

I believe the fundamental reason for the degeneration of American society and the church is that American believers are not mature enough. This is the reason why anti-God forces can run rampant in the United States, even though the majority of the population professes Christianity. The teachings of 1 Corinthians are very important for the spiritual growth of today's Christians, and for breaking away from the fleshly life.

Therefore, we urgently need to study these two letters, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. In them, Paul reveals a wealth of wisdom that helps us deal with the flesh, leave behind spiritual infancy, and enter a state of spiritual maturity. This is the theme of 2 Corinthians. As we study the rest of the chapters of 2 Corinthians, we will continue to explore how Paul's teachings can help us become more spiritually mature.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - 1 Corinthians 15

What is Baptism For The Dead?

First Corinthians 15:29 is a verse we don’t often study. In the midst of this popular chapter on resurrection, we read a puzzling sentence about baptism for the dead. Apparently, there were Corinthians believers who were baptized for the dead. Why did the Corinthian church baptize for the dead? Paul did not criticize this phenomenon, but simply said, “If there is no resurrection, why baptize for the dead?” What does Paul mean?

Let’s look more closely at this puzzling verse. First Corinthians 15:29 says, "Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?" (ESV)[1].

I believe that different people in the Corinthian church lived out the experience of resurrection in different ways. Paul fully lived in the reality of the resurrection, but other believers lived without any awareness of the resurrection. They were baptized for the dead, believing in some kind of intermediate state after death. Perhaps they mentally assented to the resurrection, but they lacked Paul's real experience of the resurrection.

In addition, I believe 1 Corinthians 15 is a continuation of the themes of chapter 14. Chapter fourteen encourages believers to have balance in the use of their spiritual gifts, and not to use them in excess. Here, Paul continued to talk about balance. Those who pursue knowledge and truth in excess often lack a personal experience of the Lord's resurrection. In this passage, Paul explained his own experience of the risen Lord and encouraged other believers to get to know the risen Lord through experience.

Does Paul's Mention of Baptism For The Dead Mean That He Agrees?

This passage is confusing. Personally, I do not know of any modern church that practices baptism for the dead. One website explains, "There is a lot of controversy among bible scholars about what 'baptism for the dead' is, possibly referring to vicarious baptisms. There may be some believers in the Corinthian church who were baptized on behalf of those who died before they could be baptized. But Paul’s mention of this does not mean he agrees. The point was to use this to remind the Corinthians that if there is no resurrection, why do it?"[2]

After reading this passage over and over again, I have concluded that Paul was neutral on this subject. Although I don't see Paul supporting the practice of being baptized for the dead, I don’t see him criticizing it either. He is just saying, “If people don't believe in the resurrection, why should they be baptized for the dead?” Let's look at what verse 15:29 says: "Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?"

Personally, I believe that Paul's attitude is at least neutral. In the very next verse, Paul goes on, "Why are we in danger every hour?" The reason Paul was in danger every hour was because of his longing for the resurrection. We see this fact in Acts 23:6, when Paul affirmed to the Pharisees, “I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” (Acts 23:6 NIV). From these verses, we see that Paul was in danger because of his hope in the resurrection. These verses place Paul’s persecution and baptism for the dead side by side, as if they are equally valid. Both relate to ways we practically live out our faith in the resurrection. This is my personal understanding.

Who Didn't Believe in The Resurrection?

The Bible clearly tells us that the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection or in spirits, whereas the Pharisees did. Matthew 22 says that the Sadducees challenged the Lord Jesus about the resurrection. They told a story about seven brothers who had successively married the same woman and then passed away.

“Whose wife will she be when she is resurrected?” the Sadducees asked.

Jesus answered, “We will neither marry nor be given in marriage when we are resurrected. Instead, we will be just like angels.” Jesus even quoted the Bible and said, "‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living." His words are very interesting. God is the God of the living. Therefore, in His eyes, whether we live on earth or in heaven after we are resurrected, we are living people.

Now we know that the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. But how did this belief spread to the Corinthian church? We have no way of knowing. Perhaps some Jewish Christians were influenced by the teachings of the Sadducees.

Judging from the passage in Matthew, the Sadducees not only disbelieved the resurrection, but they also failed to believe in the Living God, who is the God of the Living. If they had believed that God is the God of the Living, then they should have understood that people can be resurrected because God is not the God of the dead.

Perhaps the Sadducees lacked knowledge about the resurrection, just like some Christians today. Many people do not know and experience God as a Living God. They stick to dogmas, traditions, and even God’s written words, yet refuse to follow His new, living leading. They don’t know or understand that God is the Living God.

As I have explained in the past, some parts of God are unchanging. God’s words in the Bible reveal aspects of His unchanging nature: love, light, holiness, and righteousness. Yet other parts of the Bible reveal God’s circumstantial leading, which changes according to the environment and the wishes of the Living God. When we take these circumstance-dependent words of God and crystallize them into unchanging principles, we often miss His new leading. This has been the case throughout the ages. Not only Jews, but many Christian individuals and groups commit the same mistake.

Understanding the resurrection isn’t limited to believing we will one day be raised from the dead. It also means believing that God is a living God today. We cannot dogmatize the Word of God because written words—even the words of the Bible—bring death, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6). Knowing the Living God is knowing the Resurrection.

Which believers in the Corinthian church did not know about the resurrection? To whom is Paul speaking in 1 Corinthians 15? I believe 1 Corinthians 15 is a continuation of the train of thought Paul began in 1 Corinthians 14. Chapter 14 discusses those who pursue spiritual gifts. Paul exhorts believers to balance spiritual gifts and spiritual life. Chapter 15 seems to be targeting people who oppose spiritual gifts.

Why do I say that? At first, I didn’t understand why the topic of the resurrection was suddenly introduced in chapter 15. One day, while listening to the dramatized audio Bible,[i] I played 1 Corinthians 15. While praying in tongues, I sought the help of the Holy Spirit. Suddenly I thought of a question that seemed to be inspired by the Holy Spirit. This question was, "Who in the Corinthian church did not understand the resurrection? Was it those who pursued spiritual gifts? Or those who were against them?"

Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 14 that the purpose of speaking in tongues was to utter mysteries to God (14:2), and that prophecies could disclose the secrets of people's hearts, causing them to fall on their faces and declare that God was truly among them (14:25). Those who pursued spiritual gifts often focused on their experiences, so they often had better knowledge and experience of the risen Lord. But their shortcoming was that they often neglected other people's feelings and put too much emphasis on spiritual gifts. Because of this, Paul gave them some truths to bring balance to their lives. He asked them to be mindful of others’ feelings and to pursue love and life.

So why did Paul suddenly start talking about the resurrection in chapter 15? This section was probably targeted toward those who opposed tongues and spiritual gifts. Paul clearly stated that speaking in tongues should not be forbidden (14:39), so apparently there were people in the Corinthian church who wanted to do just that. Why? When believers oppose spiritual gifts and the pursuit of experience, they easily begin to place too much emphasis on knowledge. But when believers overemphasize knowledge, they often lack experiences with the living, risen Lord. So chapter 15 continued to add balance. Those who pursued spiritual gifts in excess needed to balance it with love, and those who pursued knowledge in excess needed to balance it with an experience of the living Lord.

The Word “Testimony” In Hebrew Means "Do It Again"

The word "testimony" in Hebrew means "do it again." In other words, when we share our testimony about God’s healing and resurrection, God is very willing to "do it again" in the lives of those who hear us. In other words, Jesus Christ will not only appear to the apostles but will also appear to everyone who desires to know His resurrection. When the Lord Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection, Thomas was not there, so he did not believe. He said that he would not believe unless Jesus appeared to him personally. Later, when the Lord Jesus appeared again, Thomas believed. The Lord Jesus said, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29). But this does not mean that God is unwilling to appear to us. On the contrary, although Thomas did not believe at first, he longed for the risen Jesus to appear to him. And Jesus was more than happy to do so.

Paul's testimony about the risen Lord (1-11) served this very purpose. He hoped his testimony would inspire the believers in the Corinthian church so that they too could know and experience the risen Christ. We are blessed if we believe without seeing; but if we have doubts, we can ask the Lord, and the risen Christ will surely appear to us as well. The Bible shares a basic principle: we do not have because we do not ask (James 4:2). God also tells us, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7). Why don't some people ask? Because they pay too much attention to absolute knowledge and truth and don’t accept the idea that they can experience Jesus personally.

I spent my first thirteen years as a Christian at an evangelical church that valued Bible study, and I gained a good foundation in Bible study. But this church did not focus on spiritual gifts such as healing and prophecy. Neither did it pursue dreams and visions. Therefore, though the Lord did speak to me during the first thirteen years of my Christian life, I never had the experience of being transported to heaven in a vision. Later, I left this church and went to a charismatic church to study spiritual gifts. I was very envious of the people who shared testimonies about being taken to heaven. I often prayed that God would take me to heaven and allow me a glimpse of heaven.

On the last day of 2017, the Lord Jesus appeared to me and took me to heaven. After that, I still hungered for more. I continued to pray that He would give me more experiences of heaven. I was working in Washington DC at the time. I often went out for a walk over my lunch break to pray. As I walked, I prayed in tongues, sang, clapped my hands, praised God, meditated on the words of Scripture, and sang the words of the Bible. I wanted to be in constant prayer and continual fellowship with Him.

One day at noon, as I was walking near the Potomac River, I sincerely prayed, “Lord, please take me to heaven again today.” I prayed this same prayer often, so once I was done praying, I forgot about it. But that night, I found myself in a dream, waiting in line to see the Lord in heaven. I was asked to put on a robe while I waited. My heart was pounding with excitement. Before I got to the door, a huge force knocked me to the ground. I couldn't stand up. Then I heard the powerful voice of the Lord saying, "Get up.” I instantly had the power to stand up. After I got in, I saw the Lord sitting there. He called my name, "Sean.” I heard the Lord of the universe calling my name, and my heart melted. Then Jesus pinched my chin and humorously asked, "No beard?" My meeting with the Lord was short, but it was the nearest I had ever seen Him. I saw His face and His strong muscles. Afterward, a Chinese woman (I guess she was the Holy Spirit in disguise) led me to visit other places in heaven. The whole experience got me so excited I got completely carried away.

Why did I not have the experience of being taken to heaven during the first thirteen years of my Christian life? Why have I been taken to heaven so many times in recent years? How much impact did my encounter with the Lord have on my understanding of the resurrection? Why do evangelical Christians who hyperfocus on knowledge of the Bible lack similar experiences? Why do many believers in the Pentecostal Movement have similar experiences? The differences in teaching bring different expectations to different believers. When we testify of the Lord’s resurrection through sharing our experiences, we plant seeds in the hearts of those who hear us. They will begin to long for such an experience. When they ask God, He will give them this type of experience. Such experiences will play a very important role in their understanding of resurrection.

Some believers in the Corinthian church focused too much on knowledge. They were opposed to spiritual experiences such as tongues and spiritual gifts, so gradually they stopped experiencing the Living Lord. This, in turn, affected their understanding of the truth of the resurrection, and they eventually stopped believing in the resurrection altogether.

In the same way, today's liberal churches pursue science and knowledge. They don’t even believe in the miracles in the Bible. Yet those who pursue spiritual gifts often pray in tongues and seek the gift of prophecy. They constantly utter mysteries to God and hear Him talk, so naturally, they have more opportunities to encounter the risen Lord. Our spiritual experiences are no substitute for our love for the Lord and our study of biblical truths, and Paul dealt with the tendency to hyperfocus on spiritual gifts in chapter 14. But it’s important to realize that the pursuit of knowledge and truth (even science), combined with the denial of spiritual gifts and experiences, will eventually lead to the loss of the truth. That’s why Paul reminded the Corinthian believers in chapter 15 to take spiritual experiences seriously.

Biblical truth and spiritual experience are two sides of the same coin. They are the two wings we Christians need in order to take flight. Both are indispensable; neither can be neglected. Today’s traditional evangelical churches tend towards a dead spirituality; liberal churches deny the authority of the Bible and God; and charismatic churches that over-pursue spiritual gifts often fail to balance truth and Christian experience. Doesn’t that sound a lot like the Corinthian church?

The Truth About the Resurrection of Christ and the Resurrection of Christians

Paul shared his experience of the resurrected Christ first, before he shared the truth about the resurrection. He did this because the power of testimony is so enormous. Paul mentioned that after the Lord Jesus was resurrected, He "appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” (15:5-8)

Then Paul elaborated on the truth about the resurrection. His words about the resurrection are often quoted at funerals. Since the focus of today’s devotional is not on the truth of the resurrection, we will not spend too much time talking about these truths here.

In short, resurrection is like sowing a seed. The seed we sow exists in one form, but the resurrected plant exists in another form. Therefore, we must experience the resurrection in order to know the risen Christ and break the limits of our imagination. There was a Chinese Christian who didn't believe in the resurrection. A preacher pointed to the wheat field outside the door and said to him, "The wheat you sowed is a single grain, but the wheat after the resurrection will be heads of grain.” This Christian suddenly understood the truth of the resurrection.

Perhaps the people who were baptized for the dead in the Corinthian church believed in God’s resurrection to a certain extent! They buried themselves in water for others, hoping that they would be resurrected in glory. Although they may not have had the same profound knowledge and experience of resurrection as Paul had, they may have understood the resurrection better than those who did not believe in it at all!

Knowing Resurrection Makes Us Steadfast And Abounding In The Work Of The Lord

The last verse of this chapter says, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58) We who serve the Lord are often discouraged, so we need to understand the resurrection and be empowered by the risen Lord. Many people who serve the Lord become exhausted from time to time. But when the Risen Lord appears to them, they will regain their strength. When we truly understand the truth of the resurrection and have experienced the risen Christ, we will abound in the work of the Lord, regardless of our circumstances.

Much of the work we do is sowing. After the seed is sown, someone else will water it; but it is God who makes it grow. As long as we do not become discouraged, we will surely reap a good harvest in the resurrection.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[2] "Comprehensive Bible Reading" (https://cmcbiblereading.com/)

[i] (https://bible.prsi.org/zh-hans/Player)

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The CCP is Coming Down! God is Working in China!

In my last post on Elijah List, I shared a prophetic dream I had in March 2020, in which a political spirit in China was bound by angels. At that time, I did not mention clearly who that political spirit was. I was a little hesitant to share this due to fear of persecution. Now, I have peace revealing it. In that vision, I was told that the political spirit is the CCP (Chinese Communist Party), or in the least, the evil spirit behind it. Interestingly, God later led me to join a democratic movement whose goal is to take down the CCP and build a democratic China. This was never part of my plans, but God made it clear to me through a series of prophetic dreams that he wanted me to be part of this movement. By joining, it also opened a way for me to preach the gospel to people who are within this Chinese democratic movement. Suddenly, I found myself with options of preaching every week to thousands of people in China through five or more TV shows by way of social media outlets. With the recent Biden and Xi Jinping’s meeting in G20, it seems like everything is back to “normal,” but this is not the spiritual reality. God has a big plan for China.

Is this the CCP? The angel said, “Yes.”

Here is a brief recap of my dream:

In March 2020, I was taken into another vision. This was the most vivid 3D-type of vision I have had thus far. In it, I saw a great revival happening in China. It was bursting out all over! People were dancing, celebrating, and worshiping God all over the streets of China.

In the next scene, I was brought into a heavenly meeting where many saints in glory, including Chinese and Westerners, were meeting. There was a Chinese lady who gave me a tour of the place and she specifically told me that this revival was something she had never seen when she was on Earth.

In the end, angels had bound an evil political spirit and I saw that a great political change would come to China after this great revival. China will become a democratic nation and they will worship God.

In that dream, I was so surprised to see the evil political spirit bound. I asked the angel in great surprise, “Is this the CCP?” The angel told me, “Yes.” Now, I don’t quite know when this will happen in the present physical world, but I believe it is a reality in the spiritual realm. I’ve talked to a friend a few times now and she believes that it will be very soon that the CCP will be taken down. However, in this dream, I first saw a great revival bursting forth with people dancing on the street. Only after did I see that the evil spirit was bound. Let me revisit some other prophetic dreams I had regarding the future of China.

A Wealth Transfer and a Visit to Heaven

On the last day of 2017, Jesus visited me in a dream by disguising himself as an old Chinese lady. This lady walked with me down a mountain top on the north side of my village in China. I walked this mountain path many times when I was a child. I’ve noticed that God often speaks to me with pictorial imagery that relates to my childhood home and other memories. I understand now that he uses my village to refer to China in these prophetic dreams.

In this dream, we walked down to the end of the hill until it reached one of the main streets in my village. In the dream, we called that street “Back Street” which is comparable to the “Front Street” where I lived. They are parallel to each other. My house is located in the intersection of one small street (which has no name) and Front Street. This small street connects to the mountain trail we walked on in my dream. The place Jesus and I reached is the intersection between this small street and Back Street. In the dream, once we reached this corner, I saw Chinese people, specifically Chinese ladies, crying hysterically. Then I heard a voice say, “This is due to the wealth that is not fairly distributed in China, so people are oppressed by those who grabbed the wealth unjustly.” I suddenly saw a big truck unloading a full truck load of money. I didn’t recognize the currency. It was not USD or Chinese RMB, but a very strange currency. I did not recall the exact number of the money either, but its value suddenly surprised me. I got the impression that its value was worth two hundred million or more. I received the impression that a wealth transfer will happen in China to help believers in Christ and those who pursue social justice, to reform China.

Shortly after this encounter, on the same night, this old Chinese lady came to take me to heaven. I was struggling with her for a long time because I did not recognize her as the Lord in the beginning, but she overcame me with her power, and I started to fly with her. We flew to the top of China, and I saw that the houses that the Chinese people lived in were like matchboxes. It seemed to me that there were no ceilings. I could see the people who lived in these matchbox type of houses. Then we flew higher and higher to heaven, and I was able to see some wonderful scenes there. I felt a great force pushing me behind my lower back; it was quite a ride flying to heaven. Eventually we landed in a building. I looked in the building and discovered people gathering for a meeting. There seemed to be a preacher standing at the platform as well. Then I was led to stand in another building where I faced a glassy window. I could see through the window that people were coming to heaven one by one as if they were coming upstairs on an escalator in the mall. I was very surprised by this scene. It was at this moment I found out who the old Chinese lady was. As she stood behind me, I asked her, and she jokingly told me that her name was “Christ Lee.” She was still trying to show me her Chinese identity by giving me a Chinese last name. Finally, I recognized her as the disguise of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Once I recognized the Lord, he appeared as Jesus. Suddenly, I saw a cherub flying toward me and I exclaimed, “Is this the cherubim I read about in the Bible?” I was given a positive answer. Then the Lord spoke to me again while he presented several people in front me. It was like seeing pictures in the display of a museum window, but their pictures stood in the middle of the air. The Lord said to me, “Do you want to be like one of them?” I cannot remember who these people were, but I perceived in my spirit they were some of God’s generals from the past. I understood that the Lord was asking if I wanted to be used by the Lord like they were used in the past. I was immediately overcome by the thought, and I started to hysterically cry. I spoke back to the Lord, “I am willing in my spirit, but my flesh is weak. I still cannot overcome some weaknesses.” Then I started to hear a group of Chinese saints of glory singing in Chinese. It was the most beautiful melody I have ever heard. I can’t recall the meaning of those four stanzas of the Chinese hymn that I heard, but it was surely comforting to me.

This happened on the last day of 2017, and I perceived in my spirit that God has great plans for China’s future. A huge wave of wealth transfer, a social justice movement, and the gospel being preached will be released to China.

A Revival and Reconciliation of Chinese Society

God also often uses my former Chinese college in my prophetic dreams. One night, in a dream, I was dropped through the chimney of my former school’s kitchen. In actuality, there was no chimney in my college at all, so I think this chimney might have represented the preaching of the gospel. And my appearance could be a representation of believers in Christ. Just like Santa came through a chimney with gifts, the gospel will be preached to China as Jesus’ best gift ever of eternal life. Unfortunately, the people who were in the kitchen were so shocked by my sudden ‘dropping off’ that they strongly resisted me, and I was pushed back. In the next scene, I found a big tree near the roof, so I slid down it to the ground. When I reached the ground, fierce battles occurred, and I was tossed back and forth. Eventually, the victory was won, and I found myself laying in a reclining chair conversing in peace with two friends. One friend was a coworker of mine in China who is currently a communist party member. Another was an alumni friend who lives in the US who is also a Chinese dissident. This scene is prophetic to me as it shows that one day the Chinese society will receive reconciliation among different people. We are taking down the Chinese Communist Party and the evil spirits behind it. Most Chinese people, including CCP members, are good people.

Chinese Dissidents: Thank you for Preaching the Gospel

In another prophetic dream, I was riding a bicycle and some Chinese dissidents were chasing after me on bikes. I did not know what they wanted to do to me, so I rode faster. Eventually they reached me and stopped me. The leader of these groups of people said to me, “Thank you for your preaching and the book you wrote. These really helped us to succeed in our pursuit of a Chinese democracy.” I looked at them with astonishment. They were in their middle fifties, and I was in my middle forties. Puzzled, I said to them, “How could I have helped you since I am younger than you?” In the next scene, we were in the Christian Brother House I used to live in near the University of Southern California. It was there that I was baptized to be a Christian. Although the leader’s face in my dream resembled only one democratic leader of real life, I know this person was meant to represent the whole Chinese democratic movement. The group of them were chatting with us in a Christian atmosphere.

Later, I realized this was a prophetic dream meant to remind me that God is calling me to preach the gospel to these groups of people and be part of this democratic process in China. I represent believers in Christ in this dream. Our gospel preaching will help China to eventually become a democratic nation and the gospel will be received by many new Chinese people including political leaders.

A Cartoon Book of People Coming to Heaven

After this dream, I began to ponder what God would lead me to do with political movements. Though I worked in media in the US and often got the chance to connect with Chinese dissidents, I always kept my distance with political figures or political movements. Yet, in 2017 there arose a different political movement led by a very controversial person. I focused on my schoolwork at United Theological Seminary from 2017-2022, but like many other Chinese people, my wife became influenced by this movement and joined it. I was very much against it in the beginning because I was not sure if she was being deceived, but she insisted on joining the cause to take down the CCP. I earnestly prayed to God for His leading. On the following night, I had this dream.

I was taken into the bookroom of the leader of this movement, and I was led to read a comic book telling about how people will come to heaven. It was a vivid comic book with details for different persons going to heaven. I was scanning through it, and I heard a voice saying, “Your wife has read some pages of this book and you haven’t read it.”

In another dream, I was riding an airplane with this leader person to beautiful gold mines. In a different dream, I was conversing with this mystery man and realized God was writing a book with this man’s picture on the cover.

After praying over these dreams, I finally got it. God was telling me He is behind this political movement and that this political movement will start a platform for Christians to preach the gospel to China. As a result, the gospel preaching will produce better citizens within China which will eventually help this political movement to establish a democracy in China. After all this, I did join this movement and I started to utilize the platforms this movement creates to preach the gospel to these democracy loving people in and out of China.

The CCP’s Days Are Numbered

Due to the nature of these prophetic dreams, I did not mention the name of this movement before. I did not want people to think I was promoting this movement, but I feel I was literally chased down by them just as it was in one of my dreams, except this time through my wife. I was “chased” by my wife to eventually join this movement, and God also showed me it is of Him.

I started to share this conviction with other Christian friends, but some Christian friends asked me to rethink my decision due to the controversial nature of this movement. They also questioned the character of the leader of this movement. I prayed to God again seriously because of this. In a dream, God showed me a picture. I was walking around in very big tents that CCP officials set up. They were having a feast to celebrate the fact that they received salvation through Jesus Christ. God showed me though this dream that many CCP officials are watching our broadcast, and many will receive Him through our preaching of the gospel. This greatly encouraged me.

With Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power and the threat of war against Taiwan and other places, it seems the world is going through horrible trials. Yet, there is a different spiritual reality. The CCP’s days are numbered. God did not show me the dates or the calendar month of the change of the Chinese regime, but just as in my vision, the great revival came first and then the evil spirit behind the CCP was bound. I believe God is using these circumstances to bring a massive harvest in China. Can you imagine how China and the world will look if the CCP no longer existed in this world? This is something we will see shortly if I may be so bold. We don’t know when, but the date will suddenly come upon us.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Leviticus 10

God Protects His Glory

In Leviticus 10, Aaron’s sons were put to death because they presented to God a careless, irreverent offering. This short chapter brings up some startling questions. Why were Aaron’s sons killed for such a small misdeed? Why did the Lord discipline them so severely?

Although this question is difficult to answer, I believe that Aaron’s sons were not the only ones who sinned. Aaron also had problems he needed to deal with. To back up this claim, I want to mention another Old Testament story.

In the time of the judges, we see an example of a father being judged for his son’s sins. Eli died because his sons were committing sexual immorality with the women in the tent of meeting and stealing the sacrificial meat. Eli was lenient with his sons and did not restrain their wickedness. The Bible says Eli honored his sons more than God. As a result, God sent great disaster to the Israelites. As the Chinese say, parents are to blame for their children's behavior.

In the same way, Aaron likely failed to train his sons correctly. His sons’ carelessness shows that Aaron himself had not set a good example for them. God was not only dealing with Aaron's sons but was also judging Aaron’s uncleanness through the death of his sons. The Lord clearly stated his standards: “Among those who are near me I will be sanctified” (ESV, Leviticus 10:3).[1]

God’s holiness is a theme throughout the Bible. Hebrews 12:14 says that without holiness, “no one will see the Lord." The Lord also says, “I will be glorified before all the people.” In Genesis 3, after Adam and Eve sinned, God sent cherubim and a flaming sword to block the way to the tree of life. Anyone who violated God's holiness, glory, and righteousness would be killed if they tried to come near the tree of life. God’s standard of holiness is high, and his judgment purified Aaron the priest and made him holy. Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu were burned by God as a representation of sacrifice (see Leviticus 9:23), and God’s holiness and glory were manifested.

The Responsibilities of Aaron and His Sons

Although Aaron failed to set an example for his sons, Nadab and Abihu were also responsible for their behavior. Aaron’s sons should not have offered strange fire, nor should they have entered the sanctuary without permission. Though they were responsible for their choice, they made these choices under the sinister influence of Satan himself.

The disciple Peter made a similar mistake. At one point during Jesus’ ministry, Peter made an extraordinary confession that Jesus was the Son of the living God. But later he relied on his flesh and rebuked Jesus for his self-sacrificial intention to go to the cross. As a result, the Lord bluntly rebuked him and called Peter, “Satan.” In the same way, Satan was trying to destroy God’s work in the lives of Aaron’s sons. Just like Satan influenced Peter, tempted Eve, and hardened Cain’s heart, Satan influenced Aaron’s sons’ choices.

There is a spiritual battle behind Nadab and Abihu’s choices. God’s discipline for Nadab and Abihu is not the only aspect of this story. During a shadow play, we should not focus only on what’s going on in front of the stage, but also understand the story going on behind it. In the same way, we shouldn’t just focus on Nadab and Abihu. We must see the reality of this spiritual battle behind their external conflict. Every human conflict is just a reflection of the cosmic battle between God and Satan. We should find out who's behind each struggle. It’s Satan and his deception.

Satan wanted Nadab and Abihu to challenge God and defile the holiest place on earth. This story took place near the golden altar of incense, near the entrance to the Holy of Holies. The golden altar of incense stood right in front of the veil that separated the sanctuary from the Holy of Holies. The two men were getting dangerously close to entering the Holy of Holies. If God hadn’t stopped them, perhaps they would have been even more daring next time, going straight into the Holy of Holies.

As we see the essence behind the external story, we see that Aaron’s lack of teaching and example gave Satan an opportunity to use Aaron’s sons. God sent severe discipline because this incident severely provoked him to anger. The same is true for us today. If our mind is set on the Spirit, we experience life and peace. But when our mind is set on the flesh, it brings death (Romans 8:6). When thinking about things that dishonor God, we allow Satan to use us as pawns in the cosmic battle against God, just as he did with Peter, Eve, Nadab, and Abihu.

How did the men’s death glorify God?

So the second troubling question we see in this passage is, “Why did God say that killing Nadab and Abihu would glorify his name among the Israelites?” I believe that Nadab and Abihu experienced judgment in place of Aaron. Although their sacrifice was unwilling, they died in their father’s place. This reminds us of Jesus, the only Son of God, who willingly went to the cross to be judged for our sins. Therefore, this action sanctified God’s name among those who were near to Him.

Those whom God calls to serve Him often pay a special price for that service. However, we cannot ultimately compare these men’s death with the death of God’s Beloved Son for our sins.

Christian history often talks about the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross, but it rarely talks about the pain of the Father, who gave up His beloved Son. This needs to be addressed. No father can give up his son without suffering. Any time a father sees his son suffering, the father’s pain is often even greater than the son’s. The father yearns to suffer in place of his son.

In the same way, the pain God the Father experienced may have been even greater than the pain experienced by his son. The Father must have yearned to be able to die in his son’s place. As Jesus Christ bore our sins on the cross, the Father grieved for His Son. But because God loved us, his children, he was pleased to bruise Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:10).

In this passage, Aaron must have had similar feelings. On the one hand, he mourned the death of his own sons. On the other hand, because of God’s judgment, Aaron knew that God’s name was being sanctified among those who were near Him, so he was content.

The fire of the Lord came down to kill Nadab and Abihu. God said that he sent fire so that His name might be sanctified among those who were near Him and so he would be glorified among the people of Israel. Fire from heaven is often related to God’s glory. Leviticus 9 says that when the Israelites offered sacrifices, fire from heaven came down and consumed the sacrifices. In this way, God’s glory was revealed (9:22-24). The willing, obedient offerings of the people were consumed by the fire of God’s glory.

But how can God’s fire reveal God’s glory when Nadab and Abihu were not willing, obedient, innocent offerings? The sacrifices in the Old Testament had to be without blemish, but Nadab and Abihu’s sacrifices were imperfect. Even though the analogy is imperfect, Nadab and Abihu’s death can still remind us of Christ’s death. David, Solomon, and others prefigured Christ, but they were imperfect people. In the same way, these imperfect men can remind us of the perfect Christ.

Jesus Christ went to the cross to save us. Did his death glorify God? Yes, Jesus Christ went to the cross to glorify God's name. So I believe that the death of Aaron's two sons glorified God by prefiguring Jesus’ death on the cross in the future.

Even though God has disciplined Nadab and Abihu with physical death, this does not necessarily mean that they will face eternal death. I believe that Nadab and Abihu will not necessarily perish eternally. Maybe they are already with God. Their death was unfortunate, but it provided a good life lesson for Aaron. Numbers 18:1 says, "The Lord said to Aaron, ‘You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood.’” Aaron and his sons bore the sins that the people committed against the sanctuary. Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu committed sins against the sanctuary, so Aaron had to take full responsibility for their sins. Their judgment taught Aaron a serious lesson. It also served as a stern warning to future generations.

Does God sacrifice others to train us?

An older brother in Christ once told me, “God sometimes sacrifices one person’s life in order to teach someone else a lesson.”

“I accept what you are saying,” I replied, “but I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Let me give you an example,” he said. “When we first started preaching the gospel as young Christians, we made many mistakes. We often did not speak well, and the people we were witnessing to often resented our attempts. Not only did we fail to convert those who were listening to us, but our ignorance may have pushed our listeners even farther from God. God temporarily sacrificed these people’s souls in order to train us.”

His explanation made sense to me. When we first learn to preach the gospel, we are often overzealous and unwise, leading others to become disgusted with Christianity. However, we need these experiences to help us learn how to preach the gospel. God loves these people and wants them to be saved. But God sees our eagerness to serve him, and he uses these circumstances to train us to preach the gospel.

Similarly, God often allows one person to suffer while another person is learning how to balance church life and family life. A zealous wife who goes to church every day may shortchange her home responsibilities. The resentful husband may oppose and persecute the zealous wife. The less-fervent spouse is sacrificed to the other spouse’s learning curve.

This exact situation played out in a family I know. Both spouses are Christian, but the wife was overly zealous about serving in the church. She called other Christians every day to remind them to read the Bible. She also attended so many church services that her husband was often at home alone, with no food to eat and no one to keep him company. Understandably, problems arose in their marriage.

Eventually, this woman learned to balance church and home commitments. She began to spend more time with her husband and serve him at home, and sacrificed some of her favorite church activities. Slowly, her husband noticed her transformation. He praised her for her growth and balance. Their marital relationship improved greatly.

At first, the wife thought that she was being persecuted because she loved the Lord. But in reality, she was causing her husband’s suffering. His needs were being sacrificed to her own learning curve. God set up a learning environment in which the wife would grow in obedience and balance. As she changed her perspective, she learned the true essence of spirituality.

On the contrary, I have also seen negative examples. These wives ignored their husband's needs and continued to prioritize church activities that they enjoyed. They ultimately did not manifest the Lord’s character to their family. When we truly live for the Lord, we obey Him in all things, even when we have to give up activities that we enjoy.

From these stories, we can see that God sacrificed Nadab and Abihu in order to teach Aaron a lesson of obedience and holiness. There must have been some areas in Aaron's life where he had disobeyed God and was not holy enough, so Nadab and Abihu paid the price to help Aaron learn these lessons.

Why didn't Aaron eat the sin offering?

After Nadab and Abihu were consumed by fire, Moses commanded Aaron and his two other sons to offer sacrifices and eat them, but Aaron did not do so. Moses couldn't find the goat for the sin offering. When he found out that it had been burned, he got angry and rebuked Aaron’s other sons. He reprimanded them for not eating the sin offering. He said, "Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is a thing most holy and has been given to you that you may bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord? Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly ought to have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.” (Leviticus 10:17-18).

Leviticus 6:30 reveals the reason for Moses' anger. The verse says, “No sin offering shall be eaten from which any blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place; it shall be burned up with fire." Leviticus 6:24-26 says, "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering. In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord; it is most holy. The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. In a holy place it shall be eaten, in the court of the tent of meeting.” This is what God commanded Moses.

When Moses commanded them to eat the sacrifices in this chapter, he specifically stated, "for so I am commanded." (Leviticus 10:13). The only reason not to eat a sin offering was if its blood had been brought into the sanctuary. In that case, the animal was brought into the sanctuary to be burned up. Otherwise, the sin offering should be eaten. Since this goat’s blood had not been sprinkled in the sanctuary, it should have been eaten. But Aaron and his remaining sons had burned up the sacrifice (Leviticus 10:16). This was the reason for Moses' anger. Aaron and his two living sons had not obeyed the law that the Lord had commanded Moses.

In response to Moses’ anger, Aaron said, "Today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, and yet such things as these have happened to me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would the Lord have approved?" After Aaron said this, Moses was no longer angry, and he gave his approval (Leviticus 10:20).

Why did Moses approve? We can speculate that although the goat’s blood was not brought into the sanctuary, some other blood equivalent had been offered. Perhaps the blood of Nadab and Abihu was symbolically offered in the sanctuary. Of course, the two men did not actually bleed, because they were consumed by fire. But Aaron may have regarded his two sons’ death as a sacrifice that had entered the sanctuary. As previously stated, these men’s death may remind us of the sacrifice of God’s only son, Jesus Christ.

What was Aaron feeling here? Yes, he was feeling sadness, pain, and self-reproach. Was he also angry and hateful at God? He seemed to be complaining against God himself. People often mistakenly think that Aaron was dissatisfied with God. But this is not necessarily true.

As any normal father would, Aaron felt pain, sadness, and self-reproach. That’s why he could not eat the sacrifice at that time. His sons had been sacrificed, and he had lost his appetite. If he ate the sacrifice, it would be kind of like eating his son. He just couldn't do it. He chose not to eat. Instead, he burned up the goat of the sin offering. The Bible does not tell us who gave the command to burn the goat of the sin offering. But my guess is that it was Aaron's decision. Although the blood of the goat of the sin offering was not brought into the sanctuary, Aaron probably felt that the death of his sons served as a sin offering; therefore, he could not eat the goat.

Moses, who represented God, was pleased with Aaron’s explanation. We believe that Aaron’s feelings here were not necessarily anger towards God, but rather sadness and pain for losing his sons. His feelings may be a representation of the pain that God the Father would one day experience after giving up His Son on the cross. This may be the reason why Moses approved of his explanation.

Conclusion

When our uncleanness is judged by God, He is sanctified. When our sacrifices and offerings are accepted by God, His glory is manifested in us. Nadab and Abihu were forced to represent these sacrifices. Aaron burned the goat of the sin offering, even though its blood had not been brought into the sanctuary. This small act showed Aaron’s obedience before God. He offered Nadab and Abihu as sacrifices to God and was then approved by Moses, who represented God.

When we are disciplined by God, we can choose to respond in rebellious hate or in obedient faith. When we choose to obey, the glory of God is revealed to us. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32). Aaron's obedience to God brought glory to God by ushering in a greater filling of the Holy Spirit.

Dear friend, are you willing to give up the unholy things you love? You may love pornography, greed, or other fleshly desires. Are you willing to give these things up if the Lord removes them from your life? When God disciplines us, we can either choose to learn the lesson of obedience or become more rebellious. Nadab and Abihu’s choices represent those unclean things in our lives. When I say they are the representations of offerings, I am speaking more about our responses to them. Aaron set a good example of obedience to the Lord. His obedience, contrite heart, and lowly spirit were the true sacrifices that God valued the most (Psalm 51).

Let me end with a quote from the famous Chinese Christian Watchman Nee:

It is important for us to receive God's arrangement in the circumstances. This arrangement is the discipline of the Holy Spirit. To escape God's arrangement just one time is to lose an opportunity to have our capacity enlarged. This will prolong the time required for life to mature in us and will even require us to make up this lesson in order to reach maturity. A believer can never be the same after passing through suffering. Either he will have his capacity enlarged or he will become more hardened. For this reason, when believers are passing through suffering, they must pay attention and they must realize that maturity in life is the sum total of receiving the discipline of the Holy Spirit. People may see a person who has matured in life, but they cannot see the accumulated discipline of the Holy Spirit which that person has received secretly day by day throughout the years.[2]

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[2]Witnee Lee, Watchman Nee, A Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age, (Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministries), 1991, .

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Bible Study with Jairus – Leviticus 6

Removing Obstacles that Hinder Our Fellowship with God

What is the purpose of the laws regarding offerings? God’s purpose is to help us remove every obstacle that hinders our fellowship with Him. These obstacles include our sins, shortcomings, and selfishness. After we have removed these obstacles, we can come to the Father in one Spirit (Ephesians 2:18). By doing so, we will be filled with His divine nature.

Like all laws, the law of the offerings gives us a framework that helps us not stray too far from God’s nature. Like the rumble strips on the shoulder of the highway, the purpose of the law is to keep us from driving into a spiritual ditch. These guardrails keep us from sinning and turning away from God.

But in order to truly manifest God’s nature in our lives, we need to have freedom in Christ. In other words, we need to absorb his external laws into our hearts and spirits. We can only have freedom in Christ when we no longer have to rely on external laws to restrict us. Instead, God’s Spirit guides us from the inside.

Truly knowing and experiencing Jesus Christ on the inside allows us to manifest God’s nature on the outside. When sin stands between us and God, we need to pray, repent, and remove the barriers imposed by our sins, world, and the flesh. We need to ask the Lord to strengthen us in the inner man so we can make progress and experience spiritual breakthroughs. This can only be achieved through constant fellowship with God.

The Linen Garments

God specifically commanded the priests to wear fine linen while offering burnt offerings. The fine linen represents the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8) and reminds us of the importance of holiness (Leviticus 6:10-11).

The burnt offering was burned all night until morning (verse 9). Each morning, the priests added wood and the fat of the peace offerings to the fire (verse 12). The fire of the altar was not to go out at any time (verses 9, 12, 13). The priest had to wear linen garments when gathering the ashes from the altar (verses 10-11). But when he went outside the camp to throw ashes in a clean place, he had to take off his linen garment.

Leviticus 6:10-11 says, "And the priest shall put on his linen garment and put his linen undergarment on his body, and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and put them beside the altar. Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.” (Leviticus 6:10-11).[1]

Why did the priests need to put on other garments and take off their linen garments when throwing the ashes outside? The answer lies in the holiness of God. The closer an individual came to the inner sanctuary, the holier they had to become. Ordinary Israelites could enter the outer courtyard, and ordinary Levites could enter the sanctuary. But only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year.

When we approach God without respecting his holiness, we face serious consequences. Uzzah was killed when touched the Ark of the Covenant. Uzzah was only permitted to carry the items related to the outer courtyard, because he was a descendent of Merari. He was not allowed to carry the things in the sanctuary, let alone touch the ark of the Holy of Holies. So he died.

In addition, Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu were burned to death when offering profane incense to God. They were not yet priests, yet they approached God. They may have attempted to enter the Holy of Holies. They died as well. These examples show that when we are not holy enough, we cannot get too close to the Lord. Otherwise, He will kill us.

We all understand this logic. But we rarely think about it the other way around. What happens when a person leaves a holier place and enters a less holy place?

Inside the camp is holier than outside the camp. We can see that the camp is holy because sin offerings, burnt offerings, and other offerings were made to cover sin. However, the area outside the camp was unclean. The ashes, which were produced when the offering was burned, represented sin (and the death of the sin-bearing sacrifice). However, they also represented redemption. For example, "the ashes of the red heifer" were used to remove the sin and cleanse the Israelites (Numbers 19). To help us understand why the priests took off their linen garments when entering an unclean place to deposit the “ashes of redemption,” let’s consider two illustrations.

The first illustration is taken from Matthew 7:6: "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." Our linen garments restrict us from going to an unclean place and sharing our holiness with "pigs and dogs" who don’t appreciate our pearls. Sinners who live outside the camp (a picture of life before salvation) can only receive the ashes of redemption (a picture of repentance). Only after they repent can they enter the camp. They must be willing to become humble and receptive and put on clean linen garments before they can enter the sanctuary of God. The linen garment (a picture of the righteous deeds of the saints) must be obtained inside the camp (a picture of receiving salvation).

The second illustration is the humility of Jesus. Jesus came down from heaven and humbled himself. "He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:6-8). In other words, he shed his “linen garments” and went outside the camp, a place of disgrace. Hebrews 13:12-13 says, “And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood. Therefore, let us go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.”

Every truth has two sides. On the one hand, the Lord said that we should not give what is holy to the dogs. On the other hand, He humbled Himself and ate with tax collectors and prostitutes.

The law of the burnt offering reflects God's provision and requirements. God requires us to be holy in order to see Him (Hebrews 12:14). But if we repent and beat our breasts like the tax collector did, we will be justified (Luke 18:9-17). On the one hand, God has strict requirements for drawing near to Him; on the other hand, he gives us the opportunity to repent and to draw near to Him. The main thing that prevents us from drawing near to God is our sins. God sent Jesus Christ to be our sacrifice and mediator so that we could draw near to Him. God removed the sins that prevented us from drawing near to Him. This is the main message of the law of the offerings.

God's requirements for approaching Him

To get close to God, we must follow his requirements, because He is holy and we are sinful. God gave these laws and stipulations to guide the Israelites while they were still spiritually inexperienced. After they matured spiritually, he gave them more freedom.

To understand this, let’s look at the example of a dance instructor. A dance teacher begins by teaching the three-step dance routine, then the four-step tango, and so on. After the student masters each of the dance moves successfully, the instructor will set him or her free to improvise. The teacher will no longer limit the student’s creativity. He or she can dance as they please.

In the same way, God gave strict laws so that the Israelites could understand how to approach him. These spiritually immature people needed to learn how to discipline themselves, build good character and know God better. The law served these purposes. But after this good character has been built and the student knows God personally, he or she is freed from the law to live creatively under the power of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians have not reached the level of spiritual maturity that God expects, either as an individual or as a church.

God wants to get rid of obstacles that stand between us and Him. Our secret sins, the contamination of the world, and our imperfections of the flesh are like filth and sediment clogging the shower head. Even though there are many small holes in the shower head, the water can’t come out because it is blocked.

In the same way, the indwelling Christ and the Holy Spirit are powerful. They, along with God the Father, created the world. God is immensely great, but our sins block his powerful presence. Through his redemption, Jesus accomplished everything necessary to open up the way to God. The Holy Spirit is here to help us live for God. Yet the obstacles within us prevent Him from being manifested in our lives.

God’s law, specifically the law of the offerings, helps us deal with sin. In this way, we can be transformed, break free from the ordinary, and allow God’s life to fill us and flow through us.

The guilt offering removes transgression

The purpose of the guilt offering was to remove transgressions, whether those sins are budding or full-grown. If a person deceived and oppressed their neighbors (verse 2) or lied about something that had been lost (verse 3), they not only needed to restore it (with extra), but also offer a ram without blemish as a guilt offering to God (verse 4-6). When they did so, their sins would be forgiven (verse 7).

Many Christians still commit these types of sins. We are all greedy. But unlike nonbelievers, our consciences are disturbed when we break God’s law. We lose peace and fellowship with God. We should follow the wisdom of these laws: in addition to returning the wealth we greedily obtained, we should add a fifth to it, and receive the atoning sacrifice of Jesus to cover our sins. Because of our dishonest gain, we should suffer a loss.

Why do we need to do this? Because God's presence and peace are more important than the loss of external possessions. The guilt offering teaches us how to cover our transgressions, obtain God’s forgiveness, and enter closer fellowship with Him.

The discussion of guilt offerings in this chapter is a continuation of the previous chapter. Leviticus 1:7 to Leviticus 6 talks about the five basic offerings (the burnt offering, the grain offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering). Leviticus 6:8 to Leviticus 7 discusses the laws regarding these five basic offerings (in a slightly different order: burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, and the peace offering). We talked about the spiritual implications of this order when we were reading Leviticus 1, so I will not repeat them here. This is why chapter 7 talks about guilt offerings in addition to burnt offerings.

The law of the burnt offering requires us to be completely dedicated to God

We all know that the burnt offering is completely burned up as a tribute to God. Like Abraham offered Isaac, and like Christ offered himself completely to God, we should offer our lives as sacrifices. We should be completely dedicated to God. But often, we are not.

Because we are created by God, we should be entirely dedicated to Him, just like the burnt offering, which was totally consumed. If we are saved, we belong to God and are sanctified by Him. Our linen garments represent our righteous acts (Revelation 19:8). They remind us of the holiness that we experience inside God’s camp (salvation). Those who are in Christ (inside the camp) have linen garments, but those who are outside of Christ (outside the camp) do not have these linen garments. They can only receive the fine linen by repenting and turning to Christ.

Once we are saved, no one can snatch us out of Jesus’ hand (John 10:28-29). Yet we need to act like we are saved. The blood of Jesus Christ saves us from sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21). We must not live ordinary lives! We must live lives of holiness as pure as clean, white linen.

The law of the grain offering reminds us to let go of weaknesses

The grain offering included fine flour, oil, and frankincense. It must not be mixed with leaven. Fine flour represents Jesus’ tender nature; oil represents the Holy Spirit; frankincense represents the fragrance of Christ’s resurrection. Each of these things helps us let go of the weakness and dross of human nature.

For example, I often inadvertently hurt my wife’s feelings by my indifference to her emotions. I may not have sinned intentionally, but my flaws (indifference and selfishness) made her feel unloved.

In these situations, I need to experience the redemption of the grain offering. I need the virtues of Christ (represented by the fine flour, oil, and frankincense). I also need to experience God’s sacrifice (verses 15, 21) and nourishment (verses 16, 18). God’s sacrifice is Jesus Christ. As my grain offering, He has carried my imperfections to the cross.

God’s nourishment is also found in Jesus. Jesus is the bread that came down from heaven (John 6:58). Through consuming Jesus’ life, I will be transformed and fed by him. The more we feed on Christ, the healthier we will become spiritually, just like the more we eat healthy, organic food, the stronger we will grow.

Verses 22-23 specifically point out that if Aaron's descendants were to succeed him as priests, they must offer a special grain offering. This grain offering must not be eaten, but wholly burned and offered to God. This offering was dedicated totally to God. This reminds us that those who approached God must be holy and not ordinary. Just like the fine linen mentioned earlier, those who came near to a holy God must be holy.

The law of the sin offering requires holiness

Holiness is mentioned frequently in the passage about the sin offering.

• "The sin offering that is killed before the Lord is most holy" (verse 25)
• The priest must eat it in the court of the (holy) tent of meeting (verse 26)
• Whatever touches its flesh shall be holy (verse 27)
• The blood-splattered garments must be washed in the holy place (verse 27)
• The earthenware vessel in which the sacrifice is boiled must be broken, and the bronze vessel must be scoured; every male priest may eat the sacrifice; it is most holy (verse 29)
• When the blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement, the offering was not to be eaten and must be burned (verse 30).

The essence of these verses is holiness. All who are in Christ (inside the camp) must be holy. Those who belong to Christ must also be holy. We learned about this concept when we discussed the fine linen. Those who went out of the holy camp had to take off their fine linen and carry only ashes.

The Bible says, “no offering shall be eaten if blood is brought to cleanse the Holy Place” (Leviticus 6:30). Cleansing by blood and ashes is only the first step. It removes the distance between us and God. Now that the distance has been removed through Jesus’ sacrifice, we can continually come to the Father in one Spirit through Christ (Ephesians 2:18). We can continually please God.

The more we draw near to God through the Holy Spirit in Christ, the more fine linen (righteousness) we have. The fine linen (righteous deeds of the saints) does not just represent the outward works we do for God. It also represents the way God fills us on the inside!

Conclusion

The purpose of the laws regarding offerings is to remove the obstacles that hinder our fellowship with God. God wants us to come before Him with confidence and have deeper fellowship with Him. Our Heavenly Father cares about us, and he wants intimacy with us even more than we want intimacy with Him!

When parents and children are apart, who misses each other more? Obviously, parents miss their children more. Likewise, the Heavenly Father desires fellowship with us even more than we do. The purpose of the Old Testament sacrificial laws was to remove obstacles between God and his people.

When we neglect fellowship with God, it breaks our Heavenly Father’s heart. The purpose of God’s sacrificial laws was not just to provide external regulations, but to keep people’s hearts from straying too far from Him.

Drawing near to God is the goal. Only by constantly drawing near to God can we obtain the essence of the law. When we draw near to God, we become who we are in Christ. We experience his law written on our hearts, and we obtain freedom in the Spirit.

Removing our sins and entering the camp is only the first step. After we come to Christ through his sacrifice on the cross, we must wear his fine linen (righteousness) and stay in the camp. We must abide in constant fellowship with God. This is what He desires for us to do forever.

Let us repent from our sins, put on the garments of his righteousness, and stay in Christ forever. Let us abide in deep fellowship with God!

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Leviticus 5

Differing guilt offerings reflect differing levels of spiritual maturity.

In Leviticus 5, the Israelites were instructed to bring a guilt offering in the following circumstances:

• Failing to witness in court
• Touching an unclean thing
• Touching human uncleanness
• Making a thoughtless or rash vow

In these situations, the worshiper was required to bring a guilt offering. As he did in other passages, God tenderly made allowances for Israelites who were weak and impoverished. Those who could not afford the standard guilt offering were given other options. If the person could not afford a lamb, he could bring two turtledoves; if he could not afford two birds, he could bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour.

Each offering was handled in a unique way. The lamb was slaughtered by the person who offered it (Leviticus 1:11; 4:24). This represents that more mature believers must actively participate in the preparation of their sacrifice.

Meanwhile, those who offered birds had the priest’s assistance. The priest twisted the birds’ necks without severing them. This represents relatively new believers who need the help of spiritually mature people as they offer their sacrifices. These new believers are still not yet free from the connection between the soul and the natural old man, just like the head is not completely severed from the body.

The tenth of an ephah of fine flour reminds us of the sacrifices of spiritually immature people. Unlike the lamb and dove, this offering was not a blood sacrifice. This reminds us that those who do not know or believe in God are held to a lower standard. They are only required to act according to conscience (Romans 2:15). However, those who do know God must act in accordance with His law and righteousness.

The outer courtyard represents our distance from God. The farther we are from him, the lower is His standard of us. Conversely, the closer we are to God, the higher is His standard in our spiritual lives. The chapter concludes by stating that if someone sins intentionally and acts unfaithfully, he has only one option for a sacrifice: a ram. There is no other choice (Leviticus 5:15).[1] Since these Israelites did know God, were aware of his laws, and yet chose to disobey, they had to offer a larger sacrifice to atone for their sins. This seems to confirm the principle I mentioned above: the greater your knowledge of God, the more you will be held accountable for disobedience.

What is the difference between a sin offering and a guilt offering?

At times, Biblical authors seem to include guilt offerings as a subset of sin offerings. Other times, the Bible differentiates between the two. Let me share my understanding of these two offerings.

I believe the sin offering deals with outward sinful behavior, while the guilt offering deals with our inner disposition. I’ll give an example to illustrate. For example, if a person touches a three-foot-tall poisonous plant, he or she will suffer the consequences. This represents the sins we committed before we believed in the Lord: murder, arson, or adultery. When we believe in Christ, it’s as if we cut off the plant at ground level. This is what the sin offering accomplishes: cleanses us of past actions.

But the root is still there, and it will grow inch by inch. This is when guilt offerings come into play. The guilt offering covers the small transgressions, which are a manifestation of the larger poisonous root within. The poisonous plant may be only one inch tall, but its roots are still large. If you do not deal with it when it is still very small, it will grow into a greater sin - from transgression to sin. In such a situation, you need to offer a guilt offering and a sin offering to obtain redemption.

For example, one Christian lady said that when she and her husband are convicted about having a bad attitude toward their children, they quickly try to correct it. If they don’t correct it immediately, but only let it fester, the bad attitude turns into worse sins. They go ballistic and lose their temper with their children. They have committed a more significant sin. When they first noticed their bad attitude, they needed a guilt offering; now they need both a sin offering and a guilt offering.

It may seem that the guilt offering deals with small things, but it actually deals with the root within. For example, Jesus said, “Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28). We may not have committed adultery yet, but we have an adulterous heart, which is sinful in the eyes of God.

In the same way, the offenses recorded in this chapter seemed small. They were unintentional sins such as refusing to testify in court; touching unclean things (such as animal carcasses); touching human uncleanness; uttering a rash oath. However, if these transgressions were not dealt with in time, they would become more serious. Like yeast, they would spread through the whole batch of dough.

The guilt offering dealt with situations where sin was still in its infancy. If someone touches a carcass of an animal without noticing it, he is still guilty (vs 2). However, if a person touches human uncleanness or utters a rash oath, he will not become guilty until he notices what he did (vs. 3-4). In other words, the one who does not know is not guilty. Once he realizes what he did, he will be guilty. Why? When you are unaware of your sin, you are still in darkness; but when you realize what you did, you are enlightened by God. Once you are enlightened, you must repent.

We each have many areas of sin and inadequacy. After we are saved, the Holy Spirit does not illuminate every area of darkness immediately. Instead, he does it gradually. It takes many years before the Holy Spirit enlightens us and helps us see our weaknesses. He wisely guides us step by step to realize our sins and weaknesses. Just like the Israelites offered guilt offerings as soon as they realized their sin, we must repent as soon as the Holy Spirit enlightens us about our sin.

Guilt offerings and levels of Christian maturity

Let’s look in detail at the guilt offerings required by God.

The first guilt offering mentioned is a female lamb or female goat. The passage clearly mentions that these offerings are sin offerings (Leviticus 5:6). According to Leviticus 1 and 4, anyone who brings a lamb as a sin offering must come before the priest, lay his hands on the lamb's head, and slaughter it before the priest as a sin offering. The priest shall put the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense and pour it out at the base of the altar. Meanwhile, its fat must be burned on the altar. In our study of Leviticus 1-4, we have analyzed the meaning of these sacrifices in detail. In short, the larger the sacrifice, the wealthier the individual. The larger sacrifices represent greater spiritual maturity. The more mature individuals had to take initiative in helping contribute to the sacrificial process, such as the slaughtering of the lambs or bulls.

God has lower standards for those who are less spiritually mature or less financially capable. Those who could not afford a lamb could offer two turtledoves or two pigeons. The priest should wring the bird's neck, but not sever it completely. Why is this so? In Genesis 15, Abraham was commanded to sacrifice a heifer, a female goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a turtledove and a young pigeon. The mammals were cut in half, but the birds were not (Genesis 15:10). I believe that large animals like bulls and lambs represent the offerings of mature believers, who must take more initiative in applying the work of the cross to their lives (represented by cutting up the animals). However, the small offerings represent the less mature. They are not required to take as much initiative. The effect of the cross is the same, but God’s standards may be different.

For example, we hold new believers to different standards than we hold mature Christians. Similarly, the closer we are to God, the higher is His standard for us. He has lower standards for those who are far away from Him. As long as they are willing to accept Jesus as their friend and are willing to turn to Him in their hearts, He accepts their offerings, such as prayers of repentance and desperation after gambling or taking drugs. They are very limited offerings, but He accepts them. When we are more united to Him, His standard is higher.

Why can't the head of the bird be severed completely? Let’s look at this verse metaphorically. If we are spiritually immature, our natural fleshy life is often stronger. If our spiritual life is not strong enough to live by faith or by the word of God, then we still need the supply of natural life. A spiritually immature person only needs to offer a relatively small sacrifice. He does not need to slaughter the bull or lamb himself. In other words, the more spiritually mature you are, the more faith God requires from you.

The priest wrings off the bird’s neck, sprinkles its blood on the side of the altar, and drains the rest out at the base of the altar (Leviticus 5:8-9). This is the same procedure that is used when offering a lamb as a sin offering (Leviticus 1, 4). A bird has less blood than a lamb, so a second bird must be offered as a burnt offering (Leviticus 5:10). Leviticus 1 provides detailed instructions on offering birds as burnt offerings: the priest shall tear the bird open by its wings, but shall not sever it completely. And he shall burn it on the wood as a burnt offering (Leviticus 1:17).

If an Israelite is so poor that he can’t afford a bird, he can offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. This is a sin offering, not a grain offering, so he should not put frankincense and oil on it (Leviticus 5:11). A handful of it is for the memorial portion; it will be burned as an offering made by fire. The remainder shall be for the priests. These laws resemble the instructions regarding birds, but they are adjusted to the needs of the poorest people. No matter how poor a person is, he must give a burnt offering to God. When offering a burnt offering, the worshiper must give a portion that is offered completely to God and burned to ashes. Whether we are rich or poor, God will forgive our sins. But we must draw near to him, trust his sacrifice, give thanks, and worship Him.

The closer to God, the higher his standards

God provided the guilt offering to show how much he loved his people and how much he valued his fellowship and union with them. He wanted his fellowship with them not to be cut off.

The closer we are to God, the greater capacity we have to harm him and break his heart. The more united we are with God, the more likely we are to taint our fellowship with Him because of our sins and flesh. God wants to restore that fellowship.

A person who sinned intentionally and was unfaithful to God had only one choice: offering a ram without blemish (15). He made restitution for the holy thing that he had harmed, and he added a fifth of its value to the payment (16). Even a person who sinned unknowingly was guilty. He would bring a ram as a guilt offering and the priest would make atonement for the mistake so he could be forgiven (17-19). The more we know God, the higher are His standards for our lives.

Discovering God’s hidden truths

These chapters of Leviticus can be difficult to understand, especially when we are distracted by our own logic and traditions. Is God hiding something from us? Pastor Bill Johnson once said, “God does not hide things from us. Rather, He hides things for us.” It’s like an Easter Egg hunt in the United States. The parent or grandparent hides some eggs in easier spots so that the younger children can find them more easily. But he or she hides other eggs in more difficult places to provide a challenge for the older children. He or she provides more hints for the younger children to help them find the Easter eggs. Not only do the children have fun finding eggs, but the parent also feels very happy.

These hints are like these different offerings. For those who are less mature, God provides a low bar and many hints along the way. The more spiritually mature you are, the higher God sets the bar. He sometimes conceals his truths and makes us pay a price as we search for him. The Bible says that “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” (Proverbs 25:2). When God hides himself, he gives us hints to help us find him. We will surely find God if we seek Him with all our hearts. When we do, God is pleased, just like the parent is pleased when his children find the Easter eggs he hid.

Therefore, the differences in these offerings hint at God’s nature. God has different demands and provisions for people with different levels of spiritual maturity. The more we realize God’s kindness and tenderness to our weakness, the more we can understand His will. Let’s not shy away from passages like this because we are afraid we won’t understand. Instead, let’s search harder, and we will surely find God.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - 1 Corinthians 16

Stephanas’ Example of Love and Unity

I believe the theme of 1 Corinthians is love and unity. Many people think that 1 Corinthians focuses on a negative situation in the Corinthian church, but this is a misunderstanding. 1 Corinthians is like a plain black canvas since it mentions some problems of the Corinthian church. But on the canvas, Paul paints a beautiful picture of love and unity.

Why did Apollos refuse to visit now, and instead would visit later?

In 1 Corinthians 16, the Holy Spirit highlighted several verses, including verse 12: “Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.”[1]

Why didn’t Apollos want to visit the Corinthians, even though Paul urged him on multiple occasions? Why would he come when he had the opportunity?

First, let’s find out more about Apollos. Acts 18:24-25 tells us that Apollos was an eloquent man, who told many people about God, but knew only about John’s baptism. He came to Ephesus, and Priscilla and Aquila explained the way of God to him in more detail (18:26). What is the "way of God"? Is it referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit as opposed to the baptism of John? We don’t know for sure. Let's look at this verse:

Acts 18:24-28 says, "Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus."

At the beginning of Acts 19, we learn that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul went to that region, passed through Ephesus, and encountered people who only knew about the baptism of John. They did not know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Paul laid his hands on them so they could receive the Holy Spirit. Were these the people to whom Apollos ministered? Is this the reason they did not know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit? This is a reasonable guess. Now that Apollos was serving in the Corinthian church, did his lack of knowledge of the baptism of the Holy Spirit lead some believers in Corinth to oppose the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues? Is it possible that the different understandings and teachings of Apollos led to the division in the Corinthian church?

First Corinthians 1:12 says, "What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’" This verse reveals that there was a division in the Corinthian church, and this division may have had something to do with the different teachings of Apollos. Perhaps Apollos did not understand the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or perhaps the "way of God" explained by Priscilla and Aquila did not include the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If the teaching about the Holy Spirit was included in Priscilla and Aquila’s explanation, perhaps Apollos couldn't accept this teaching. In any case, judging from Apollos' work in Corinth, it seems that some people may have been influenced by him to oppose spiritual gifts and tongues.

We shouldn’t think that the Corinthian church was abusing the gifts of tongues, with everyone speaking in tongues. Some Corinthians still opposed tongues and even advocated forbidding it. That's why Paul said, "Do not forbid speaking in tongues." (1 Corinthians 14:39).

Let's look at 1 Corinthians 3:4-9 again. "For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building."

From these verses, we can guess that Apollos did not accept speaking in tongues or receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. His different teachings may have had a certain amount of influence on the division in the Corinthian church. But perhaps he was making an innocent error in his teaching. That’s why Paul was trying to persuade him. Maybe after Priscilla and Aquila brought up the topic, Paul continued to mention it to Apollos, trying to persuade him to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Even though Apollos did not accept Paul's point of view, Paul still pursued love and unity, which is the theme of 1 Corinthians.

First Corinthians is not saying that we can't eat meat or speak in tongues, or that women can't preach. Rather, 1 Corinthians is about love and unity. Paul gives up his right to eat meat for the sake of love and unity. But he is not against eating meat. Paul gives up speaking in tongues in meetings for the sake of love and unity, but he himself is not against speaking in tongues. He even speaks in tongues more than anyone in Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:18). Likewise, Apollos and Paul may have held different views on the truth, but they did not have a falling out. Instead, Paul had confidence in Apollos and was sure that he would eventually be convinced to believe the truth.

Although Paul and Apollos may have had different understandings of the truth about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he did not let this affect his relationship with Apollos. On the contrary, Paul praised Apollos as the one who watered the seeds he planted (1 Corinthians 3:6). He acknowledged that God gave the growth. Paul not only praised Apollos but also criticized the Corinthian believers for excessively exalting or condemning leaders. Whether it was Priscilla, Aquila, or Paul, all of them were trying their best to help Apollos.

1 Corinthians' ending is filled with sunshine and hope

The Holy Spirit also highlighted 1 Corinthians 16:15-18: "Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people."

In these verses, Paul highly praised a man named Stephanas, who was certainly not the martyr Stephen. This Stephanas was one of Paul's first converts in Achaia. Paul says in Corinthians 1:16, "I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else." Paul baptized Stephanas himself, which indicates that he was Paul’s first convert.

Stephanas, a Christian brother whom Paul praised in this chapter, was the first convert in Achaia (1 Corinthians 16:15). He was baptized by Paul (1 Corinthians 1:16). We know from Acts 18:27 that Apollos also went to Achaia, where he was encouraged and helped by his brothers. Perhaps Apollos played a role in Stephanas's salvation. Paul praised Stephanas in 1 Corinthians 16:15. This verse adds to our understanding of love and unity, which is the theme of 1 Corinthians.

As we’ve mentioned earlier in Acts 18:27, when Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. He helped a lot of people when he got there. So looking at this verse, perhaps Apollos could take credit for the work in Achaia, even Stephanas's salvation. This is a practical example of Paul planting and Apollos watering.

I had never noticed that Paul exalted Brother Stephanas in this passage. Paul said that Stephanas’ household have devoted themselves to the service of the saints, made up for the absence of the Corinthian church, and refreshed the spirits of Paul and the Corinthian believers. So Paul urged the Corinthian believers to be subject to such people and give them recognition. Why did Paul highly recommend believers like Stephanas to those in the Corinthian church? My guess is that Stephanas was the fruit of Paul and Apollos’ unity and love.

Many people think that 1 Corinthians focuses mainly on negative problems and the abuse of spiritual gifts in the Corinthian church. They think that Paul's main burden was to oppose spiritual gifts such as tongues. But these people misunderstand Paul. Although Paul dealt with the abuse of spiritual gifts in the Corinthian church, he was not against spiritual gifts. Rather, he was taking others’ feelings into consideration (even Apollos’ feelings), in love and unity.

Therefore, in the last chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul thoroughly recommended Stephanas. He painted a positive picture in the ending of 1 Corinthians, thanking the Lord that the Corinthian church had produced a good leader like Stephanas and that the future of the Corinthian church was very promising.

In verse 19 of this chapter, Paul mentioned that Priscilla and Aquila greeted the believers in Corinth. Perhaps, by this time, Priscilla and Aquila had already returned to Rome. In verse 20, Paul said that all the brothers greeted the believers in the Corinthian church. Verse 21 says that Paul wrote this greeting with his own hand. Verse 22 says, “If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!” In verse 23, Paul blessed the Corinthians, praying that the grace of the Lord Jesus would be with them. In verse 24, Paul said that his love would be with the Corinthian believers in Christ Jesus. This is the end of this chapter, but we can see that it paints a beautiful and positive ending.

The theme of 1 Corinthians is love and unity

In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul mentioned some divisions in the Corinthian church. Some said they followed Paul, others said they followed Apollos, while others said they follow Cephas. But Paul said, in effect, “Only Christ was crucified for us.” He said in 1 Corinthians 2:2, "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." He said in verse 3:6, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." 1 Corinthians 4:6 says, "I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another."

In chapter 5, Paul deals with sexual immorality. He explains that "a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6). Paul wanted to deal with those who were sinning and committing sexual immorality. He hoped that everyone would be united in love and not be affected by the sins of individual believers.

In Chapter 6, Paul advocates that during times of contention, a church member should act as a mediator so the church wouldn’t need to file lawsuits against other believers. This clearly supports the theme of unity. In chapter 7, Paul discusses marriage. He encourages spouses to live in unity. Even nonbelieving spouses should stay together unless the unbelieving spouse wants to separate. Chapter 8 deals with eating foods sacrificed to idols. Paul says that even though idols are nothing, he suggests not eating foods sacrificed to idols because he cares about people with weak consciences. Chapter 9:22 says, "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some." In order to live in harmony with others and win people who are different, Paul tries to be like them. Paul’s life is consistent with the principle of love and unity.

Chapter 10 continues to discuss food sacrificed to idols. Paul talks about the importance of taking other believers’ needs into consideration so as not to cause them to stumble. Chapter 11 talks about the Lord's supper. In Corinth, the rich would eat and drink and get drunk, while the poor would come late and see a pile of leftovers. Paul was very angry with the Corinthians and rebuked them. He told them not to turn the Lord's banquet into a meeting that humiliated the poor. These teachings would help the Corinthians maintain a spirit of love and unity.

Chapters 12-14 talk about love, spiritual gifts, tongues, the fulfillment of prophecy, and whether women can speak in meetings. All of these topics relate to love and unity. Believers are free to pursue the gift of tongues, but if speaking in tongues causes others to stumble, they should not speak in tongues in meetings. Instead, they should only speak in tongues in private. I don't believe Paul was against women speaking or asking questions in church. Perhaps some of the Corinthian women were working against the love and unity of the church, so Paul rebuked them. He wanted to silence certain women who were violating the principles of love and unity, but he was not delivering a universal principle that women " are not permitted to speak."

Chapter 15 talks about the truth of the resurrection, which is also in line with the theme of love and unity. Only those who know and experience the resurrection can live in the reality of love and unity.

Does chapter 16 continue the theme of love and unity? Yes.

Conclusion:

In chapter 16 verses 1-3, Paul specifically mentioned that a financial donation was to be sent to Jerusalem. In this passage, Paul was taking love and unity into consideration. He also hoped to bring the financial blessing from the Gentile church to the poor believers in Jerusalem, thus bringing unity between the Gentile and Jewish churches.

Paul wrote the book of Romans while he was in Corinth. There was once a serious racial conflict between Jews and Gentiles in Rome. Even when Claudius ordered the Jews to leave Rome, Priscilla and Aquila traveled from Rome to Corinth and met Paul (Acts 18). Paul had always wanted to go to Rome, but he was determined to go to Jerusalem first to bring the offering from the Gentiles to the poor in Jerusalem. He didn't know if he would make it to Rome alive, so he wrote the book of Romans from Corinth to help the Roman church mediate the disputes and conflicts between the Gentile and Jewish believers.

Paul continued the theme of love and unity in 1 Corinthians 16, extending it to the love and unity between the Gentile and Jewish believers. In verse 3, Paul said, "And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem." This passage reveals that Paul wanted the Corinthian church to participate in the ministry of promoting love and unity between Gentile and Jewish churches.

Paul went on to say that he hoped to live in Corinth for a while, but now he had a lot of work to do in Ephesus, "for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries." (1 Corinthians 16:9). But Paul had already sent Timothy (1 Corinthians 16:10-11). Then Paul mentioned that Apollos would not come now, but would come in the future (1 Corinthians 16:12). Timothy was a role model that Paul highly praised. Paul specifically taught the Corinthian believers not to despise Timothy (1 Corinthians 16:10-11) before highly recommending Stephanas. They were examples of love and unity.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - 1 Corinthians 8

Knowing and Experiencing God’s Love

1 Corinthians 8 is about eating the foods offered to idols (vs. 4), but it also discusses the concept of worshiping One God (vs. 6). Some people knew that "idols have no real existence and there is only one God,” and they did not have a problem with eating food sacrificed to idols. But others still lived as if idols were real. They refused to sacrifice to them. People who ate food sacrificed to idols were causing these weaker believers to stumble. Paul called on the believers who possessed this knowledge to be considerate of the believers who didn't have this knowledge, so as not to make them stumble. Paul said, "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (ESV, 1 Corinthians 8:1).

This passage sets a precedent for Christians today as we seek to show more of God's mercy and love, while also keeping ourselves spiritually clean. We Christians must live in freedom. We must not just know facts about God, but personally know and experience knowing his love.

Clean and unclean

An important concept in the Bible is the distinction between clean and unclean. In the Old Testament, God gave the Israelites laws about what foods and practices were clean and unclean:

• clean and unclean foods (Leviticus 11)
• touching dead bodies (Numbers 6)
• childbirth (Leviticus 12)
• leprosy (Leviticus 13-14)
• nocturnal emission (Leviticus 15)
• and so on.

These principles helped the Israelites, especially the Levites who served God, to stay ceremonially clean. Over time, the Israelites continued to add human traditions to God's law. By the time the Lord Jesus came, they had added many cleansing rituals, including the ritual of washing one’s hands before eating. This law is not recorded in the Old Testament; it is based on human tradition.

On many occasions, Jesus was involved in arguments about what was clean and what was unclean.

• One time, a Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus didn't wash his hands before eating. The Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness." (Luke 11: 39)
• On another occasion, the Pharisees were puzzled that the Lord ate with the unclean people such as the tax collectors and prostitutes (Mark 2:16). But the Lord Jesus rebuked them, saying, "The tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you." (Matthew 21:31).
• On yet another occasion, Jesus was eating with a Pharisee when a woman came in and anointed His feet with perfume. The Pharisee thought, “If Jesus was a prophet, He should know that this woman is a sinner.” But the Lord Jesus said, “Whoever has been forgiven much, loves much.” Jesus forgave the women’s sins and praised her for her faith (Luke 7:36-50).
• Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. In this story, both the Levite and the priest were afraid of being made unclean by the man who was wounded by the robbers, so they did not rescue him. But the Good Samaritan helped him (Luke 10:25-37).
• There are many more such stories that illustrate the same point of conflict.

On the surface, it appears that Jesus violated the laws of clean and unclean. He ate with tax collectors and prostitutes, touched the leper, didn’t wash his hands before eating, helped the wounded and unclean, and healed the sick and cast out demons on the Sabbath. But in reality, Jesus was demonstrating His merciful and loving character in these situations. In other words, keeping oneself clean is important, but failing to love others in order to keep oneself clean goes completely against God's merciful character.

The same thing happens to many Christians today. Some believers don’t dare come in contact with sinners for fear of getting themselves dirty; others boldly advocate coming into contact with sinners, or even committing sin with them. These believers claim that they are doing this to "become all things to all people," just like Paul did. Controversies like this are also common in the church.

This conflict can be seen in the way homosexuality is treated in the church. Conservative believers say that homosexuality is a sin, and homosexuality cannot be tolerated in the church. Liberals say that since God is love and we are called to love everyone, therefore the church must accept homosexuals and allow them to become pastors. On the surface, the argument is about whether homosexuality should be condoned, but deeper down, people are wondering how to keep themselves clean while also showing God’s love.

The other extreme in the Corinthian church

But there is another extreme in the Corinthian church. Some people not only ate food offered to idols, but also ate in the temples of idols (1 Corinthians 8:10). Their behavior made weak brothers stumble. Paul called this behavior "sinning against Christ" (1 Corinthians 8:12).

Let's go back to the question about homosexuality in American Christianity. An American evangelist criticized some conservative believers who were opposed to homosexuality, saying that many of them lived in legalism and religiosity. Perhaps homosexuality was the only sin they had not personally committed; thus they found it easy to attack homosexuality while condoning their own sin. This evangelist did not believe the church should accept homosexuality, but he wanted to remind the church to show love for sinners. He noticed a phenomenon. When many Christians oppose a certain sin, it gives the impression that they do not love the sinner either. If this evangelist is right, many believers are committing the same mistake the Pharisees did. They neglect to love sinners because they are too focused on keeping the church clean.

On the contrary, other extremely liberal Christians make the same mistake that some of the Corinthians did. They allow homosexuals to be members of their church or even become pastors. Perhaps they intend to love all sinners, including homosexuals. But their actions will tempt weaker believers to assume that the church accepts homosexuality. They will misunderstand God’s rules and begin to accept sinful things.

Knowledge of "One God"

Although many people who support the church's acceptance of homosexuality may be unsaved false believers, many of them are true Christians. There are a lot of real, liberal Christians who genuinely believe that all people should be accepted. But I think the teachings they propagate are teachings of the demons, rather than the true knowledge of God. We need to have a true knowledge of God. This knowledge enables us to know God's character, revealed in his law.

The purpose of laws is to provide us with boundaries and prevent us from overstepping them. For example, the outward law teaches us that if we kill someone, we are breaking his law. In addition to outward law, God also utilized prophets in the Old Testament to provide specific leading for specific situations. Today, God provides inner leading to guide us in specific circumstances. In the New Testament, God’s law is internalized as the law of the Spirit of our life (Romans 8:2). It guides us from the inside.

We are no longer merely bound by the outward law. Instead, the Holy Spirit leads us internally, helps us obey the law of the Spirit of life that abides in us, and gives us specific and circumstantial guidance in each unique situation. 1 John 2:27 says, “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.”

The function of the law is like the yellow line on the side of the highway in the United States. If you cross this yellow line, you will feel a bump. If you are not careful, you may drive off the road or even fall into a ditch. I heard about a couple who were driving at night, got sleepy, drove over the yellow line, and unfortunately died. This story reminds us that it is very important not to cross the line when driving.

Likewise, keeping God’s law is very important for Christians. On the other hand, imagine that your car broke down on the highway. You pulled over to the shoulder and started flagging down other cars, asking for help. How would you feel if a driver shouted, “I can't drive over the yellow line!” and just drove away? You would feel dumbfounded.

Many Christians use the same logic when interacting with struggling fellow believers. The Pharisees condemned the Lord Jesus for eating with tax collectors and prostitutes. Jesus replied, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17). Today, many churches are so separated from the world that they have become “ivory towers.” They teach believers not to participate in politics so as not to cause divisions. They don’t realize that the mission of the church is to be active in worldly affairs and be light and salt in this chaotic world, rather than worrying about whether they are "divided" or “tainted with political filth.” Teaching believers not to get involved in politics is the teaching of the devil, not the true knowledge of God. If God wanted His chosen people not to participate in politics, He would not have appointed David as king of Israel. He would have let Saul keep ruling as the king, or allowed God's enemies to continue suppressing the Israelites. Yet David not only served as the king of Israel, but also fought many battles. The enemy has distorted the Lord Jesus' teaching about "rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" (Luke 20:25) in order to drive Christians out of the political arena. Many Christians have accepted and propagated these demonic teachings.

We must recognize what is and what is not true about God. Paul said, "Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Corinthians 8:6). There is only one God. Idols have no real existence (1 Corinthians 8:4).

Before we were born, we were immersed in water. We were in the water, and the water was in our lungs. Now, we are immersed in air, and the air is inside us. Similarly, we are in Christ, and Christ is in us. Everything in this world was created in and through Christ; without Christ, we have no life (1 John 5:12). Many people live in Christ’s created world, but they are not spiritually in Christ, much less have Christ inside of them. They do not have the true knowledge of God. Those who have true knowledge of God must live in Christ and let Christ live in them. When we lack such knowledge, we will mistakenly treat the teachings of demons as the knowledge of God. Even true Christians may be deceived by the teachings of demons if their knowledge and experience of abiding in Christ are shallow. We must abide in the Lord and allow Him and His words to abide in us (1 John 3:24, John 15:7).

Everything we do must be in Christ. We must be guided by Christ and by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. This is the true meaning of knowing God.

The elevation of knowledge to love

Paul not only taught believers to know about God, but also to know God’s love personally and experientially. Paul said, "Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. (1 Corinthians 8:1-3).”

In Jesus’ parable in Luke 15, the elder son thought he knew God. He knew all of God’s rules and requirements and strictly obeyed them. But after the prodigal son returned home, the elder son got angry. This showed that the elder son didn’t truly know and live out God’s love.

Let’s look at another example. Imagine a couple that has two sons. From an early age, the parents taught their sons not to play in the street, or they might get killed by a car. The elder son strictly obeyed his parents’ rules and never went into the street to play. One day, the younger son broke the rules and played in the street. Seeing a car coming, the parents risked their lives to grab their son and pull him out of the way. The elder son became angry. “You are hypocrites!” he shouted. “You don’t obey your own rules! Why did you run into the street?”

The older son had only head knowledge. He did not truly understand his parents’ loving motives for their rules. He did not care whether his brother survived or not.

This unlikely story reminds us of situations that happen all the time in church history. Many times, we don’t care whether others spiritually live or not. We only care about having our ego stroked. We care more about being respected and promoting our own ideas and fleshly desires than about saving others’ lives.

Rather than just knowing about God, we must know and experience his love. He wants to know us, as well. "If anyone loves God, he is known by God." (1 Corinthians 8:3). And if we love God, we will surely love our brother, because "whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness." (1 John 2:9).

Christians should grow spiritually and be free from legalistic religion

Today’s church is facing two dangers. One is the spirit of rebellion, which comes from the outside world. When we rebel, we refuse to know anything about God at all.

The other danger is the spirit of legalism and empty religiosity. This spirit claims to know God but distorts his true character. We must not only know about God, but also know and experience his love personally. We must elevate our knowledge of God to a personal knowledge of his love.

I completed my doctoral program with the Randy Clark Scholars program, a joint program by Randy Clark and the United Theological Seminary. Randy Clark took part in the Toronto Blessing, so I had the opportunity to read a lot about this event. One of the accomplishments of the Toronto Blessing was to promote the teaching about the "Father's Love."

Jack Frost is one proponent of this teaching. He used to be a fishing captain and later became a pastor. He was strict with his children and always focused on winning. Since he had never experienced a father’s love since childhood, he didn’t know how to demonstrate fatherly love to his children. During the Toronto Blessing, he experienced the Father’s love. He asked his children for forgiveness and began to care for them with a father’s love. He often testified and shared his experiences in the meetings.

Many who attended the Toronto Blessing meetings were pastors. Because of their lack of knowledge of God’s love, they were all living like the elder son in the parable. Since they always worked for God instead of resting in His love, they were burned out. At the meeting, these pastors were revived through their experience of God’s love. They spread this revival to all parts of the world. After Heidi Baker and her husband were revived, they planted more than 10,000 churches in Mozambique, Africa.

What is God's love? How do we know God's love? The world does not know God’s love because they do not know and accept Jesus Christ. People in the church don't know enough about God's love because they don't allow His life to grow and expand within them. The Lord Jesus said, "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." (Matthew 11:27).

1 Corinthians 8:6 says, "Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." The Word of God gives us knowledge about God, but it is the Spirit of God who makes God’s word real in our lives. Christ is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17) within us, leading us all the way.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 13

The Paradox of Salvation: God's Election and Man's Free Will

One of the big questions that frequently arises in Christian circles is the relationship between God's sovereign election and man's free will. Does God choose who will be saved, or is it determined by our own subjective choice?

God's Election and Man's Subjective Will

Acts 13:48 says, "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed."[1] How can we understand this verse? How do we know who is appointed by God to eternal life? Are we saved by God's election or by our own free will?

One prominent evangelist said that as Christians approach the gates of heaven, they see a sign that reads, “Whoever believes shall have eternal life.” However, after they pass through the door, they turn back and see a sign that says, “You were chosen before the creation of the world.” In other words, before salvation, we make a choice. After salvation, we realize we were chosen.

Before a person is saved, debating election is unhelpful. For an unbeliever, the only message is “believe.” Satan wants us to waste time debating who is “chosen before the creation of the world” and miss the salvation that is right in front of us.

God chooses us first, and then he works to win our hearts. For instance, God chose Isaac's son Jacob, and eventually captured Jacob's heart (despite his resistance). This story demonstrates the importance of God’s unconditional election, despite human resistance. However, our free will also plays a very important role. If we choose to harden our hearts towards God continually, he may allow us to refuse his free gift.

Acts 13 gives a good example of this concept. The false prophet Bar-Jesus was strongly opposing the apostles' words. Acts 13:7 says, "[Bar-Jesus] was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God." Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, rebuked Bar-Jesus. He said that Bar-Jesus would become blind, and he did. Astonished, Sergius Paulus believed in Jesus. Sergius Paulus made a choice to believe.

In Acts 24, we see another person who was interested in Christ. The governor Felix and his Jewish wife Drusilla enjoyed listening to Paul talk about Jesus Christ (Acts 24:24). Felix understood Christianity and was concerned about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment (Acts 24:22, 25). He was counting on Paul to send him money, so he often sent for Paul and conversed with him. But there is no record that he believed. Instead, Felix left Paul in prison to do the Jews a favor (Acts 24:27).

My personal guess is that Felix wasn't saved, while Sergius Paulus was. Why? Did these men make a choice, or did God choose one and not the other? God wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). So in a general sense, God has chosen everyone. But the difference in our hearts—that is, our free will—will bring about completely different results. God does not interfere with our free will.

Are we worthy of God's eternal life? If our heart is willing, we will receive God’s life. For "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9).

Why did the disciples shake the dust off their feet?

Acts 13:51 says, "They shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium." Why shake off the dust?

Some Bible teachers believe that the power of the Holy Spirit could be transmitted through handkerchiefs, water, Peter’s shadow, etc. Similarly, when a believer is in a city that is against God, evil spirits can be transmitted through mediums such as dust. This theory may sound a bit exaggerated.

I believe that they shook the dust off their feet as a prophetic act with spiritual implications. For instance, Moses threw a branch into the water, making it sweet. This was a prophetic act. It was God who made the bitter water sweet, but this prophetic act allowed Moses to demonstrate his faith. Baptism is another example of a prophetic act. Baptism is a physical action that shows our attitude or obedience to Christ. It shows that God is baptizing us into Him. Similarly, when the disciples shook off the dust from their feet, it was a visible external act that prophetically expressed the invisible truth. God had drawn the line. This city was clearly in rebellion against him.

Breaking ungodly soul ties

Shaking the dust off one’s feet is somewhat similar to "breaking ungodly soul ties," a concept taught in the Healing and Deliverance Ministries. This theory teaches that if we have an ungodly extramarital sexual connection with someone or if we watch pornographic videos, we will develop ungodly soul ties with other people and evil spirits. The Bible tells us that when we join ourselves to a prostitute, we become one flesh with the prostitute. But when we join ourselves to the Lord we become one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:16-17). We need to repent, confess our sins, and declare that we are breaking these ties so that the Holy Spirit can help us break free from them. Then we will not be further influenced by the evil spirits entering through these soul ties. If we are not willing to repent, God will not force us to do so. He does not violate our free will. But these ungodly soul ties are the entrance through which the evil spirits continue to attack us.

All who oppose the Lord’s work are participating with evil spirits; these evil spirits want to drag them into hell. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The guilty one is not he who commits the sin in darkness, but the one who causes the darkness." Who is the creator of darkness? Satan, of course. Satan and the evil spirits have designed various methods of deception and temptation. They want to harden and darken people’s hearts, influencing them to reject salvation. We must break free from Satan and the influence of evil spirits. Then we can be saved and choose faith.

Disconnect from Satan and Evil Spirits and Choose Faith

The next two stories in this chapter show us that longing for God brings very different results than living in jealousy and selfishness.

In this chapter, Paul preaches in the synagogue about Jesus' death and resurrection and the history of Israel (Acts 13:13-43). He explicitly states that Jesus, the descendant of David, is the Savior of Israel (Acts 13:23). The Israelites crucified Jesus because they did not know who he was. But God raised Jesus from the dead. The Bible says, “After the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God." (vs. 43) The hearts of these people were open, and they accepted Jesus Christ.

But the next paragraph records the story of some Jews who turned against Paul and Barnabas because of jealousy. The next Sabbath, nearly the whole city came to hear Paul and Barnabas. Verse 45 says, "But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him." Evil spirits took advantage of these men’s jealousy to build strongholds and ungodly links within them. Their hearts began to harden, and they ultimately rejected salvation.

Paul told the people that since they rejected the word of God, he must go to the Gentiles to preach the gospel. He said that God had sent him to be a light for the Gentiles and to bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47). Angered, the Jews "incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district" (Acts 13:50). Both Paul and Barnabas shook off the dust from their feet, left Antioch, and went to Iconium.

This story is consistent with Jesus’ teachings. Jesus told his disciples, "And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” (Matthew 10:11-15).

God gives us free will to test our hearts. He wants to know if we will voluntarily love Him and choose Him. Our heart is important to God. If our heart accepts God, we are worthy of His salvation and will receive His peace. But if our heart does not want God, we are not worthy of His salvation and will be disciplined by Him in the future. Although Satan and the evil spirits have created darkness to deceive us, God has prepared the light of the gospel. The sunlight from on high has visited us, to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:78-79). But if we refuse to be guided by this light, we will remain in darkness.

Conclusion

The question about God's election or man’s free will is addressed by several stories in this chapter. God chose us and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our salvation. But we must also choose him with our own free will. God never forces us to change our hearts. But He hopes that we will choose Him and be worthy of His salvation.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Acts 8

Passing the Torch

Acts 8 marks the transition between Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 7) and the conversion of Saul in Acts 9. It tells the story of the gradual transition from the ministry of the first generation of apostles represented by Peter to the ministry of the second generation of apostles represented by Paul. The stories in chapter 8 intertwine Philip’s ministry with the ministry of the apostles.

This chapter brings up many questions. Why did God perform so many signs and wonders through Philip, yet did not send the Holy Spirit until Peter and John were present? Why couldn’t Philip bestow the Holy Spirit? Why did Philip preach the gospel to the eunuch only after the Holy Spirit’s arrival? When Paul was baptized in Acts 9, was he filled with the Holy Spirit at that time?

I believe these intertwined stories pave the way for Paul’s appearance. In other words, Philip and Stephen are evangelists, and their anointing is passed on to Paul; Peter and John are apostles, and their anointing is also passed on to Paul. Paul is the culmination of the ministry of Philip and Stephen, as well as Peter and John. Paul was both an evangelist and an apostle.

Stephen's martyrdom led to Paul's conversion

At the end of Acts 7, we learn that Stephen was martyred. As he was dying, he saw the heavens open, and the Lord Jesus standing at God the Father’s right hand. At the time of his martyrdom, Stephen prayed for those who persecuted him, asking God the Father to forgive them because they did not know what they were doing.

Paul supported this senseless murder, and he personally witnessed Stephen’s martyrdom. He even guarded the clothes of the Israelites who killed Stephen. We believe that Paul was shocked by Stephen’s testimony and that this event laid the foundation for the great changes that occurred in Paul after the Lord Jesus appeared to him. The blood of the martyrs is the best testimony.

The sharp contrast between Stephen and Paul continues in Acts 8. Although Stephen was dead, the persecution did not stop. Paul continued to persecute the church: "But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison."[1] (Acts 8:3) The believers from Jerusalem who had been scattered continued to preach the gospel wherever they went.

It is in this context that the story of Philip preaching the gospel is introduced. Both Philip and Stephen were deacons chosen by the apostles to serve meals to widows. Both of them were "men full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (Acts 6:3). Stephen is mentioned in Acts 6 as "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5) and "full of grace and power, doing great wonders and signs among the people" (Acts 6:8). And the description of Philip listed in chapter 7 is very similar - Philip also performed many signs and great miracles (Acts 8:13). Both Stephen and Philip were powerful evangelists whose words were accompanied by signs, wonders and miracles. They had a very similar anointing from God.

Philip's story is not only a continuation of Stephen's legacy, but it led to Paul’s appearance. Paul was a vessel specially prepared by God. As Paul gradually entered the stage and became the main character in the book of Acts, the anointing of evangelists such as Stephen and Philip would be passed on to him. Although the Holy Spirit uses different people at different times, the anointing within is the same and it continues.

The interaction between Simon, Philip, and the apostles

People were amazed by the signs and miracles Philip performed when he was preaching the gospel in Samaria. Simon, a local sorcerer, had often amazed people because of his magic. Even so, he was amazed by Philip’s miracles. He not only believed in Christ but was also baptized. At this point, the story of Philip’s evangelistic ministry ends (verse 13). In verse 14-25, the text records that the apostles Peter and John came to Samaria to lay their hands on the believers and pray. When they did, the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. This amazed Simon more. Simon wanted to purchase this ability to lay hands on people and bestow the Holy Spirit.

When I was reading the Bible, there was one thing that confused me. Why wasn’t Philip able to bestow the gift of the Holy Spirit while he was preaching the gospel in Samaria? In modern charismatic churches, many gifted evangelists can lead people to pray and receive the Holy Spirit. Why didn’t Philip do it here? Why did he wait until Peter and John came before bringing down the Holy Spirit?

In short, I believe these early leaders in the church possessed two different gifts. One is the gift of evangelism, represented by Stephen and Philip, which was to be passed on to Paul. The other was the gift of apostleship, represented by Peter and John, which would also be passed on to Paul. Although these gifts intertwine, I believe that God allows the gifts to complement each other. Though Philip technically had the power to lay hands on people and bestow the Holy Spirit, it wasn’t his role. After all, evangelists and apostles are not the same. They are two distinct gifts mentioned in the Bible. Paul said, "He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers" (Ephesians 4:11). Both of these gifts would be passed on to Paul. Philip’s choice paved the way for Paul’s appearance.

Did Simon receive the Holy Spirit?

Philip preached the gospel and the apostles bestowed the Holy Spirit. They were greatly used by God and were the channel of His blessing. On the other hand, Simon and the eunuch were the channels to receive this blessing.

Simon, a sorcerer from Samaria, had amazed people for a long time with his magic (Acts 8:10-11). Simon followed Philip and was amazed by his signs and miracles (Acts 8:13). Because Philip performed many signs and wonders, Simon believed and was baptized.

Yet Simon was still trapped by evil. On the one hand, the power of Philip's evangelism brought him out of the darkness and into the light. However, he was not completely set free. When he offered to buy God’s gift with money, the apostles told him his heart was not right with God (Acts 8:21).

Being anointed by God breaks our yoke of oppression and our shackles of slavery. Isaiah 10:27 says, "And in that day his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck; and the yoke will be broken because of the fat." The last sentence "the yoke will be broken because of the fat" is often translated as "destroyed because of the anointing oil". The Lord Jesus quoted Isaiah in Luke 4. He said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19) God’s anointing sets the oppressed free.

The apostles urged Simon to repent so he would not be disciplined by God. Simon did pray, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me." (Acts 8:24). The Bible does not record what happened next. Did the apostles pray for him? Did he receive the power of the Holy Spirit? According to some historical records, Simon still practiced sorcery later on. However, no one knows whether these records are reliable. Simon's last recorded words were a request that the apostles pray for him, which demonstrates humility. Perhaps God did forgive him. I personally hope that Simon received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but we won’t find out until we get to heaven.

Acts 8:25 says, "Now when the apostles had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans." After preaching the Lord’s words, the apostles went back to Jerusalem. God's intention was for the gospel to spread from Jerusalem to all of Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). But the apostles seemed unable to leave Jerusalem, either geographically or conceptually. They still divided people into groups: Jew and Gentile.

God needed to perform an intervention. The Holy Spirit led Philip to preach the gospel to the eunuch from Africa so that the gospel could be preached to the Gentiles. Notice that God’s call to Philip was the same as God’s call to Paul. When the Lord appeared to Paul, He clearly said to him, "Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me." (Acts 22:18); "Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles." (Acts 22:21). This story of Philip's evangelism paves the way for Paul's appearance.

Philip preaches the gospel to the eunuch

Beginning in Acts 9, the ministries of Peter and Paul became intertwined. Peter's ministry represented the first generation of apostles, while Paul's ministry represented the second generation of apostles. The story of Philip recorded in Acts 8 concludes the story of evangelists like Stephen and Philip. Although Acts 21 briefly mentions Philip, the account focuses primarily on Paul's ministry.

As I mentioned earlier, the Jerusalem apostles went to Samaria for a time, and then returned to Jerusalem. They found it difficult to leave Jerusalem. Acts 8:1 says, "On that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." The apostles had seen God's work and His signs and wonders in Samaria. So why didn't they leave Jerusalem and preach the gospel to Gentile lands? This question is worth pondering.

Just like the apostles found it difficult to break free from Jerusalem, we often find it difficult to break through geographical limitations and limiting mindsets. When we become leaders, we often unknowingly protect our own interests and traditions. It is difficult for us to accept God’s new leading. Therefore, God often raises up new people or ordinary people to bring in His new movement.

In this chapter, Philip is open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The angel said to him, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (Acts 8:26). Philip left the beaten track, followed the leading of the Holy Spirit, and went to a place along the wilderness road from Jerusalem to Gaza. There he met a eunuch who had just gone back to Ethiopia after worshipping in Jerusalem. Verse 29 specifically mentions, "the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and join this chariot.’” This eunuch may have been a Jew living in a Gentile land, or a Gentile longing for God. We have no way of knowing because the Bible does not say. But Philip following the leading of the Holy Spirit, indirectly introduced the gospel to Africa. This story confirms that the book of Acts could be aptly named “The Acts of the Holy Spirit,” because it records the work of the Holy Spirit.

But the work of the Holy Spirit requires us to cooperate with Him. And we have free will. We can choose to cooperate with the Holy Spirit or resist him. So to a certain extent, the characters in the Bible can be divided into two types - those who resist the Holy Spirit and those who obey him. May we all obey the Holy Spirit and be greatly used by the Lord.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Exodus 1

The Faith of the Midwives

The book of Exodus contains many powerful examples of faith. The story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt demonstrates God’s power and Moses’ faith.

Hebrews 11 says that Moses lived by faith throughout his life. He refused to obey the king's edict and was willing to suffer affliction with his people. Moses left the royal family because he glimpsed the glory of Christ and was willing to suffer for the glory to come. God counted his obedience as his faith.

In the same chapter, we see that Moses' parents also demonstrated faith. They hid Moses for three months, valuing his life above their own safety and well-being. Their action was motivated by trust in God.

Although they were not listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11, the midwives who saved the Hebrew babies are examples of faith. In Exodus 1, these midwives paved the way for Moses' appearance and his faith. Their faith provided a powerful example for Moses’ parents, and then Moses, to follow.

In the same way, we need to have faith in God. In today’s article, we will learn who these midwives were and how their faith paved the way for the salvation of all of Israel. We will also learn how to apply these lessons of faith and courage to the political challenges faced by today’s Chinese Christians.

Who were the midwives?

Who were the midwives mentioned in Exodus 1:15? Were they Egyptian or Hebrew?

Although we don’t know for sure, I believe they were Hebrews. The ruling strategy of the Egyptian Pharaohs was to use the insiders in the political system to control the outsiders who were not in the political system. As such, these midwives may have held a powerful position. They may have received their wages from Egyptian Pharaohs or from people who had status and authority in Egypt. As insiders, they may have faced intense pressures.

The midwives must have asked themselves, “Should we protect our own interests within the system? Or should we obey and fear God?” These were difficult questions, but the midwives had the right answer. They chose to fear God over Pharaoh. As a result, God gave them families and greatly blessed them.

Satan will use ethnic conflict in any way he can. He only wants to achieve domination. Pharoah first commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill the Israelite boys. When this didn’t work, he asked the Egyptians to throw the male babies in the river. However, we must stay true to our faith in God. I encourage Chinese insiders, especially Christians within the system, to trust and fear in God more than in the government. Like the Hebrew midwives, take a stand for truth. One way Chinese Christians can do this is by joining the Whistleblower Movement.

Fellow Fighters of the Whistleblower Movement

The "Whistleblower Movement” is a democracy movement led by Miles Guo, a wealthy Chinese exiled to the United States. Their goal is to overthrow the Communist Party and establish a democratic China. Under his leadership, "The New Federal State of China" was established on June 4, 2020.

Originally, I had absolutely nothing to do with this movement, but my wife began following it in 2020. I was very confused about this movement, so I prayed diligently for God’s wisdom. God began to guide me through various dreams, letting me know that the movement came from Him. He told me through a dream that China's democratization and evangelization are closely related. At first, I only knew that God had called me to preach the gospel to Chinese people. I never planned to participate in a democracy movement. But in a dream, God revealed to me that China's democratization will establish a platform (including media platforms) that will help us spread the gospel. At the same time, the Chinese evangelization movement will advance the process of China's democratization and achieve final victory.

In another dream, I was taken into the future. After the success of the Chinese democracy movement, these democrats came to thank me, saying that my gospel message and the books I wrote helped the democracy movement achieve final victory. In March 2020, I had a prophetic vision in which a great revival came to China. In the vision, angels bound the evil spirit behind the Chinese Communist Party. The evil spirit was the same size as a dolphin and was wrapped in a green military uniform. These prophetic dreams and visions showed me that God's intention is to democratize and evangelize China. And God's will for me personally is to participate in this movement and to spread the gospel to Chinese people through this movement.

I won't go into detail about this experience. I'll tell you more about it in a separate article. After a series of events, we finally joined the movement's branch office in Washington, DC, in early 2021. At this time, I found out that a lot of Christians were already involved in this movement. A Christian Bible meeting was already being held in its Washington branch. These Chinese Christians got together to study the Bible together and pray for the participants of this movement. After gathering with them for some time, we felt that we should Livestream the content of our Bible studies to help more Chinese Whistleblower members understand the Bible and Christian beliefs. So, we chose Exodus, a book that tells the story of how the Israelites came out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses.

No picture can better describe the current situation in China. The prophetic appearances of the Lord Jesus, as well as the prophetic words that some prophets gave me, have helped me clearly understand that "the 21st century is the century where China is evangelized." We have the opportunity to be involved in one of the greatest exoduses we’ve ever had in our thousands of years of Chinese history. Not only Pharaoh (the dictatorship of the Communist Party) will be overthrown, but many Chinese people will be freed from Satan's slavery and walk in the light instead of darkness.

In today’s Bible study, I am sharing the inspiration that I received during the Whistleblower Bible studies. At each meeting, many brothers and sisters shared their insights, and the meeting lasts about an hour and a half. In this article, I am recording the inspiration I have received from the Holy Spirit during the meetings. At each meeting, I hope to record the inspirations that the Holy Spirit gives me, so I can disseminate the message through both text and video. I want to help as many people as I can.

The Midwives' Faith was a Prelude to Moses' Faith

Hebrews 11:23-27 records the story of Moses’ faith and his parents' faith. These verses say: "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible."[1]

This passage describes the faith of Moses and his parents. It is included in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. As mentioned above, the midwives are not mentioned in this chapter. However. I believe that the midwives’ faith paved the way for the entire book of Exodus.

Exodus is the story of how the Israelites came out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses. This is a story of faith. The very first people who exercised faith in the book of Exodus were the midwives. They were not afraid of Pharaoh. They saved the life of the Israelite boys, in direct opposition to the king’s command. They provided an example of faith for Moses. In a spiritual sense, midwives' faith actually paved the way for the faith of Moses.

The story of the midwives in Exodus 1 points to the theme of the entire book of Exodus - faith. It was God who led the people out of Egypt, but the Israelites’ faith was also very important. Some theologians speculate that not all the Israelites came out of Egypt, but only those who believed in Moses and God. This is of course speculation. But in the New Testament, it is clear that if we do not have faith, we will not receive God’s salvation. To be delivered from our own slavery and oppression, we need to exercise faith in God. God's salvation has been freely given to us in Christ through the finished work of Jesus on the cross. But we must receive this salvation by our faith. Our faith is very important.

In addition to faith, it’s important to recognize the behavior or works that result from faith. If the midwives had claimed to have faith but failed to protect the Israelite boys, it would be hard to tell they really trusted God. James 2:24 says, "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." James also says that Abraham's faith was shown through his sacrifice of Isaac, and Rahab’s trust was manifested when she welcomed the spies. If we say we have faith, but do not act on it, it is very difficult for us to please God.

Satan's Tool of Enslavement: Insiders

In Egypt, the Israelites were a minority. Authoritarians gain control over minorities by winning over a few people into the system, giving them some benefits, and using them as tools to enslave other minority people. “Insider” is a term used in China to describe those who work in the government or in government-sponsored organizations. I am guessing that the midwives were insiders.

The Bible only mentions two midwives, and the Israelites probably had a population of 2-3 million when they came out of Egypt. It would have been impossible for two midwives to deliver all the Israelites. So, it is more likely that these two midwives were the officials that were responsible for all the Israelite midwives. They were the ones who made the policies regarding Israelite births. They may have received salaries from the Egyptian pharaohs and gained considerable status. This is why I call them "insiders.” One of the ways Satan tries to enslave us is by using “insiders” to gain access.

But instead of accepting such temptation or fearing Pharaoh, the midwives feared God. The midwives didn't obey Pharoah. They didn’t kill the Hebrew boys. This must have made Pharoah unhappy. The Bible says that God greatly blessed the midwives, but it does not tell us whether Pharaoh persecuted them. It is easy to imagine that they may have been persecuted by Pharaoh. Perhaps Pharoah cut off their money, removed the benefits of the system, or no longer allowed them to hold their positions of importance. None of these are recorded in the Bible, but my speculation makes sense. God gave these midwives families because they feared Him. They may have lost the external rewards from Pharaoh, but God blessed them greatly.

Many Christians in China work within the system. If they face the same situation as the midwives, will they be able to make the same choice? If I am involved in a similar system, will I choose faith? Honestly, such a choice is not easy. But the midwives set a good example for us. They trusted God without fearing Pharaoh. They weren’t afraid of losing their benefits within the system.

In the same way, we must remember that not even a sparrow will fall on the ground without God's permission. We must trust in God. In the process of resisting authoritarianism and achieving China's democratization, Chinese Christians working within the system as insiders must learn from the example of these two Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah.

Satan’s Second Tool of Enslavement: Ethnic Conflict

When Pharaoh found out that his first attempt to murder the Israelite boys had failed, he ordered the Egyptians, who did not know God, to persecute God's chosen people. The last verse of this chapter says, “Pharaoh commanded all his people, ‘Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.’” (Exodus 1:22). In effect, Pharaoh said to the Egyptians, “Look, all the problems of our country come from the Israelites. They’ve occupied our best land, the land of Goshen, which is rich in water and vegetation. They also raise cattle and sheep, which is an abomination to us Egyptians (Genesis 46:34). They even offer sacrifices to their God, Jehovah. Jehovah is not our God. They do not worship Egyptian gods.”

Ethnic conflict is very easy to stir up. It is a tool often used by tyrannical rulers or interest groups. We are created in the image of God. Jesus taught us to love one another. Therefore, all political groups that use ethnic conflicts to achieve their own political goals are servants of Satan. They do it for their own benefit. Their willingness to serve Satan is used to enslave others. Satan uses this method, which is using some people to enslave other people.

Not only is ethnic or racial conflict used by the enemy to enslave people, but Satan also uses greed to enslave others. In Exodus, Pharoah’s greed forced him to try to exterminate the Israelites. He first instigated slave labor, making the Israelites build two store cities for Pharaoh (Exodus 1:11). They had to make mortar and brick and do all kinds of work (Exodus 1:14). But they were still growing in number. Pharoah felt that his power and finances were being threatened, so he decided to kill all the boys.

Through many different tactics, Satan persecutes believers and drives them into a corner. When Chinese people are cornered, they often say, "Do you want me to die?" Under such persecution, many people feel they have nowhere to turn. They are driven to the point of despair. Isn't this the situation in today's society?

Moses’ Arrival

In difficult situations of persecution, it is inevitable that people start to feel discouraged. When they encountered difficulties, they appeal to God. But just like the Israelites, they feel that God is silent. They think that God is not listening to their prayers. But just like God was working behind the scenes to bring a deliverer for Israel, God is working behind the scenes to help and encourage every persecuted believer today.

Although the Lord clearly told Abraham in Genesis 15 that his descendants would be in slavery in Egypt for 400 years, many Israelites were unaware of God's promise to Abraham. After 400 years of not hearing from Him, they thought they had been abandoned. Yet all this time, God was quietly preparing a deliverer, Moses.

When the Lord appeared to Moses in Exodus 3:7, He said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings." It’s not that God did not know the pain of the Israelites. It just wasn’t time yet. When the time came, Moses realized that it was God's plan for him to become a shepherd in the wilderness. There, God trained him for the job of leading the Israelites out of Egypt.

Similarly, in this world full of suffering, many Chinese people have lost hope. They think that God has abandoned them. But on the contrary, God is working behind the scenes. In God’s time, salvation will come to China. The Holy Spirit clearly told me that a great revival will come to China and that at least 100 million people will be saved. In another dream, I was taken to heaven and saw many saints in heaven having a meeting to discuss the great revival in China. My hostess told me that this great revival would be unlike anything she ever saw while still on earth.

I believe that a great revival will come to China, and countless Chinese people will be freed from Egyptian slavery, be delivered from darkness, and begin to walk in the light. Every one of us Christians can participate in the call to be like Moses. God wants us to collectively participate in bringing deliverance to China. How glorious it is to have the opportunity to cooperate with God to lead countless Chinese people "out of Egypt.” Stay tuned for more Bible studies from Exodus. I will continue to share the contents of our Bible studies through writing and videos.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Revelation 18

Babylon the Great

Revelation 18 talks about Babylon the Great, an evil system established by various evil spirits and sinners under the hands of Satan, the beast, and the false prophets.

What is the fall of Babylon the Great? Over the ages, this question has led to many arguments and much confusion. I believe that Babylon the Great is a system jointly established by the evil spirits and sinful people under the influence of Satan, beasts, and false prophets.

Why did I say so? I believe that when reading the book of Revelation, we should read the ending before the beginning. Revelation 21-22 mentions the New Jerusalem (new heaven and earth). In Revelation 20, Satan was finally cast into the lake of fire (20:10), after he incited Gog and Magog to rebel (20:8). Satan was locked in the bottomless pit for a thousand years, unable to escape (20:2-7). Before the end of Revelation 19, the beast and the false prophet were thrown into the lake of fire (19:20), along with the kings and armies who they deceived into waging war at Armageddon (19:11-18).

Rebellious spirits always work together with rebellious people. The beast and the false prophet work together with kings and their armies. Their opponents are the riders on white horses, who are Jesus’ soldiers, the victorious bride of Christ. Continuing to work backward from the end of Revelation, we read about the marriage between Jesus Christ and His bride (19:7-9). Before this, we read about the heavenly celebration of the judgment of the great prostitute (19:1-3).

Who is this great prostitute, Babylon the Great? We need to approach this question from two aspects. Two forces work against the Bride of Christ (the church): evil people who do not belong to God, and evil spirits. At the end of Revelation, God deals with Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. Earlier, he deals with the various evil spirits who are the servants under these leaders. (The leaders are Satan, the beast, and the false prophet, a counterfeit Trinity).

Reading Revelation in chronological order reminds us of cutting down a big tree. You must first cut off the luxuriant leaves and branches, and then cut down the trunk and roots, one step at a time. Therefore, whether we start our reasoning from the beginning or the end of the book of Revelation, Babylon the Great must be a web or system of evil spirits and evil people working together with these evil spirits. This evil system is like the branches and leaves of a big tree. The branches must be cut down first, before cutting down the trunk (the beast and the false prophet), and finally the root (Satan). Thus, Babylon the Great is an evil system and web built by various evil spirits and sinful people under Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. It’s like a spider web of evil that has killed prophets, saints, and martyrs throughout the ages. It’s a prostitute who constantly lures people into committing sin and idolatry.

Is Roman Catholicism Babylon the Great?

From this illumination, it seems that Christian scholars’ belief that Roman Catholicism is Babylon the Great is inadequate. John used pictorial language when he wrote the Book of Revelation. We must spiritually understand these images. Many of John's statements in Revelation 17 seem to suggest that the prostitute is Roman Catholicism. For instance, the seven mountains mentioned in 17:9 seem to indicate Rome, which was built on seven hills. Protestant exegetical writings are full of these allusions.

Perhaps the Catholic Church is a part of this metaphorical prostitute, but I believe that the prostitute itself is much bigger than Roman Catholicism. Not only will the Catholic Church fall, but other churches will also fall. In addition to the fall of the church, our political and economic systems will also crumble. These fallen systems are a united system established by evil spirits. Evil spirits take advantage of our sinfulness to establish these systems. They also take advantage of fallen systems such as politics, economics, and religion. They organize these factors into a big net, killing God’s prophets and chosen people, and trapping the world, like a spider in a web. (A prostitute also similarly entraps passersby.) This web entraps people in sin.

I call this system the “Evil Spirit-Man.” I coined this term to express the collaboration between evil spirits and people. This union exists not only in the field of religion but in all areas of life. The kings of the earth committed adultery with the prostitute in order to gain power. For example, the leaders of many countries are superstitious, consulting mediums and false gods in hopes of gaining power. Even people in Hollywood have resorted to worshiping Satan in order to gain power and become famous. There are numerous reports of this on the Internet.

Babylon the Great is the lair of the evil spirits

Revelation 18:2 says, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird."[1] Babylon the Great is the lair of demons, of every unclean spirit, and of every unclean and detestable bird. The detestable birds must refer to the evil spirits in the air.

Let’s look at another passage that mentions birds in a metaphorical sense. Daniel 4 records the second dream of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Daniel warned King Nebuchadnezzar about this dream, "Break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity." (Daniel 4:27). But Nebuchadnezzar did not heed Daniel's advice. His heart became arrogant, so he was driven away from civilization to eat grass like an ox for 7 periods of time. Later, King Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses and praised God.

His dream was a warning dream from God. This dream mentioned one detail, "Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it." (Daniel 4:12). In verse 22, Daniel explained that this tree was King Nebuchadnezzar. And because of his power, he was like a big tree, with birds living in its branches. The birds here provide clarity about the birds in Revelation 18:2. Both are referring to the evil spirits. In other words, because King Nebuchadnezzar was arrogant, he worshipped idols and evil spirits and became their tool. Instead of giving glory to God, he lived in pride. Therefore, God commanded, "Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches." (Daniel 4:14) The beasts and birds mentioned here must be referring to evil spirits.

The Lord Jesus told the parable of the mustard seed. He said, "This is the smallest of the hundred seeds, but when it grew up, it became larger than the others, and became a tree, so that the birds of the sky came to perch on its branches." (Matthew 13:32). People have different interpretations of this passage. Some believe that the mustard seed represents our faith. Others believe that this parable represents the changing nature of the church. Even the birds (evil spirits) come to live among its branches.

Here is an illustration of this concept. After the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as the state religion, many false believers joined the church and Catholicism mushroomed into a huge, spreading tree. Even the birds (evil spirits) came to live among its branches. But the true church continued to be persecuted. Keeping in mind Revelation 18 and Daniel 4, I think it is more acceptable to interpret the birds in the parable as evil spirits. The Lord Jesus' parable of the mustard seed may have signaled a change in the church’s nature as it morphed into a combination of evil spirits and a sinful religious system. This evil religious system is of course only part of Babylon the Great.

The evil spirits are weaving webs at all places and in all realms

We know that one-third of the angels followed Satan and rebelled against God. These evil spirits are not idle. They are busy. They each have different hierarchies. They govern different regions or areas. For example, Daniel 10 tells us that the prince of the kingdom of Persia hindered the angel from delivering a message to Daniel for 21 days. Only after the angel Michael came to help him was he able to reach Daniel. From this verse, we can see that there may be powerful evil spirits that rule a certain area. They may also manage other subordinate spirits. Even if we do not know about them, there are evil spirits in various regions: the United States, China, Africa, Japan, etc. There may be higher-ranking spirits that govern other evil spirits in a certain area.

In addition to evil spirits in different regions, there may be different kinds of evil spirits in different areas of life. For example, the false god Baal may be animated by a spirit of immorality. Hosea specifically compares faithless Israel to a prostitute and God compares Himself to a husband. Hosea 2:16 says, "And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal’." This passage seems to indicate that Baal may be a spirit of immorality who deceives Israel, God's wife. Other evil spirits may be especially involved in child sacrifice. For example, the Bible says that the Israelites must not follow the sin of the Canaanites, who burn their sons and daughters in the fire and give them to Molech. (Deuteronomy 12:31, Leviticus 20:2). Similarly, there may be evil spirits who encourage families to resort to abortion. Within Satanism and many other cults, child sacrifice is rampant. There may also be a Jezebel spirit, a false prophet-like spirit who specifically kills and persecutes true prophets.

These evil spirits use people's sins to weave a huge web. Evil spirits use evil people to infiltrate politics (for example, Jesus called Herod a fox), religion (Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism), and other areas of life. In this way, they kill prophets. In addition to using Islam, Buddhism, and other religions to stop people from knowing the true Savior, they also use the economy, culture, and educational systems to enslave people. Even our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified by an alliance between the evil Roman Empire and fallen Judaism. It may seem like Paul and other religious figures in Judaism were the ones who killed Stephen, but their actions were motivated by evil spirits working in and through them. No wonder Stephen prayed for the Israelites who killed him, saying they didn't know what they were doing.

These evil spirits obey Satan. The Lord Jesus said that Satan has been a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44). Satan, the dragon, gave his authority to the beast (Revelation 13:4), and the beast gave authority to the false prophet (another beast, Revelation 13:11). Babylon the Great, which is a union between evil spirits and evil people, is a prostitute that seeks to seduce people away from marriage with Christ. The Prostitute is a counterfeit Bride of Christ.

The church will judge angels

Paul said that the mission of the church and our mission as Christians is "to judge angels" (1 Corinthians 6:3). As we’ve mentioned, Babylon the Great is a prostitute, the counterfeit Bride of Christ. She unites with evil spirits like pimps unite with prostitutes. This union creates an "Evil Spirit-Man", which corresponds to the God-Man. The evil angels and sinners will be judged in one fell swoop by the Lord Jesus Christ (the bridegroom) and His bride (the body of Christ).

God wants us to repent and break our association with evil spirits so that we are not judged along with them. We must repent of being used by evil spirits. For example, the Apostle Paul left his slavery to evil spirits. People who do not repent will be thrown into the lake of fire prepared for Satan and the evil spirits (Revelation 20:11-15).

We are not sure if we are now in the last days - the time when God will get rid of all evil spirits from Babylon the Great. But we may be very close to that moment. God may be starting to remove the power of evil spirits from all areas of life. Darkness seems to prevail, but this is simply evidence of the madness and fear of the evil spirits who know they are about to be destroyed. They are launching a great attack on God and His chosen people.

Before God finally judges Babylon the Great, His children must be called out of the various segments and systems which comprise Babylon the Great. Revelation 18:4 says, "Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.” The word “her” refers to the system that controls us. We cannot comprehend it entirely from the material realm. It doesn’t mean that Christians living in Rome should move out. Or that those who work on Wall Street in New York should not go to work. Rather, it means that we must clear out the sins that make us a part of Babylon the Great. We must reflect on whether there is idolatry or love for the world within us. If there is, we are in the Babylonian system. We must cleanse ourselves, deal with our sins, and return to our first love of God. In this way, we free ourselves from Babylon the Great. If you work on Wall Street, but your heart is loyal to the Lord, you are not part of Babylon the Great. But if not, you may be part of it.

Chapter 18, verses 5-10 describe God's judgment on Babylon the Great. Verses 11-19 describe people wailing over the judgment of Babylon the Great. The apostle John said, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15). Many of us love the world and the things in it. We know how hard it is to overcome the world. It is very painful to give up the world. That is why people wail (verses 11-19). Verse 11 says, "The merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore". The word "cargo" includes all kinds of items and even human souls (verse 13). Even human souls can be sold. Imagine how many Hollywood stars have not only sold their bodies, but have even signed contracts with Satan in order to become famous?

Verse 20 describes saints, apostles, and prophets rejoicing because God has avenged them. This verse indicates that religious Babylon may have been a very important part of the Babylonian system, since it killed many saints, apostles, and prophets throughout the ages.

Verse 21 says that the angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying that Babylon the Great would also be thrown down the same way. Verse 23 says, "And the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery." Babylon the Great had deceived many people. But God would no longer allow them to deceive anyone.

Today, God is judging Babylon the Great and calling His children out

May you have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying today through Revelation 18. As children of God, we should free ourselves from Babylon the Great, from idolatry, and from the things of the world. We should completely free ourselves from these systems and their influence on us. God is calling us to be a part of His bride. We are destined to reign with Christ, as well judge angels and evil men. If you become part of Babylon the Great, you will face nothing but destruction. Don't love the world or money. If you spend your whole life working only for money and the world, you are building a part of Babylon the Great.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - 1 Corinthians 13

Do sign gifts still exist? Has the gift of prophecy come to an end? The chapter says that gifts of prophecy and knowledge are partial. Love reigns supreme. But does this mean that prophecy and knowledge can be completely discarded?

These are questions that come to mind when we read 1 Corinthians 13. Although the chapter is a popular wedding chapter focusing on love, it is also frequently cited to defend the cessation of the sign gifts. Paul introduces his definition of love by talking about the miraculous gifts of tongues prophecy, knowledge, and faith (vs 1-2). Many Christians wonder if these less-important gifts still exist, or if they have been superseded by love. That is what we will explore today.

Will the gift of prophecy come to an end?

The “love chapter” begins by demonstrating the emptiness of prophecy, knowledge, and sacrifice. “And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2) Many Christians believe that these verses downplay miraculous gifts. Some go so far as to say that these gifts have ceased completely.

A friend argued with me that signs and wonders no longer exist. He said that the miraculous gifts in the Bible are just like road signs. A road sign is helpful while we are traveling. But once we reach our destination, the sign is no longer needed. In the same way, he said, miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit point to the fact that Jesus Christ is God and the Bible is God's word. However, after the Bible was completed, the miraculous sign gifts were no longer needed. Once we reach the destination, the road signs are no longer necessary. He reasoned that signs and wonders no longer exist in the church today.

The logic of this argument seems to make sense, but it is a misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:10. My friend believes that the word “perfect” refers to Jesus’ finished work on the cross, as well as the completion of the Bible. However, this interpretation does not fit with the message of the chapter. Instead, the word "perfect" refers to full spiritual maturity. The following verse says, "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." Clearly, the word "perfect" refers to full-grown adulthood. And what is one of the biggest signs of our maturity? From my understanding, it’s "love". This is why Paul said that whether we speak in tongues, prophesy, or have knowledge and faith, we are useless without love. Paul is saying that we should not pursue spiritual gifts at the expense of achieving spiritual maturity and love.

Spiritual gifts such as prophecy are tools. Its goal is love.

I believe that prophecy and other miraculous gifts are like tools. By itself, a hammer is useless. But used correctly, it will help us pursue our goal: creating something new. In the same way, miraculous gifts are empty on their own. Without love, our gifts of tongues, prophecy, knowledge, or faith are useless. But in skilled hands, these tools can be used to pursue our goal: love.

We should not exalt the tool and neglect our goal of love. But neither should we discard the tools just because someone is overusing them. Instead, we should focus on the correct use of the tools which will help us achieve the goal of love.

Love is critically important. It is wrong to neglect love and pursue only the gifts of tongues, prophecy, and knowledge. But it is also wrong to be against spiritual gifts. True, Paul criticized the Corinthian believers for seeking gifts at the expense of love. But this does not mean that the spiritual gifts are useless. After wrapping up his discussion of love in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul goes on in 1 Corinthians 14:1, "Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy."[1] Clearly, Paul did not think that the gift of prophecy would come to an end because of one’s pursuit of love.

After encouraging believers to pursue love, the most important of all virtues (chapter 13), Paul also exhorts the Corinthian believers to pursue spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. Why? Because both are important. Paul doesn’t want believers to neglect love just to pursue spiritual gifts. But he also does not want people to oppose these gifts just for the sake of opposing. He actively encourages believers to pursue and develop their gifts, while also pursuing the goal of love. If believers do not make good use of their gifts, it is difficult to achieve love.

Throughout the ages, many Christians and Jews have fallen into two opposite but equally harmful errors. On the one hand, some people exalt the tools and neglect the goal of love. The Lord Jesus spoke frequently about this problem. For example, the Pharisees were unwilling to provide for their parents since they were paying their tithes faithfully. Mark 7:11-13, Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees: "But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God) then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do." (Mark 7:13).

The Lord Jesus rebuked the Pharisees another time as well: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Matthew 23:23). Tithing and giving gifts to God are certainly required by God. But it is only a tool. God wants us to use the tool to bring about the goal, which is love. If we omit love, we have completely missed the point of God’s command.

Keeping the law is just a tool. The purpose is love. God wanted the Israelites to keep the law so they could be better equipped to love God and others—not just for the sake of following rules. For this reason, when the lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest commandment in the law, Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40). Keeping the law is not the goal. It’s just a means to help us love God and others better. But if we don’t love God and others, and just keep the law for the sake of keeping it, we’ve got our priorities wrong.

Now, let’s look at the opposite mistake. Because legalists misuse these tools, Christians may start to oppose them completely. They may swing to the opposite extreme and completely abandon rules. Since tithing was abused by the Pharisees and some people in the modern church, other believers began to oppose tithing and the church's call for people to give money. But when the Lord Jesus criticized the Pharisees, He told them the solution was to tithe and love, not to abandon tithing altogether. He said, "These (tithing and giving) you ought to have done, without neglecting the others." (Matthew 23:23).

When someone abuses a tool or a gift, we shouldn't deny these tools or gifts altogether, simply because they’ve been misused. Even the Lord Jesus said, "So do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice." (Matthew 23:3). Clearly, Jesus did not disagree with the teachings of the Pharisees. Although the Pharisees strayed from the goal and exalted the means over the end, the Lord Jesus did not deny the means or tools altogether.

Using Strategic Tools in Furthering our Goal—Love

The misuse of tools (the means to an end) often leads to a lack of love. This is a tactic the enemy has used throughout the ages to interfere with God's plans. Satan uses distractions to keep God’s chosen people from pursuing the goal of love.

Love is our strategic goal. And the use of spiritual gifts is a tactic we use to reach the goal. We must be strategically situated. The act of carrying out our strategy must never interfere with the goal itself. If we realize our plan of action is working against our overarching goal, it’s time to change strategies!

Just like in times of war, the use of tactics must be subject to the overall strategic arrangement. If the use of a particular tactic interferes with the overall strategic goal, the commander-in-chief will interfere or stop the use of this tactic. But that doesn't mean that the tactic itself is wrong. Perhaps it was just applied at the wrong time and place. Therefore, it interfered with the strategic goal.

When we use our spiritual gifts, we must understand that they are part of our overarching strategy. They are one tactic we can use to reach the goal—loving God and others. Matthew 22:37-40 says, ““You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

When some believers in the Corinthian church exalted spiritual gifts over the goal of love, they neglected the strategic goal. Paul said that we know in part, and we prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). Then he says in verse 10, “When the perfect comes, the partial will pass away." Paul is discussing the difference between a strategic goal and a tactic. When the goal has been accomplished, we no longer need the specific tactic. Paul is not against the use of specific tactics. Rather, he is calling on the Corinthian believers to use these tactics in conjunction with their unified strategic goal.

Paul says in verse 11, "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." Paul is saying that if the Corinthian believers exalted spiritual gifts above love, which was the goal of the whole strategic operation, they were acting childish and fleshly. Why? Because they only acknowledged one part of the big picture.

In the same way, church traditions are means to an end. We need to learn from our predecessors and pass on the excellent traditions they started. But we should not rigidly adhere to stereotypes until we become controlled by their traditions rather than by love. Our goal is to serve God better. Learning and inheriting traditions are just a means. We cannot allow means and tools to overshadow our overarching goal.

This is where many churches are deceived by the enemy. They fail to see the overall goal of God because they are bound by past traditions, teachings, and habits. This same problem causes division in churches. We must become spiritually mature. We must get rid of our fleshy and childish ways, so that we can see the overall picture. We need to learn to love God and others more effectively, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Use Spiritual Gifts to Promote Love

If we understand that love is the overarching goal and the big picture, then we must learn to make good use of the strategic tools God has given us. These tools include our spiritual gifts. We can use them to achieve our strategic goal.

In a war, even if you have a good strategic goal, you won’t get very far without a detailed tactical strategy. If you don’t have a detailed plan of how to use each tactic to slowly accumulate military strength through each and every tactical victory, you will not be able to achieve strategic victory. Many small changes are necessary to make the end goal a reality. In the same way, we must use our spiritual gifts in small ways every day to accomplish God’s overarching plan.

When the Corinthian believers exalted the spiritual gifts to the exclusion of the strategic goal of love, they showed they were immature and childish. On the other hand, when they opposed and eliminated spiritual gifts just for the sake of opposing them, they were also showing their spiritual immaturity. There cannot be an end result without a practical methodology. You cannot reach your destination without the road. Without the use of a good tactical strategy, the final strategic result cannot be achieved. We must not eliminate the use of spiritual gifts just because some have misunderstood them.

Many churches and pastors today are against spiritual gifts. This shows they are spiritually immature and deceived by evil spirits. The Spirit of Empty Religion deceives them. Satan uses this evil spirit to trick them. If he can get us to stop using our spiritual gifts, he can stop us from achieving our goal of love.

Tongues are a very important gift. Paul said the person who speaks in tongues "utters mysteries in the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 14:2) and builds himself up (1 Corinthians 14:4). Many people avoid using tongues to build themselves up because other believers have used the gift of tongues to promote their fleshly desires. But done correctly, praying in tongues builds up our spirits and our most holy faith (Jude 1:20), and also strengthens us in our spirits. In addition, it can activate many other spiritual gifts in us. If the gift of tongues is a channel of secret communication between God and man, and God's key to activating other spiritual gifts in us, then no wonder Satan hates this gift so much! Satan tries to stigmatize this gift. He convinces people to oppose tongues and deny this important gift.

The gift of prophecy is also extremely important. Through prophecy, we disclose the secrets of people’s hearts (1 Corinthians 14:25). When we practice the gift of prophecy, we can understand and disclose the secrets in people’s hearts through prayer and God’s revelation. As a result, people will be able to encounter God and feel His love and His existence. They will fall on their faces and say, "God is really among you" (1 Corinthians 14:25). Many traditional churches do not properly use the gift of prophecy. As a result, people in their congregations do not experience such powerful personal encounters with God.

God showed his great love by giving up his beloved Son so that the world may be saved. The gift of prophecy is one of the best means to share this message through evangelism. Using the gift of prophecy helps us achieve God's greatest goal of loving the world. Nick Gough, a Ph.D. graduate at United Theological Seminary, wrote a thesis titled, “Postmodern Apologetics: A Charismatic Discipleship Program for Postmodern Missionaries.” In this paper, Gough points out the importance of unlearning old thought patterns and relearning new methods in order to embrace the power of evangelizing according to a charismatic, New Testament model of evangelism. He says,

To use traditional apologetics limits one in bringing a person to Christ. There is a culture shift. The use of traditional methods of evangelism is ineffective today. To give an example, a young adult of this author’s acquaintance traveled overseas with a well-known campus group. They used a traditional form of evangelism, a type of survey questionnaire that they administered to over five thousand college students in Australia. The intent of this survey was to lead students to Christ. Out of the five thousand surveys, there was no conversion. By way of contrast, this author trained a group of YWAM students who went to Germany to evangelize immigrant Muslims. In four weeks, that group led over five hundred people to the Lord. What is the difference? The group in Germany had divine encounters while praying for the sick and operating in the prophetic. This is an example of a modernist model versus Jesus’ charismata model.[2]

We live in a post-modern era. While modernity put too much emphasis on rationality, post-modernism highlights subjective experience. Many post-modern listeners hate dry, theological religious preaching. They feel empty because they are unable to experience God through the preaching. They want to encounter God in their lives.

Therefore, in this current age, God has brought back the gift of prophecy to enable preachers to connect with post-modern people. As prophesied in Joel 2, “God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall dream dreams and your old men shall prophesy.” We must understand that God has revived this important gift in this age. He wants to enable us to use the gift of prophecy to achieve our goal of spreading the message of God’s love to the world.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[2]Dr. Nick Gough, “Postmodern Apologetics: A Charismatic Discipleship Program for Postmodern Missionaries,”(DMin. Thesis, United Theological Seminary, 2013), 10–11.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 4

Have you ever wondered why Deuteronomy 4 brings up cities of refuge, seemingly out of the blue?

After Moses' long warning to the Israelites (verses 1-40), he suddenly switches to talking about cities of refuge (verses 41-43). And then he jumps to talking about the Ten Commandments (verses 44-49). Why is it all so sudden?

Through Moses, God was reminding the Israelites that as they became comfortable in the Promised Land, they would soon forget Him. Then God would send trials to discipline them. However, if they returned to Him, they would find Him and not be abandoned. When we disobey God’s rules because we are ignorant of his commands, we still need discipline. But we also receive God’s mercy, refuge, and help in our times of weakness and sins.

Parents set rules for their children, but children often fail and break the laws. Parents have to punish their children, but they also have mercy and help them. They understand that their children have not yet learned all the rules. God is truly our Heavenly Father. He loves us. He treats us the same way good parents treat their children. The cities of refuge demonstrate God’s Fatherly mercy and salvation.

But why discuss the Ten Commandments and the law after mentioning the cities of refuge? When the law becomes real to us, it shows us our sins so we can grow spiritually. Christians can easily become apathetic, like the Israelites. We stay in the same Christian environment for too long. Like the Israelites, we "grow old in the land and act corruptly and make idols" (Deuteronomy 4:25) When we worship idols and turn away from God, he will discipline us and help us. We need a city of refuge (Christ); we also need to continuously study His word (represented by the Ten Commandments) so that his words can become real to us and we can continue to grow and mature in our spiritual lives.

The Purpose of the Law

As we have seen in our previous study of Deuteronomy 1-3, the Israelites learned two important lessons concerning faith and idolatry. The second generation of Israelites inherited a positive heritage of faith from their forefathers, who had wandered for forty years in the wilderness. However, they also inherited a negative predisposition to idolatry, a lesson that neither the first nor second generation had successfully learned.

God is our heavenly Father. He is omniscient. So, He foreknew that we would fail and fall. In Deuteronomy 4, God predicted that the second generation of Israel would worship idols after they entered the land of Canaan. He said through the mouth of Moses, "When you father children and children's children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger" (Deuteronomy 4:25)[1]. This sentence is the heart and soul of Deuteronomy 4:1-40.

At the beginning of this chapter, Moses reminded the Israelites, "Listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live" (verse 1). He went on, "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it" (verse 2). He also reminded the Israelites that all idolaters at Baal-Peor were destroyed by the Lord (verse 3). He wanted to remind the Israelites that if they did not obey the law, the rules established by God, they would be disciplined. Moses then went on to remind the Israelites, “See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me.” (vs. 5). When the Israelites obeyed God’s commandments, the nations would see that they were a “great nation” and a “wise and understanding people.” (verse 6).

Since the law itself was given by God, it is full of His wisdom. If the Israelites could keep the law, the Gentiles would stand back in awe. They would say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people" (verse 6). God’s purpose in giving the law was not only to keep the Israelites away from idols, but also to encourage the Gentiles to seek God. As the Gentiles saw the Israelites’ wisdom, it would help the nations learn to know God. Since God's love and wisdom are manifested through the law, God Himself was manifested through the keeping of the law.

In verses 6-25, Moses looked back at the process by which the Lord appeared to the Israelites and gave them the law. He reminded the Israelites not to turn away from the law or to turn to idols. Twice, he asked the Israelites to "keep their souls diligently" (verses 9 and 15) and not forget the Lord, who appeared to them and gave them the law.

In verse 26, Moses changed his tone. He called heaven and earth to testify that the Israelites would turn away from God. Because of their choices, his discipline would be unavoidable. God would scatter them among the peoples, where they would become few in number (verse 27). But the purpose of this discipline was to call the Israelites to repent and call on God for help. Moses said in verse 29, "But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul." It was in the Israelites’ nature to worship idols and turn away from God, but it is in God’s nature to be merciful. After he disciplined them, he would allow the Israelites to return to him.

God is merciful by nature. Although He disciplined the Israelites, He would not abandon them. During captivity, Jeremiah meditated on God’s mercy: "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end." (Lamentations 3:21-22). Although God is merciful, He is also strict. Those who worshiped idols and turned away from God were disciplined severely. But those who held fast to God and his law remained alive (vs. 4). The purpose of the law was to guide, correct, and help people hold fast to God.

City of Refuge: God’s Provision and Redemption

In our Bible meetings, we watch and wait for the guidance and illumination of the Holy Spirit, and we always receive words of wisdom from Him. Sometimes the process of sharing and discussing helps us understand things we’ve never thought of before, just like Jesus explained in Matthew 10:19: "When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour." (Matthew 10:19). Although this verse is in the context of persecution, I believe it applies more broadly to any situation in which we are called upon to bear witness to Christ before others. Whenever we share his word, we are witnessing for him. Every time we testify in this way, the Holy Spirit gives us words and inspiration, even as we are speaking. That is what he did for me when I was discussing cities of refuge.

Why is there a sudden mention of cities of refuge in this chapter? It actually has a clear, logical connection to Moses’ topic of conversation. In verses 1-40, Moses encourages the people to keep the law and warns them that they will be disciplined for breaking it. But Moses also mentions that if the Israelites return to God during or after the discipline, they will find God. So, the city of refuge continues with the theme of refuge and redemption.

Moses already knew that he would not be allowed to enter the land of Canaan. So it was his duty to set up cities of refuge east of the Jordan. The cities of refuge west of the Jordan would be set up by Joshua after he entered the land of Canaan. This process is recorded in Joshua 20.

The Holy Spirit organized the Bible very logically, but we don’t always see the connection immediately. Here, Moses is saying that if the Israelites don’t obey the law, they will be disciplined. But when they are disciplined, they will have the opportunity to repent. In this context, the concept of cities of refuge fits perfectly.

My daughter is five years old and is in kindergarten. American kindergartens attach great importance to the development of individual personality, but the disadvantage is that they are too individualistic. She recently learned a catchphrase in kindergarten, "This is my personal choice." The teacher said that every child has a personal choice and others need to respect it. When she comes home, she doesn’t follow the rules we set. She watches TV or does other things while eating. As soon as I criticize her, she immediately answers back, "This is my personal choice." When we discipline her and turn off the TV, she cries. We tell her that although she has a personal choice, she must abide by the rules of "not watching TV while eating" and "eating well". Otherwise, she will be disciplined; she won’t be allowed to watch TV or eat. When she heard this, she sat in a corner and cried for a while. We asked her if she knew she was wrong and if she would apologize. She said she was wrong and apologized. We hugged her and let her continue eating. While we were disciplining her, we had already prepared a way of salvation or mercy. As long as she was willing to repent, we would accept her immediately.

God is our heavenly Father. He treats the Israelites and born-again Christians the same way a parent treats his/her child. He has to set rules for us, and we have to obey them in order for us to know His nature and become partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). If we don't follow the rules, God will discipline us. But discipline is only a means to an end. The goal is that we would return to Him.

Learning God’s Law

Moses mentioned the Ten Commandments in the first part of this chapter, and then discusses the cities of refuge. Why does he then go back to discussing the Ten Commandments again? And why does Deuteronomy 5 continue to go into detail about the content of the Ten Commandments? I believe God wanted his people to study the Ten Commandments, that is, the law of God. When God’s law became real to the Israelites, they could manifest God among the peoples. The reason why they worshiped idols and wandered away from God is that they did not deeply know or understand God’s law.

At the end of the chapter, the text says, "This is the law that Moses set before the people of Israel. These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the rules, which Moses spoke to the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt." The author then goes on to describe the place and setting where Moses was reinstating the law: "in the land of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon" (verses 46-49). The next chapter goes into detail about the law that Moses reiterated at the end of his life.

When God’s people did not study God’s law and when God’s rules were not real to them, they needed God’s discipline. But God’s discipline also made a way for them to return to him and continue to learn his law. God’s purpose is that they would be transformed by His Word so that His divine nature could be manifested to the nations. That was why Moses reviewed the Ten Commandments at the end of his life.

Discipline, Mercy, and the Word of God

In the church today, there are two extremes. One is legalism. The church is full of rules. Women can’t wear pants or use musical instruments. If they do, they are not included as Christians in the church of God. The other extreme is having no laws or discipline of any kind. Believers say, “I don't want you to dictate that I should read the Bible every day. Don't ask me to pray or give. I don't want anyone to control me.” This is a kind of spiritual rebellion and spiritual infancy.

Although we live in the age of the New Covenant and there is no external law, it definitely does not mean that we do not need some form of the law. Even the Lord Jesus said that He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. He said, “Until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18). Clearly, the law is still needed today. But the purpose of the law is not to force us to live in legalism. Similarly, the law should not be treated as dogma. Rather, the purpose of the law is to help us learn to know God’s nature and become partakers of His divine nature.

Therefore, Christians still need law and discipline, especially spiritually immature Christians. We all need to accept a certain degree of discipline. God’s discipline is rarely discussed in American Christian circles. But it is a doctrine in the Bible. The Holy Spirit will discipline us, especially through circumstances. As he disciplines, he intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26). All things work together for good to those who love God—even discipline (Romans 8:28). God has good intentions. He wants us to return to Him and to spiritually grow and mature.

We must constantly study God’s word, including His words in the Old Testament (represented by the Ten Commandments) and in the New Testament. These words will eventually change our lives. His law can dwell in us and become the law of the Spirit of life (Romans 8:2). Today, we are not bound by external rules alone. We have the indwelling law of the Spirit of life that controls and guides us from the inside.

It is a pity that many Christians today do not know much about the discipline of the Holy Spirit. As a result, they do not learn to surrender. If we return to God, His mercy will come to us. We must study God’s word consistently so that we can gradually become spiritually mature. When we are spiritually mature, there will be no need for God’s external discipline.

In a Christian country like the United States, many people have become apathetic after many generations. The descendants of true, dedicated Christians have “grown old in the land, acted corruptly, and begun to worship idols.” Like the Israelites, Americans need to respond to God’s discipline and find their way back to him. May God enlighten your hearts to understand the words of Deuteronomy 4.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 3

In Deuteronomy 3, we encounter two stories that are closely connected in theme. First, we read about the defeat of Og, King of Bashan, a story that shows that the second-generation Israelites were learning important lessons of faith. Forty years of wandering in the wilderness had been a growing experience for the second-generation Israelites. After defeating Sihon, king of Heshbon, in the previous chapter, they go on to defeat Og in Deuteronomy 3.

The second story in this chapter is about Moses being forbidden to enter the Promised Land. He was very worried that the second generation of Israel would continue to “worship idols,” the mistake of the first generation. So from chapter 4 onwards, he did his best to exhort the Israelites not to engage in idolatry.

Neither the first generation nor the second-generation Israelites learned their lesson about idolatry. In Deuteronomy, Moses reiterated the law and the history of the Israelites in an attempt to exhort the second generation not to worship idols. The first two chapters of the book contain Moses’ review of the faith-filled victories of the Israelites. The third chapter of Deuteronomy transitions to his words of exhortation.

Deuteronomy's "sandwich" structure

Perhaps you have heard of the “sandwich” structure of giving productive criticism. Using this method, you start with praise first, then move to critique, and end with encouragement. It’s like a sandwich consisting of a slice of bread and a piece of sausage and another slice of bread.

Jesus used this structure in his letters to the churches in Revelation (Revelation 2-3). His message to the church in Ephesus began with praise: “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. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary." (Revelation 2:2-3).[1] The Lord is a God of encouragement, so He praised their achievements from the very beginning. This is natural. If we met the Lord and heard His rebuke right at the beginning, it would make us feel very scared. So the Lord begins his letters to the churches with encouragement.

But this does not mean that the Lord did not rebuke them as well. He told the church in Ephesus, "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 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.” (Revelation 2:4-5). After this strong rebuke, Jesus didn’t want the church to feel discouraged and disappointed. So He ended his message on a positive note. We find these words of encouragement in Revelation 2:6-7: "Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 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.” God not only used the “sandwich” structure when writing to the church in Ephesus, but he also used it when writing to the other six churches.

If we analyze the structure of Deuteronomy with this structure in mind, we will find that Deuteronomy also utilizes a "sandwich" structure. In Deuteronomy 1-3, Moses praises and encourages the second generation of Israel. Although Moses briefly recounted the story of the ten evil spies and the first generation's unbelief and failure in Chapter 1 (Deuteronomy 1:19-46), most of these chapters’ content is positive. Chapter 2 records the Israelites’ victory over Sihon King of Heshbon, and Chapter 3 records the story of the Israelites’ defeat of Og King of Bashan. Sihon King of Heshbon and Og King of Bashan were two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River. The first generation of Israel was afraid of the giants in the land of Canaan, but the second generation of Israel had begun to defeat them. These compliments from Moses formed first slice of bread in the sandwich.

Deuteronomy 4 to 31 forms the middle of the sandwich. This portion is Moses' exhortation or criticism of the second generation of Israel. Why does he critique them? Although the second generation of Israel learned many lessons of faith, they had failed to learn one important lesson. Like their ancestors, they still worshiped idols. God had clearly told Moses that he would not be able to enter the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 3:26). So Moses delivered a parting message, full of sincere admonitions to the second generation of Israel. This message is recorded in the book of Deuteronomy.

What Moses was most worried about was the second generation’s idol worship. Moses feared that Israel would be punished by God for worshipping idols. I will list two verses to demonstrate Moses’ clear train of thought, a unifying thread that runs from Deuteronomy 4 to 31.

Deuteronomy 4:16 says, "Beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female." Deuteronomy 31:16 says, "And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them."”

There are many other similar passages that prove Moses’ concern about idolatry, but these two are sufficient to make my point. The entire middle section, the “meat” of the "sandwich" structure, is full of Moses’ concern and criticism regarding Israel's idolatry. Moses was concerned about their distance from God. Why did Moses go to such lengths to reiterate the law and the history of Israel? Because he wanted to exhort the second generation of Israel not to worship idols.

The third portion of Deuteronomy, the last slice of bread in the "sandwich" structure, is Deuteronomy 32-34. This segment contains Moses' words of blessing and encouragement. Deuteronomy 32 records the song of Moses, his warning and blessing to the second generation of Israel. Chapter 33 contains Moses’ prophetic words and blessing to the twelve tribes. In Chapter 34, Moses blessed Joshua, laid his hands on him, transmitted his spiritual gifts, and died.

This concludes the book of Deuteronomy. If you look closely at the book of Deuteronomy, it is a "sandwich" structure. Most of the "meat" in the middle is an exhortation against idolatry.

The Israelites learned lessons of faith

Numbers, which immediately precedes Deuteronomy, is a record of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness. The Israelites died in the wilderness for two reasons: "unbelief" (Hebrews 3:18 and 1 Corinthians 10:5) and "rebellion" (Psalm 78:40). Rebellion is idolatry; disobedience is as bad as the worship of false gods (1 Samuel 15:23). This is why the people were punished.

However, during those forty years of wandering, the people learned lessons of faith. The book of Numbers contains many examples of faith. For instance, the book of Numbers ends with the story of the daughters of Zelophehad. Zelophehad died in the wilderness for his own sin, just like every other Israelite. But because his daughters believed God's promises, not only did they win their father's inheritance, but they also eventually entered the land of Canaan, west of the Jordan (Joshua 17). Although they faced many external difficulties and obstacles, the daughters of Zelophehad continued to believe in God’s promise. They entered the land of Canaan, as God had promised. This is arguably the best example of the faith of the second generation of Israel.

Deuteronomy 1-3 continues the train of thought that the book of Numbers began. It affirms the lessons of faith that the Israelites had learned. The first generation of Israel was afraid of the giants in the land of Canaan and did not dare enter the Promised Land. But the second generation of Israel no longer feared the giants. With the help of God, they were able to defeat Sihon King of Heshbon and Og King of Bashan.

This chapter records the story of the Israelites’ victory over Og King of Bashan. Og King of Bashan ruled the land east of the Jordan River, in the north. Bashan is not along the travel route that the Israelites would normally have taken on their way to Canaan. Instead, the Israelites took a detour in order to conquer the land of Og King of Bashan and destroy all their people.

Deuteronomy 3:11 records that Og was a giant (a Rephaim). The verse states, "For only Og the king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim." God led the Israelites on a detour so they could see for themselves that God can conquer giants.

Since the second generation cooperated with God in faith, they achieved victory. Moses wanted to negotiate with Sihon King of Heshbon and pass through his land peacefully (Deuteronomy 2:30). But God hardened Sihon King of Heshbon’s heart so he could give him into the hands of the Israelites. Moses did not try to negotiate with Og, since Bashan was not on the way to Canaan. But the Lord made it clear to Moses that, just as he had given Sihon king of Heshbon into their hands, he would also give Og king of Bashan into the hands of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 3:2). Both battles were won with the Lord's help, in stark contrast to the story of Israel defeating the Amorites in Deuteronomy 1:37-45.

In each battle that we face, we know that the battle is the Lord's (1 Samuel 17:47). But our faith determines whether the Lord’s presence is with us in any given battle. In Deuteronomy 1, the Lord was not with the Israelites because of their unbelief. Because the Lord was not with them, the Israelites were defeated.

But in Israel's battle against Sihon King of Heshbon and Og King of Bashan, the Israelites cooperated with God in faith, so God's presence brought them victory. The Israelites’ growth in faith is also reflected in their attitude towards the Canaanite king of Arad in Numbers 21. In this chapter, they asked God if he would give the king of Arad into their hands. If so, they promised to destroy him. So, God gave the Canaanite king of Arad into the Israelites’ hands. This is the definition of faith. We believe that God can do the things we can't do ourselves. Then we ask for his help, trusting he will come to our aid. The second generation of Israel learned to trust in God, and God gave them the victory.

The Israelites did not learn their lesson about idolatry.

But the second generation of Israel never learned not to worship idols. They inherited positive lessons of faith from the first generation, but they also inherited some negative baggage: the baggage of idolatry.

Deuteronomy 31:29 says, "For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

This verse clearly shows Moses' concern, which he continues to express throughout Deuteronomy. For example, Deuteronomy 4:3 says, "Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal-peor, for the Lord your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Baal of Peor." The story of Baal-peor is recorded in Numbers 25. When King Balak of Moab hired the false prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites, Balaam tricked the Moabite women into committing adultery with the Israelites. The Israelites began to worship Canaanite idols and joined Baal of Peor. This made the Lord very angry. He caused a plague to break out among the Israelites, killing twenty-four thousand people. The plague stopped only when Aaron's grandson Phinehas killed an Israelite man and a Midianite woman.

In Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the second generation of Israel not to make the mistakes that the first generation made. But Deuteronomy 31:29 shows that the second generation of Israel did not heed Moses' warning. They went headlong into the same mistakes as their ancestors. Later, God disciplined them severely for their idolatry by sending them as captives to Babylon. We will further discuss the important topic of idolatry when we study Deuteronomy 4.

Faith and Idolatry in Today’s Church

As Christians today, we must imitate the Israelites’ faith and learn from their bad example. Paul clearly says that what happened to the Israelites serves as a lesson for us today. He said, "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come." (1 Corinthians 10:11). We must learn from the Israelites’ experiences.

Let me share some personal experiences that demonstrate how God taught me important lessons about faith and idolatry. I hope these stories will be an inspiration to you.

First, God taught me lessons of faith. I went through a decade of infertility problems. As I continued to pray for a child, I felt like I was in a wilderness. During this time of testing, I did not get a clear answer from God. It seemed like He was hidden. I went through this trial in the wilderness and persisted in my faith in God.

Finally, I received a promise from God: I would be given a miracle baby. After that, God continued to appear to me, revealing his calling for my life. But these miracles only happened after ten years of wilderness experience. My faith had gone through fiery trials. When God answered my prayers and revealed Himself and His plan for me, my faith grew by leaps and bounds.

I learned that no matter what came my way, God has a beautiful plan for my life. I just needed to trust Him. As the Bible says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11). During the difficult trials, I persisted in my faith. He certainly did not put me to shame.

Second, God taught me lessons about idolatry. When I came to the United States, my goal was to get a Master's degree in the United States, then return to China to find a better job. My major was in journalism. My dream was to become a prominent TV host.

But after I arrived in the United States, I came to know the Lord and was saved. Instead of going back to China, I stayed in the United States. As time went by, I found that I wouldn’t be able to achieve my dreams at all. I slowly gave up. I realized that my career had been an idol in my heart, but God gradually taught me that He was all I needed.

My biggest idol is myself. Through various experiences, God has dealt with my flesh and my strong will. Through many life struggles, I have gradually surrendered more and more of myself to Him. We all have idols: false gods, money, career, fleshy needs, etc. But our biggest idol is ourselves. We must put ourselves on the altar and allow it to be crucified with Christ. Only then will we be able to get rid of the idols in our hearts and experience a closer union with God. Although God is still working on me in this area, I can testify that God has done a great work in my heart to cleanse me from idolatry.

If we want our lives to be used by God, we must learn these two lessons. We must know that God is good, mighty and loving. We must have faith in Him. At the same time, we must know ourselves. We must know that our biggest idol is ourselves. We must deny ourselves, unite ourselves with Christ, and seek to please him. As we learn these two lessons, we will become channels of God's power and blessing in our lives.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus -Deuteronomy 2

Deuteronomy 2 reminds us that a nation’s destiny is in the hands of God. A country’s boundaries are set by God for one purpose: so that people would seek him. Acts 17:26-28 says, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”[1] God determines the boundaries of each nation so that people would seek him and find him. But if they refuse to seek God and instead worship idols, they will be judged and even destroyed.

Deuteronomy 2 records the process by which God determined the boundaries of the nations. He not only gave land to Israel (verses 1-3), but also to Esau, Moab, and Ammon (verses 4-22). He records that the Caphtorites, a Philistine people group, destroyed the Avvim of Gaza and settled in their place (verse 23, see also Amos 9:7).

In Jeremiah, God said that He would destroy the Philistines who came from Caphtor (Jeremiah 47:4). Later, God did severely deal with them. Samson, David, and others brought vengeance on the Philistines, leading to their eventual extinction. It was God’s plan for the Philistines to come out of Caphtor.

On the one hand, God used the Philistines to discipline the Israelites when they turned away from Him. On the other hand, He used the Israelites to punish and discipline them. This principle also applies to Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites. Just like God sovereignly ruled these five ethnic groups, He controls the boundaries and futures of all nations. We must obey God. We must not do evil or worship idols so that we can receive His blessing. Otherwise, we will be judged by Him.

The Amorites are the evil spirits’ strongholds

In Genesis 15, God told Abraham that his descendants would be enslaved in Egypt for 400 years because the sin of the Amorites had not yet reached its full measure. The Amorites were an idolatrous nation that lived in Canaan. God gave them 400 years to repent, but they did not do so. So, after 400 years, God’s wrath and judgment fell on the Canaanites, represented by the Amorites. God told Moses that he must destroy the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 9:3-4). And later, when Saul became king, God told him to completely destroy the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:18). When he refused to do so, God handed his kingdom over to David. By this time, God was totally committed to destroying the Canaanites. But earlier, God gave them multiple chances to repent.

Years earlier, God was angry with the Israelites because they refused to go into the promised land. The Israelites were afraid of giants and refused to conquer the Canaanites. God, in His wrath, forced the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for forty years. If you look at the situation from a different angle, you can see that God was giving the Canaanites another 40 years to repent.

The Canaanites heard about the miracles that God performed for the Israelites during their journey to the Promised Land. For example, in Joshua 6, Rahab said that she had heard how God dried up the Red Sea and killed the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, east of the Jordan River. These stories of God’s power made the Canaanites tremble, so she asked the spies to save her and her family. Unfortunately, only Rahab's family repented and was saved. Many other Canaanites still did not repent, so they were eventually destroyed.

The Canaanites had become strongholds of evil, so God had to destroy them. Ironically, Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites were all relatives of Abraham. Edom was the descendant of Abraham's grandson Esau. The Moabites and the Ammonites were the descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot.

These people groups remind us of our sinful flesh. Just like the strongholds of evil spirits must be broken down, our flesh must be cut off. As the Israelites grew stronger as a nation, they conquered the other nations little by little. In the same way, as we grow spiritually, we will gradually experience God’s victory over our flesh.

Who are the Avvim?

The Avvim are mentioned in the Bible only twice. Deuteronomy 2:23 says, "As for the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and settled in their place." And Joshua 13:3-4 says, "From the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, and those of the Avvim, in the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the boundary of the Amorites.” The verses show that although this place is called the land of the Avvim, the Philistines already lived here.

Although we don’t know specific reasons that the Avvim were destroyed, we know that God cares about every person. Not a sparrow falls to the ground apart from his will. (Matthew 10:29). In addition, Amos 9:7 says, “ ‘Are you not like the Cushites to me, O people of Israel?’ declares the Lord. ‘Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir?’” The Lord brought the Philistines out of Caphtor, and then the Philistines destroyed the Avvim. This event must have been permitted in God's sovereignty. We can conclude that the Avvim were also a race that God wanted to destroy. According to Joshua 13:3, the land of the Avvim was counted as the land of the Canaanites, so it can be inferred that the Avvim were also Canaanites. Their sins may have been the same as the sins of the other Canaanites.

Why did God lead the Philistines out of Caphtor to destroy the Avvim? Perhaps it was to help the Israelites carry out His plan of destroying the Canaanites. In addition, God may have orchestrated these events so that the Philistines could become a tool in God’s hands to discipline the Israelites in the future. After the death of Joshua, as the Israelites continued in idolatry, the Lord no longer drove the remaining Canaanites out of the land. He allowed them to stay so that he could test the Israelites to see whether they would follow His ways as their ancestors did (Judges 2:21-22). The Canaanites and Philistines became tools in God’s hands to test Israel.

Why did God destroy the Philistines?

The Bible gives us additional information about the history of the Philistines. Jeremiah 47:4 says, "For the Lord is destroying the Philistines, the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.” Genesis 10:14 says, "Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim." These people groups were all descendants of Ham. The Philistines came from the Casluhim people. In addition, Amos 9:7 says that God led the Philistines out of Caphtor. We can infer that Caphtor is the place where the Philistines lived, though no one knows where Caphtor was located. Some people think it was on the island of Kittim in the Old Testament (Genesis 10:4, Isaiah 23:1), called Cyprus in the New Testament (Acts 4:36, 27:4). But we have no way of verifying this information.

Since God wanted to destroy the Philistines, why did He lead them out of Caphtor and help them destroy the Avvim? In this chapter, the Israelites acquired the land of Canaan, Esau acquired Seir and destroyed the Horites (verse 12), the Moabites destroyed the Emim (verse 11), and the Ammonites destroyed the Zamzummim (verse 20). Each of these people groups received God’s help in their conquests. But the Bible never specifically says that the Lord helped the Philistines exterminate the Avvim. Maybe this event was permitted by God but was not God’s direct will. Perhaps God was displeased with the Philistines because of their sins. This is why God says in Jeremiah 47:4 that he will destroy the Philistines. The Philistines would not escape punishment; it just wasn’t time yet. The sin of the Philistines has not yet reached its full measure. On the one hand, God used the Philistines to discipline and test the Israelites. On the other hand, when the time came, God would use Israel to punish the Philistines.

How do we view the conflict of nations today?

Perhaps you are wondering, “How should Christians view the conflicts between nations today? How do we discern God’s will in the current conflicts between nations? Is it God’s will for Russia and Ukraine to fight each other?”

I believe that we often cannot see the forest for the trees. Right now, we are too close to the situation to see it clearly. Instead, let’s look back in history to help us understand God’s will. During the American Revolutionary War, Americans disagreed about separating from Great Britain. One-third of Americans supported staying with Great Britain, while one-third advocated for independence. The rest of the Americans were undecided.

When John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg, a pastor in an Anglican church in Virginia, saw that many people in society were opposed to the Revolution, he joined the army. Wearing a pastor's robe, he entered the meeting and began to preach. He quoted Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”

“There is a time for all things,” Muhlenberg said. “There is a time to preach and a time to fight. And now is the time to fight.” Then he took off his pastor’s robe, revealing a military uniform underneath. Later, he recruited hundreds of people to form the 8th Virginia Regiment, which made great contributions to the American Revolutionary War. This story became a legend in the American Revolutionary War. The story of him joining the army was painted on canvas and preserved in museums in the United States.

Later, many Americans agreed that their independence was God's will and would bring many blessings to the world. Since the founding of the United States, the United States has given the most foreign aid to other countries and has become the “biggest exporter” of the gospel in the world. America has indeed become a city on a hill, preaching Jesus Christ as the gospel to the world. But at the time when the United States and Great Britain were in conflict, many people felt confused about the war. But the conflict and America’s eventual independence from Great Britain have brought great blessings to the world. Later, it became easier to see what God was doing to bring blessing through this war.

In the battle between Russia and Ukraine, we don’t yet know what God is doing. Of course, war is cruel and invasion is wrong, but what is the big picture? The big picture is that God will bring a great revival. War makes us feel vulnerable. It encourages people to seek God. Throughout the ages, there have often been great revivals after wars.

Perhaps God has a bigger purpose that he hopes to accomplish through this tragic war. As I prayed about this, I was reminded of Abraham fighting the kings and saving Lot. The king of Sodom and the other five kings betrayed Chedorlaomer. Then Chedorlaomer and his allies (the 4 kings) fought against them (the 5 kings), leading to their defeat. Lot and his family, who lived in Sodom, were taken captive. When Abraham heard the news, he took his servants to defeat Chedorlaomer and his allies, thus rescuing Lot. Later, the king of Sodom came to meet Abraham and offered to give him gifts. But Abraham refused. Then Melchizedek brought bread and wine. He blessed Abraham and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" Melchizedek was a priest of God Most High. Abraham gave him a tenth of everything (Genesis 14:19-20).

From this passage, we can learn an important lesson. Wars can be used by the enemy to take God's chosen people captive, just like Lot was kidnapped in this passage. But as the saying goes, “The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind him.” God prepared Abraham to save Lot. He also prepared Melchizedek to supply and bless Abraham with bread and wine.

The same can be true of national conflicts today. The enemy hopes to take God’s chosen people captive through war. But God will raise up His servants to fight and release His chosen people. Today, I saw Kim Clement’s prophetic words released on July 26, 2014. He said that Putin was used by the enemy to attack, take captive or even destroy God's chosen people. However, the prophecy mentioned that God would prevail to release His chosen people. Although Kim Clement has since passed away, perhaps there is something we can learn from this prophecy. The enemy may plan to take God’s chosen people captive. But God has a greater purpose. He will save His chosen people—who, like Lot, have been taken captive by the world.

God hardens the hearts of King Sihon and King Og

Deuteronomy 2:24-36 records that God hardened the hearts of King Sihon and King Og so that they could be destroyed by the Israelites. The prophecy by Kim Clement also mentioned that God hardened Putin's heart like he hardened Pharoah’s heart. This is not good news. But why did God harden Pharaoh's heart? It was because Pharaoh repeatedly refused to repent. When we repeatedly refuse to repent, God's judgment will come upon us.

If God hardened Putin's heart like he hardened Pharaoh's heart and the hearts of Og and Sihon, then we should expect to see salvation for God’s chosen people. When God hardened Pharoah’s heart, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and were saved. When he hardened Og’s heart and Sihon’s heart, he brought his people into the promised land. On the one hand, judgment will come upon Putin. On the other hand, salvation will come to many oppressed people. May the oppressed people and God’s chosen people be freed from captivity.

We must love and seek God

As we've mentioned, God sets boundaries so that we would seek him and find him. God allows wars so that people feel helpless enough to seek him. When people are satisfied with the status quo, they tend not to seek God so urgently. But in times of war, it becomes easier for them to seek God. Many great revivals throughout the ages have begun after wars, so we hope that a great revival will come soon.

We must learn from the experiences of the Israelites, Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, Avvim, and Philistines. When we worship idols and love the world, we are bound to be disciplined by God. Instead, as God’s creation, we must seek Him. If we seek God, we will surely find Him. When we find him, we must love the God who orchestrates all events in history to draw us closer to his heart.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Deuteronomy 1

Removing the Dross from our Spiritual Inheritance

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses shares a lifetime of spiritual experience with the second generation of Israelites. He speaks not only for himself, but for the entire first generation. He shares his own failures and failures of the first generation as a whole. He wants the second generation to learn these lessons so they can be vigilant and avoid repeating the same mistakes of their ancestors.

As a prophet of God, Moses represents God. As he speaks to the people, he wants to pass on a positive spiritual inheritance of faith. He wants to remind the second generation of the faithfulness of God. When the new generation learns from the mistakes of their predecessors, they will be able to enter a higher and richer spiritual destiny.

The second generation of Israelites was partially successful in following God. But they were not immune to failure and idolatry. Today's Christians are in the same situation. On the one hand, we have received a rich inheritance in Christ. On the other hand, we also have inherited a sinful nature from Adam. Church tradition contains a rich inheritance mixed with a lot of dross. How we deal with these two determines whether we can reach greater spiritual heights. We need to polish our positive spiritual inheritance and remove negative dross so we can bring in the great revival of God.

"All of You" or "Your Fathers"?

When speaking to the second-generation Israelites, Moses recalls the incident of sending the twelve spies into the land of Canaan. He says, "Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’” Deuteronomy 1:22[1] From this verse, it sounds like the twelve spies had been sent out in the recent past. In reality, the twelve spies had been sent out 40 years ago, by the first-generation Israelites (Numbers 12). So why does Moses say that “all of you” asked for spies, when it was really their ancestors who asked to send out spies?

Why is Moses holding the second generation of Israelites accountable for the actions of the first generation? This seems confusing. But it's actually very simple. Moses is including the second generation in the spiritual experience of the first generation. The spiritual experience of the second generation of Israelites is inseparable from the spiritual experience of the first generation.

On the one hand, the second generation of Israelites inherited a rich inheritance from the first generation. This inheritance included the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle that traveled with the first generation of Israelites. It also included the Torah (with the Book of Deuteronomy in it) left by Moses, and leaders such as Joshua and Caleb, representatives of faith who led them into the Promised Land. On the other hand, the second generation of Israelites also inherited some negative dross. The first generation left behind failures, complaints, as well as lessons they learned in the wilderness.

In Deuteronomy, Moses seeks to remind the second generation of Israelites that their spiritual inheritance is twofold. They must learn to fully possess the rich inheritance of the first generation of Israelites. On the other hand, they must learn from the failures of their ancestors.

When Moses sent twelve spies to explore the Promised Land, many second-generation Israelites had not even been born. Yet Moses blamed them for the mistakes and failures of the first generation of Israelites and counted these events as experiences of the second generation. Is this unfair to the second generation? They were not even born yet. How can we understand what Moses did?

In Christ or in Adam?

To help us understand why Moses spoke collectively to the first and second generations, let’s look at a few examples from the Bible. Often, descendants are included in their parents’ experiences.

Hebrews 7 talks about the Levites giving Melchizedek a tithe. Levi, the tribal head of the Levites, had not even been born at the time Abraham gave Melchizedek a tribe. However, the Bible says that the Levites offered sacrifices to Melchizedek through their ancestor Abraham. If we treat Abraham's offering to Melchizedek as a spiritual experience, then the Levites already had a part in this spiritual experience through their ancestor Abraham, even though they were not born yet. In the same way, the second generation of Israelites participated in the experiences of the first generation.

We see that the experience of future generations can be included in the experience of the first generation. Romans 5:12 says, "Sin came into the world through one man." That one man is Adam. When Adam (our ancestor) sinned, we were not yet born. But because one man sinned, sin came into the world. Those of us who were not yet born nonetheless became sinners. Just like the Israelites, we received a negative inheritance of sin.

But 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." We also won a positive inheritance in Christ. When the Lord Jesus was crucified and resurrected, the Bible tells us that we were crucified with Him (Galatians 2:20). We were also resurrected (Colossians 2:12) and sat down with Him in heaven. Not only did we inherit sin from Adam, but we also inherited the victory in Christ. Like the second generation of Israelites had to choose between the positive and negative heritages that were left to them, we must choose to be "in Adam" or "in Christ." Our choices can lead to very different outcomes.

Israel’s Positive Heritage of Faith

It’s very important to note the time and place that this farewell address took place. Moses delivered this speech on the other side of the Jordan River as the second generation of Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land. Because Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land, these sincere words were his farewell to the second generation of Israelites.

Moses spoke to a weary group of Israelites who had been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years (verse 3). The 11-day journey to the Promised Land had taken the Israelites 40 years because of their disobedience (verse 2).

Moses delivered his speech at a very important moment in Israel’s history. The unbelief and disobedience of the first generation led to God's wrath and judgment. But the time of judgment had ended. The second generation of the Israelites was entering an era of change.

During a major change, it’s often easy to lose sight of the big picture. Small, practical details blind us to the overarching plan of God. For example, the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were distracted with the land of Gilead on the east side of the Jordan River. They wanted to live there instead of crossing the Jordan River.

During this new era, God accomplished some environmental changes, removing some of the obstacles that formerly prevented the Israelites from entering the Promised Land. He began to drive out the kings who lived nearby. Deuteronomy 1:4 says, “This was after he had defeated Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth and in Edrei."

These times of change were marked by shifts within the community. The Israelite community grew in faith as they entered this new era. After the spies were sent by the first generation of Israel, they were full of fear. They were frightened by the height of the Amorites. Their reports made the hearts of the Israelites melt (Deuteronomy 1:28). Although Moses reminded them that the LORD was with them (Deuteronomy 1:29), they did not believe these reports, leading to God's wrath and judgment (Deuteronomy 1:30-40).

But now, their attitude had changed. In Numbers 21, when they faced the Canaanite king of Arad, they prayed to God. Numbers 21:2 records, "Israel vowed a vow to the Lord and said, ‘If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.’" Their attitude changed from fear to faith. They demonstrated their faith by praying and making a vow. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites had learned the lesson of faith. God listened to their appeal and handed over the Canaanite king of Arad to the Israelites.

When New Testament believers face terrifying experiences of powerlessness, we must remember that God is on our side. We know that with man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). We must believe in God’s power and ask Him to help us, so we do not fall into unbelief. As we trust in him, faith will be credited to our account, just like faith was credited to Abraham’s account when he believed that God could give him a son in his old age. Abraham could not give birth to Isaac himself, but he believed that God could. God honored his faith. After the Israelites defeated the king of Arad, they continued to win. They had successfully learned the lessons of faith. In Numbers 21, the Israelites defeated Sihon (king of the Amorites) and Og (king of Bashan).

Faith was the greatest inheritance that the second generation of Israel received. They learned lessons of faith the hard way, after watching their ancestors struggle in the desert for forty years. Only through faith could the Israelites enter the Promised Land. The book of Numbers ends with the faith of Zelophehad’s daughters. Zelophehad died in the wilderness for his own sin. However, his daughters not only acquired their father's land, but also entered the Promised Land (Joshua 17). This was all accomplished through faith.

The Negative Inheritance.

So what is the dross that the Israelites inherited? Despite the lessons of faith the Israelites learned in the wilderness, there was another lesson they had yet to learn: not to worship idols. Idolatry had haunted the Israelites like a ghost. When Moses was with God on Mount Sinai, Aaron created a golden calf for the people to worship. Later, because of Balaam's trickery, the Israelites were seduced by Midianite women and committed adultery and idolatry.

While Numbers records the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness and describes how the Israelites learned lessons of faith, the book of Deuteronomy reminds the Israelites not to worship idols. The long listing of blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 27-30 shows Moses’ deep concern about idolatry. In the last chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses says, "For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord. How much more after my death! Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.” (31:27-29) Although this passage refers to the Israelites’ rebellion, the Bible clearly states that, "Rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry." (1 Samuel 15:23). Following this passage, the last three chapters of Deuteronomy record the song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32), his blessing (Deuteronomy 33), and his death (Deuteronomy 34). The book of Deuteronomy records Moses' worry about Israel’s idolatry.

The Church's Inheritance and Dross

There is a common saying in some church circles: “The first generation’s ceiling is the second generation’s floor.” The second generation starts out at a comparatively higher level than the first generation because they can build upon the experiences of the first generation. We must appropriate the excellent spiritual inheritance of past generations and draw lessons from history in order to reach greater heights.

The spiritual lessons learned by the first generation can be passed on to the next generation. For example, the lessons of faith that the first generation of Israelites learned in the wilderness were passed down to the second generation. Stories of victory and faith were passed down, leaving a rich inheritance. Moses passed on lessons of faith and insights gained through suffering. But the second generation also inherited the spiritual dross, the idolatry their parents had never overcome through their lifetime.

I am a first-generation Christian, so my parents were unable to pass down a spiritual inheritance to me. In a way, I envy second and third generation Christians who have received a spiritual inheritance from their biological ancestors. However, I have discovered that a spiritual inheritance can also be acquired through learning, not only through inheritance. Even though I do not have a Christian inheritance from my family, I can acquire a similar heritage by studying the Israelites and the early church fathers. This kind of spiritual inheritance is not automatic. Throughout the ages, many people have been persecuted or even lost their lives because of their dedication to receiving the church’s rich inheritance. This journey requires great wisdom and courage.

As we appropriate this rich heritage and remove the spiritual dross from our lives, God will lead us into a higher spiritual destiny. At the same time, Satan will attempt to hinder us, bogging us down with spiritual baggage passed down from our ancestors. The positive spiritual inheritance and the negative dross are the respective manifestations of God and Satan in the church. We need to bravely appropriate the spiritual richness of the church and eliminate the dross passed down to us by tradition. Then we will be able to do greater works for God in these historical and changing times. Through reading the book of Deuteronomy, I hope you will acquire a rich inheritance from the Israelites and learn from their successes and failures. As Paul said, “Their experience is not only for them, but it also serves as an example for us.” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus - 1 Corinthians 12

Spiritual Gifts: the loving gift of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Spiritual gifts express the unified, loving work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. First Corinthians 12 is the only chapter in the Bible that gives this many details about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul's mention of the gift supports and expounds on the theme of 1 Corinthians: love and unity.

In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul has been addressing many reasons for division, dealing with each of these problems one by one. Paul wants to address the lack of unity and bring love and oneness back to the church. Neither factions, differences in belief, or differences in gifts should keep believers from unity and love. Paul tries to make it clear that love and unity are the only solutions to strife.

As he does so, Paul demonstrates that spiritual gifts are the joint work of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity works together in love and unity, setting an example for the believers. We should balance our pursuit of gifts with our desire for unity.[1]

The theme of 1 Corinthians is love and unity

How does the theme of spiritual gifts fit into the context? Why is it positioned directly between the passage on head coverings and the Lord's Supper and the passage about Christ’s body in Chapter 12? The discussion of spiritual gifts and the metaphor of Christ’s body all relate to the theme of unity.

Let’s remember that the theme of 1 Corinthians is love and unity. Paul knows that many topics threaten the unity of the church: whether or not to eat meat, how to understand sexual morality, how to avoid classism at the Lord’s supper, factions, and attitudes towards spiritual gifts. Each of these issues has caused disagreement among the believers. Paul tackles these problems one at a time.

Paul wants believers to bear with one another and be united in love—whether they eat meat or not, whether married or not, whether they eat the Lord's Supper together or not. His top priority was to keep others from stumbling. In the same way, this chapter continues Paul's train of thought. No matter how different our gifts are, it shouldn't be an excuse for a disagreement. Although our gifts are different, we are still members of the same body, and we need to live in unity.

The book of Romans contains Paul's systematic thinking on theology, demonstrating his theologian side. Meanwhile, 1 Corinthians is Paul's pastoral letter to the church, showing his pastoral heart.[2] Although Paul talks about different issues in 1 Corinthians, they are not random.

• Paul appeals to the believers, asking them not to be puffed up in favor of one against another (1 Corinthians 4:6). He wants them to remember that every gift we have is from God, so we have nothing to boast about (1 Corinthians 4:7).
• Chapter 5 deals with sexual immorality. Even sexual immorality can lead to division. Some believe in sexual license and others want to completely abstain (Chapter 7). The Corinthian believers were having disagreements about this issue.
• Chapter 6 deals with lawsuits among brothers, the day-to-day disagreements that fester among Christians. Paul calls the believers to settle their disputes (1 Corinthians 6:5).
• Food sacrificed to idols. In chapter 8, Paul talks about eating foods sacrificed to idols. He says, "We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do." (1 Corinthians 8:8).[3] If food makes others stumble, Paul said he would never again eat meat (1 Corinthians 8:13). Food should not be a cause of division. Instead, we should consider the feelings of others and try to live in love and unity.
• Head coverings. In 1 Corinthians 11, the discussion of head coverings and the Lord's Supper shows that we should consider the feelings of others and not humiliate them if they are poor. Instead of honoring the Lord at Communion, "one goes hungry, another gets drunk." (1 Corinthians 11:21). This not only dishonors the Lord, but also destroys the spirit of unity and love.

Chapter 12’s discussion of spiritual gifts follows logically in the same pattern. It continues the discussion of love and unity. Since different attitudes towards spiritual gifts have led to divisions within the church, Paul needed to expound the truth about spiritual gifts to bring believers into oneness.

This theme continues in the following chapters. Chapter 13’s beautiful description of love forms a centerpiece between many topics of disunity. In Chapter 14, Paul continues to deal with the disunity caused by the practice of speaking in tongues and prophecy. He shows the believers how to embody love and unity in these situations. Paul was not against eating meat, but in order to keep others from stumbling, he did not eat meat. Paul was also not against speaking in tongues, but in order not to keep others from stumbling, he would rather not speak in tongues in church meetings (1 Corinthians 14:19).

As a side note, many people have misunderstood Paul’s intention in this passage. They think he is against speaking in tongues. Actually, he is not. He is temporarily giving up speaking in tongues in meetings for the sake of unity. But in private, he speaks in tongues more than everyone else (1 Corinthians 14:18).

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul talks about the resurrected Christ, and in 1 Corinthians 16, he gives some final exhortations to the Corinthian church. From beginning to end, Paul was helping the Corinthian believers break free from division and embrace a spirit of love and unity.

When we fail to notice Paul's themes of love and unity in 1 Corinthians, this discussion of spiritual gifts may seem unexpected. However, it’s not at all unexpected for him to talk about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12. The entire book follows a consistent theme: he is dealing with each specific problem that leads to disunity among believers.

In order for the Corinthian believers to bear with each other and maintain unity in love, Paul needs to deal with every problem that is causing disunity. After talking about spiritual gifts, Paul appeals to the metaphor of the body. He uses the example of the human body to show that although we have different gifts, we are still important members of the body of Christ. Just as the body has many parts but is one body, the church has many gifts but must live in unity.

No spiritual gift has caused as much division in the church as the gift of tongues and the word of knowledge. Let’s look at these two topics as we learn about divisions, love, and unity. Then let’s examine the ways that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together in love and in unity in the area of spiritual gifts. As believers, let’s imitate the example of the Triune God, living in love and unity as we exercise our unique spiritual gifts.

The Gift of Tongues

Some Charismatic teachers teach that the gift of speaking and interpreting in tongues is different than praying in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10). What's the difference between the two? One is the prayer language received from God which allows you to utter mysteries to God after being baptized by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:2). But 1 Corinthians 12:10 says that to one person is given “various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues." In addition, 1 Corinthians 12:30 says, "Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?" The gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues is considered a miraculous gift or a special office in the church.

For example, I was baptized by the Holy Spirit in 2015 and started speaking in tongues. Since praying in tongues can build up believers (1 Corinthians 14:4) in their faith (Jude 1:20), I continue to pray in tongues every day. But I have never had the gift or office of speaking in tongues and interpreting tongues in church.

A few years ago, when I attended a prophetic meeting, an American lady prophesied to me that one day, I would be able to see angels and understand people who are speaking in tongues. If God led me to minister in churches where people were speaking in tongues, I would be able to understand the messages that were spoken in tongues and use this knowledge to understand what the Holy Spirit had to say about these churches. As expected, not long after, I began to see angels in prophetic dreams. But so far, I have never understood what others were saying when they were speaking in tongues. If I can actually understand them one day, it will be a miraculous gift. I am still waiting for God to activate this spiritual gift in me.

Brother Witness Lee of the Local Church Movement once learned to speak in tongues for two years. But later, Watchman Nee sent him a telegram quoting the verse that says, "Do all speak in tongues?" The purpose of the message was to oppose Brother Witness Lee's continued pursuit of spiritual gifts. Later, Brother Witness Lee gave up spiritual gifts and became opposed to them.

Based on my explanation above, Watchman Nee may have confused "the prayer language of believers praying in tongues" with "the gift and office of speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues." Not everyone has the "gift and office of speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues." But every believer can have "the prayer language of speaking in tongues." Many Christians, misunderstanding Paul's words, are opposed to the practice of building oneself up through praying in tongues. This is wrong. Brother Witness Lee may not have been able to enter into the real experience of praying in tongues when he was learning about spiritual gifts and speaking in tongues. Thus, he later became opposed to both. This is a real pity.

A Different Understanding of the Word of Knowledge

In the Pentecostal Movement, the miraculous information a believer receives is called the "word of knowledge.” For example, the Lord Jesus knew that the Samaritan woman had five husbands (John 4:18) and that Nathanael was under the fig tree (John 1:50). He also knew Zacchaeus' name without anyone telling Him (Luke 19:5). Some say this is because He is the Lord, so He knows everything. This explanation is untenable. Many people in the Pentecostal Movement also have this gift. They call it the "word of knowledge."

The "word of knowledge" is often used in conjunction with prophecy and healing. For example, I was prophesying in a meeting while I was studying prophecy. A man came to me to receive prayer. Suddenly, I saw a picture in my head. In the vision, he was beating a drum. I asked him if he had a career in music. He said yes, and I asked him again if he was a drummer. He said yes. I boldly prophesied to him that God would bless his music ministry.

A woman who was traveling with him immediately fell to the ground and cried. The man said, "You really can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit." Later, I found out that their worship team had encountered some difficulties while serving in their church. This was why they came to receive prayer. My words encouraged them.

Such knowledge is often referred to as the "word of knowledge" in the Pentecostal Movement. Brother Witness Lee also described a similar experience in his writings. He unknowingly said in a meeting, "Someone stole a chalk and use it to draw circles on the ground."[4] The brother who had done this immediately repented and received salvation. These examples are often referred to as the "word of knowledge" in the Pentecostal Movement.

What is the "word of wisdom"? Usually it refers to the word of wisdom received from God under very difficult circumstances to resolve specific problems. For example, when two prostitutes were fighting over a child, King Solomon received the word of wisdom to divide the child in two, so that each woman would receive half. As a result, the real mother was distinguished from the fake (1 Kings 3).

Many similar examples happened to the Lord Jesus. For example, a woman who was caught in adultery by the scribes and Pharisees was brought to Jesus. They wanted to test Jesus and look for a reason to accuse Him. If Jesus said not to stone her, he would violate the Law of Moses; if Jesus said to stone her, it would mean He would kill and show no mercy. Jesus received a word of wisdom. He said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7). At this point, the accusers left. This word of wisdom resolved the crisis.

Brother Witness Lee had a similar experience. When he was caught by the Japanese military police, they knew that he often mentioned the word "revival" in meetings. For this reason, they thought he was related to the revolutionary party and hoped to get some information from him. Brother Witness Lee prayed that God would give him wisdom. During the interrogation, he told the Japanese that the "revival" he was talking about was the spiritual revival of the church and had nothing to do with politics. The Japanese military police picked up a Bible that Witness Lee had given him and said, "Show me the word ‘revival’ in the Bible.” Witness Lee opened the Bible to a random page. And the page he opened happened to be Habakkuk 3:2, which says, "O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years." The Japanese military police were surprised and released him. According to the beliefs of the Pentecostal Movement, God gave him a word of wisdom at that moment.[i][5]

Let's look again at the footnotes of the Recovery Version. "The word of wisdom is the word concerning Christ as the deeper things of God, predestined by God to be our portion. The word of knowledge is the word that imparts a general knowledge of things concerning God and the Lord. The word of wisdom is mainly out of our spirit through revelation; the word of knowledge is mainly out of our understanding through teachings."

I personally think this footnote’s interpretation of the "word of wisdom" and the "word of knowledge" is wrong, or at least biased. The reason for this comes from a lack of knowledge and experience of the gift of the Holy Spirit. This footnote attempts to explain these concepts within the scope of preaching and mental understanding, neglecting the fact that these words of wisdom and knowledge are miraculous gifts. When we lack knowledge and experience of a miraculous gift, we limit our understanding of this biblical knowledge or gift, leading us to wrong conclusions and interpretations.

Many people, including Pastor Stephen Tang, are against treating the "word of knowledge" as a miraculous message, especially when it involves healing from a certain disease. He also believes that "when a person preaches the word of God with great power, the knowledge and wisdom they are filled with are the words of wisdom and knowledge.”[6] But I personally think that Pastor Stephen Tang also lacks the experiential knowledge of spiritual gifts, so he explains these concepts mentally and rationally. I have personally observed many times that God has used the word of knowledge to heal the sick, make prophecies, etc. For this reason, I lean more towards accepting the explanation that this is a miraculous gift that releases a miraculous message from God.

The two examples I gave, speaking in tongues and the word of knowledge, illustrate a common source of division. There are different understandings of spiritual gifts in the modern church which lead to divisions in the church. The Corinthian believers must have also struggled with different understandings or even disagreements over spiritual gifts. Each of them had different gifts, and they were struggling with unity. This is why Paul clarifies the topic of spiritual gifts. He wants the believers to transcend their differences. Even though they each had different spiritual gifts and different understandings of the concept of spiritual gifts, they should work to achieve oneness in love.

Spiritual gifts are a picture of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit working in unity

Verse 1 of this chapter mentions that Paul does not want the believers in Corinth to be uninformed about spiritual gifts. In verse four, he mentions spiritual gifts. Between these verses, he inserts two verses about the Holy Spirit and idolatry. What do these verses mean? Let’s read them: "When you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore, I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says ‘Jesus is accursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.” (vs. 2-3)

Why are these two verses inserted here? My guess is that some magical powers come from evil spirits. For example, the Bible records that people were amazed by Simon, who practiced magic (Acts 8:9). Perhaps some Corinthian believers were against spiritual gifts because they reminded them of magic. For example, many traditional American churches today are against meditation prayers and the gift of prophecy because the New Age movement contains meditation, fortune-telling, and divination. Similarly, this may have been one of the arguments Paul was dealing with among the believers. Paul made it clear that the gifts he was talking about were from the Holy Spirit and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He further clarifies in verse 4 that although gifts come from the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus and the Heavenly Father also share in the process of bestowing gifts. Verses 4-6 say, "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone." The Holy Spirit has given us different gifts; the Lord has given us different kinds of service; the Father has given us different activities. The three operate in unity to finish God’s work. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together in love.

How can we understand this? I’ll give an example. My ministry, "Jairus Bible World Ministries," is a call from God. The Lord appeared to me and called me to take part in this ministry. My calling was mainly to preach God’s word and make His words come alive. When the Lord appeared to me, He Himself told me that He would use me greatly.

The Holy Spirit also gave me gifts in the form of dreams. One day, I dreamed that I got a Bible from heaven that was as sweet as bread. While I am teaching His word, I have found that the Holy Spirit often gives me the gift of understanding God’s words and being an eloquent speaker. When I use this gift and release the illumination of God's word, I am empowered by God the Father. The result of using these gifts is to glorify God the Father, because all things are of Him.

This gift is not just bestowed on me by the Holy Spirit. Jesus and the Father are also taking part in it at the same time. The Holy Spirit bestows a gift on me, and the Lord Jesus perfects it. The gift of the Holy Spirit helps me accomplish the ministry Jesus called me to. And the good work in my heart and in the ministry, all come from the Father. As Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in unity.

The modern church has differing views of gifts. These differences of opinion can lead to church divisions. Some people think that spiritual gifts are not from God, or that they are small things that He does not care about. Paul corrects this wrong view in verses 2-3. He says that spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are involved in giving us gifts and ministries, as well as empowering our activities.

In addition, the Corinthian believers may have thought that their gifts were superior or inferior to those of others, resulting in competition. Paul explains that we have different gifts, but they are all given to us by the same Spirit. We have different types of service, but we all serve the same Lord. Our activities are different but it is the same God who empowers them all.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are working together in unity to empower these activities, services, and gifts. In the same way, we must respect each other's gifts which are given by the Holy Spirit, ministries given by the Lord Jesus, and activities given by the Father. We must learn from the example of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are working together in love and in unity. Paul takes this opportunity to make it clear that although our gifts are different, they should not bring division. Rather, they should bring unity.

Inspirations for achieving oneness in today’s church

Today's church not only has differing opinions about spiritual gifts, but it also disagrees about politics and Covid-19 vaccines. The division in the church today is even more serious than that of the Corinthian church. Is there a way out of these divisions?

Paul points the way in 1 Corinthians: unity and love. There are different kinds of disagreements in the church, and unity and love are the only way out. Paul’s words of wisdom are as applicable today as when they were first written. No matter how many disagreements the church faces, there is only one answer. And that is to bear with each other in unity and love. This approach worked in the Corinthian church, and it should work in the church today. Are our spiritual eyes open to see the way Paul has laid out? Will we choose to live according to the flesh, or will we imitate Paul as he followed Christ’s example of unity and love?

[1] Margaret Mitchell, Paul and the Rhetoric of Reconciliation: An Exegetical Investigation of the Language and Composition of 1 Corinthians (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993), 1–2.

[2] Mark Allan Powell, Introducing the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 291.

[3] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[4] Witness Lee, The Fullness of God, chap.6, sec.4 (1985) in Living Stream Ministry, https://www.ministrybooks.org/books.cfm?n.

[5] Witness Lee, The History and Revelation of the Lord's Recovery, in Living Stream Ministry, Chinese version page 129, https://www.ministrybooks.org.

[6]Quoted from Chinese, http://www.pcchong.com/mydictionary/special/pneumatology3_5.htm.

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Bible Study with Jairus - 1 Corinthians 11

1 Corinthians 11 introduces a perplexing question. If the chapter seems to instruct women to cover their heads, why do so few Christians practice this today? Furthermore, the passage says that women should keep silent in church (1 Corinthians 14:34). How should this be applied to today’s world?

These questions can be confusing to today’s generation of Christians. Are Paul's words intended for a specific time and situation, or are they general principles of God for the entire Church? In other words, are Paul's words meant to be God’s unchanging principles, or are they flexible guidance for specific contexts?

Different churches have different understandings of this. Some people regard Paul’s words as a universal principle given by the Holy Spirit. They require women to cover their heads and to avoid preaching. But other churches believe Paul’s commands addressed specific social circumstances of the time, and there’s no need to enforce it rigidly today.

The church's position on this issue has split into two camps, conservative and liberal. Conservative churches often do not allow women to serve as pastors. But there are many female pastors in liberal churches. Some liberal churches even allow homosexuals to serve as pastors.

How should Christians understand Paul's controversial words? When we study the Bible, we must understand the difference between God’s unchanging principles and his specific guidance for individual circumstances. God’s principles apply to all times and places, whereas his leading does not. We must always keep this difference in mind.

How to distinguish between God's principles and his guidance.

Christians have commonly made the error of confusing God’s unchanging principles with his leading. God’s principles reflect his unchanging nature, and they always involve his glory. His leading does not.

Brother Witness Lee gave a helpful example to illustrate the difference between God's principles and His leading. What if a young bridesmaid is trying to decide whether or not to wear a miniskirt at a wedding held at the church. This is a matter of God's unchanging principles. Wearing a miniskirt is not proper because the church is a holy place. Indecency is not acceptable. Miniskirts are not allowed in the church, regardless of time or location. [1]

What about other wedding decisions, such as details about specific time, place, colors, food,? etc. These decisions are matters of God’s leading. No matter what you decide, you will not violate God’s glory and principles. You may want to seek his specific leading, but you realize that your decision does not involve issues of right or wrong.

The Bible tells us that God’s principles are unchanging. For example, many of the stipulations in the law given by Moses are related to God’s principles. Some commands—“Do not kill, do not take the name of the Lord in vain, do not worship idols, honor your parents, do not covet, do not commit adultery”—are for all people at all times. Disobeying these commands is sin and all who sin will fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). These commands should be respected universally. The law often reveals God’s principles. Disobedience to these principles offends the glory of God.

On the other hand, prophets often gave specific messages that were unique to a particular time and place. Each Old Testament prophet spoke different messages to different groups of people in different circumstances. Prophets communicated God’s specific leading to individuals. The law and the prophets, two main segments of the Old Testament, demonstrate these two aspects of God’s revelation - God's principles and His leading.

At times, God’s principles and His leading can overlap. For example, the command to respect the Sabbath was an important law included in the Ten Commandments. However, this law was abolished after the Lord Jesus came. Many Christians make a distinction between ceremonial law and moral law. A moral law will never change, while a ceremonial law can be abolished. Many believe that the Sabbath was a ceremonial law.

The Sabbath regulations reflect both God’s principles and His leading. God’s principles are revealed through his mercy. Because of his mercy, God chose the Jews and commanded that they should observe the Sabbath. The purpose of the Sabbath was to give God’s people spiritual and physical rest, helping them stay pure until the birth of Christ as Savior of mankind. Now that Christ has come, that purpose is fulfilled.

As Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8), Jesus could heal a man on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-5) and eat grain with his disciples on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1). In the story recorded in Mark 3, Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. The passage specifically mentions that these Jews were hoping to find something to accuse Jesus of. Jesus asked them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. The Lord Jesus was angry and grieved at their hardness of heart (Mark 3:4-5). After Jesus healed the man, the Pharisees went out and consulted with the Herodians about how to kill Him (Mark 3:6).

When Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath, he was reflecting God’s unchanging principles and nature. Jesus showed God’s tender mercy and demonstrated that He is the Savior. The Sabbath pointed toward the birth of our Savior, who would bring healing on the Sabbath. The Sabbath demonstrates God’s nature and his mercy. On the subject of the Sabbath, God’s leading in the New Testament differs from His leading in the Old Testament. Although God’s leading has changed, His principles have remained the same.

The Pharisees failed to recognize the difference between God’s principles and His leading. They mistakenly confused God’s past leading with his unchanging nature and principles. They turned God’s word into unchanging dogma, killed the Lord Jesus, and persecuted many Christians.

The Pharisees are not the only ones who have made this mistake. How many people in the church throughout the ages have committed the same mistake? Many denominations have tried to turn God’s past leading into unchanging principles and unyielding dogma. They have equated God’s specific leading for specific denominational leaders with universal truth. As a result, they were unable to move forward and seek God’s leading for a new era. They became stumbling blocks to God's fresh guidance.

Let’s look at some examples that will help you learn to tell the difference between God's principles and His leading.

A Story about Head Coverings

I was saved in the Local Church Movement. Watchman Nee, the founder of the Local Church Movement, had a spiritual friendship with Brother Theodore Austin-Sparks. Theodore is an important figure in the British Inner life movement. He once studied under Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis, an important figure in the Inner Life movement. Both had an important impact on Watchman Nee and later the Local Church Movement.

Watchman Nee taught that women should cover their heads, so many women in the Local Church Movement did so. Initially, I observed that women covered their heads automatically after they realized that they should obey men’s spiritual truth. Later, many students who came to the United States from China were saved. No one forced these new immigrants to cover their heads. There are still some older women in the church who cover their heads, but this is never the main truth taught by the church.

After Brother Watchman Nee was imprisoned, Brother Witness Lee went to Taiwan to continue building the Local Church. He also continued to have fellowship with Brother Theodore and invited him to serve in Taiwan. But later, the two of them got into a disagreement. One main reason for their conflict was the “one church, one city” doctrine, a controversial topic that Theodore criticized. Another reason for their conflict was the issue of head coverings and culture.

Brother Witness Lee told the following story in his book. When Brother Theodore saw the Taiwanese soldiers wearing hats in the meeting hall, he criticized them. He told them that covering their heads was not in line with the Bible. However, Brother Theodore was using the culture of the West to judge the culture of the East. He was not basing his assessment on the truth of the Bible.

In Chinese culture, soldiers are not allowed to remove their hats. Therefore, all the military brothers who attended the meeting kept their hats on before and after the meeting. During the meeting, they took off their hats to show respect for the Lord, but they put them back on as soon as the meeting was over. [2]

Brother Theodore hastily condemned these military brothers because he did not know that wearing hats was required by the military. These military brothers were doing their best to glorify the Lord. By the rules of their Eastern culture, they were pleasing to the Lord. Because he was looking at them with Western eyes, Theodore thought the men were sinfully covering their heads.

I believe God’s specific leading is unique for these military brothers in the context of Chinese culture. As soldiers, they must obey military orders. As Christians, they should take off their hats during the meeting. But after it is over, they may put their hats back on to remain in compliance. This not only glorifies the Lord but also abides by the military regulations of the secular society.

Applying these principles is a subtle balance. Theodore, who didn’t understand Eastern culture, hastily condemned these military brothers for covering their heads. He mistakenly confused God's leading with God’s unchanging principles.

A story of Kaifeng Jews

The story of the Kaifeng Jews also illustrates the principle of God’s principles and God’s leading. Matteo Ricci came to China as a missionary in 1583 and established a good relationship with the Chinese emperor and the scholar-official class. He was in a good position to spread the Gospel among the Chinese.

Ai Tian, ​​a Jew from Kaifeng, went to Beijing to take the official exam. Hearing about a Westerner who believed in one true God as he did, he went to see Matteo Ricci. Ai Tian believed that Matteo Ricci was a Jew. When he saw a picture of Mary, Jesus, and John the Baptist in Ricci’s house, he thought they were images of Rebecca and her sons Isaac and Jacob.

Matteo Ricci, on the other hand, thought that Ai Tian was a Nestorian believer. Only later did he discover that Ai Tian was a Jew. Matteo Ricci wanted the Jewish community to come to know the Messiah, so he sent messengers to the Jewish community in Kaifeng to investigate. After investigating, they found that the Jews had integrated with the local Chinese culture to a considerable degree. They had combined the Chinese tradition of ancestor worship and emperor worship with their own belief that they should not worship idols. Chinese Jews placed God’s name above the emperor’s name on the plaque they were worshiping. When they worshiped, they worshiped God and ignored the emperor's name.

This story of synchronism sparked debate in the Holy See. Matteo Ricci and his fellow Jesuits explained that the Chinese people were only honoring their ancestors and not worshipping them as idols, just like the Jews honored their ancestors. They asked that the Chinese be given some space so that the gospel could continue to spread in China.

But the other faction had a different view. They were jealous of Matteo Ricci's success in China, and they opposed his point of view. They insisted that Chinese ancestor worship was idolatry and should not be tolerated. In the end, this faction won. The Holy See ruled that Chinese ancestor worship was idolatry. As a result, the Chinese emperor banned the spread of Christianity in China.

I think this example demonstrates the importance of differentiating between God’s principles (don’t worship idols) and His leading (evangelism in China). I feel it’s a great pity that the Holy See at that time did not find a way to balance the two. Their choice led to the ban of Christianity in China and delayed the propagation of the Gospel among the Chinese for hundreds of years. If they had taken a more balanced approach, perhaps China's story would have been very different.

Avoid dogmatism

Some believe that when Paul commanded the Corinthian men not to cover their heads, he was referring to the fact that men in Roman times often covered their heads when they went to worship idols. They say that Paul commanded the believers not to cover their heads to avoid an association with idol worship. This command lies within the scope of God’s principles. Paul also said that men are the glory of God, so they should not cover their heads (1 Corinthians 11:7). This statement may have been directed towards the customs of Roman men at that time – covering their heads when they worshiped idols.

Some believe that the same concept applies to women as well. Perhaps Paul was instructing that women should cover their heads because the city of Corinth was very promiscuous, and covering their heads would protect them.

These statements are worth considering, but let's look at the biblical records. When talking about men not covering their heads (1 Corinthians 11:4) and women covering their heads (1 Corinthians 11:5), Paul mentioned two contexts: "praying" and "prophesying." How do we explain this? How should we respond to what Paul said? Was Paul expressing God's firm and unchanging principles? Or was Paul giving specific guidance for a particular situation?

I don't have a specific answer with regards to the head covering here. But my main point is this: we must not use God's words as mechanical, lifeless dogma but as living principles that apply in fresh ways in every era. If God’s guidance on the Sabbath could change between the Old Testament and the New Testament, then we should not be dogmatic about this command.

Rick Joyner told a story about a vision he had. He said that Paul appeared to him in a vision and said, “The modern church has highly exalted my writings. Churches should not allow my words to evaluate the words of the Lord in the four Gospels. Instead, they should use the words of the Lord to evaluate my works.”[3]

According to Rick Joyner, most exegetical writings since the Reformation have revolved around Paul's letters. Of course, much of this is good. These writings help us better understand Paul's letters.

At the same time, we must be careful not to exalt Paul's teachings too much. We should not equate Paul’s specific guidance in this passage with the eternal and unchanging principles of God.

Wisely discern God's principles and His leading

Everyone has different interpretations of this passage on head coverings. We must learn to differentiate between God’s principles and His leading. This mindset can help us learn to accurately apply the Bible’s teachings to our lives.

To make this distinction, we must ask ourselves, “Does this command relate to God’s unchanging nature and glory?” If so, the command should not be compromised. On the other hand, if the command is related to God’s specific leading for a specific situation, we are free to make bold changes. We can apply this principle to every area of life and Christian ministry.

Are there any traditions in your church that are hindering Christ and the Holy Spirit? Perhaps God led your denomination’s leaders to make specific decisions in the past. However, God’s leading may be different for you in your current context. Ask yourself, “If I make changes, will it tarnish God’s glory?” If so, it’s a question of principles; you must not make changes. However, if the change only affects your tradition rather than God’s glory, this decision falls within the scope of God’s leading. You can make bold changes.

For example, some churches do not allow the use of any musical instruments in worship. Others restrict themselves to specific musical instruments. Applying the above principles, we can realize that God’s glory will not be tarnished if we use musical instruments in worship. The use of instruments does not cause us to fall short of God’s glory. Rather, we can glorify God as we worship him with musical instruments. Such a change falls into the category of God’s leading. We are free to be flexible and adapt to today’s culture. Churches that firmly oppose the use of musical instruments are living in legalism and dogmatism. They need to be set free from this. They are following the traditions of men, not the word of God.

Let’s look at another example. Some churches teach that women cannot be pastors and that only men can baptize. However, in the early days of church planting in rural China, churches were composed entirely of women, older people, and children. There were no men at all. The only ones who were familiar with the Bible were women. Naturally, they took on the role of spiritual leaders and baptizers. In addition, the government monitored men stringently, and men were often busy with work. The government’s monitoring of women was relatively lax. Therefore, in the early days of rural churches in China, many women served as leaders. I think that this demonstrates God’s leading at that place and at that time. Under such circumstances, it was logical for women to serve as spiritual leaders. They did not fall short of God’s glory; instead, they demonstrated His glory.

However, Paul was speaking to another cultural context in 1 Corinthians 11. Perhaps there were women in the church who were challenging Paul's authority and rebuking him for being humble (or timid) (2 Corinthians 10:1). In addition, they didn’t cover their heads or remain silent. Perhaps that’s why Paul said that it was better for women to cover their heads and keep silent. His command was appropriate for the context of the period.

The concept of differentiating between God’s principles and leading can help you better understand His words and follow His leading in your life. Of course, we must never tamper with God’s words. At the same time, we must never use God’s word mechanically or dogmatically. Instead, we should remember that in any situation, God will reveal his unchanging nature and guide us in the way we should go.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Revelation 16

Armageddon and the Seven Bowls

Have you ever scratched your head when you read about the seven bowls of God's wrath in Revelation 16? Have you wanted to better understand the pictorial and prophetic imagery of the bowls? Have you wondered about the Battle of Armageddon which takes place between the sixth and seventh bowls?

The imagery of the seven bowls and the battle of Armageddon reminds me of the picture that is painted in Genesis 15, which records God’s promise to Abraham. God told Abraham that his descendants would go to Egypt and be enslaved for 400 years. On the one hand, they were waiting for the iniquity of the Amorites to be complete; on the other hand, they were accumulating strength and growing into a huge army. In the end, the Amorites did not repent, and God judged them by the hand of the Israelites.

Revelation 16 paints the same picture: God is merciful. He is waiting for people to repent. He is also waiting for the church to accumulate enough power. God will eventually judge wicked people and evil spirits through the church. This will happen at Armageddon after the time has come and after the iniquity of mankind is complete.

Understanding the imagery of the bowls

If we are to understand the book of Revelation, we must be able to understand the pictorial languages it contains. These pictures are given in spiritual terms, so we must compare them to other Biblical pictures to understand them. We cannot simply use the language of the material world to understand these pictures.

For example, how should we understand the pictorial language of Psalm 56:8, "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?"[1] How do we understand the bottle that David speaks about? David clearly said that God collects our tears in a bottle. Is the bottle physical or spiritual? Does God really collect our tears in a bottle, or it is just a metaphor?

I believe this is a real bottle, not a metaphor. After the Lord Jesus was resurrected, He appeared to his disciples. The disciples “thought they saw a spirit” (Luke 24:37). The word “spirit” in the original language is “pneuma” (Newma), which signifies a non-material spirit. The Lord Jesus rebuked the disciples for doubting, asking them to touch His hands and feet. The Lord said, "A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (Luke 24:39). After that, the Lord asked them for something to eat. They gave the Lord a piece of a broiled fish, and He ate it (Luke 24:41-42). This story shows that the resurrected body is not only spiritual, but also material. The material, resurrected body absolutely exceeds the material body here on earth. The spiritual realm of the resurrection may contain physical objects that are even more substantial than the material objects we have now. So looking at this story, the Heavenly Father's bottle may be a real bottle that can hold our tears.

Let’s look at another example of pictorial language, the Golden Censor. Revelation 8 mentions, "Another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.” (Revelation 8:3-5). These verses show that the function of the golden censer is to collect the prayers of the saints. As the smoke of the incense ascends, the prayers collected by the angels will also ascend to God.

We’ve looked at two objects with spiritual and pictorial meaning: the censer that collects the prayers of the saints and the bottle that collects the tears of the saints. What is then the function of the bowl? Let's look at Revelation 16:1, "I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.’” From this verse, we see that the bowl holds and collects the wrath of God.

Why are there seven bowls? To understand this passage, we must understand the language of numbers. What does the number seven signify in the Bible? This number may have a lot of meanings, but we will only share one or two here. According to the Genesis record, God created the world for six days and rested on the seventh day. Seven is a complete number, representing a complete period. There are seven days in a week. Seven signifies a complete phase or period. It also signifies increasing quantity. The seven bowls of God’s wrath must contain a sevenfold portion of His wrath.

Therefore, when the first bowl was poured out, harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image (verse 2). When the second bowl was poured into the sea, the sea turned into blood, and every living thing in the sea died (verse 3). The third bowl was poured into the rivers and the springs of water, and the water became blood (verse 4). The fourth bowl was poured on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire (verse 8). The fifth bowl was poured out on the throne of the beast, its kingdom was plunged into darkness and people gnawed their tongues in anguish (verse 10). The sixth bowl was poured out on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east (verse 12). When the seventh bowl was poured out, a voice said, “it is done” (verse 17).

These seven bowls represent the gradually increasing wrath and judgment of God. After the fourth bowl was poured out, the Bible specifically says that "they were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory." (verse 9). They didn’t repent, so God's judgment and wrath continued to intensify. After the fifth bowl was poured out, people gnawed their tongues in anguish and “cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. But they did not repent of their deeds." (verse 11). You see, if we continue to be unrepentant, God's wrath will continue to increase.

A vision appeared between the sixth and the seventh bowls. Three demons gathered in a place called Armageddon and brought the kings from the east to fight against God and His chosen people. This occurred after mankind’s sins had reached their full measure. Under the influence of the three evil spirits, the kings united to wage war against God and His chosen people. This is what Armageddon means - the final battle between light and darkness in the last days.

So how do we understand the battle of Armageddon which appears in this chapter? How do we understand Armageddon, the final battle? Is this metaphorical language? Are there any other images in the Bible that will help us understand the battle of Armageddon?

Understanding the imagery of Armageddon

We often say that the Old Testament is a picture of a New Testament spiritual reality. Objects such as bottles, censers, and bowls, can remind us of spiritual realities. So can stories in the Old Testament. For example, the story of the crossing of the Red Sea is a picture that can help illustrate the Christian’s experience of salvation.

God's appearance to Abraham in a vision in Genesis 15 is a picture that helps us understand Armageddon. In Genesis 15, the Lord gave Abraham a vision and said to him, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions." (Genesis 15:13-14). Then the Lord said again, "They shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” (Genesis 15:16).

Why did God tell Abraham that his descendants were going down to Egypt? For one thing, Abraham’s family was small and weak. He only had one child, Isaac, and his other son, Ishmael, was unacceptable in the eyes of God. Although Abraham had some servants, there was no way he and his one son could completely conquer the land of Canaan by themselves. When Jacob led his family to Egypt, there were only 70+ people. They did not have enough strength to conquer the land of Canaan.

However, while the people were slaves in Egypt for 400 years, they continued to multiply in numbers. It is estimated that there were 3 million people (more than 600,000 soldiers, besides women, children, and old people) by the time the Israelites came out of Egypt. They had become a great army. They were able to conquer the land of Canaan.

In addition, the sins of the Amorites were not yet complete, so God gave them at least 400 years of opportunity to repent. But after 400 years, they still would not repent. The bowl of God's wrath was filled up and His wrath was poured out. He commanded the Israelites to destroy all the Canaanites.

Many people do not understand the historical background of this judgment, and they think that God was too harsh in judging the Canaanites. But when we understand the context, we see that the window of opportunity for repentance and mercy had closed. The Canaanites’ iniquity was complete, so God's wrath and judgment were carried out on them through the Israelites.

God is like a judge. When a judge sentences a thief to ten years in prison, he doesn’t leave the judge's bench, pull out handcuffs, and take the thief to jail. That's the job of the bailiff. The Israelites acted as bailiffs in the Old Testament. God said clearly to the Israelites, "You shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded, that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 20:17-18)

Similarly, in the New Testament age, we as Christians play the role of the bailiff. We are destined to judge angels. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:3, "Do you not know that we are to judge angels?" Angels were created to be “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). We as humans were created in God’s image, and we will one day be reborn as children of God (Romans 8:14). In other words, our destiny is to become princes. Angels will be our "Imperial Preceptors" who will help us become princes.

But since some angels betrayed us and tempted us into sin, God will judge them. God will use us, the bride of Christ, to execute judgment on the angels. As believers, we fight against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). In the end, God will use us, the church, to judge the evil spirits and the sinners. Judgment is from God, but God uses our hands to judge the sinners. The Battle of Armageddon is the final battle between the Bride of Christ and the enemy. God and His chosen people will be victorious.

Judgment and Mercy

God is giving humans the opportunity to repent and turn to Him. He is also giving the church time to gain strength.

The goal of God’s judgment is repentance. God sent a famine on the land of Canaan to encourage the Canaanites to repent, but they did not. God sent the fourth and fifth bowl judgments to draw people to himself, but people refused to repent. As a result, the sixth bowl was poured out and the final battle of Armageddon erupted.

God's judgment is only a means to an end: repentance. When people do not repent, judgments intensify. Whether it is the famine in Canaan, the ten plagues of Egypt, or the coronavirus today, the goal of God’s judgments is to make people repent. Yet many people still curse God and refuse to repent. Therefore, God's judgment will intensify.

In the church era, God's judgment and mercy coexist. We must seize the opportunity to repent. Otherwise, if God’s wrath reaches its full limit, God will pour out more of his wrath. Eventually, we will lose the chance to repent. Please seize the opportunity to repent and to turn to God.

As the Church, we should take advantage of the difficult environment we are in and use it for growth. The people of Israel multiplied greatly during their time in Egypt. In the same way, God has given us an opportunity to accumulate strength, multiply, and become firmly rooted in Him. We must seize this opportunity to prepare ourselves for spiritual maturity so we can win the war that lies in the future.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Revelation 14

Honing our God-Given Gifts

In Revelation 14, John saw some vivid images about harvest. John recounts, “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.” (Revelation 14:14). The man “swung his sickle across the earth” to reap the earthly harvest (Revelation 14:15-16). Later, we read about another angel who used a sickle to gather clusters of grapes from the vine and to throw them into the great winepress of the wrath of God (Revelation 14:18). What do these symbolic pictures mean? How do we understand the pictorial language of the harvest, the grapes, and the great winepress? Do they have positive or negative connotations?

I believe that the harvest image has positive connotations, while the grapes are negative. They represent wheat and tares respectively, which in turn represent real and fake Christians. Although we do not know when the Lord will come back, we know the harvest is near. The wheat will be separated from the tares. God has given us each spiritual gifts, which he expects us to use. Like a harvester sharpens his sickle, God wants us to sharpen our gifts through constant practice.

Understanding pictorial language

One of the difficulties in understanding the book of Revelation is that it uses so many abstract and pictorial images. This often leads to a variety of misinterpretations.

Let’s look at an example of spiritual language. It is claimed that one of the founders of Google had a dream about an algorithm. Let’s assume that God gave him this information through his dream. Even though the founder had received the algorithm, he still needed to translate the information into a practical application before he could use it to create Google’s search engine. To turn an idea or concept into a finished product, a complex process is required. An idea—whether for a new phone, a new car, or something else—needs to be translated into a design. Then materials need to be selected and the production process needs to begin.

Let’s use this example as a metaphor for spiritual language. A complex idea or picture (such as those in Revelation) needs to go through a transformation process. It needs to be converted from concept to understanding and finally to application in the real world.

The sickle is a pictorial language

The concept of the sickle is an example of abstract, pictorial language. The son of man did not actually throw down a physical sickle from heaven. If it were a physical sickle, we’d have to ask lots of questions: How big is the sickle? What material is it made of? Where is it thrown?

But if it is a spiritual metaphor, we can ask other questions. What does the sickle represent? What was God’s purpose for including it? Viewing this passage as pictorial language will help us understand the entire book of Revelation.

The sickles used by the son of man and the angel are real spiritual sickles used for harvesting the earth. How does God reap? Does he reap the earth by himself (with the angel’s help), or does he need our cooperation? We know that evangelism requires human cooperation, and we can conclude that reaping is the same. God has given each Christian a spiritual gift: love, power, leadership ability, etc. These gifts can become your sickle, which will help you reap a mature harvest.

To understand the spiritual, pictorial prophecies in the Bible, we cannot just understand them in physical terms. For example, in one of my prophetic dreams, I visited heaven and received a Bible that was sweet to the taste. But I didn’t expect to receive a real, physical, edible Bible in my house. I knew that the dream represented God’s provision. It helped me understand that the Bible is nourishing and sweet, “sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

However, this dream did have an impact in the real, physical world. Every time I read the Bible, I ask for the Holy Spirit’s inspiration and light to help me interpret the Bible. When I share my inspiration with others, they are nourished and fed. The book of Revelation tells us that John ate a small scroll, which was sweet as honey in his mouth but bitter in his stomach, and was able to prophesy to many nations, peoples, and kings (Revelation 10:8-11). John did not receive a real, physical edible Bible, but his vision did have an impact in the physical world as he preached to those around him.

Similarly, the sickle’s spiritual and metaphorical meaning can be converted into the physical world. We must use the inspiration, thoughts, and gifts that God has given us to impact the real world around us. We don’t need to passively wait around for God to harvest the earth. God is throwing His sickle in heaven today. We need to use prayer and faith to receive the sickle that God has given us and make that sickle sharper through constant use and practice.

God has called me to minister His word, so I must sharpen this calling and use it to the best of my ability. When I neglect to study and prepare for a Bible study I lead, I feel like I don’t receive much inspiration from God’s Spirit. I’m letting my sickle grow dull. But when I pray earnestly, prepare, read many spiritual books, and ask God to enlighten and help me, I am sharpening the gifts God has given me.

The Bible says, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." (ESV, Proverbs 27:17).[1] Similarly, any gift that God has given us must be sharpened. God has given us many spiritual gifts. Just as our muscles grow stronger through constant use, we must use our gifts so they grow stronger.

Every time I lead a Bible study, I pray earnestly as I prepare. I do not rely on the knowledge and content I have prepared. Rather, I look to the Holy Spirit to answer the questions that my audience asks. When I do this, I am often inspired by the Holy Spirit and gain a new understanding of the Bible. In this way, I continually sharpen the gifts God has given me.

What is your “sickle”? Are you gifted in loving others? Then use your gift of love to visit a friend, bring him the warmth of friendship, and share God’s words with him. Perhaps you will lead him to salvation! This is your sickle. If you don't follow God's leading to visit this friend, your sickle may rust at home.

Are you gifted in prayer? Do you pray often for certain countries or people? This is also a sickle that God has given you. If you neglect to pray because you are too busy at work, you are leaving your sickle at home to rust.

If your gift is mercy, God may want you to use your gift by caring for homeless people. This is your God-given sickle. When you pay them a visit on the street, you're sharpening your sickle.

We live in the age of harvest. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, he said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matthew 9:37). We are God's harvesters, and God has given us sickles. We need to sharpen them. Are you unsatisfied with your sickle? Use the one you have, and ask God to give you another one. As you are faithful in small things, God will surely give you more responsibilities.

We as Christians can participate in the harvest, but there’s another aspect of the harvest as well. I don’t deny that the angel will use his sickle to directly reap the earth. The angels will separate the wheat (real Christians) and tares (fake Christians or the wicked). Many people wonder why so many Christians have tragically passed away in the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps one explanation is that they were mature and ready to be harvested by God. God brought them into his presence. In addition, some wicked people were reaped by the angels and taken to hell.

Wheat and tares

To understand pictorial prophecy in the Bible, it’s helpful to understand the usage of those pictures throughout Scripture. This will help broaden our understanding of the metaphors and images in Revelation. For instance, how does the Bible use the image of “harvest” throughout the Bible? Is this image positive or negative? Jesus mentioned the harvest in Matthew 9:37 with a positive connotation. The Lord Jesus likened Himself to a grain of wheat (John 12:24), another positive association for this harvest theme. Wheat is good, while tares and chaff are bad (Matthew 3:12). The Lord Jesus told Peter that Satan would sift the disciples like wheat (Luke 22:31). From these verses, we can see that wheat is used positively to refer to Christians.

Now let’s look at the picture of gathering grapes. Is this picture positive or negative? In the Bible, there are good and bad grapes. The Bible says that sour grapes make one’s teeth set on edge. God wanted Israel, the vine, to bear good grapes. But the nation only bore bad grapes. When God came to see if the vine had borne fruit, it had not (Luke 13:6). Grapes can be either good or bad.

Jesus also used the fruitless branch as a metaphor, saying that such branches are to be gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned. Jeremiah 2:21 says, "Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?" Isaiah 5:2 says, "He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes." From these passages, we see that there are both good and bad grapes. Some grapes are even poisonous! Deuteronomy 32:32 says, "For their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of poison; their clusters are bitter."

The grapes mentioned in Revelation 14 are placed in the great winepress of God’s wrath. I conclude that these grapes have a negative connotation. Verse 20 mentions that the grapes were trampled outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 300km. The grapes in the winepress represent the judgment of the wicked.

During the harvest, tares and wheat are separated. Good and bad grapes are separated. The righteous are reaped into heaven and the wicked into hell. The Lord Jesus also said that the righteous would be gathered into the barn, and the wicked would be burned. Jesus used a fishing metaphor to say the same thing. The righteous would be taken into the boat, and the unrighteous would be thrown into the sea (Matthew 13:47-50). The sea represents judgment and hell. In the last days, the angels will reap the earth. They will separate the righteous and the wicked. God uses consistent metaphors and images to discuss the final judgment.

There is very little controversy among Christians about the meaning of the harvest metaphors. But other prophetic images are more difficult to understand. For example, how should we understand the profound and controversial references to the beast, the statue of beast, the dragon, the woman, etc.? To understand these concepts, we need the help of the Holy Spirit. We also need an understanding of the principles I outlined above. I hope to share more about how to understand these pictorial images in later studies of the book of Revelation.

We must sharpen our sickles

We live in the age of harvest. If the harvest was already ripe when the Lord Jesus was alive, it is now even riper! Throughout the ages, countless Christians have given their own blood as the price for spreading the gospel and sowing the seeds of the gospel. Many years ago, people in various places hadn't heard of the Bible or the name of Jesus Christ, but today it's different. Take China as an example. Hundreds of years ago, many had never heard of Jesus Christ. But now almost anyone can find the Bible and the story of Jesus Christ online. The gospel has been spread through various media channels. Some people have not yet accepted the gospel, and they doubt its validity. But it is available for those who are receptive.

A hundred years ago, when Christian missionaries from the West came to China to preach the gospel, many had never heard of the gospel or the name of Jesus. Today, even though there is still a lot of resistance to Christianity among the Chinese people, information about the Bible and the Gospel is easily accessible on the Internet. This is the power of the information age. In the past, the government could destroy or restrict the reading of the Bible, but now it is almost impossible to do so. Because everyone has a smartphone, and the Bible has been produced in various forms (PDF, EPUB, and various apps), it is impossible for the Bible to be banned. The seeds of the gospel have been sown. It is time for the harvest to be reaped.

The number of Christians is declining in many Christian countries in the West. But the seeds sown by their godly ancestors will continue to grow. A great revival is coming. Many people will be brought into God’s kingdom.

I personally believe that we are getting close to the end of the age. We must be open to the Holy Spirit and be sensitive to the sickles (gifts) that he has given us. We must be ready to accept God’s calling and gifts and sharpen our sickles through constant practice. Then we will participate with God in reaping a ripe harvest.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 14

What Matters Most: Doctrine or Love?

In Romans 14, Paul issues a powerful challenge to the Roman church. Amid controversies about eating food sacrificed to idols, Paul calls the believers to shift their gaze. He wants them to go a step further. He says that the reality of life with Christ transcends the realm of the physical. Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Love and peace are what matter most. Knowledge and doctrine should never limit our ability to love and accept other believers, even those whose views differ from ours.

Clean or unclean

Romans 14 discusses several topics that were disputed in the Roman church. Paul discusses the morality of observing Jewish feasts, eating meat sacrificed to idols, and idolatry in the Roman church. Idolatry permeated society at that time. Much of the meat sold in the marketplace had been offered to idols. As a result, believers debated whether it was permissible to eat this meat. Some believed that everything was clean, and others believed that the meat was defiled by its past.

Throughout the Bible, God had demonstrated that all food was now clean. For example, God told Peter in a vision that He had made unclean animals clean. What God had made clean should not be considered unclean. In 1 Corinthians, Paul asserted that in principle, all foods may be eaten.

In 1 Corinthians 8:4-8, Paul said that idols are nothing at all; there is one God and one Lord Jesus Christ. He is the creator and the one for whom and through whom all things exist. In this sense, idols are just worthless, inanimate items. They don’t matter at all; they’re not real.

But some people don't know this, so their consciences are defiled when they eat food sacrificed to idols. Paul explains, “Actually, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat and no better off if we do.” (1 Corinthians 8:8 ESV). He goes on to say that we should not cause our brothers to stumble because of food (1 Corinthians 8:9-13). In Romans 14, Paul’s attitude is the same. Eating food sacrificed to idols doesn’t matter in the eyes of God. But if it causes a weaker believer to stumble, it’s best not to eat meat.

Good or evil

Romans 14:16 says, “So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.” This verse troubled me when I first read it. What was the “good” Paul was talking about? What was the “evil”? To answer this question, we need to examine the previous two verses. Verses 14-15 say, “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.”

Unwisely misapply the good thing

The word “good” in verse 14 most likely refers to the fact that everything is clean in the Lord Jesus, since God cleanses everything in Christ. It may also refer to correct doctrines about God. Perhaps it refers to the knowledge mentioned in 1 Corinthians 8. This verse says, “Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up.” The knowledge about God and the fact that everything is clean in Christ constitute the “good” Paul is referring to.

“Evil” may refer to causing weaker believers to stumble. Or “evil” may refer to the mistreatment of those who have different views. If we misapply the good thing in an unwise way, it will be spoken of as evil. Why? Verse 17 gives the answer. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The word “for” in the beginning of the verse reveals the answer. In other words, if I can paraphrase the verse, “For it is more important to keep your brother from stumbling than to prove you are right in your dogma or doctrine.”

Can you imagine the believers arguing in the Roman and Corinthian churches? Some insisted they could eat anything because all foods were clean in Christ. Others said that it was wrong to eat meat. The stronger brothers wished that the weaker brothers would grow in faith and stop worrying so much. The strong believers certainly didn’t want to give up their right to eat meat to make the weaker brothers happy!

Yet Paul makes it clear that our perfect doctrine doesn’t matter if we fail to love others with the fruit of the Spirit. The knowledge we possess is less important than the love we demonstrate. Romans 14:17 reveals the crux of the matter. The reality of the kingdom of God lies in the love and peace of the Holy Spirit, not in technical obedience.

Bearing with one another in love

Each Christian is at a different level of spiritual maturity. When another believer’s faith is weak, we must always accommodate them to keep them from stumbling. We may not have the same doctrines, but we need to learn to accept each other. But too often, we care more about right or wrong than about bearing with another in love. When others are different from us, we often point fingers and make hasty judgments. In other words, we care about our doctrines more than we care about people.

God wants us to pursue unity. True unity depends on our love and acceptance toward each other, despite our differences. We can compare this to the process of learning love and acceptance in marriage. When I first got married, an older Christian couple told us that marriage is God’s best tool to teach us about love.

Before I got married, I lived alone for many years. I was self-centered. Most of the time, I didn’t need to consider others’ feelings. My wife and I grew up in very different families, so we had different everyday habits. We each had our shortcomings. We had to learn to accept one another and learn patience and tolerance in all things. Believers in the church need to learn the same lesson. We have many differences, but we are family.

Righteousness, peace, and joy

If we only care about being right and sticking to doctrine, we may neglect to care for others. God not only cares about what we eat but how we eat it and whether the way we eat will cause others to stumble. If we stick to correct doctrines but neglect the effect we are having on others, we are not pleasing God. We must ask ourselves how the things we eat will affect others. When we combine these two aspects, our lives will be filled with righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Verse 20 says, “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.” We should never use our doctrine about food (based on the word of God) to destroy God’s love for his children (who are the work of God).

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Bible Study with Jairus - Numbers 36

Stepping Into Your Spiritual Destiny

In Numbers 36, we learn that the daughters of Zelophehad cherished God’s promised land and stepped into their spiritual destiny. When Zelophehad’s daughters asked to inherit land alongside the other Israelites, their clan members feared that if the young women later married men from other clans, their ancestral inheritance would be transferred to another tribe. The clan begged Moses to handle this issue.

God told Moses that what the daughters were asking for was right. He commanded that the girls should only marry within their own tribe. Why does the last chapter of Numbers end with this story? I believe God was drawing a stark contrast between the daughters of Zelophehad, who longed to enter the Promised Land, and the people who threw away their chance to receive God’s blessing. Because of the faith and perseverance of the daughters of Zelophehad, they eventually entered the Promised Land (Joshua 17). This greatly pleased God. There is no better ending to a story than this.

Entering the Promised Land by Faith

The Bible first mentions Zelophehad’s daughters in Numbers 26:33: “Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters. And the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah."[1] This chapter records the census of the second generation of fighting men of Israel. Usually, only men were counted among the ranks of soldiers. They were also mentioned in a genealogy in 1 Chronicles 7:15. The fact that God includes these women in the record shows how much he valued their faith.

The daughters of Zelophehad are mentioned again in Numbers 27. Here, they asked to inherit their father’s land. In allowing them to inherit land, God seems to have made a special exception just for them. In the past, the law had never allowed daughters to inherit land. However, God granted their request because these ladies took the initiative to ask for it. The Lord is very pleased with those who actively seek him.

In Joshua 17, the daughters of Zelophehad appeared before Joshua again and asked him to follow through on his promise to give them the land. As a result, Joshua allowed them to take possession of their inheritance. Verses 4-5 record, "Thus there fell to Manasseh ten portions, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was allotted to the rest of the people of Manasseh." The daughters of Zelophehad did not acquire land east of the Jordan. Instead, they inherited land in the Promised Land of Canaan, west of the Jordan. We don't know if Zelophehad’s daughters and their spouses were the only ones who entered the Promised Land itself, or if there were others from the half-tribe of Manasseh who entered as well. We do know that these daughters were an important part of the half-tribe that inherited west of the Jordan.

The daughters of Zelophehad are mentioned at least five times in the Bible. This shows that God cares deeply about them. Their faith eventually led them to enter the Promised Land and receive their father's inheritance. God praised their faith.

There is an important reason that the Holy Spirit placed this story in the last chapter of Numbers. The book of Numbers is a story about Israel going to war and entering the Promised Land. In this story, some Israelites, like the ten evil spies and the entire first generation of Israelites, died in the wilderness because of their unbelief. But others, like Caleb and Joshua and the second generation of Israelites, were able to enter the Promised Land. Gad and Reuben chose the land east of the Jordan River instead of entering the Promised Land. The half-tribe of Manasseh, influenced by the tribes of Gad and Reuben, also chose the land east of the Jordan River. However, some descendants of the tribe of Manasseh, such as the daughters of Zelophehad, were not influenced by the dissenters. They placed their faith in the Lord’s promise to give them the land, and they eventually entered the Promised Land.

What a wonderful way to wrap up the book of Numbers! The story of these women concludes the book with a story of faith and victory. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write the book of Numbers, he thoughtfully arranged for the book to end on this high note of hope.

Achieving Victory in Spiritual Warfare and Entering into God's Destiny

God promised that the Israelites would enter the Promised Land, but many fell in the wilderness because of unbelief and disobedience. To experience the fulfillment of God’s promises, his prophecies, and the destiny he has for us, we must unite ourselves by faith with God’s promises (Hebrews 4:2). Only then can we truly step into our spiritual destiny.

Whenever God's promises are involved, Satan fights back. The bigger the promise, the greater the spiritual opposition. An entire family can lose out on God’s promises due to disobedience. One faithful person who demonstrates their faith can become the recipient of God’s promise.

For example, God promised that Abraham's descendants would be a blessing to all nations (Galatians 3:14). God promised that Christ would be born from Abraham's descendants. But Abraham’s family was full of sin and dissension.

Abraham gave birth to Ishmael and Isaac. God clearly said that the Messianic line would be passed down through Isaac. Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob, and God chose Jacob. Many of Jacob’s twelve sons were disqualified from the Messianic line. Reuben, the firstborn, defiled his father's bed, so Christ could not be born from his lineage. Both Simeon and Levi killed innocent people and were cursed by Jacob, so they could not carry on the Messianic line, either.

Judah, another son of Jacob, was chosen as the forefather of the Messiah. Yet he married the daughter of a Canaanite man. Both his first two sons were put to death because of their sins. Judah did not follow through with his promise to Tamar, his eldest daughter-in-law. He had promised her that after her husband died, she could marry Judah’s youngest son, thus carrying on the Messianic line.

Tamar may have heard Judah recounting the story of Abraham, and how God promised Abraham and even Adam that "her offspring shall bruise your head" (Genesis 3:15). She may have received a direct revelation from God that Christ would be born into the tribe of Judah. Tamar devised a plan for Judah to sleep with her, and gave birth to Perez and Zerah, the ancestors of Christ. What Tamar did might seem immoral, but she actually treasured God's promises very much.

The enemy vigorously attacked the house of Judah because he was the ancestor of the Messiah. Satan succeeded in causing the two sons of Judah to sin and die. But Tamar didn't give up. She was like a volleyball player who made a "dig,” eventually rescuing the ball from falling. Her actions made Judah feel ashamed. He called Tamar more righteous than himself (Genesis 38:26).

The same thing happened in the story of Ruth. Ruth is also the ancestor of Christ. But Ruth's father-in-law, husband, and brother-in-law all sinned and died. Ruth was like Tamar. Perhaps she learned of God's promises to the tribe of Judah from Naomi. She was determined not to leave Naomi and eventually followed Naomi to the land of Judah. There, she married Boaz, the ancestor of David and Christ.

We see the same pattern in Ruth's story – the greater the destiny and calling of God, the greater the spiritual warfare. Sinful people and those who have no faith will be used by the enemy to block God's promise, but the righteous and faithful will seize God's promise and eventually win the spiritual battle. They will enter into the spiritual destiny promised by God.

I wonder why the tribe of Manasseh did not give Zelophehad’s daughters their father's land from the very start? Why did they leave them with no other option but to take their case to Moses and the whole congregation? In the end, God had to intervene before the land would be given to them. And Numbers 36 mentions again that the heads of the tribe of Manasseh were worried that they would lose their tribal inheritance if the girls married people from other tribes.

Why were they so worried? Perhaps the land that was allotted to Zelophehad was very large. Because Zelophehad had a large portion of the land, the tribe of Manasseh refused to give it to his daughters at first. They were worried that they would lose their tribal inheritance if the daughters married men from other tribes. Maybe they wouldn't have cared if Zelophehad had been allotted a very small portion of the land.

There must have been a great spiritual battle going on over Zelophehad’s land, just like there was in the families of Judah and Naomi. Zelophehad had died in his own sin, probably the same sin as the sons of Judah and the sons of Naomi had committed. The enemy attacked them and made them fall into sin to prevent them from entering their spiritual destiny. But Zelophehad’s daughters saved their family's destiny and entered the Promised Land.

The enemy sends obstacles and tempts us to sin, trying to keep us from fulfilling our destiny. But as we persevere in faith, we will be able to fulfill God's destiny for our lives. The fact that Zelophehad’s daughters eventually entered the Promised Land is proof of this. Many Christians have a great spiritual destiny, but if they cannot win their spiritual battle and defeat the enemy, they will not be able to enter into the spiritual destiny that God has promised. As Christians, we must understand that the more difficulties and enemy attacks we face, the greater the spiritual destiny God has promised us. Instead of feeling dispirited, we should be encouraged to keep our faith and our holiness in order to win our spiritual battles.

Why should tribal inheritances not be transferred?

At the beginning of this chapter, Gilead brought the chief of the tribe of Manasseh to discuss this matter with Moses. Gilead was the grandfather of Zelophehad (Joshua 17:3) and the great-grandfather of the daughters of Zelophehad. He was also the head of the tribe of Manasseh. Zelophehad’s daughters must have been at least ten years old, so Gilead was perhaps 80 or 90 years old. Let's look at the situation described in this chapter. Gilead, the great-grandfather, brought all the other heads of Manasseh to Moses to discuss what would happen if Zelophehad’s daughters married men from other tribes and lost their inheritance. This is the problem that bothers me.

The Bible doesn’t say that this grandfather and tribal heads helped Zelophehad’s daughters fight for their land. Yet after Zelophehad’s daughters got the land, the leaders suddenly started to worry that their tribe would lose their inheritance. What are their motives? Why the sudden concern?

I can't say that they had bad intentions. God had never stipulated that land could be given to daughters, so they were not wrong. The Lord stipulates that tribal land could not be transferred between tribes. He also said that what the tribal leaders said was right. So I can't judge them for having motives and bad intentions.

I believe that God does not want the tribes to have internal conflicts over inheritances and land. Rather, He wants them to focus on defeating the enemy. This is their goal in spiritual warfare.

Using an example from the modern church, churches should not compete internally, trying to attract Christians from other churches to their own church. A huge congregation seems to prove the success of your church, but it seems to have little effect on the expansion of God’s kingdom or the defeat of the kingdom of darkness. Instead, we should focus on witnessing to unbelievers and drawing them towards Christ. Instead of competing with each other, churches should unite to defeat the kingdom of darkness.

I suppose Gilead hadn’t entered the Promised Land. Many heads of the tribe of Manasseh also did not enter the Promised Land. Perhaps Zelophehad’s daughters had privately expressed their desire to enter the Promised Land. Many people in the tribe of Manasseh seem to have chosen the land east of the Jordan. Perhaps the stipulation that Zelophehad’s daughters should marry within the tribe affected others from the half tribe of Manasseh. Perhaps some of the sons of their father’s brothers wished to marry the daughters and eventually entered the Promised Land with them.

I hope we can all be inspired and encouraged by the story of Zelophehad’s daughters. Their example of faith is extraordinary. We should actively fight for our inheritance in the Lord, bravely win our spiritual battles, and enter into our God-given destiny.

Never underestimate yourself! Remember, the more difficulties you have in your life and the more enemies attack you, the greater the spiritual destiny and calling God may have for you. Don't feel discouraged. Rather, be encouraged!

As a conclusion, let’s look at this brief summary of the book of Numbers.

The book of Numbers began with the numbering of the Israelite soldiers. The purpose was to show how great God is. He transformed a small group of 70 Israelites into a great army. God promises that they would enter the good land. However, he asked them to trust him. Because they did not mingle their faith with the promises of God, the first generation of Israelites were not allowed to enter into the good land. In disobedience and disbelief, they wandered in the wildness for 40 years.

When the first generation died out in the wilderness, God numbered them again. Among those whom God numbered were Zelophehad’s daughters. God usually only counted male soldiers. But the five daughters of Zelophehad were numbered among them, as God considered them soldiers. Why? It is because they are fighting for their father's portion.

Zelophehad died in his sins, just like Naomi's husband and two sons and Judah's two sons. Why did Naomi and Judah lose their sons? Their divine calling and destiny was to be part in the genealogy of Christ. So they must have been the prime target for the enemy. The spiritual battle was severe. Why did Zelophehad die? Perhaps he had a big portion in the good land. He lost the spiritual battle; he sinned and died.

The first generation of Israelites failed to defeat the enemy and conquer the good land. Would the second generation repeat the same failure, or would they rise up to defeat the enemy their fathers could not? Yes, they would rise up to defeat the enemies that tricked their fathers!

Zelophehad’s daughters rose up and said no to the enemy. They rejected the established religious status quo and asked God for their portion. They were not only granted their request, but they eventually entered the good land. They did not follow the example of the half tribe of Manasseh who stayed on the East side of Jordan (Joshua 17).

In America today, evil spirits have tricked many believers, even in the older generation. Will the younger generation rise up like Zelophehad’s daughters to defeat the influences that defeated their fathers? Yes! They are rising up right now. The enemies who defeated their fathers will not stop them! The spiritual battle is so severe in America. Yet we must hold onto our faith, just like Zelophehad’s daughters did.

This story of victory is a fitting finale for the book of Numbers. Zelophehad’s daughters represent all believers who will rise up in faith after past failure. Like the daughters, we must grasp God's promises and defeat the enemy who taunted our fathers! With God’s help, we can succeed!

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Entering Our God-Given Destiny

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 34

Have you ever thought that God’s rules and boundaries were limiting you? We may think that God’s borders are hemming us in. But in reality, the boundary lines God gives us are far greater than the boundary lines we have already reached. May God give us the courage, faith, and hope to reach the full measure of what he has in store for us. May we pray like Jabez - “May God enlarge our borders.” God will grant what we ask.

Spiritual Stagnation

Numbers 34 contains two key stories. In the first story, the Lord told Moses about the boundaries of Israel. In the second story, the Lord told Moses the list of leaders of the nine and a half tribes participating in the division of the land.

When you compare the map of the land that God promised to the Israelites with the land they actually occupied, you will find a surprising contradiction. God promised the Israelites land in the northeast, rather than the land on the east side of the Jordon occupied by Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh occupied land in the southeast after the Israelites defeated the Amorites and Ammonites. After seeing the land’s beauty, they did not enter Canaan, the land promised by God. They wanted to stay on the other side of the Jordon and pasture their large herds and flocks.

How did God feel about this choice? In the Scripture, God neither praised nor blamed them. He just kept silent. Moses was initially angry about this choice, but later accepted it. God promised the land of Canaan, not this land. Although Moses tacitly consented to this plan, it was not ultimately God's will.

I believe these two and a half tribes missed out on God’s blessings. When they chose to stay in the land on the east side of the Jordon, they showed they were satisfied with the victory God had already given. They chose to stagnate in the achievement they’d already made. In Numbers 32, they asked Moses to give them "the land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel.” (ESV Numbers 32:4)[1]. They admitted that the Lord had helped them acquire the land and achieve victory in battles. But they were unwilling to continue to risk or to enter the Promised Land. They underestimated God's promise.

Aren’t many Christians today the same? They are satisfied with the measure of spiritual success they’ve already attained. They know that they believed in the Lord and will go to heaven. That’s good enough for them. With this mindset, you will miss out on so many beautiful things worth learning, exploring, and working hard on. You miss out on many spiritual battles God wants you to win. Don’t stagnate where you are! Move forward into the fullness of God’s plans for you!

Entering God’s Destiny

The Israelites never reached their full potential. They never occupied the full extent of the land that God had promised them. Even during the time of David and Solomon, Israel never expanded fully into the boundaries God had promised. These boundaries - borders – represent the measure of destiny and blessing given to us by God. Many people are concerned about not going beyond the boundaries God has set for them. True, God sets limits in our lives to keep us safe. But for most people, the problem is not that we go too far. For most of it, we fail to expand into the full measure of God’s expectations and promises for us.

God has given us each a measure of grace. Paul specifically said "Don't boast beyond your measure." (2 Corinthians 10:13). But many times, people use this verse as an excuse to think small. Rather than pursuing God's calling and gifts, they confine themselves to a small measure God never intended for them. Only after arriving in heaven will people discover just how big were the blessings God had in store for them in this life, and just how few of them they have achieved. I often pray that when I stand before God, my Heavenly Father will praise me with the words: “YOU OUTDID YOURSELF.” I want to live out God’s destiny and calling for me, even "going beyond" my own measure. This is my prayer.

God had assigned boundaries to each of the twelve tribes through drawing lots. Drawing lots may seem like pure chance, but it represented God’s decision. He drew boundary lines according to the characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the tribes. Nevertheless, God still gave the tribes a certain amount of freedom. For example, Caleb could choose to conquer the lands occupied by the toughest enemies.

God has given us grand and glorious promises! He wants us to understand the full extent of his blessings. Paul prayed that believers would have “the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians 1:18). We need God to open our hearts and eyes so we can truly grasp the greatness of the rich and glorious inheritance He has prepared for us! In the Old Testament, God gave the land of Canaan as an inheritance. In the New Testament, God has given believers the inheritance of riches in Christ and spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm! (Ephesians 1:3).

God Knows us Personally.

Did you get bogged down by reading all the geographical names and details of Israel, as well as the names of the tribal chiefs? These are not just useless facts. They show that God is intimately acquainted with each one of us. God is not distant, far away, and difficult to please. Instead, Jesus says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10). We have personal access to his throne room.

Even if you feel far from God, your Heavenly Father is conversing with your guardian angels, asking how you are doing today, where you are going, and what kind of comforting and encouraging words you may need today. Our Heavenly Father frequently discusses these things with our guardian angels. David said that God’s thoughts towards us are more numerous than the sand of the sea (Psalm 139:17-18).

Malachi 3:16 shows us that God thinks about us. “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.” Not only are believers’ names written in the Book of Life, but our experiences and achievements are also recorded. For example, David wrote in Psalm 56:8, "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?" Our tears and our sufferings are all recorded in God’s book.

In addition, Revelation 20:12 records, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." God will judge each of us according to what we have done.

The Spiritual Significance of Your Name

God knows us. Paul said, “If anyone loves God, he is known by God.” (1 Corinthians 8:3). God also knew each tribal leader personally, by name, and each of their names has a meaning. "Caleb" of the Tribe of Judah means "loyal dog," which is often extended to mean, "servant of God."

As we discuss the names of the other tribal leaders, I will quote my translation of a passage from the "Comprehensive Interpretation of the Bible" website:

“The names are listed in order of the tribes, from south to north according to the land allocated to each tribe (Joshua 14-19). Except for "Caleb" (verse 19), the names of the other nine leaders are completely different from those of the leaders 38 years before (Numbers 1:5-15). Even their fathers are not the previous leaders. God recorded the names of these people and used their names to clearly demonstrate the faith of the new generation before Him: "Shemu-El" or “ Samuel” means "God's name"; "El-Idad" means "My God has loved"; "Bukki" is the abbreviation of "Bukki-Ah" (1 Chronicles 25:4), which means "The Lord has proven" or " "The Lord has emptied"; "Hanni-El" means "favored of God"; "Kemu-El" means "raised by God"; "El-Izaphan" means "My God has protected"; "Palti-El" means "God’s deliverance"; "Ahihud" means "Brother of Praise"; "Pedah-El" means "redeemed by God".

“Among these ten leaders, Caleb was already 80 years old (Joshua 14:10). There are seven people with "El" in their names, indicating that these leaders may have been born before the Exodus. They were about 40-60 years old at this time. Only “Bukki” is possibly derived from the name "Jehovah", indicating that he was probably born after God revealed his name "Jehovah" to Moses (Exodus 3:15). He was likely less than 40 years old.” [2]

This quote explanation specifically notes the names of the leaders mentioned by God. Except for Caleb, this is an entirely new generation of leaders. Even their fathers have never been mentioned before. These are not the same tribal leaders recorded in Numbers 1. They are leaders of a new generation, raised up by God.

What an encouragement! Can you imagine a tribal leader claiming these promises for himself? “Our ancestors failed and were unable to defeat the enemy. Our ancestors’ failure to enter the Promised Land does not necessarily mean that we, the next generation, will be unable to do so. They lost the spiritual battle, but that does not mean that we will also lose! God has raised up new leaders to lead the Israelites into spiritual battle! As the younger generation, we must rise up for battle, defeat the enemy, enter the Promised Land, and fulfill the spiritual destiny He has given us!”

Can you see the parallel to modern-day America? We face many enemies all around us, like the Israelites of old. The previous generation left these enemies undefeated and unconquered. Now, they are coming to control us! But this does not mean that we will be unable to conquer the enemy. We may feel suppressed, but this is not necessarily God's will for us.

Many Old Testament Israelite kings chose to follow God, even though their fathers did not worship Him. And God helped them defeat their enemies. The younger generation in the United States must do the same. We must believe that God will help us, and that no one can stop us. We must rise up for battle and defeat the enemy. God will certainly help us. May the younger generation of the United States rise up as leaders and defeat the enemies that their parents’ generation was unable to defeat!

God is our Loving Father

God often treats us like a parent would treat a child. He has blessings in store for us and expectations for us to complete. But he will not force us to comply with them or take the steps he wants us to take. If we choose to ask for God’s help to defeat the enemy, trying our best to enter into God’s destiny for us through faith and hard work, God will help us. But if we give up, saying we don’t care, God will not rescue us from our own mistakes. The Bible tells us that God is good (Luke 18:19), while the enemy only wants to steal, destroy and kill (John 10:10). We must engage in spiritual warfare and not give up so easily. We must fight for our God-given blessings and ministries.

In the genealogy of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4, the author makes special mention of Jabez. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 says, "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked.” The name Jabez in Hebrew means "sorrow.” His mother had a hard birth, so she named her son Jabez. There must have been many difficult experiences in Jabez's life. But he called on God, asking Him to enlarge his borders. He asked for God’s presence to be with him and keep him from harm. And God answered his prayer.

May God enlighten the eyes of our hearts, as Paul said in Ephesians, so that we can see just how great is the inheritance God has given us. May we enter into the full destiny that God intends for us. May we pray like Jabez, “Enlarge my borders!” God will surely answer our prayers!

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[2] The Original is Chinese and the translation is mine.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Numbers 35

Cities of Refuge

Levitical Cities: An Enlarged Replica of the Tabernacle

The first few verses of Numbers 35 present an interesting paradox. Numbers 35:4 says, "The pasturelands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around."[1] However, verse five says, "You shall measure, outside the city, on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall belong to them as pastureland for their cities."

Which is it? One thousand or two thousand? These verses have puzzled rabbis and interpreters through the ages. The complicated explanations are too complex to include here.

The Holy Spirit showed me that the size, design, and layout of the cities of the Levites were probably proportional to the dimensions of the Tabernacle's Holy of Holies and sanctuary. The tabernacle's Holy of Holies and sanctuary was 10 X 30, and I surmise that the city pasturelands may have been 3000 X 1000.

During the wilderness wanderings, the tabernacle was always on the move. The tabernacle represented the presence of God. Upon entering the Promised land, the tabernacle stood still and resided in Shiloh. But this did not mean that the presence of God, represented by the tabernacle, was no longer with the Israelites during the expansion of the land. The size of their towns may have reminded them of the tabernacle, reminding them that God was with them.

As the Israelites were scattered through the land, living and fighting in various places, it would have been easy to forget that God’s presence was still with them. But God wanted to dwell among the Israelites. What should He do? The 42 cities inhabited by the Levites plus the 6 cities of refuge formed a giant replica of the tabernacle to remind them of his presence.

The different tribes of Levites had different responsibilities. The Kohathites carried items from the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies, while the Gershonites and Merarites carried the items from the outer courtyard (Numbers 3). Although they were all Levites, their service varied in scope. Similarly, all believers today are priests. With Jesus Christ, our High Priest, we serve our Heavenly Father. But level of maturity of each Christian varies greatly. Some serve in the outer courtyard, while others serve in the sanctuary. Among those who serve in the sanctuary, some are near the outer courtyard while some are near the Holy of Holies.

Archaeologists discovered that 1,000 square cubits is 202,500 square meters. Counting the size of the pasturelands around the cities, the cities would be even bigger. This was a very spacious city at the time; most cities at the time were not this big. However, this was God's ideal design for the Levites. Just like the Israelites failed to expand into the full territory God gave them, the Levites may have failed to build their cities this big. However, God’s original plan was to give them large cities.

God longed to be with the Israelites. After talking about Levitical cities and cities of refuge, God says, "You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel" (vs. 34). Clearly, the Lord dwelt among the Israelites.

How did the Lord dwell among the Israelites? In addition to dwelling in the tabernacle at Shiloh, He also dwelt in every Levitical city. The high priest was a Levite who could enter the Holy of Holies and get close to God. If a high priest lived in a city, it could be compared to the Holy of Holies. That’s why I likened the cities of the Levites to the dimensions of the tabernacle. The pasturelands were measured in four directions (east, west, north and south). It’s as if there were four replicas of the Holy of Holies and the sanctuary. When fleeing to a city of refuge, the individual Israelite would see a picture of the Holy of Holies and the sanctuary facing them.

Levitical Cities: reminder of God’s presence

The time and place here are clearly indicated in the first verse of this chapter. Verse 1 says, "The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho..." Before Israel even crossed the Jordan River, God spoke to them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River. Shiloh was on the west of the Jordan River. Probably after the Israelites crossed the Jordan River from the plains of Moab, the tabernacle remained at Shiloh until the ark was brought to Jerusalem.

The tabernacle was a picture of God's presence. The Israelites carried the tabernacle through the wilderness and finally came to Canaan. In other words, the tabernacle was God’s presence among the Israelites. This presence was always with the Israelites on their journey. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10, Christ was the spiritual rock that accompanied the Israelites (1 Corinthians 10:4).

After the people arrived in the promised land, the tabernacle remained at Shiloh. It no longer moved along with the Israelites on their travels. The Israelites needed God’s presence, and God longed to be with the Israelites (Numbers 35:34). Now that the tabernacle did not move, God would show his continued presence through the establishment and expansion of the Levitical cities.

The Lord commanded Moses to give 42 cities and 6 cities of refuge to the Levites, three on the west side of the Jordan River and three on the east side of it. Please note that at this time, the tribes of Israel had not yet cast lots for their land assignments (Joshua 13-19). Even after the casting of lots, they didn't get the lands right away. At the beginning of the book of Judges, Judah and the other tribes were still taking the land of the Canaanites after Joshua's death. The Israelites were unsuccessful in driving out many Canaanites, and God was displeased (Judges 2:1-5). The Israelites were commanded to expand gradually to eventually occupy 42 Levitical cities. Not until Joshua chapter 20 did the Lord instruct Joshua to establish cities of refuge. Not until Joshua 21 do the Levites receive a total of 48 cities (42 cities plus 6 cities of refuge).

Perhaps every Levite city was a reminder of the tabernacle as the Israelite borders continued to expand. Although the Israelites could still come to the tabernacle of Shiloh and draw near to God, it was far from convenient. In the wilderness, the Levites, like the other twelve tribes of Israel, were camped near tent of meeting (Numbers 2:2). It was easy and convenient to draw near to God in the tent of meeting. But in the Promised Land, it was not as convenient to approach God through the Levites in the tent of meeting.

Let’s think about an example. After Caleb entered the Promised land, he had to fight during the day to occupy the land. At night, when he wanted to offer sacrifices to God through the Levites, he lived too far away from Shiloh to do so.

How could the Israelites continue to offer sacrifices to God and approach God through the Levites? The 42 Levite cities and 6 cities of refuge were established among the tribes of Israel to make it easier for these Israelites to continue to come near to God through the Levites. Just like a modern-day military chaplain accompanies the troops on the battlefield, the Levites could continue serving the Israelites’ spiritual needs.

Although we know that sacrifices were restricted to the tabernacle and later the temple, that doesn't mean that the Levites living among the people couldn't minister to the other spiritual needs of the Israelites. For example, Moses prayed for Joshua while he was in battle, and Aaron and Hur helped Moses by holding up his hands. Though Hur is from the tribe of Judah and Joshua is from the tribe of Ephraim, Moses and Aaron are both from the tribe of Levi. In addition to handling the sacrifices, the Levites could also pray for the Israelites’ battles.

The cities of the Levites were not a replacement for the tabernacle (later, temple). They could not administer sacrifices or other services of the tabernacle. Rather, the Levitical cities, in a spiritual sense, could provide prayer and encouragement to the Israelites. In this way, the dwellings of the Levites represented the presence of God, which was necessary to assure victory to the Israelites.

A Spiritual Picture

The tabernacle is the most important spiritual picture in the Old Testament. Almost all spiritual truths and experiences can be explained by the metaphor of the tabernacle. For example, the tabernacle had three parts: the outer courtyard, the sanctuary, and the Holy of Holies. These three areas represent the human body, soul, and spirit, respectively. If we apply this metaphor to the cities and pasturelands of the Levites, then the Israelites who lived outside the cities of the Levites lived in the outer courtyard. In the Old Testament tabernacle/temple, ordinary Jews could only enter the outer courtyard to worship God. There, the Levites helped them offer sacrifices. Only the Levites could enter the sanctuary, and only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies.

The Israelites in each region were just ordinary Israelites living in the outer courtyard. But in the center of each region was a city of the Levites, representing the Holy of Holies. God was physically present with the Israelites by means of the Levites. On the surface, it would appear that the tribes of Israel showed mercy to the Levites by giving them land. But in reality, the Levites were a blessing to the Israelites. God chose the Levites to serve Him. Through them, God showed His presence to the Israelites.

Transition from Tabernacle to Temple

Even after the tabernacle came to rest at Shiloh, it would be many decades before the temple was built. God was waiting for the right time and for the right person to build the temple. Although David wanted to build the temple, God told him that he would not be able to do it because he was a man of war. However, David prepared countless materials, made plans, and hired human talent for Solomon’s future construction of the temple. During this transitional period, God’s presence may inhabit the cities of the Levites besides the tabernacle.

Christ is our city of refuge, and Levitical cities are a picture of God's dwelling place in Christ. So, our guess that Levitical cities were proportional to the tabernacle is not entirely a guess.

Later, the Levites were not cared for by the Israelites. Some were homeless and had no food to eat. The book of Judges tells the story of a Levite who was taken care of by Micah of the hill country of Ephraim but later robbed by the tribe of Dan (Judges 17-18).

The Israelites were supposed to give a tenth of their goods to the Levites so that the Levites could draw near to God and bring God’s presence and blessing to the Israelites. This is a positive cycle. However, the history of the Israelites portrays a negative cycle. The Israelites did not take care of the Levites. The Levites did not draw close to God. And in the end, the Israelites collectively turned away from God and were disciplined by Him.

This negative cycle continued until 1 Samuel. Here, God specifically mentions that Eli’s two sons were priests (1 Samuel 1:3) that did not know the Lord (1 Samuel 2). Eli’s eyesight had begun to grow dim. The Bible says that "the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision." (1 Samuel 3:1).

Later, while fighting the Philistines, the Israelites placed a superstitious trust in the Ark of the Covenant, thinking that with the presence of the Ark, they would surely win the battle. Unfortunately, not only did they lose the battle, but they also allowed the ark of God to be captured. The Israelites did not realize that God had already been with them through the cities of the Levites, and that they needed to practice taking care of the Levites to take care of their relationship with God. Their neglect of the Levites plus the fall of the Levites ultimately led to their defeat. Blind faith in the Ark is useless. Similarly, a Christian who never prays, never reads the Bible, and doesn’t pay attention to his spiritual life shouldn’t expect God to answer superstitious, last-minute crisis prayers.

Today, Christ is our City of Refuge and Immanuel

The pastureland surrounding the cities of refuge or outside of the Levite’s own pastureland may have been a little bigger. The larger pasture may represent the outer courtyard, where the bronze altar is set up and where sins can be covered. Imagine that a person who has accidentally killed someone is fleeing to the city of refuge. At the same time, a family member of the victim is chasing him down. It’s a very urgent situation. How far away from the city (2,000 cubits, 5,000 cubits, or 10,000 cubits) should the person who is fleeing be considered as entering it? There has to be a border, right? Perhaps the cities of refuge in ancient Israel had a larger pastureland. As long as you had entered this area, you were safe. But this is just my guess.

Today, every Christian and every home is a tabernacle and a city of Levites. We can all be a city of refuge. Our friends and relatives can flee to Christ (city of refuge) through us. The Levites were the leaders of the cities of refuge, and God dwelled among the cities through His invisible presence. Those who accidentally killed someone and fled to the city of the Levites were fleeing under the protection of God.

Similarly, today’s church represents the Levites. Sinners who flee to the safety of believers are fleeing to Christ, the city of refuge. We are the Levites today, and God is with us. The church is like a modern city of refuge. Back then, the Israelites fell away from God because they neglected the presence of God as mediated through the Levites. In the same way, believers today can fall away as they neglect God’s presence. May we all cherish the presence of Christ, Immanuel. Although we cannot see Him with our eyes, we know that He has promised to be with us every day until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 32

Faith and obedience to God are the best ways to receive His blessings. In Numbers 32, the people of Gad and the people of Reuben were told to enter the Promised Land with the rest of the Israelites so they could inherit their choice of land on the east side of the Jordan River. If they refused to do this, they would inherit land in the land of Canaan like everyone else (Numbers 32:29-30). They had to trust God’s words and show it through their obedience.

Let’s look at the following verses:

Numbers 32:29-30 “And Moses said to them, “If the people of Gad and the people of Reuben, every man who is armed to battle before the Lord, will pass with you over the Jordan and the Land shall be subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession. However, if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”

If the Gadites and Reubenites refused to send soldiers to fight with their brothers, they would not be able to possess their preferred land on the East of Jordan river. God commanded them to cross the river and fight with the rest of Israel.

Why did Moses tell the people of Gad and Reuben that if they crossed the Jordan to fight with the rest of Israel, they could get Gilead on the east side of the Jordan as their inheritance, but if they refused to obey, they would receive an inheritance among the Israelites in the land of Canaan? I also wondered about the meaning of verse 30, “If they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” Did this mean that they could cross the Jordan unarmed and receive the land of Canaan?

When I asked this question during Bible study, one of the men had an inspirational idea. He said, “Crossing the Jordan River unarmed would require more faith. Faith surpasses physical weapons. This is why they would obtain the promised land of Canaan as an inheritance. If they chose to fight with material weapons, they would receive a certain blessing from God—the land east of the Jordan which they had prayed for. But they wouldn’t be able to enter the Promised Land.”

This insight helped me understand Moses’ words. It gave me even more insight into Christian obedience and faith.

Do We Cherish God’s Promises?

When the Gadites and Reubenites saw that the land of Jazer and Gilead east of the Jordon would provide perfect grazing land for their livestock, they asked if they could stay there rather than crossing the Jordon and inheriting land in Canaan. Moses’ first reaction to this request was to scold them for being like their unbelieving ancestors.

Moses longed to enter the Promised Land, but he’d recently found out that God would not allow him to enter. He would only be able to watch from a distance. This may be one reason he was so frustrated with the Gadites and Reubenites. How could they be so close to God’s promises and throw away this opportunity to enter the Promised Land? How could they settle for living on the east of the Jordan River?

Eager to enter the good land but unable to do so himself, Moses was displeased with the people. These tribes had reached the entrance to the Promised Land and were settling for less. Rather than entering in and receiving the inheritance promised by God, they were content with their own inheritance.

Moses rebuked them for not participating in the conquest of the Promised Land. Moses was afraid their apathy would discourage the rest of the Israelites. However, the people of these two tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh promised Moses that they would bring weapons to fight with the Israelites across the Jordan River. Only their women, children and livestock would stay east of Jordan River. After that, Moses changed his attitude. Surprisingly, he granted their request.

Moses mentioned the word "before the Lord" many times in this chapter. For example, “You will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war (verse 20), “Every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the Lord” (verse 21), and “The land is subdued before the Lord” (Verse 22). Clearly, Moses knew that these choices were made in the presence of God and that the tribes would be accountable to Him.

However, the text never explicitly mentions the words, "The Lord said to Moses.” This phrase is very common throughout Exodus and Numbers. Because these words are omitted, we wonder if this permission was actually given by God, or if it was only granted by Moses. Because of the Israelites’ hardness of heart, they were allowed to stay across the Jordon. Similarly, when explaining why the Israelites were allowed to divorce their wives, Jesus said that God did not allow this at first, but Moses temporarily allowed the Israelites to divorce their wives because of the hardness of their hearts. (Matthew 19:8, Deuteronomy 24:1-4).

I think this is a reasonable way to interpret Numbers 32 as well. In God's perfect will, He wanted all Israelites to enter the Promised Land. The Israelites’ ancestors died in the wilderness because of their unbelief and rebellion. The Gadites and Reubenites also reached the border of the Promised Land, but did not want to enter. Like their ancestors, they despised the promise of God. Although the degree of contempt was different, they still despised God's promise. I believe that Moses gave permission to stay east of the Jordon as an expression of God’s permissive will. Though it wasn’t God’s perfect will for them to stay outside of Canaan, it was God’s permissive will for them to do so.

Moses told the other Israelites that if Gad and Reuben took their weapons across the Jordan River to fight alongside their brothers, they could inherit Gilead, east of the Jordan River. If they did not carry weapons and accompany the rest of the Israelites, perhaps it meant they had abandoned their desire for the land of Gilead and had decided to cherish God's promise. They would receive an inheritance in the land of Canaan instead. I hoped these tribes would not send soldiers to fight with their brothers, but that they would all go into the Promised Land together with the other tribes. But this was not the case.

How many Christians today are fighting desperately for their worldly desires, when God just wants them to rest in him? They would get much farther faster by resting in the Lord with faith. The Bible says, “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’ But you were unwilling” (Isaiah 30:15). We should not fight desperately for what we already can see, but look in faith beyond what we can see with our eyes. Trusting has better results than struggling and striving.

The lesson of obedience and faith for individual Christians

In the wilderness, God was training the Israelites in faith and obedience. Hebrews 3:7-12 tells us that the Israelites tested God in the wilderness and were disciplined by God. Hebrews reminds us not to harden our hearts and forsake God in disbelief. Numbers 14:22-23 tells us that the Israelites could not enter the Promised land because of disobedience and rebellion.

What is obedience? Obedience is knowing and doing the will of God. When God’s will and our own free will come into conflict, we face a choice. Will we obey or disobey? God's ways are higher than our ways and God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). Mentally, we can recognize that we should always obey God’s wise commands. It should be very easy for us to obey, but it often is not. Ignoring the fact that God’s ways are higher, we continue to do things in our own way. God sometimes must use circumstances and suffering to discipline us and help us submit to his will.

What is faith? Faith is knowing God Himself. Faith is seeing the sun through the dark clouds. The sun is always there, always shining behind the clouds. God sometimes allows difficult circumstances to cover the “sun” of his love, but we must remember he is always there. His goodness is always shining like the sun. Satan, like a dark cloud, tries to obscure and distort our understanding of God’s goodness. He tries to convince us that the sun is dark or nonexistent. When a person lives under dark clouds or darkness for too long, he will believe such lies. We must not allow the dark clouds of suffering to twist our basic understanding that “God is light.” Trials are a test of our faith. Will we pass the test?

During my season of infertility, I experienced ten years of difficulty and trial. This suffering helped me learn lessons of obedience and faith. At first, I didn’t submit to the people and circumstances arranged by God. Later, I discovered that God’s hand was disciplining me so I could learn lessons of obedience. After I surrendered to God, these sufferings became my blessings.

As I continued learning these lessons, I began to pray and look to God. Not only did I get the miracle baby I had prayed for, but my faith in God also increased dramatically. I learned to see the hand of God working in my circumstances, even when they looked bleak. God is good, he will always take care of us. Those who believe in Him will not be put to shame (Romans 10:11).

Jesus also learned obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5:8). If Jesus needed suffering to learn obedience, then this is especially true for us too. We must follow his example and learn obedience through suffering. Today, many Christians are unwilling to talk about suffering. They only want to talk about blessings. This is unbiblical.

God also highly values ​​our faith. If we want to enter the spiritual Promised Land, we also need to learn faith. No matter what kind of suffering comes our way, we will not be separated from God's love. God promises that all things work together for the benefit of those who love God (Romans 8). Suffering helps us learn to obey. It also helps increase our faith.

The lessons of obedience and faith for humanity and the church as a whole

In my opinion, the Covid-19 pandemic is God’s way of disciplining the human race as a whole. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, God often sends plagues as a part of his judgment. The majority of the human race does not believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and are under his judgment. But some object that Christians have also become infected and died of the virus. How can COVID-19 be a judgment from God? Some Christians say that since the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, this plague comes from the enemy, not from God (John 10:10). Others say that all circumstances are under the sovereignty of God. Not even one sparrow falls apart from the Father’s will (Matthew 10:29). They say that since God allowed this to happen, it must be God’s judgment.

I understand that all the bad things come from the enemy, but I also believe that God can achieve His purposes though this attack from the enemy. He allowed it to happen. We need to allow this crisis to teach lessons of obedience and faith. Again, obedience is knowing God’s will and faith is knowing God himself.

You may ask, “How can we obey God and have faith in God in such a difficult situation?”

First, we must repent and obey God. No matter how we look at this issue, we can be sure of one thing. Trouble should motivate us to turn to God, pray, and examine our lives. It’s important to ask ourselves whether there are any areas in us that are disobedient or displeasing to God. Many Christians testify that illness or trouble was the catalyst to their spiritual renewal and repentance.

Similarly, the purpose of this collective human suffering is to motivate us to turn to God. If the human race refuses to recognize that this is God’s discipline, we won’t be able to achieve God’s purpose. If we use human methods (science and medicine) to solve the problem, we won’t get to the spiritual root of the problem. I am not against science, but I am saying that we should not overlook the spiritual root causes of this pandemic.

Some Christians say that God would never send disease to test and discipline people, but this opinion does not align with God’s word. God clearly told the Israelites that if they disobeyed, “Every other malady and affliction, even though not recorded in the book of this law, the Lord will inflict on you until you are destroyed.” (Deuteronomy 28:61)

You may say, “That was in the Old Testament, and this is the New Testament.” Then how can you explain the plagues recorded in Revelation? It is never God’s perfect will to have His people sick or experiencing plagues, but sometimes He allows bad things to happen to motivate us to repent and turn back to him. He disciplines us so we won’t lose our eternal reward.

We must change our mindset and begin to reflect on our lives before God. If we attribute this trial to demons or human agency, we may end up losing our opportunity to repent. We must balance the grace of God with the righteousness of God. In God’s righteousness, He does judge and discipline His people, along with the world He created.

Second, we must have faith in God. It may seem like God is not listening to our prayers for healing from the pandemic. Many people are dying, powerless to save themselves. Controversies about vaccines, political parties, and elections are raging in the United States. Darkness is rampant. It seems that God doesn’t care about it. How can we have faith in God?

Such tests of faith are common throughout the Bible. Peter told us, “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God (1 Peter 4:17). Paul also mentioned the judgment and discipline of God: “Our earthly fathers disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but the Father of Spirits disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees.” (Hebrews 12:10-12). When tests of faith come, believers often begin to doubt the existence of God or the goodness of God. Instead, we can strengthen our weak and drooping hands and move forward towards the great future God has for us.

A great revival is coming. The coming of this great revival has incited all-out opposition from the enemy. The darkness you see comes from the anger of the enemy. However, the enemy’s wrath cannot stop the coming of this great revival.

At the same time, in order to prepare for the coming of this great revival, God must cleanse the church and prepare us as clean vessels that are capable of receiving the coming outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Just like Jesus overturned the tables of money changers in the temple, God is cleansing his “temple” now.

Our current suffering should not make us lose faith in God. Instead, it should strengthen our faith. The process of labor and delivery is painful. But once the child is born, the previous pain will be forgotten because of the joy that the child brings. (John 16:21). In the same way, we can endure the “childbirth” that the church is experiencing. During this painful time, our church should be full of hope. As the saying goes, "Small child, small push; big child, big push.” This great revival is a “big child,” so we have to use great force to give birth. We must endure temporary pain in anticipation of the great revival that is coming soon.

Conclusion and blessings

God spoke to me in a dream on May 12, 2016 that my wife would be pregnant with a child within a month. After this dream, Satan began to attack me violently.

Satan’s attack caused discord between my wife and me. We did not speak for two weeks. However, on May 28th, my wife discovered that she was pregnant, after ten years of infertility. We were able to reconcile. I have learned from my personal experience that each time God releases a heavenly blessing in our lives, Satan launches a counterattack. We must endure these battles before we can receive these blessings.

Personal spiritual experience confirms this principle, which we are currently seeing played out in the church and in humanity as a whole. God is preparing a great blessing, a great revival. On many occasions, God has told me about this great revival through prophetic dreams. However, Satan has mobilized all hell in an attempt to prevent the coming of this great revival. But we know that Satan is doomed to fail. If we persevere to the end, we will win.

In time, we will see these promises come true. Meanwhile, let us learn the lessons of obedience and faith that God wants to teach us. Remember, obedience is knowing God’s will and faith is knowing God himself. We must align our will with God’s will and place our faith in God’s goodness.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 10- Moses’ Extended Family, God’s Presence in Battle, and Preparing for War Numbers 10 covers many topics: how to blow the trumpets (vs. 1-10); how to set out (vs. 11-13); marching order as they set out (vs 14-28); Moses pleading with Hobab (vs. 29-32); and the leading of the ark (vs. 33-36). What is the relationship of these to each other?

I believe that the pieces are closely linked. The theme of this connection is the relationship between God's presence and doing battle for God. Let’s look at some of the background before connecting all the pieces.

Hobab...Father-in Law or Brother-in-Law? When first reading Numbers 10, many people are confused about the name of Moses’ father-in-law. Numbers 10:29 says, "Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law..." This section is very confusing. The meaning in the ESV is "Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses, is the son of Reuel the Midianite," because Judges 4:11 mentions "Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses." But when I first read it, I read it that Moses' father-in-law was Reuel, and he had a son named Hobab. Someone else pointed out that this understanding was not consistent with Judges 4:11. It seemed to her that the father of Hobab, Moses' father-in-law, was called Reuel. But I said that when Exodus 2:18 was talking about Moses helping to water the flock of the daughters of a Midianite priest in the wilderness, it was mentioned that their father's name was "Reuel." This proves that Reuel is not Moses’ grandfather, but rather Moses’ father-in-law himself. When Exodus 3:1 mentions Moses' father-in-law, the name used is "Jethro.”

So what is the name of Moses' father-in-law? There is an explanation that "Jethro" is just a title, like the title of the Midianite priest, and "Reuel" is the name of his father-in-law. In Judges 4:11, the word "father-in-law" in "Moses' father-in-law Hobab" is the same as "brother-in-law" in the original Hebrew text. Therefore, some Bible translation scholars also advocate that the father-in-law in Judges 4:11 be translated as "brother-in-law."

Because there are different translations in the different English Bible versions, we often find certain words translated differently. For example, NRSV, Darby Bible Translation, King James, ESV, and others have translated Judges 4:11 into "Moses' father-in-law Hobab.” But there are also many versions, including the New Living Translation, NIV, Good News Translation, New Heart English Bible, American Standard Version, English Revised Version, World English Bible, and more which have translated it as "Moses' brother-in-law.” It can be seen that theologians have different understandings or ideas on how to translate this verse.

My inspiration is that Hobab is Moses' brother-in-law. Why? I will give an example to prove my guess. First, let us look at Exodus 18. Exodus 18 tells how Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, heard of the great things God had done for Moses and for the Israelites, so he brought Moses' wife and two children with him to the mountain of God. Moses then testified to his father-in-law again of how God saved the Israelites. Jethro’s reaction to Moses’ news is recorded in Exodus 18:9-12 (ESV):

“And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.”

Looking at these verses, we can see that Jethro praised Jehovah and offered sacrifices to God. To use a common phrase among Christians, Jethro seems to have received salvation and accepted God's salvation when he heard Moses' testimony. Exodus 18:13-26 then records that Jethro gave Moses advice. He told him to appoint chiefs of thousands and hundreds, etc. to help him judge the people. Please note that verse 18:27 (ESV) says, "Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country."

What we should focus on here is the place and time when Jethro came. He might have come to Mount Sinai, the place where Moses set up the tabernacle, sometime in the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. Exodus 16:1 (ESV) recorded that the Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. After Moses let his father-in-law depart (Exodus 18:27), Exodus 19:1 records that the Israelites came to the wilderness of Sinai "on the third new moon" in the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. The NIV says “on the first day of the third month” instead. And Numbers 10:11-13 (ESV) mentions, "In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. They set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by Moses."

The book of Numbers records that they had been traveling from the wilderness of Sinai on February 20 of the second year. Perhaps they made stops along the way. Perhaps they were still in Sinai in March, when Jehovah descended on Mount Sinai. Exodus 19 records Moses going up the mountain to meet with God, where the Lord spoke to Moses for a long time and promulgated the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). Moses stayed with God on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18). Then, in Exodus 31, the Lord commanded Moses to build the tabernacle. After Moses went down the mountain, he found that the Israelites broke the law by worshipping the golden calf. Later, he went again to Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 34:28). Chapter 35 begins to record the details of the construction of the tabernacle. In Exodus 40:2 (ESV), the Lord says to Moses: "On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting." It can be seen that Moses was setting up the tabernacle on the first day of the first month of the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. The record of leaving Egypt ends here. It was mentioned that the clouds covering the tabernacle guided the Israelites' movement. When the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out. The book of Numbers is a continuation of the records here. It continues to record the journey of the Israelites.

I guess that Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, left during the period around February 20, the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. Plus this was also recorded in chapter 16 before Jethro came in Exodus 18. The Israelites were in the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, around February 15. If this was recorded in chronological order, Moses’ father-in-law may have come to see Moses after February 15th. On February 20th, the Israelites began to “set out for the first time”. Perhaps the wilderness of Sinai was large and they had walked for quite a long time.

Although we don’t know exactly when Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came, we can guess from the above verses that he may come around February 15-20. How does this prove that the Hobab recorded in Numbers 10:29 might be Moses' brother-in-law, rather than his father-in-law? If he was his father-in-law, there would be no need for Exodus 18:27: "Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country." In Numbers 10, if Moses had begged for his father-in-law to not leave him, why didn't he prevent his father-in-law from leaving in Exodus 18? He encouraged it! We should also consider the distance Jethro would have had to travel to reach Moses’ camp. At that time, transportation was inconvenient. It is unlikely that Jethro would leave and come back that soon. This makes no sense!

Furthermore, we read that Moses' father-in-law was old and he had praised and offered sacrifices to Jehovah. So Moses was also comfortable with his leaving, knowing he would have a proper burial in his own country. It is very difficult for people to leave their hometowns when they are old, so Jethro likely would not have wanted to travel further with Moses. So Moses did not think it necessary to stop his father-in-law from leaving. However, when Moses' father-in-law came, he might have brought Moses' brother-in-law Hobab with him and stayed with Moses for a few more days. When Moses was encamping, Hobab might have said that he hoped to go back to his own country like his father, Jethro. That’s why Moses begged him to stay. Why? My guess is that, although Hobab wanted to return to his hometown, he was still young. The Bible does not record if he knew Jehovah, so if he went back, he might not be able to enter the kingdom of God peacefully like his father. Thus Moses hoped that Hobab could embark on a difficult but promising journey with him so that Hobab's family could be saved. Moses may have thought that he could still convince him to spend part of his time travelling with the Israelites.

Moses’ Heart for Others Numbers 10:31-32 tells us, “Thus Moses begged Hobab and said, ‘Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. And if you do go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.’” Some people think that Moses does not trust God enough here but I disagree. Wherever Moses went, he had the presence and leading of the cloud. He did not necessarily need the help of Hobab. But if Hobab left Moses, he would not necessarily be able to enjoy the presence of God. The issue was not that Moses needed Hobab.. Rather, he was worried that Hobab would wander away from God.

The Line of Hobab Of course, the Bible does not record in Numbers 10 whether Hobab agreed to Moses’ request, but other verses suggest that Hobab did walk with Moses. Judges 1 tells the story of Judah going up first to fight. It is especially recorded in verse 16: "The descendants of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad, and they went and settled with the people.” From this verse, we can see that Hobab may have agreed to Moses’ request, and thus received God’s blessing while dwelling with the tribe of Judah. Judges 4:11 says, "Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses (or brother-in-law), and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh." The descendant of Hobab, which is Jael, killed Sisera, Israel’s enemy. Part of Hobab’s line became warriors to fight for God. Since Hobab followed Moses and took this arduous journey, he had also received great blessings.

I heard Chuck Pierce, a prophet in the United States, say that the word for “peg” in the passage where Jael hits Sisera's head is the same word in the Hebrew text as the word “and” in Genesis 1:1 (“God created the heavens and the earth”). This tent peg is made of wood. It represents that when Christ was crucified on the cross, the heavens and the earth were linked together, and the power of God's enemy Satan (represented by Sisera) was removed. God used the descendant of Hobab to show his power.

Directions for War: Then and Now When I was reading Numbers 10:1-10, the Holy Spirit highlighted verse 8 to me:

"The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations."

The two trumpets that Jehovah had Moses make had specific instructions for blowing the trumpets, and only the sons of Aaron, the priests, could blow them. What does this mean? This is signifying the presence of God. A priest is a person who serves God and gets to enter into His presence. Christians today must first be priests to draw near to God and minister to God Himself, and then enter into His presence before we can hear and release His words. The words of God are represented by the trumpets here, and these trumpets will lead us into battle.

When two trumpets were sounded, all the Israelites would come. When only one trumpet was sounded, only the leader would come. When a trumpet blast was sounded, the tribes camping on the east were to set out. At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south were to set out. Numbers 10:9 says, "When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.” It can be seen that blowing the trumpets was indeed for war purposes.

I have made several observations about some people’s pursuit of spiritual warfare in the Pentecostal Movement. Some people I personally met have limited life and spiritual experience, but they often claimed that they engaged in spiritual warfare against enemies all day. I personally encountered these kinds of people. They would see demons in every place and under every situation. I also saw that they were deceived by the enemy in the end. I felt that they had a good heart, but their focus was misplaced. Our focus should not be centered on spiritual enemies. Rather, we need to focus on the Lord.

The secret of spiritual warfare is not to fight, but to rest and enter into God’s presence. Only by entering the presence of God and the richness and fullness of God's life can you overcome the enemy. However, this does not mean that spiritual warfare is not real. Many evangelical brothers and sisters ignore the reality of spiritual warfare and do not dare to be in contact with the spiritual realm or pursue spiritual gifts. The purpose of our pursuit of God is not just to have His presence for the sake of having it. After we enter into God's presence, we will naturally enter a spiritual battle.

This is also true in the second section of the chapter (vs. 11-13). The leading of the cloud is also the presence of God. In the third section (vs. 14-28), the order of the seven camps of the twelve tribes shows preparations for war. The tribes in the east set out first. After the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, carried them away. The tabernacle represented God’s presence. When there was war in the Old Testament, the people had to walk with the ark and exalt it to win. This is proved by the later experiences of Moses and the experiences of the Israelites in the book of Judges. Then the camps on the south side set out before the Kohathites, who carried the objects of the sanctuary. After they arrived, the Gershonites and Merarites would set up the tabernacle and would directly put the objects of the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies into the tabernacle. This was to bring in or maintain God's constant presence.

Do you see the cycle? God’s presence brings in spiritual warfare. But it is with God’s presence that we see victory in war. The purpose of war is to bring in more of the presence of God. It is a circle. On the one hand, there is God’s presence. On the other hand, there is victory in wars with the help of God.

Here is where we begin to see connections between the pieces of the chapter. This is all recorded before Moses begged Hobab. My inspiration in this is also to signify the theme of God's presence and war. The process of the Israelites leaving Egypt is a process of manifesting the power of God. Along the way, it is like testifying to the Gentiles. They let the prostitute Rahab (Joshua 6) and Gibeon (Joshua 9) etc. be able to join the army of God. This is a natural result of God's presence. Hobab may have been heard-headed, but he was still subdued and attracted by God's presence. Thus, in the end, he may have followed Moses embarking on a journey and a battle of leaving his home.

How can the presence of God not attract people? If we really have the presence of God, our relatives will follow us. I found this true in my own life. It was not me, but the presence of God in my family that drew my realtives to Him. Like Hobab, they joined us in the army of God. Therefore, from this perspective, Hobab could not have left Moses in this place. If he left, I believe it would have been an insult to the presence of God.

The Importance of Like-minded Friends Of course, I do not deny that Moses had his weaknesses. We can imagine Moses' moods. Suppose that Hobab was Moses' brother-in-law, and may have lived with Moses for nearly 40 years. Moses might have said to Hobab, "Look, God put the burden of leading the Israelites on my shoulders. I already told God to kill me. I can't bear it, but God still won’t listen. Although God commanded me to lead the Israelites in leaving Egypt and performing miracles for them, they complain constantly (Numbers 11 records that the Israelites were complaining about God, and God burned some of them to death). Look at my brother Aaron and sister Miriam. They are also helping me, but they are jealous of me in their hearts (Chapter 12 records this story). I have only a few like-minded people. We have lived together for 40 years. You are someone I may be able to rely on. Please help me out."

This is only my imagination. However, the Israelites had just left Egypt and had not had much time to build trust with Moses. Moses and his brother and sister had not lived together for a long time, so they were not familiar with each other. I don't believe that Moses needed Hobab to lead them into camping in the wilderness. For one, the cloud of God led them. Also, Moses had lived in the wilderness for forty years, so he himself may have been familiar with the wilderness. What Moses needed was a like-minded person. Picture the situation of the church today. What many pastors lack is not the presence and leading of God, but like-mindedness from fellow church members. Thus, many times God's call cannot be fulfilled. I think Paul also had the same feeling; he repeatedly reminded brothers and sisters to be like-minded (Philippians 2:2).

In order to win the battle, we need the presence of God and support from like-minded members of the body of Christ.

Final Thoughts In the last section (vs. 33-36), it is recorded that Moses was praying to exalt the ark. This shows even more clearly that our inspiration may be right. Wherever there is the exaltation of the ark, there is the presence of God, there will be victory in battles, and enemies will also be scattered. The result of the victory in battles will naturally bring more of the presence of God, and will also bring more people of God into His kingdom.

I will repeat the last two verses here to serve as inspiration for us all.

And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”

I pray that in your spiritual journey, you will be filled with the presence of God and surrounded by like-minded people so that you can win the battles you face. Let the name of Jehovah be exalted! May His glory fill the whole world in order to bring more people into the kingdom that He has prepared for us.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 19

Acts 19 begins with a story about how Paul supplied the needs of Apollos' ministry. Those who were ministered to by Apollos only knew John's baptism and weren't aware of the Holy Spirit. Is there a deeper spiritual meaning here? If so, what spiritual insight can we glean for our walk with the Lord?

The spiritual insight is that John's ministry introduces Jesus Christ, and Jesus' ministry baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire. In other words, John introduced Christ, and Christ introduced the Holy Spirit. This is the full gospel. If we only talk about one aspect and not the other, it will cause Christians to have a one-sided understanding of the truth, leading to division in the church.

Why did Apollos only know John’s baptism? Acts 18:24 mentions that Apollos was a native of Alexandria. Alexandria is a port city located on the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt. If Apollos lived in Alexandria, then it would be very interesting. Imagine how influential John's ministry was in Israel. Many Jews had repented and been baptized. Even the unbelieving Pharisees came to join in the fun, and John criticized them, telling them to produce fruit in keeping with repentance (NIV, Matthew 3:8). Even Apollos, who was in Alexandria, Egypt, was influenced by John's ministry, so it is evident that John's ministry had significant influence.

John had two crucial messages. The first was that you have to repent because the kingdom of heaven has come near (NIV, Matthew 3:2). The second is that he was not Christ. He just baptized people withwater for repentance. But after him would come one who is more powerful than him – Jesus Christ. He would baptize people with the Holy Spirit and fire. (NIV, Matthew 3: 11).

His two messages are very clear and definitive. But it is like a stone thrown into the lake, creating a ripple. This expanding ripple eventually becomes weaker and weaker. By the time John's ministry reached Apollos, only one of his two messages seemed to be passed along. When Paul arrived at Ephesus, he found that the disciples who were saved under Apollos' ministry weren't baptized in the Holy Spirit, nor had they even heard of the Holy Spirit.

Of course, Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied (NIV, Acts 19:6).

Please pay attention here. The Bible did not record that Aquila and Priscilla helped Apollos to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Nor did it mention that Paul helped Apollos to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. It only noted that Paul placed his hands on people who had been ministered to in Apollos' ministry, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Did all of Apollos’ disciples receive the Holy Spirit? Obviously not. If yes, then Paul wouldn't talk about the church's divisions at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 1:12, saying that some people followed Paul, and others claim to follow Apollos.

I suspect that one reason for the divisions in the church at Corinth was because of the second aspect of the truth - the question of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Among which, speaking in tongues is definitely an important point of disagreement. Paul is teaching and putting the fullness of the Holy Spirit into practice. He said that he speaks in tongues more than everyone else (NIV, 1 Corinthians 14:18). Although he repeatedly urged the church not to speak excessively in tongues, he was not totally opposed to speaking in tongues. But amongst the people saved under Apollos' ministry, was there someone who didn't speak in tongues? Did they have a different understanding of this truth? I feel that in addition to those who experienced Paul laying his hands on them and accepted his teachings, there may have been some of Apollos' disciples who did not advocate speaking in tongues. Plus, those who supported speaking in tongues had various fleshly behaviors. They also had reasons to oppose them in the matter of speaking in tongues.

So we have a clue here that there is a very close relationship between what kind of spiritual life a Christian will live in the future as to when he/she is first saved and what kind of spiritual teaching he/she accepts in the beginning. On the other hand, the ultimate cause of the division of the body of Christ lies in the difference in teaching or the understanding of God's truth. If the body of Christ wants to be united but can't come to an agreement regarding truth, it would be tough to find unity.

I was saved in the Local Church movement associated with Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. When Witness Lee started his ministry in Los Angeles, he tried to meet with a Pentecostal group in hopes of unity. But ultimately, there was a dispute over the issue of whether or not to speak in tongues. The two sides refused to give in to the other, and unity wasn't realized. Overall, as far as Protestantism is concerned, one of the most significant factors that led to their division is how to treat the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, etc. There are some estimates that Charismatic Christians probably equal the number of evangelical Christians, which is about 600 million people. There are about 1 billion Catholics, amongst which more than 100 million of them have accepted the charismatic experience.

In general, people classify the American Charismatic Movement into two categories. The first category is the traditional Pentecostal Movement, which advocates that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The traditional church doesn't accept this, thus producing Classical Pentecostal denominations like the Assembly of God and others. The second category is often referred to as the Charismatic Renewal. This kind of renewal does not encourage people to be separated from their original denomination. They believe that speaking in tongues is just one evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this is widely accepted by the mainstream American churches, affecting many groups, including the Anglican Church, the Methodist Church, and even the Catholic Church. They accepted the baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, without leaving their current denomination.

The United Theological Seminary in the United States, where I am studying now, belongs to the Methodist Church. Because I am participating in the new semester's Intensive learning of the Ph.D. program in Dayton, Ohio, I have come into contact with some Methodist believers. Some accept the baptism of the Holy Spirit, though not the majority. But they are meeting with other men and women who haven't experienced this in church.

Let's look at Apollos' experience. He accepted John's baptism but did not accept the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The disciples in his ministry didn't accept the Holy Spirit either. They had not even heard that there was a Holy Spirit. Acts 18 did mention that Aquila and Priscilla helped Apollos to understand the way of God more accurately. But it did not explicitly mention helping Apollos to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And at the beginning of Acts 19, Paul returned to Ephesus to meet the disciples who had received help from Apollos' ministry, and they hadn't heard that there was a Holy Spirit. There are good reasons for us to speculate that Apollos did not accept the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

An important part of John's ministry was to reveal that Christ wants to baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. But why is it that this part is ignored and distorted? This reminds me of Jackie Chan's movie "Around the World in 80 Days." When British officials discussed that a Chinese man had robbed the bank, the message was passed on. In the end, the original message that was passed turned into a totally different message saying that someone else robbed the bank. One of the reasons is that the character (Jackie Chan) deliberately passed the wrong message in the middle, causing the following information to be all wrong. This was a movie, but it also happens in actual spiritual experience.

These are the enemy's tactics. He would keep people from accepting John's baptism by thwarting the message of repentance. Unfortunately for him, the people believed that John was sent by God and kept coming to him to be baptized. Tactic number two was to bring the Pharisees and Sadducees who tried to pass themselves off as repentant people ready to be baptized, but John saw right through them and harshly criticized them. The enemy's last tactic was to hold John's ministry in high regard while downplaying Jesus' ministry. John's disciples could establish a new religion and stir his disciples to challenge the Lord by asking Him: "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast? (Matt. 9:14). In the end, John was martyred. The Israelites believed he was a prophet sent by God, and John's ministry of repentance was raised up, downplaying or ignoring the message that Jesus was greater and would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Why? Because Satan wants the most important message to be obstructed.

Satan's tactics are the same in today's church as it was in ancient times. He still strives to downplay the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the teaching that Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. It is often said that speaking in tongues is the least among the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This seems to make sense, but when you analyze it carefully, it's not entirely true. For example, why is it that the "least important" gift causes the body of Christ to experience the "biggest" division? Why is almost half of the body of Christ divided into two factions by this teaching?

I often say that no doubt, speaking in tongues is the least gift. Speaking in tongues can be likened to two sides of a mountain ridge with a tiny spot at the top representing speaking in tongues. You can only see the side of the mountain you are on if you haven't climbed to the top of the mountain. Those who don't accept speaking in tongues are stuck on this side of the mountain with a limited view. They accept the truth of God on this side of the mountain. But since they haven't climbed to the top of the mountain, they can't see what's up there or what's on the other side, so they don't get the full view.

Those who accept speaking in tongues have climbed the mountain, seen the view from the top and gone over to the other side. Though the top, which represents speaking in tongues, looks small from the bottom side of the mountain, those who have climbed to the top get the whole view, not just half. It's a more well-rounded view. Those who don't climb to the top have a limited perspective and don't see the whole picture. This analogy is not limited to speaking in tongues. It includes all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Apollos only knew John's baptism, although Aquila and Priscilla helped him understand more about God's way. Paul also helped some of Apollo's disciples accept the Holy Spirit's fullness, but it did not completely solve this problem. Apollo's lack of understanding of the truth laid the seeds for the future division of the church at Corinth. In addition to the flesh, the most significant cause of the church's division is the difference in teaching and understanding the truth. Therefore, I have always believed that the body of Christ cannot be united in the understanding of the truth of God, making it difficult to have true unity.

This problem still exists in today's church. There are still some members of the body of Christ who are like Apollos. They only know John's baptism. They may be full of eloquence, very knowledgeable in the Bible, had been instructed in the way of the Lord, spoke with great fervor, and refuted their opponents in public debate (these are all descriptions of Apollos in Acts 18-19). Still, because of their lack of understanding of the truth, it foreshadowed the later Corinthian church's difficulties. Of course, we can't attribute all of the responsibility to Apollos. The disciples at Corinth who sinned and the fleshy believers who pursued speaking in tongues and other gifts also caused the Corinthian church's difficulties.

John's ministry was not like this at first. In addition to teaching the baptism of repentance, he said that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. Similarly, the Bible's teachings are not only about the baptism of repentance; they also include the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Although it's necessary to repent to receive the life of God, it is equally important to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, to get the power and the reinforcement of the Holy Spirit.

For quite some time, I've heard people talk about convergence, meaning that God not only wants us to be holy, but He also wants the church to be powerful. If the church isn't holy, it cannot be the salt and light, therefore losing its testimony. If the church is not powerful, the world will fall into the hands of the power of evil forces. Holiness and power need to converge together. The church needs to be a witness of God in these two aspects. One night, the Lord appeared to me in a prophetic dream. He said to me that the two rivers would converge together. But He did not tell me what the two rivers were. I'm always trying to understand the meaning of the Lord's words. One thought I had is that holiness and power will converge together. The teachings I received at the Local Church Movement were mainly about growing in holiness. Later, the Lord led me to learn and pursue the gifts and power in the Pentecostal Movement. My understanding is that the Lord will lead me to learn how to combine holiness and power.

Paul said, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. (NIV, 1 Corinthians 3:6). Although Apollos has an insufficient understanding of the truth, he made significant contributions. Acts 19 has primarily recorded how God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. When his handkerchiefs or aprons were laid on the sick, their illnesses were cured, and the evil spirits left them (NIV, Acts 19:11-12). There are a growing number of churches where people are weak, sick, and overcome by evil spirits. We need to grow in the power of the Spirit like Paul so that sickness is healed and evil spirits are driven away.

Because of Paul's mighty power, many who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. The total came to fifty thousand drachmas. (NIV, Acts 19:19). A drachma is worth a day's wage. This is huge! Later in Ephesus, Paul caused a riot by coming against the businesses that made statues and idols. If we were to visit Taiwan or mainland China today, where idols are prevalent, there's a good chance we wouldn't cause a riot. Why? We don't pose the same threat to the enemy as Paul did. The greater the threat, the greater the opposition from the enemy.

Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California, said that half of the people in the body of Christ do not believe in healing, and the other half believe in healing, but they can't demonstrate it. This is the state of the church today. We must admit that God's power is real and that we have the same power as Paul did. Our unbelief, misunderstanding, or ignorance towards the baptism of the Holy Spirit will hinder us from knowing and gaining the power of God. Why is it then that many charismatic people believe and boast that they have this power, but in reality, they don't? The answer is self-evident. Because these people who are pursuing power lack holiness. It's dangerous to give a gun to a child who is still not mature enough. The gun is powerful, but without proper handling, it can be very dangerous. It's not that God doesn't have power, but that those who pursue holiness don't pursue power, and those who pursue power are not pursuing holiness. Therefore, God won't be able to trust and give His power to them.

However, times are changing. The prophetic words of God have said many times that the age of convergence will come. God longs for our lives to develop in balance, for us not to just pursue holiness but also power. When we grow into balanced truth and in the spiritual stature of Christ, God will release His power through us.

If we are arbitrarily trying to drive out evil spirits without God's authority and power, we may end up being subdued by the evil spirits like the seven sons of Sceva. God's power and authority is real, but we must appropriate it by faith in Jesus.

The church that I was saved in paid more attention to growing spiritually and devalued pursuing the gifts of the Spirit. Their reason was that pursuing gifts would lead people to neglect spiritual growth and holiness. There are preachers who say that the pursuit of healing will hinder spiritual growth in a Christian's life. I understand what they are saying and have observed people in the Charismatic movement paying more attention to the outward healing of the body while lacking inward spiritual growth. In my experience, we need a balance of both so that our spiritual lives will be complete and fulfilling.

Here is a metaphor I often use to explain what we talked about above. Our inner spiritual life in the Lord is like water. Our gifting in the Lord is like a water pipe. In our initial walk with the Lord pursuing gifts overemphasizes our water pipe, almost like putting the cart before the horse. New believers need to focus more on the inner spiritual life and growth so that living water can flow through the pipe. However, if the living water reaches a powerful level and the pipe has not been enlarged to handle it, the flow will be limited. In China this was a problem. They designed a drainage system that didn't take flooding into account. As time passed, the pipes got clogged with leaves and debris, and when the flood came, the pipes couldn't manage it. We also experience debris and blockage in our spiritual lives and must continuously expand the gifts to allow the living water to flow correctly.

This is a dialectical relationship. The Bible specifically mentions the relationship between the measure of grace and the gift. We can compare grace to the pursuit of life and the gift to the pursuit of power. Romans 12:3 (NIV) says, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." Here is a measure of faith. We can see it as a measure of life. We will do things according to how much faith God gives us and how deep our spiritual life will be. Don't stretch yourself too much. For example, perhaps the measure of your faith can only accommodate inviting one person to live in your house as a guest. But you invited ten people all at once. You might get overwhelmed, and instead, not be willing to serve in the future. Ephesians 4:7 says, "But grace gives us personal measure according to the gift of Christ." In other words, God gives you more grace when the measure of the gifts He gave you is large. If God gives you a gift of lifting 200 pounds, He'll also give you a physical makeup that can withstand 200 pounds.

On the one hand, our measure of life and faith limits our gifts. For example, take a child. His vital capacity is limited, his cardiopulmonary function is limited, and the distance he can swim is limited, just as his gift is limited. To this extent, the measure of life limits the measure of gifts. But we have heard many testimonies from parents that when a child has asthma symptoms, his cardiopulmonary function is not strong enough, so they insisted on teaching him to swim. This is like a constant practice of our gifts. Slowly, the measure of his gift expanded; that is, his swimming ability increased. And gradually, his cardiopulmonary function improved, and his asthma disappeared. So at this level, the expansion of the measure of gifts gradually expands the measure of life. This is a process of dialectical development. Evangelical pastors who are opposed to learning about gifts are sometimes like the parent with the child who has asthma. They are always worried about what to do if the child has an asthma attack while he is swimming. What if he drinks the water? What should I do if he drowns? It's like what many people, who oppose the pursuit of the filling of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, often say. If we open ourselves to the spiritual world, what should we do if evil spirits come in? Their confidence in Satan's destruction is far greater than their faith in God's protection. These thoughts come from unbelief and not wisdom. I want to call on evangelical pastors and teachers to re-examine their understanding of speaking in tongues and gifts of the Holy Spirit in prayer, to see if there is a lack of understanding in the truth as well as a lack of faith. We should do this instead of blindly blaming the Charismatics for letting the evil spirits come in.

In other words, the pursuit of spiritual life is like pursuing a new wine, and the pursuit of spiritual gifts is like pursuing a new wineskin. We are pursuing new wine and a new life, but our new wine can't be stored properly if we don't have a new wineskin.

Dear pastors and fellow believers, we have reached the moment where we need to grow further and pursue more gifts. Let's expand the measure and measurement of our gifts. Expand the measure of our water pipes. When the measure of your gifts has expanded, and your gifts and power have grown, you will see exponential growth in your life, and the abundant life in you can be imparted to others.

If a child says to his father, "I will build a house for you. I want to develop the gift of being a designer." The father will say, "Son, you are still young. You should give yourself time to grow up. Do well in school first. Then after you grow up, you can study architecture so that you can build a house for me." But if the child grows up and is ready to build the house, if the father still opposes it, it is no longer normal.

In conclusion, those who don't know the baptism of the Holy Spirit and oppose speaking in tongues have not fully grown up in their spiritual lives. Though they may seem more mature than some Charismatic Christians who blindly pursue gifts and lack depth in their spiritual lives, they are operating in fear. They are afraid of hurting themselves or others in this pursuit. Has God given us a spirit of fear? No! It is a strong, powerful, and sober-minded Spirit. Anything that comes from fear is from Satan because fear incorporates unbelief and disobedience. The key to receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and other gifts is faith and obedience. There is no other method or secret. I experienced breakthroughs within the framework of evangelical teaching. It took a long pursuit for me to have breakthroughs in faith and obedience and be filled with the Holy Spirit. I hope this information is a blessing to you.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Deuteronomy 14

A Picture of Growing Sanctification

Have you ever wished you had a greater capacity to take in God’s love and pour out God’s grace? Have you prayed with the psalmist that God would enlarge your heart? (Psalm 119:32) The more we dedicate ourselves to God, the more he can expand our capacity. The greater our capacity to display God’s glory, the more God’s glory will be revealed to the world until the earth is filled with his glory (Habakkuk 2:14).

In Deuteronomy 14, God’s holy people were instructed to eat clean food and live holy lives. In the same way, we as New Testament believers must walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1). We must walk with God according to the measure of our faith, not beyond our own measure. However, our capacity for faith can continue to expand through our continuous dedication to God.

Holy people live holy lives and eat holy food.

The first topic addressed in this chapter is the topic of cutting. Deuteronomy 14:1 says, “You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead.”[1] Cutting oneself or shaving one’s forehead was practiced by idolaters in Canaan. God did not want his people to participate in this idolatrous practice. Instead, he wanted them to remember they are chosen by God: "a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." (Deuteronomy 14:2). But what practical spiritual meaning does this have for Christians today?

When we as Christians do sinful, unclean things, it’s as if we are cutting our souls. We harm ourselves and hinder our spiritual growth. Sometimes, our sins even cause physical pain.

In my job translating subtitles, I have watched many movies and TV dramas. When I was a young Christian, I wasn’t bothered by foul language or the sensual images that I saw while translating these movies. But as I grew spiritually and God’s calling on my life became more clear, I began to feel conviction. God was raising the bar for my sanctification. I started to feel uncomfortable when I heard foul language on the movies. But because this was my job and it provided good income, I didn’t know what to do. I asked God for wisdom and guidance.

One day, I had a prophetic dream. I saw myself scrubbing green feces off my clothes, scraping them into the toilet. But the stains were very difficult to remove. I also saw a filthy pool up ahead. In the pool, a man was swimming while looking at his iPad or his phone. The pool was very dirty and disgusting.

In my dream, I heard the Holy Spirit speaking. Foul language contaminates our souls and is difficult to remove, just like the green feces on my clothes. Many people are completely immersed in the filth but can’t feel anything. This powerful image shocked me. I decided not to work on these tasks anymore. Although I suffered financial losses, I treasured a clean soul even more than my income.

We can try our best to pursue the gift of prophecy, but if our souls are contaminated by filthy pictures or words, we are harming ourselves, just like Deuteronomy 14 discusses. We are slicing and cutting our hearts and souls. Just like repetitive cutting causes scars and callouses, repetitively seeing filthy pictures and words can scar our imagination. We can become calloused to the point that we no longer clearly hear the words of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if we want to pursue the gift of prophecy and hear the voice of God more clearly, we must keep our souls holy and undefiled.

How does the concept of "not shaving your forehead" relate to the Christian experience? Paul says that a woman’s hair is her glory (1 Corinthians 11:15). When a person shaved his or her forehead, they were unable to manifest the glory of God. Today, we can learn that we should manifest God’s glory everywhere we go. We must not fall short of the glory of God.

How can we do this? 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” What we ingest can bring glory to God. Deuteronomy 14:3-20 distinguishes clean animals that can be eaten and unclean animals that cannot be eaten. As Christians, we’re aware that we not only ingest physical food, but we also ingest a steady diet of media and information. What we eat will eventually be integrated into our bodies or our souls. What are we feeding our souls? Are we binge-watching Netflix, or binge-reading the word of the Lord? Are we living by the word of the Lord, rather than by bread alone? (Matthew 4:4). Are we meditating on the Lord’s word and prayer, like chewing the cud? Are we chewing on the Lord's words in order to grow in sanctification? When we eat clean foods, we will naturally manifest God’s glory more.

The Israelites were not allowed to eat anything that had died naturally, but sojourners or foreigners could do so (Deuteronomy 14:21). How do we understand this? This is not difficult to understand. The more sanctified we are, the less comfortable we feel with eating unclean foods and doing unclean things. According to the New Testament, we must walk worthy of our calling.

Growing in our capacity

The second half of verse 21 says, "You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.” This verse is very puzzling. I’ll share my thoughts on this passage. The mother’s milk is used to feed the young goat. Using the milk to boil the goat violates a very basic and nurturing principle of life.

If you break the eggshell that protects the growing chick, you will kill it. When a chick hatches, it will peck through the eggshell by itself. In the same way, it’s cruel to use mother’s milk to boil a baby goat. You would be killing a young life with the food that should have been used to feed it.

In addition, boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk may have been practiced by the seven Canaanite nations while they were worshipping idols. Furthermore, this passage may be teaching a principle about spiritual immaturity. If an immature person stops drinking spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2) and uses it incorrectly, they may die.

As Christians we must be true to ourselves and not pretend that we have reached a level of spiritual maturity that isn’t true. God permits us to serve God according to the measure of faith we have (Romans 12:3). Don’t be too eager to accomplish something that lies outside the capacity that you currently have (Philippians 3:16). Don’t pretend or lie. If we go beyond our capacity, we may burn ourselves out.

Ananias and his wife in Acts 5 pretended to be more dedicated to God than they actually were. God severely disciplined them. This is an extreme case, but it demonstrates that pretending does not please God. Peter told them that they didn’t have to give all the money from the property, but they should not pretend they did.

In the same way, many Christians don’t want to tithe. If this is the case, they should pray and ask God for his help in this area. However, some Christians who have no desire to tithe still want to pretend that they love the Lord. This is wrong. It is hard to say that you love the Lord when you don’t tithe. The Lord Jesus clearly said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21). God does not want our tithe or money; he wants our hearts.

Many Christians say, “I don’t want to donate money. But I can provide free goods or services for the church, or actively preach the gospel.”

Is this considered a tithe or offering? God commands us to actively preach the gospel and serve the church, so this is still not a replacement for tithing. God wants you to tithe to help you overcome your love of money.

If you’re struggling with tithing, tell God honestly, “I really can't overcome the love of money. I can't do it now. God, please expand my capacity slowly.” This pleases God. God will help expand your measure gradually. As God expands your capacity to give, you will begin to tithe willingly, from the heart.

In Choo Nam’s book, Heaven is So Real, Choo Nam shares her thoughts on tithing. She says God told her that if Christians don’t tithe, they will be disciplined for their disobedience.[2] I believe that this testimony is true. But even if it is not, we should still tithe according to the principles given in the Bible.

I know how hard it is to do this! Many Christians may not be capable of tithing. But if we really love God, our values will change and this practice will become easier. We will overcome the love of money until we love God even more than we love money.

Tithing is just the beginning.

Deuteronomy 14:22-29 also teaches additional principles about giving to support the Levites including tithes. Tithing is only one step towards sanctification. God wants us to give above and beyond tithing.

How much should a New Testament Christian give? Watchman Nee said that in the New Testament we should give 100%, not 10%. Because Jesus bought us with His blood, we all belong to Him. We belong to God 100%. After we give everything to God, we then appropriate some of His abundance to use in our daily lives. He also said we should “…follow the word in 2 Corinthians 9:7, which says that each person should give according to the order of God. He may donate a half, a third, a tenth, or a twentieth of his income.” [3]

If you understand this spiritual principle, you can understand the mistakes made by the Israelites, especially the Pharisees. They believed that once they tithed, their money was theirs to use as they wished. Since they had already tithed, they saw no need to financially support their parents. The Lord Jesus said, "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others." (Luke 11:42). The Pharisees thought that tithing was enough. They completely misunderstood God’s purposes in the area of tithing.

God’s work is constantly expanding in capacity. In the Old Testament, the Levites were set apart for the priesthood. In the New Testament, every Christian is a priest. Unbelievers are not set apart to God as priests. In the Old Testament, there was a difference between clean animals and unclean animals. But in the New Testament, God revealed to Peter that all foods were clean. The Gentiles were not accepted in the past, but they are accepted today.

Cleansing and sanctification is a process. Something that used to be unclean becomes clean. Someone who used to be rejected becomes accepted. God’s work is constantly expanding. We should never settle for the capacity, measure, or level of giving we currently have. We should always be open to more.

It is wrong to think that tithing is enough, or that the Levites are the only priests of God. The Levites were priests at first. Then all Israelites were priests to the Gentiles. Now, all Christians are priests. Non-believers who are currently not priests may be saved tomorrow and become priests of God as well.

God wants us to continually grow in sanctification so that more people, Jew and Gentile alike, will join God’s holy priesthood through Jesus Christ. It is never acceptable to say, “I already gave yesterday, so I don't need to give today.” You can’t say, “My spirit is saved and I am delivered from hell. I don’t need God’s continued sanctification, renewal, and change. I don’t need to offer my body as a living sacrifice.” It’s also wrong to say, “Since I’ve already given 10% to God, I can use the remaining 90% on myself.”

Instead, we must allow the life and glory of God to continue to expand our hearts. Giving 10% is only a foretaste. We need to dedicate ourselves 100% to God. Whether material tithing or spiritual dedication, there is a process of gradual and continual expansion.

If you say, “I can’t overcome the love of money today. I still can’t tithe,” look for light and inspiration in God’s word. Don’t simply read the text of the Bible. Instead, look for light and inspiration in its pages. God’s truth can illuminate the dark places in your heart and fill you with God’s light. The light of God’s word can impact you and shock you, leading to a breakthrough. If you say, “I still can't overcome the love of money,” pray and ask God to expand your capacity. God will certainly help you.

Growing in sanctification

How many Chinese are Christians? Is it one-tenth? This 10% who are believers represent the Levites. We are the first to be sanctified. We want to reflect God’s glory so that more people can see His light and come to know Him. We must experience renewal and change in order to manifest God’s glory more and more. We must experience more sanctification so that more Chinese people can be sanctified.

Tithing is just one example of sanctification. If we are unable to surrender to God in these practical ways, God will not occupy a very big space in our hearts. It will be difficult for God to manifest Himself through us. We will hinder God's work of sanctification, both in our own hearts and in the hearts of others around us.

It is important for us to obey God externally, but it is even more important for us to obey God on the inside. If we are willing to surrender to God in tithing, this proves that our love for God surpasses our love for money. Our giving not only supplies funds for the work of God, but it also shows that we are free from the love of money. This allows God’s presence and glory to shine through us.

Expectations for Chinese Christians

If we want to change China today, we must start with ourselves as Chinese Christians. We can start by obeying God, allowing God to change us, tithing, dedicating ourselves to God, and growing in sanctification. You and I cannot do this on our own, but we can pray to God and ask for His help. Only when we ingest God’s word can real change happen. We must take in God’s word, chew on it, and allow it to change us and others around us.

When we live in the Holy of Holies, we can bring others into the very presence of God. If we live in the outer courtyard, we can only bring others into the outer courtyard. The degree to which we experience sanctification and closeness to God determines the degree to which we can bring others close to God. We must increase our dedication, expand our capacity, become more holy, and manifest God’s glory.

I shared this message in a Chinese Bible meeting, but the same principles apply to every Christian. If Christians in the United States continue to sanctify themselves and dedicate themselves to the Lord more and more, it will bring about social changes.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[2] Choo Thomas, Heaven is So Real! (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2003), 213.

[3] Watchman Nee, Watchman Nee's Testimony (Anaheim, CA, 1991), 29.

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Spiritual Encounters with Chinese Jews

By Sean Song

Since the beginning of my prophetic dreams in 2015, I frequently have been taken in the Spirit to China to meet various people. In these encounters, I observed services and meetings of Chinese believers. I also traveled to different cities to meet all kinds of people. Many of these encounters were accompanied by a mysterious person. I believe it was either the Holy Spirit or angels that took me on these trips. During several of these trips, I encountered descendants of Chinese Jews, and this stunned me. I was even told in several dreams that I personally am a descendant of a Chinese Jew. After praying about these encounters, I believe God is prophetically calling the remnants of the Jews in the East to be part of the great revival that is to come in China, and the future revival to the Middle East and Israel.

Encounters with Chinese Jews

I have never personally met any Chinese Jews nor am I aware of any possible connections with my own Jewish heritage, so these encounters shocked me at first. However, I will let these dreams speak for themselves. They are recorded below in chronical order.

On May 19th, 2016, I dreamt of visiting a few different places, one of which was my hometown village. In this dream, the mysterious person who accompanied me told me that the two daughters from my uncle’s family are Jewish descendants. Their father is my father’s cousin. Their grandfather is the older brother of my grandfather. I grew up with these two ladies in the same village. Naturally, I was surprised after being told about their Jewish heritage. I wondered if I was also a Jewish descendant. Just then my grandmother (my father’s mother) appeared and told me that one of our ancestors is a Jewish woman. My grandmother also mentioned that one of our male ancestors was a sinful man who committed sinful acts with this Jewish woman. My grandmother did not mention the identity of this man, but I made note that she specifically said we were born of a Jewish woman and are therefore Jewish descendants according to Jewish tradition.

Right then, the two small Jewish girls appeared in my dream, but I conversed with them as if I did not know where they came from. I left them my US phone number and asked them to visit me if they ever came to America. Then my third aunt (my father’s younger sister) appeared in the dream, and we started to discuss the heritage of these two Jewish girls. I said to my aunt, “These two Jewish girls do not look Jewish at all, do they?” I meant that they looked more Chinese in appearance. I continued speaking to my aunt, “You look more like a Jewish person or foreigner than them!” Upon saying this, her face suddenly impressed me. I noticed that her face did have foreign or non-Chinese features to it. When I woke up from the dream, I was reminded that in real life, my aunt’s appearance is indeed different than the normal Chinese people I grew up with.

On October 22, 2016, I was taken in a dream to another place in China to participate in a service with a lot of people. When the service was about to close, I noticed two Jewish rabbis. One was young and the other old. The younger rabbi started in a closing prayer. Although I don’t understand Hebrew, I knew in the Spirit that he was praying in Hebrew. His prayer seemed so cumbersome though. When he was halfway finished, he asked to restart his prayer and the older rabbi agreed to let him pray again. I did not know what he was praying about, but I felt he was learning to pray or minister under the older rabbi. It was clear, however, that he was not very good at it.

On April 26th, 2017, I was taken to Beijing. Most of my encounters with people there were with Chinese Christians. One man interestingly told me he was a descendant of the Jewish people. I boldly commented back to him in the dream, “Me too. I have always thought that I was one of the descendants of the ten lost tribes of Israel. I am also a Chinese Jew.”

On September 4, 2017, I dreamt I was taken to my childhood village. There I encountered another villager who claimed to be a Chinese Jew. I have never met this person in real life. To my surprise, he told me in English that he was Jewish. Of course, his identity stood out to me because of the several dreams I had prior about my Jewish lineage. Before I knew it, I was interviewing him in Chinese. He said he became a Red Revolutionist in his lifetime, and he loved China. Nonetheless, he was happy to tell me about his Jewish identity and eventually his life story. He wanted his story to be passed on to next generation. This was why I was asked to interview him.

The Amazing Stories of the Kaifeng Jews

At first, these dreams puzzled me because I was not aware that any Jews lived in China before the twentieth century, nor did I think I had any personal connection with them. I knew that many Jewish people fled from Europe to China during World War II to escape Nazi rule, but I was not aware of any Jewish communities in China before that. Therefore, I started to search the internet for Chinese Jewish communities. I found stories about a group of descendants named the Kaifeng Jews who were immigrants who lived in China. A small group of them eventually moved back to Israel in 2016. However, due to Israel’s immigrant policy and the fact the Kaifeng Jews were almost assimilated into Chinese culture, they had to formally convert to become Jewish.

I went on to read more stories of the Kaifeng Jews, and what I found was astonishing to me. When the Italian Jesuit priest, Matteo Ricci went to China in 1582, he found favor with a Chinese emperor. At the time, one of the Kaifeng Jews, Ai Tian, had gone to Beijing to take the imperial examination. While there, he heard that someone from the West believed in the same monist God that he did, so he went to visit Matteo Ricci. Upon seeing a picture of Mary, Jesus, and John the Baptist, he misinterpreted it as Rebecca and her two sons. He thought Matteo Ricci was a Jew, and Matteo Ricci thought Ai Tian was a follower of Nestorianism, which came to China in the sixth century.

Later, Matteo Ricci found out Ai Tian was a Jew, and this is when the West discovered the Chinese Jewish community that had been in China for over 1000 years. The Kaifeng Jews started to live in the city of Kaifeng since at least the Song dynasty (AD 960-1279). Ricci and Ai Tian started having more interactions, and Matteo Ricci wanted to convert them to Christianity. Ricci even tried to find their Torah to prove that European Jews tampered with the manuscript regarding the coming of Jesus. To his dismay, the Kaifeng community did not convert to Christianity and the Torah they found among Kaifeng Jews was the same as the European manuscripts used at that time. Ricci’s people did take advantage of the opportunity to record a drawing of their temple along with many other stories. Several stones in Kaifeng describe how the Chinese Jews came to China. One of the stones suggests that some Jews received divine instruction to come to China even though many scholars suspected they came either by the Silk Road or Sea Route for doing business. Through historical records, we know the Kaifeng city was flooded and invaded many times during and after the Song dynasty, and many Jews fled North. Their community started to dwindle, and all their manuscripts were sold to western missionaries. One reason for this was also because the old rabbi there died, and his son was unlearned in Hebrew and other traditions.

An Unexpected Journey of Emotional Healing

The dream I had earlier about the two rabbis makes more sense in light of the history of the Kaifeng Jewish community. I was not aware of the historical reality of the older rabbi who died and his younger son who was inept to carry on Hebrew tradition. Although I still don’t know about any personal familial connection to the Kaifeng Jews, my hometown was only 196 kilometers north of Kaifeng. My village is one village away from the boarder of the Henan province where Kaifeng is. My grandmother was born in the village that bordered the Henan province. Though it’s now part of another province, our hometown was part of the Henan province (before the 1900s) that now governs Kaifeng.

Interestingly, one famous Chinese celebrity, Song Dandan, openly claims that she may be a descendant of the Kaifeng Jews. Her mom is from the Henan province where Kaifeng resides. She explained that she was bullied as a child because her skin was white, and her nose was pointy. She hated the fact that her skin was so white. She was even given the nicknames “Romania girl” and “golden monkey.” Her experience is not unique. As I grew up, I realized that my skin was whiter and more different than some of my villagers and classmates. One student always picked on me for this. He gave me the nickname “little white face” which in Chinese represents a man who sells himself to women to survive.

I really hated that name and I asked him to stop, but he wouldn’t. I had fights with other students who beat me up. This emotional trauma caused me to hate my skin color. I wanted to be black or darker. I tried to tan myself, but that did not work. I later read news that one can have lighter or white skin color due to premature birth. This worsened my perspective and caused me to believe I was born prematurely. I even asked my mother if this was true. Although she denied it, I still believed the lie that I was born weak. I likened “blackness” or “darker skin” to “strong” and “powerful,” while “white” meant “pale” and “weak.” I even recall discussing with a female high school classmate our desire to swap skin color because she was not happy with her dark skin, and I was not happy with my lighter skin. This was a large emotional burden I carried growing up. Years later I told this story to my African American fitness coach in Washington DC, and he laughed at me for being discriminated against for my "whiteness" in China. We soon became friends.

I don’t have evidence that I am also a descendent of any Chinese Jews besides what has been revealed to me in these dreams. I even did a DNA test once and it only shows I am Chinese. However, if my dreams are true, this could be emotionally healing to me. I felt so awful about myself and my skin color when I was a child. It would be comforting if I did have some Jewish lineage and to know I was not born prematurely.

A Prophetic Remnant

I don’t think these prophetic dreams are solely personal. They are also meant to sound a prophetic bell for the end age. Isaiah 43:5 says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.” (NRSV) God is calling His remnants from all over the world to come back to Israel. Even though only a small number of Chinese Jews embarked on a journey to become a Jew by conversion, I feel there are more descendants of Jews spread among the Chinese that may not be aware of it at all. Take me for example. As a Chinese person, I never thought of the remnants of Jews in China until I had these prophetic dreams. Whether man knows it or not and whether the world acknowledges it or not, the Lord knows His people and is calling His people back to Israel and Himself. I recall other encounters with Jesus like when I received my calling to be part of the coming Chinese revival, and I felt then as I do now that God is calling His remnant of people in China to be converted to Christians.

One of the Chinese men I encountered in these dreams was a brother who served in a church. He also told me he is a Chinese Jew. Many Jewish people from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union converted to Christianity because they did not have a strong religious mindset. Yet, they became a very important part of the churches in modern Israel when they immigrated to Israel. Likewise, I feel some of these Chinese Jews will become Christians too. Lest I forget that I was also shown in another prophetic dream that the great revival coming to China will eventually spread to the Middle East. I also believe many Chinese Christians will be sent out as missionaries to Muslim countries and Israel. Among them, it’s possible that Jewish descendants may come back to Israel in a different way. Maybe they will be part of the end of age revival in Israel and help usher in the return of Jesus Christ.

How exciting it is to imagine and see Israelite families saved. Though there are different ideas about how the whole household of Israel will be saved, I believe there will be a great revival in Israel in the end age. I hope the descendants of Chinese Jews play their parts in it. If it is true that God divinely instructed some Jews to go to China, there must be a great plan of God for them in the end of this age.

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Bible Study with Jairus -1 Corinthians 10

In 1 Corinthians 10, we read a beautiful description of Jesus’ presence with the Israelites in the wilderness. The verse says that the Israelites “all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ."[1] (1 Corinthians 10:4, ESV)

This verse is beautiful, but it puzzles me. Why couldn’t the Israelites sense the presence of Christ, their spiritual Rock? Even now, looking back on the wilderness wandering accounts, we as believers don’t recognize the presence of Jesus with the Israelites. How could Paul be so confident that He was really with them?

Perhaps the Israelites were unable to see Jesus walking with them, just like the disciples did not recognize the resurrected Christ the first time they saw him. Whether walking to Emmaus or fishing on the seashore, the disciples had a hard time recognizing the resurrected Christ. Perhaps in the same ways, the Israelites were unable to recognize Christ, the spiritual Rock who accompanied them.

Eyes to See

We don’t directly read in the Old Testament that the spiritual Rock that followed the Israelites was Christ. The Israelites themselves couldn’t feel His presence. They did not believe. They rebelled, worshiped idols, were sexually immoral, tested Christ, and complained. They didn’t trust his presence with them. Just like the disciplines were unable to see the resurrected Christ when He was walking with them to Emmaus, the Israelites were also blinded. For various reasons, they were unable to recognize Christ as he walked with them to the Promised Land.

When the Lord Jesus explained the prophecies about himself to the disciples on to the road to Emmaus, their hearts burned within them. When He broke the bread during their meal with him, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. The story of the Lord walking with the disciples to Emmaus and opening their hearts and eyes is a beautiful picture of the spiritual Rock described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10.

The Israelites in the wilderness needed their eyes to be opened to the presence of Jesus, who had been there all along. The Israelites could not have deep fellowship with God or recognize his presence, because they were communing with demons and living in greed, immorality, and idolatry.

Paul warned the believers in Corinth to learn from the Israelites’ mistakes. The Corinthians in Paul’s day were falling into the same trap. They needed to let go of their fellowship with demons and idols and embrace constant fellowship with the body and blood of the Lord. Only then would their minds and spiritual eyes be gradually opened so they could recognize the Lord's presence among them.

The same is true for Christians today. The resurrected Christ has been among us this whole time, but we often don’t recognize his presence. We must sever our attachment to our idols and increase our connection with Jesus’ body and blood. As we do, Christ’s presence will fill our lives. Our minds and spiritual eyes will be gradually open, and we will see the resurrected Christ.

Seeing Spiritual Reality

In verses 1-4, Paul draws back the curtain and shows us what was going on behind the scenes during the wilderness wanderings. The Old Testament record tells us the daily events that happened in the physical realm. But in 1 Corinthians, Paul reveals what was happening in the spiritual realm—things that the Israelites could not see and that we can’t read about in the Old Testament text.

Why could Paul see this spiritual Rock, but the Israelites couldn’t? Paul says, “The natural person is not able to understand all things because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things.” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15). Paul is a spiritual person, so he can perceive these spiritual realities.

What Paul described in 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 is a spiritual reality. He is not just inventing a parable or metaphor. Instead, he’s revealing the behind-the-scenes reality. When the Israelites were traveling through the sea and following the cloud, they were being baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. That is the spiritual reality. When the Israelites ate manna and drank water from the rock, they were eating spiritual food and water. This spiritual water came from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock is Christ (verse 4).

Let’s focus on the word, “followed,” a word that the Holy Spirit highlights when we read this passage. How exactly did Christ follow the Israelites? Did the Israelites carry a rock, just like they carried the ark of the covenant?

No, I don’t believe they did. Paul says that Christ was the spiritual Rock that followed them. Paul never says that he was visible. Most likely, he was an invisible spiritual Rock. When Moses struck the rock as the Lord commanded, perhaps this spiritual Rock joined with the physical rock to produce water.

In the material realm, the Israelites saw Moses striking a physical rock. They saw water gushing out of a physical stone. But in the spiritual realm, the water was spiritual water gushing out of Christ, the spiritual rock.

An example may help you understand. When we lay hands on people and pray in church, the action means much more than simply placing hands on someone’s head. Instead, it means that Jesus Christ is spiritually placing his hands and his power on someone’s life. Many people who have prophetic gifts and gifts of healing testify that the Lord can lay hands through our hands to heal the sick. These gifted people sometimes can see into the spiritual realms. But since we don't have our spiritual eyes open, we often can’t see these spiritual realities. It’s important to open our spiritual eyes and our minds.

A Veiled Heart

In verses 5-11, Paul described a veil that covered the Israelites’ hearts. The people were full of greed, idolatry, immorality, and grumbling. They tempted Christ and distrusted his promises. They were disciplined, and their hearts were covered with a veil of darkness and confusion. The veil over their hearts kept them from seeing Christ, the spiritual Rock that was following them. Paul says that “to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” (2 Corinthians 3:15-16).

If we still can’t understand that Christ was the spiritual Rock who was following the Israelites, then there’s a possibility that we have a veil over our hearts, just like the Israelites in the Old Testament. Sins like idolatry and greed blind our hearts to God’s presence. Like the disciples walking to Emmaus, our minds need to be opened by Christ so we can see Christ in the Old Testament. The breaking of bread, which is fellowship with Christ’s blood and body, opens our spiritual eyes so we can see the spiritual rock in the Old Testament.

When Christ opens our eyes, we can also see that the resurrected Christ is with us in our lives today. Christ was not only with the Israelites in the Old Testament, but he is with us every day (Matthew 28:20). How many Christians can truly see the resurrected Christ? Often, our hearts and minds are blinded and veiled by idols and sins. We need to sever our relationship with idols and strengthen our fellowship with Christ's blood and body. Then, our eyes will be opened to see the presence of the resurrected Christ.

The Way of Escape

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 says, "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Here, Paul encouraged the Corinthians to learn from the history of the Israelites. God allowed trials that would test the Israelites and see if they would remain true to him. When prophets performed signs and tried to convince them to worship false gods, the Israelites were being tested (Deuteronomy 13:1-4). Would they remain true to God?

In the same way, the wilderness wanderings were a test for the Israelites. A test is not an end, but a means. The purpose of the test is to make our faith more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7).

Rather than passing the test through faith, the Israelites stumbled and rebelled. Paul challenged the Corinthians to respond differently to their trials. The culture of Corinth provided a test for the Corinthians. Their city was full of immorality and idolatry. Would they stay true to God?

Paul promised that their tests would not be more than they could bear. The trials would not overtake them. God would provide a way of escape, according to their ability. He will do the same for us.

What is this way of escape? Paul explains this concept in verses 14-22. We can escape sin when we cut off our fellowship with idols. First Corinthians 10:21 says, “You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” The essence of the table is fellowship. Paul asked the Corinthians to cut off their fellowship with idols. When someone is joined to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her. In the same way, when we are joined to the Lord, we become one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:15-17). We should not be unified with idols, but with Jesus.

Having fellowship with idols will put a veil in our hearts, making us unable to see the resurrected Christ. At the same time, our union with sin can increase our ability to perceive sins. As we fellowship with Christ through His blood and body (represented by the bread), we cleanse ourselves of sin, get rid of our filth, and become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). In this way, we cultivate an atmosphere of God's presence. This is the secret to opening our minds and spiritual eyes so we can see the spiritual Rock. He followed the Israelites in the Old Testament, he appeared as the resurrected Christ in the New Testament, and he is still with us today.

Seeing Christ in others

In verses 23-33, Paul discusses food sacrificed to idols. Paul says that in the Lord, all foods are clean. In one way, it makes no difference whether or not you eat a particular food. But Paul also explains that different believers have different weaknesses, temptations, and convictions.

One believer may have completely overcome the temptation to eat food sacrificed to idols, so they see no problem with eating meat. However, other believers came from an idolatrous family environment. They believe that once they are saved, they should never again eat food sacrificed to idols. Their consciences are weaker. Because of this, Paul recommends that stronger believers should not touch food sacrificed to idols. He asks the mature believers not to eat these foods so as not to hurt people with weak consciences.

A person who has recently been set free from idolatry is still operating in the “sin consciousness” thinking mode. Many new believers have the same experience. They feel like they’re walking on thin ice. They are very fearful of falling back into sin or stumbling back into the worship of idols.

When I first learned to drive, I was so nervous that I held the steering wheel with both hands. I wanted to avoid any and all potential danger. I was so afraid of losing control of the vehicle that I was hypervigilant. But once I got good at driving, I relaxed. I became so comfortable with driving that I sometimes use only one hand. Other people use no hands, and only nudge the steering wheel with their knees when they need to! In the same way, people with a weak conscience are very vigilant about avoiding sin, while people who are more mature feel more relaxed.

Mature believers know that God has cleansed every food and drink. They are not so worried about what they eat and drink. They are free from idolatry—so free that they don’t even let their thoughts be enslaved with worry about idols. Idols are nothing. Because God has made everything clean, these mature believers don't care about idols at all. These believers are operating in "God Consciousness" instead of “sin consciousness.” They neither worship idols, nor do they fear eating food sacrificed to idols.

Paul asks the believers to enter a third stage of Christian maturity, the "Brother Consciousness" thinking mode. Although they are no longer afraid of eating foods sacrificed to idols, they must consider the feelings of their weak brothers. They must love their neighbors as themselves. They should avoid eating food sacrificed to idols so as not to become a stumbling block to their Christian brothers and sisters.

Let’s consider the driving parable again. I may be very good at driving, but I should still be vigilant and considerate around a student driver. I can drive very fast with one hand on the steering wheel, but I should be mindful and courteous of other drivers. If I see a student driver running a red light, I must stop at my own green light to avoid hitting him or her. Even though I am not required by law to stop at the green light, I do it out of respect to the student driver.

When we love our neighbors as ourselves, not only can we see the resurrected Christ, but we can also see Christ in others. The Lord Jesus said that we often focus on the speck in another person’s eye but ignore the log in our own eyes (Matthew 7:3). We often despise our weaker brothers, even though in heaven their angels always see the face of His Father who is in heaven (Matthew 18:10). Jesus said that it is better to hang a millstone around our neck and be cast into the sea than to cause our brothers to sin (Luke 17:2). Like the Corinthians, we are not only blind to Jesus’ presence with us, but we are often blind to his presence in others.

There is still racism in the church, which shows that we as believers are still living in our flesh, just like the Israelites in the Old Testament. It also shows that we may still have idols in our hearts. Our minds have not been opened, and we cannot see the resurrected Christ.

When our minds and spiritual eyes are opened, we will not only see the resurrected Christ, but we will also see Christ in our African American, White, Asian and Hispanic brothers. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." We must not regard anyone according to the flesh. Instead, we should see Christ in them. The first thing we should notice about a brother or sister in Christ is that Jesus is in them—not the color of their skin.

Paul's words are based on his experience. When he thought that persecuting Christians was the same as serving God, he was regarding Christ according to the flesh. But the Lord Jesus told him that persecuting Christians is the same as persecuting Him. We are all members of Christ’s body, and He is our head. Paul not only learned to see Christ differently, but he also learned to see His children differently. Paul deeply realized that in Christ, all believers are new creations! If we still see people based on their color of skin, we are persecuting Christ just like Paul once did!

To solve the problem of racism in American society, the church needs to be a role model. When the church becomes spiritually mature, she will be able to see the resurrected Christ. She will be able to see Christ in other believers. Christians will be able to live in love.

All external efforts to solve racism are useless until we open our minds and spiritual eyes to see the resurrected Christ and the "resurrected Christ" in others. Only this can bring revolutionary change. That’s why Paul especially prayed for us believers "to have the eyes of our hearts enlightened" (Ephesians 1:18).

Unity and Love

In verse 32, Paul said, "Never be a stumbling block to the Jews, Greeks, or the church of God." This sentence reminds us of the theme of the whole book of 1 Corinthians: love and unity. Paul is not opposed to eating meat and speaking in tongues. But if he knows his action will make his brother stumble, he will not do it. This is the "brother consciousness" thinking mode I mentioned earlier. We must continuously grow spiritually, moving past the "sin consciousness" mode and even the "God consciousness” mode to reach the "brother consciousness" thinking mode.

No wonder some people say that if we love God, we will love others. The Lord Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40). The apostle John also said, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” (1 John 4:20-21).

This is Paul's burden in 1 Corinthians 10. He encourages the Corinthians who are at odds with one another to choose love. When we free ourselves from idols and fellowship with the blood and body of Christ, God will open our spiritual eyes and minds. We will be able to see the resurrected Christ. Instead of looking at outward characteristics, we’ll see Christ in our brothers and sisters. As we regard people according to the spirit rather than according to the flesh, we will see each other differently. Only then will we be able to truly love each other.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Bible Study with Jairus – 1 Corinthians 9

One of the themes discussed in 1 Corinthians 9 is Christian love and care. Paul continues to emphasize these themes throughout the entire book of 1 Corinthians. Before we have the right to shepherd and discipline others, we must first demonstrate our love and care for them. A nursing mother who has tenderly nurtured her children will be respected when she disciplines and educates them. When we first demonstrate love to others, they will be more likely to accept our teaching and help.

This chapter describes how Paul seized the opportunity to shepherd the believers he did not know well. Some of the brothers and sisters in the Corinthian church had not been trained personally by Paul, so he had to make an investment of love before he could make a withdrawal of teaching and accountability.

Love is patient. Paul's definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is not just a theory, but a principle he put into practice with the Corinthian church.

Paul builds a relationship with the Corinthians

When we read the Bible, it’s important to understand the feelings of the people involved and the relationship between the speaker and their hearers. Some of Paul’s letters were addressed to people he had personally trained. These people listened to him and opened up to him because they had experienced his personal love and care. Perhaps the members of Chloe’s household mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:11 knew Paul personally. They informed Paul of the situation in the Corinthian church. But others in the Corinthian church may not have known him well.

A working mother who can’t be at home with her children when they are small allows others to raise them. In this case, the children often feel closer to the nanny than they do to their mother. In the same way, Paul was a traveling preacher who had not built a long-term relationship with the Corinthians. As a result, the Corinthians felt closer to Apollos and others than they did to Paul.

Some members of the Corinthian church may not have been saved through Paul’s ministry. They were likely not trained by him either. They criticized him as being “base among them in person " (2 Corinthians 10:1 NIV). The word "base” in the original text is translated as "humble" in some versions. But this translation does not reflect the meaning of the original text. The original word is ταπεινός (tapeinos), which means "humble" and "timid". The New International Version and the New Living Translation translate the word as "timid". The Chinese recovery version translates it as "base", in an attempt to express the derogatory meaning of the original word. According to the annotation in the Recovery Version, it says the word "base" connotes "the pagans’ disdain for the humble virtues of the Christians back then." The Recovery Version Bible doesn’t cite this quotation, so I don't know its origin. Although this word has different interpretations in translation, the controversy itself opens a window of understanding. This word may have different meanings that help us understand the passage.

Second Corinthians 10:10 makes it clear that these believers were critical of Paul. The Recovery Version reads like this: "Because while his letters, someone says, are weighty and strong, his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible." The Chinese Union Version says, “For some say, ‘His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.’” Clearly, these believers were criticizing Paul. They refused to open their hearts to Paul. This was one of the main reasons for the strife and competition within the Corinthian church.

I once heard a story about a Chinese parent in the United States who sent her first child to live with her mother in China because she was busy with work and with her second child. After the child returned to the United States, the parents noticed a distance in their relationship. The child didn’t feel close to her parents. For years, her parents had been absent, and she had lived with a doting grandmother. Now, the child threw tantrums and gave her mother a lot of headaches.

This is a normal reaction. When children grow up with absent parents, they feel like they are abandoned. Their hidden anger eventually comes out. Since the parents are away for such a long time, the children no longer feel close to them.

The same principles apply to the Corinthian church. The Corinthian church was established by Paul through the preaching of the gospel, but not every believer in the Corinthian church was saved by Paul's evangelism. They were likely brought to salvation by Apollos and others.

More importantly, the people in the Corinthian church were spiritually immature, like babies. Paul, who compares himself to a nursing mother (1 Thessalonians 2:7), was often not around. Apollos and others took care of the Corinthians while he was gone. They were like foster mothers who nursed and nurtured the young church. The church began to feel distant from Paul and to feel close to Apollos and the others.

Paul opens his heart wide

Let’s return to our example of the child who was sent to China. It was understandable that she felt angry after returning to the United States. She didn’t understand why her parents had left her. So, what should her parents do? They should spend even more time caring for her. They should work towards developing a close relationship with her, built slowly over time.

Perhaps when the Corinthians criticized Paul, they were expressing their anger about his absence in their life. Paul loved the Corinthian believers, even though they criticized him. Since he wasn’t around much, he must have regretted the fact that he wasn’t able to be with them constantly to take care of them. When he heard their complaints, he didn't respond in anger. Instead, he encouraged them and showed his love for them. Paul responded like a loving parent who wants to reestablish a bond.

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul opens up and shares his testimony. He tells the Corinthians how he was called by the Lord to be an apostle (verses 1-3), how he gave up his right as an apostle (verses 4-15), how God entrusted him with a stewardship (verses 16-23), and how diligently he is running the Christian race (verses 24-27). In other words, Paul is demonstrating the great sacrifices he has made for God’s calling, including sacrifices he’s made for the believers in Corinth. Paul wants them to know that the reason he is running around like this is because of God’s calling on his life. But it doesn't mean he doesn't miss the Corinthians or care about them.

For example, Paul gave up his right to be financially reimbursed for his gospel ministry so he would not burden the Corinthians (verses 11-15). This was one of the sacrifices he made for the Corinthians. Perhaps the Corinthians felt that Paul was doing nothing to shepherd them. But in reality, he made frequent sacrifices for their sake. The Corinthians needed to recognize the sacrifices Paul was already making.

Paul spoke openly about his sacrifices so that the believers could see the depth of his genuine care and love. Those who doubted his care could see the sacrifices he had made on their behalf. I believe these words may have eventually touched the hearts of some of the believers who were against Paul.

Spiritual growth: the antidote to competition

There was a lot of competition and immaturity in the Corinthian church. Because the church lacked spiritual authority and Paul and Apollos were not permanent pastors, everyone in Corinth was competing. Any church that lacks spiritual authority will experience the same conflicts. A church with spiritual authority guides its members toward good behavior and submission. But in a church without authority, no one submits to anyone. The only solution to this competitive rivalry is love, spiritual growth and maturity.

Paul opened up about his experiences for two reasons. Not only did he want to demonstrate his love for the Corinthian church, but he also wanted to teach them how to achieve spiritual maturity. Paul’s spiritual maturity came not only through his election to apostleship but also through his willingness to grow spiritually through suffering. When we learn to obey God in the midst of suffering, God will work in our lives to bring about spiritual maturity.

Even the Lord Jesus himself learned obedience through what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Paul said that he had the right to eat and drink (1 Corinthians 9:4) and to marry (1 Corinthians 9:9:5), but he gave up these rights for the Corinthians’ sake. The Corinthians continued to live in "gluttony" (1 Corinthians 11:21-22) and sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 7:2), but Paul let go of these fleshly needs for the sake of the gospel. Paul said, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Paul's struggle and surrender

True authority comes from God's calling and our surrender to God. That's why Paul said he had no choice but to preach the gospel. Because of God's calling, he felt “obligated to preach.” (1 Corinthians 9:16 BSB) All who are called by God go through the process of struggle and surrender. Paul was no exception. While we don't know exactly how Paul struggled, we can see glimpses of the struggle in 1 Corinthians 9. Paul said, "For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.” (1 Corinthians 9:16-17).

To some, this verse is confusing. Is Paul still struggling with God's calling? Perhaps he is. He used to be an active persecutor of Christians among the Judaists, a religious leader with very high status. Accepting God’s calling was equivalent to betraying his social class. He would also face great persecution. That’s why Paul may have wavered and struggled with God’s call on his life.

But in the end, Paul surrendered to the Lord. In the same way, our surrender to God's calling is the source of our authority and power! Paul exhorts the Corinthian believers to surrender more completely to the Lord and to submit to one another. As we do this, we as believers will unlock the authority and power of the Lord!

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Entering Our God-Given Destiny

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 34

Have you ever thought that God’s rules and boundaries were limiting you? We may think that God’s borders are hemming us in. But in reality, the boundary lines God gives us are far greater than the boundary lines we have already reached. May God give us the courage, faith, and hope to reach the full measure of what he has in store for us. May we pray like Jabez - “May God enlarge our borders.” God will grant what we ask.

Spiritual Stagnation

Numbers 34 contains two key stories. In the first story, the Lord told Moses about the boundaries of Israel. In the second story, the Lord told Moses the list of leaders of the nine and a half tribes participating in the division of the land.

When you compare the map of the land that God promised to the Israelites with the land they actually occupied, you will find a surprising contradiction. God promised the Israelites land in the northeast, rather than the land on the east side of the Jordon occupied by Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh occupied land in the southeast after the Israelites defeated the Amorites and Ammonites. After seeing the land’s beauty, they did not enter Canaan, the land promised by God. They wanted to stay on the other side of the Jordon and pasture their large herds and flocks.

How did God feel about this choice? In the Scripture, God neither praised nor blamed them. He just kept silent. Moses was initially angry about this choice, but later accepted it. God promised the land of Canaan, not this land. Although Moses tacitly consented to this plan, it was not ultimately God's will.

I believe these two and a half tribes missed out on God’s blessings. When they chose to stay in the land on the east side of the Jordon, they showed they were satisfied with the victory God had already given. They chose to stagnate in the achievement they’d already made. In Numbers 32, they asked Moses to give them "the land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel.” (ESV Numbers 32:4)[1]. They admitted that the Lord had helped them acquire the land and achieve victory in battles. But they were unwilling to continue to risk or to enter the Promised Land. They underestimated God's promise.

Aren’t many Christians today the same? They are satisfied with the measure of spiritual success they’ve already attained. They know that they believed in the Lord and will go to heaven. That’s good enough for them. With this mindset, you will miss out on so many beautiful things worth learning, exploring, and working hard on. You miss out on many spiritual battles God wants you to win. Don’t stagnate where you are! Move forward into the fullness of God’s plans for you!

Entering God’s Destiny

The Israelites never reached their full potential. They never occupied the full extent of the land that God had promised them. Even during the time of David and Solomon, Israel never expanded fully into the boundaries God had promised. These boundaries - borders – represent the measure of destiny and blessing given to us by God. Many people are concerned about not going beyond the boundaries God has set for them. True, God sets limits in our lives to keep us safe. But for most people, the problem is not that we go too far. For most of it, we fail to expand into the full measure of God’s expectations and promises for us.

God has given us each a measure of grace. Paul specifically said "Don't boast beyond your measure." (2 Corinthians 10:13). But many times, people use this verse as an excuse to think small. Rather than pursuing God's calling and gifts, they confine themselves to a small measure God never intended for them. Only after arriving in heaven will people discover just how big were the blessings God had in store for them in this life, and just how few of them they have achieved. I often pray that when I stand before God, my Heavenly Father will praise me with the words: “YOU OUTDID YOURSELF.” I want to live out God’s destiny and calling for me, even "going beyond" my own measure. This is my prayer.

God had assigned boundaries to each of the twelve tribes through drawing lots. Drawing lots may seem like pure chance, but it represented God’s decision. He drew boundary lines according to the characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the tribes. Nevertheless, God still gave the tribes a certain amount of freedom. For example, Caleb could choose to conquer the lands occupied by the toughest enemies.

God has given us grand and glorious promises! He wants us to understand the full extent of his blessings. Paul prayed that believers would have “the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians 1:18). We need God to open our hearts and eyes so we can truly grasp the greatness of the rich and glorious inheritance He has prepared for us! In the Old Testament, God gave the land of Canaan as an inheritance. In the New Testament, God has given believers the inheritance of riches in Christ and spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm! (Ephesians 1:3).

God Knows us Personally.

Did you get bogged down by reading all the geographical names and details of Israel, as well as the names of the tribal chiefs? These are not just useless facts. They show that God is intimately acquainted with each one of us. God is not distant, far away, and difficult to please. Instead, Jesus says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10). We have personal access to his throne room.

Even if you feel far from God, your Heavenly Father is conversing with your guardian angels, asking how you are doing today, where you are going, and what kind of comforting and encouraging words you may need today. Our Heavenly Father frequently discusses these things with our guardian angels. David said that God’s thoughts towards us are more numerous than the sand of the sea (Psalm 139:17-18).

Malachi 3:16 shows us that God thinks about us. “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.” Not only are believers’ names written in the Book of Life, but our experiences and achievements are also recorded. For example, David wrote in Psalm 56:8, "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?" Our tears and our sufferings are all recorded in God’s book.

In addition, Revelation 20:12 records, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." God will judge each of us according to what we have done.

The Spiritual Significance of Your Name

God knows us. Paul said, “If anyone loves God, he is known by God.” (1 Corinthians 8:3). God also knew each tribal leader personally, by name, and each of their names has a meaning. "Caleb" of the Tribe of Judah means "loyal dog," which is often extended to mean, "servant of God."

As we discuss the names of the other tribal leaders, I will quote my translation of a passage from the "Comprehensive Interpretation of the Bible" website:

“The names are listed in order of the tribes, from south to north according to the land allocated to each tribe (Joshua 14-19). Except for "Caleb" (verse 19), the names of the other nine leaders are completely different from those of the leaders 38 years before (Numbers 1:5-15). Even their fathers are not the previous leaders. God recorded the names of these people and used their names to clearly demonstrate the faith of the new generation before Him: "Shemu-El" or “ Samuel” means "God's name"; "El-Idad" means "My God has loved"; "Bukki" is the abbreviation of "Bukki-Ah" (1 Chronicles 25:4), which means "The Lord has proven" or " "The Lord has emptied"; "Hanni-El" means "favored of God"; "Kemu-El" means "raised by God"; "El-Izaphan" means "My God has protected"; "Palti-El" means "God’s deliverance"; "Ahihud" means "Brother of Praise"; "Pedah-El" means "redeemed by God".

“Among these ten leaders, Caleb was already 80 years old (Joshua 14:10). There are seven people with "El" in their names, indicating that these leaders may have been born before the Exodus. They were about 40-60 years old at this time. Only “Bukki” is possibly derived from the name "Jehovah", indicating that he was probably born after God revealed his name "Jehovah" to Moses (Exodus 3:15). He was likely less than 40 years old.” [2]

This quote explanation specifically notes the names of the leaders mentioned by God. Except for Caleb, this is an entirely new generation of leaders. Even their fathers have never been mentioned before. These are not the same tribal leaders recorded in Numbers 1. They are leaders of a new generation, raised up by God.

What an encouragement! Can you imagine a tribal leader claiming these promises for himself? “Our ancestors failed and were unable to defeat the enemy. Our ancestors’ failure to enter the Promised Land does not necessarily mean that we, the next generation, will be unable to do so. They lost the spiritual battle, but that does not mean that we will also lose! God has raised up new leaders to lead the Israelites into spiritual battle! As the younger generation, we must rise up for battle, defeat the enemy, enter the Promised Land, and fulfill the spiritual destiny He has given us!”

Can you see the parallel to modern-day America? We face many enemies all around us, like the Israelites of old. The previous generation left these enemies undefeated and unconquered. Now, they are coming to control us! But this does not mean that we will be unable to conquer the enemy. We may feel suppressed, but this is not necessarily God's will for us.

Many Old Testament Israelite kings chose to follow God, even though their fathers did not worship Him. And God helped them defeat their enemies. The younger generation in the United States must do the same. We must believe that God will help us, and that no one can stop us. We must rise up for battle and defeat the enemy. God will certainly help us. May the younger generation of the United States rise up as leaders and defeat the enemies that their parents’ generation was unable to defeat!

God is our Loving Father

God often treats us like a parent would treat a child. He has blessings in store for us and expectations for us to complete. But he will not force us to comply with them or take the steps he wants us to take. If we choose to ask for God’s help to defeat the enemy, trying our best to enter into God’s destiny for us through faith and hard work, God will help us. But if we give up, saying we don’t care, God will not rescue us from our own mistakes. The Bible tells us that God is good (Luke 18:19), while the enemy only wants to steal, destroy and kill (John 10:10). We must engage in spiritual warfare and not give up so easily. We must fight for our God-given blessings and ministries.

In the genealogy of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4, the author makes special mention of Jabez. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 says, "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked.” The name Jabez in Hebrew means "sorrow.” His mother had a hard birth, so she named her son Jabez. There must have been many difficult experiences in Jabez's life. But he called on God, asking Him to enlarge his borders. He asked for God’s presence to be with him and keep him from harm. And God answered his prayer.

May God enlighten the eyes of our hearts, as Paul said in Ephesians, so that we can see just how great is the inheritance God has given us. May we enter into the full destiny that God intends for us. May we pray like Jabez, “Enlarge my borders!” God will surely answer our prayers!

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[2] The Original is Chinese and the translation is mine.

https://cmcbiblereading.com/2015/05/11/%E6%B0%91%E6%95%B0%E8%AE%B0%E7%AC%AC34%E7%AB%A0%E9%80%90%E8%8A%82%E6%B3%A8%E8%A7%A3%E3%80%81%E7%A5%B7%E8%AF%BB/

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Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 33

At first glance, Numbers 33 seems like a confusing list of meaningless facts. “Pi-hahiroth, Baal-zephon, Alush, Rephidim…” Why would God include so many cities and place names that are difficult to pronounce? What is the point?

If we look more closely, we will understand the importance of these facts. If we were familiar with the geography of Israel, we would reflexively understand that the Israelites were going in circles. It was as if they were detouring from Florida to New York and back to Florida. Because of their disobedience, the Israelites were experiencing God’s discipline. To readers familiar with the geography of Israel, this detailed record of cities and place names would clearly demonstrate that the Israelites were wandering in mind-numbing circles.

Rather than being a pointless list of names, this passage serves as a warning to future generations. There is a high price to not believing in God and rebelling against Him. We must draw lessons from what happened to the Israelites. We must obey God and have faith in Him, so that we can avoid God’s discipline.

Wandering in the wilderness

Verse 1 says, “These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.”[1] In verses two through forty-five, forty-two different stations are recorded. Under normal circumstances, it takes only 11 days to travel from Egypt to the Promised Land. But it took the Israelites 40 years.

When the faithless spies gave a bad report to the Israelites, they became fearful and refused to go into the promised land. In response, God disciplined them. He told them they would wander in the wilderness for forty years. He said, “According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.” (Numbers 14:34).

There were two reasons that the Israelites were disciplined by God. First, they were unbelieving. Hebrews 3:19 says, "So we see that they were unable to enter [the Promised Land] because of unbelief." The second reason is rebellion. Ezekiel 20:13 says, "The house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules."

Discipline and Surrender

After the wilderness wanderings were over, the Israelites may have been tempted to boast in God’s miracles. They may have recounted the daily manna, water from the rock, and wonderful signs that God sent. They may have been tempted to paint a rosy picture of their time in the wilderness.

But in reality, the time in the wilderness was a time of judgment. There was much death, judgment, and discipline during the Wilderness Wanderings. God sent fire on Nadab and Abihu. The earth opened to swallow Korah. Fiery serpents bit the people. Plagues and fire destroyed them.

In the same way, many people try to focus on the blessings and protection of God during the coronavirus pandemic. We share stories of God’s protection and healing. But we should not forget that there has been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears during the pandemic. There has been death and discipline from God.

In American churches today, few people view the pandemic as God’s discipline. Since they have been hurt by legalism in the past, they reject all statements about discipline. Though the discipline of the Holy Spirit is a truth in the Bible, there are few people in U.S. churches that talk about this.

Some Christians say that God’s wrath has been poured out on the cross; therefore His wrath will not come to us again. This is correct. But it does not mean that God will not discipline or even judge us.

I am not saying that everyone who is infected with Covid is being punished for their personal sins. I acknowledge that many have been accidentally infected. Others have unfortunately passed away due to the infectious nature of the disease, not due to their sin. What I mean is Covid is a judgment for humanity as a whole.

1 Peter 4:17 says, "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God." “Judgment” in Greek is κρίμα (krima). When we ignore the fact of the judgment of God, we don’t feel the need for introspection and repentance. Though some American Christians emphasize prayer and repentance, many others do not. The depth of repentance in American churches is far from ideal.

Many Christians and churches have not yet surrendered to God. God is dealing with the church as a whole because we have not yet reached the point of total surrender. What is surrender? What are the characteristics of surrendering to God? How can we surrender to God? It’s mainly through repentance and prayer.

The Wilderness Test

In our individual lives, we often face a wilderness period in our pursuit of the Lord. After tangibly experiencing the presence of God, we often feel like we have entered a pitch-black cave. We are wandering through a trackless wilderness. One day, it feels like God is with us. The next, we feel abandoned. We often pray to God to remove these problems, but to no avail. It seems like God has no response at all when we pray to Him.

Has God abandoned us? No. He is right there with us. He’s using this suffering and discipline to teach us to obey. It’s as if he’s hiding behind us, watching to see how we will react. If we surrender to God, we will meet Him. But if we don't, He will hide His face from us.

Let me tell you a story of my own spiritual wilderness period. I was facing a major problem in my life. All I could do was pray. I prayed every day for a month, asking God to help me solve it. I constantly repented, confessed my sins, and rededicated myself to Him, asking Him to help me solve this problem. Finally, God answered my prayer.

Immediately, I felt like I was beginning to come down from the spiritual clouds. In the Bible, clouds often represent God’s presence and the atmosphere of heaven. Before the problem was solved, I was constantly in God’s presence, begging for his help. It was as if I was in the clouds. When the problem was solved, I felt that the glorious clouds of God’s presence were gradually diminishing. I realized that the problem had been a blessing in disguise, because my difficulty had driven me into the presence of God.

Will we allow the difficult wilderness experience to push us towards God, or away from him? At present, the church and all of humanity are entering a wilderness period. We’re tempted to blame others instead of reflecting on ourselves and following God more closely. When the pandemic broke out, our first reaction was to blame other countries or certain political figures. I do not deny that certain countries and politicians do have certain responsibilities. But spiritually, the correct reaction is not to blame others, but to reflect on oneself before the Lord. Otherwise, the trial will drive us even farther away from God.

When we refuse to reflect and repent, God will allow us to stay in this spiritual wilderness for a long time. Rather than removing the difficulty you face, God may allow them to increase. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years! The more they rebelled against God, the more he disciplined them. If we refuse to repent, we should not be surprised if we hear another variant of coronavirus appearing again. Rather than blaming others, we need to allow suffering to bring us closer to God.

Light overcomes Darkness

When we experience discipline, we often feel that God has left us. This experience is not unique to us. Even the Lord Jesus felt this way. When God placed the sins of mankind on Jesus, he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). Although many people have different interpretations of this verse, it can remind us that Jesus understands our pain. We often feel that God has forsaken us, that He doesn’t answer our prayers, and that he doesn’t hear our cries. Jesus understands that sentiment.

Trials can bring us closer to God. When God temporarily hides Himself, we can remember that Jesus understands our pain. John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The darkness will come to an end. The wilderness wanderings will eventually give way to the Promised Land. On the other side of our trials, we will meet God.

Darkness before Dawn

Numbers 33:1-49 recounts the 42 stations that the Israelites passed through as they journeyed in the wilderness. The last paragraph of the chapter records God’s instructions about idols. God told Moses that when the Israelites entered Canaan, they must destroy all the figured stones, images, and high places in the land (51-52), and take possession of the land (53), according to their clans (54). He reminded the Israelites that if they did not drive the Canaanites out, they would face the Lord's punishment (54-55).

The two sections of Numbers 33 are closely related. The people of God must be cleansed and dealt with in the wilderness. Only then will God provide victory over the enemy. God’s modus operandi is still the same today. The church seems to be undergoing discipline and cleansing through political persecution and the pandemic outbreak. As a result, God will soon usher in an era in which our idols and high places will be demolished. God's chosen people are almost ready to enter the Promised Land. God wants to call the American church to higher ground. He wants to be with us so that He can lead us to our spiritual destiny.

Many people say that the church is experiencing labor pains, the painful period that precedes a great rebirth. A great revival is coming. No one can stop its arrival. Although the enemy is strongly opposing God’s work, the child will surely be born. The church has reached the edge of the promised land. Like Israel, we’ve wandered around the wilderness, full of sadness and tears, but we are about to enter the land of Canaan. Though it seems like the power of darkness has triumphed, God’s army will enter Canaan to discipline them. Idols, images, and high places will be destroyed! This is the darkness before dawn. Daylight is near. We must be hopeful for the future. We must see the light through the dark clouds above us!

Conclusion

Discipline and judgment are a means, not an end. The purpose of discipline is to bring repentance and salvation. But we must submit to God's discipline. When God is disciplining us, we must learn to cooperate with His cleansing work through prayer, repentance, and confession.

God is dealing with the church’s sin as a corporate body. We must repent, not just individually but corporately.

We need to grow in our faith. Although there is darkness covering the earth, the Lord will bring light (Isaiah 60). We will rise as an army of light. Faith is all we need in this dark age. When we stand firm in our faith in God, we will usher in a bright future. God’s intentions are still good. Let us not become disappointed and discouraged.

May God bless you.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Understanding the Repetition in Numbers

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 29

Significance in Repetition

A woman in our Bible study had a question in regards to why there are so many repetitions, especially with the number of calves, rams, as well as the number of matching grain offerings and other sacrifices. Seeing as the Bible is very concise, such repetition must have spiritual significance. I believe that these repetitions have deeper significance. The repetition of these sacrifices in chapters 28 and 29 illustrates a progressive change, which is a process from quantitative change to qualitative change. When we continue to add up the number of sacrifices (which indicates our spiritual practice and dedication), it will eventually bring about a qualitative change and thus bring about the completion of God's will. In the spiritual sense, the different arrangements of these festivals and sacrifices are the timelines set by God for the body of Christ to continue to mature. Jewish festivals are the prophetic foreshadowing of God's will and time for the body of Christ to reach maturity.

In order for us to have a better understanding of the repetitive and cumbersome numbers in chapter 29, we must pay attention to a spiritual principle, which is to distinguish between what changes and what is constant. The Bible has a spiritual principle that what remains unchanged is God's nature, and what changes is God's leading. When we read the Bible, it helps to receive insight from gifted teachers of the Word to better understand God's character. We also need to seek the help of the Holy Spirit and the prophets in order to discover the living guidance of God.

The Nature of God

God's nature is unchangeable regardless of the history of heaven and earth because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus Christ is the complete manifestation of God; hence God is also eternal and unchanging. However, when reading the Bible, it appears that God changes often. Some truths were revealed one way in the Old Testament, but they are interpreted differently when the Lord Jesus Christ comes. For example, the Jews insist that no work can be done on the Sabbath, but Jesus heals the sick on the Sabbath. Why is that so? God's character or nature did not change. It is God's mercy that allows Jesus Christ to heal people on the Sabbath. Being merciful is God’s nature or disposition. However, since Jesus came, God’s leading or guidance changed because the Sabbath belongs to the law, and the law was meant to teach the children of Israel. This was the type of discipline needed by the Israelites when they were only children (Galatians 3:24). The law was intended to introduce Christ because the fulfillment of the law is Christ (Romans 10:4). When Christ came, there was no longer a need to be strict about the Sabbath. God’s compassion did not change, but God’s guidance has changed in different ages.

Changes in Repetitions

Let’s take a look at the cumbersome numbers and repetitions in Numbers 29 with this principle in mind and see which ones are unchanged and which ones are changed.

What remains constant is that no matter how many bulls, rams, or male lambs were offered, the number of grain offerings associated with each sacrifice remains the same. For example, if you offer a bull calf, the amount of fine flour mixed with oil you have to offer as a grain offering is three-tenths of an ephah (Numbers 29:3). If you offer a ram, the fine flour mixed with oil you have to offer is two-tenths of an ephah, and a one-year-old male lamb is one-tenth of an ephah. In other words, the amount of fine flour required decreased with the size of the sacrifice (from largest to smallest, bull calves, and rams, one-year-old Lambs). This did not change. It is also recorded in Numbers 28.14, “Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter of a hin for a lamb.” It can be seen that the amount of wine that is required for different sacrifices remains consistent. Numbers 28:5 also mentions that for a one-year-old male lamb, a quarter of a hin of oil mixed with fine flour is also used as a grain offering. However, the amount of oil used in the relatively large sacrifices such as rams and calves is not mentioned. We can assume that some of them also increase correspondingly and are proportional to the size of the sacrifice. Another constant is that if another male goat is to be offered as a sin offering, this is another thing that doesn't change. This is the same in the spring festivals such as the Passover, Festival of Unleavened Bread, Fesitval of Firstfruits, and Pentecost. It is also the same in the fall festivals such as the Festival of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Festival of Tabernacles.

So what changes? The number of bull calves, rams, and one-year-old male lambs changed with different festivals. The quantities changed. Although the fine flour and wine offered by each sacrifice remained the same, the total quantity of fine flour and wine for grain sacrifice increased. In addition, the sacrifice of a male goat as a sin offering per worship remains unchanged. However, if the number of days of worship increases, the total number of male goats also increases. For example, suppose the Festival of Tabernacles is held for seven consecutive days (Numbers 29:12), and one male goat is offered as a sin offering every day. In that case, the total number of male goats becomes seven.

Increasing Sacrifices

The number of sacrifices steadily increased since chapter 28. This increase symbolizes that if we spend extra time in communion and prayer with God, we offer more spiritual sacrifices (represented by the sacrifices of cattle and sheep), which will create a more intimate relationship with God.

Numbers 28 begins with the daily sacrifice of a burnt offering of a one-year-old male lamb in the morning and evening. Every Sabbath has to have a sacrifice in addition to the daily burnt sacrifice. This principle applies to all subsequent festivals where sacrifices are offered in addition to the daily sacrifices in the morning and evening. Two extra male lambs are offered every Sabbath. At the beginning of every new month, on the seventh day of the Passover, on the seventh day of the month, on the Festival of Trumpets, and on the Day of Atonement, two bull calves, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs are offered. Moreover, in all of the following festivals beginning at the start of each new month, a male goat is added as a sin offering. This includes the Festival of Tabernacles. However, on the previous days and for every Sabbath sacrifice, no male goat is presented as a sin offering.

We could say that, in principle, the number of sacrifices increased according to the order of the festivals. However, this does not mean that there are no twists and turns. For example, on Passover, a total of fourteen bull calves, seven rams, and forty-nine male lambs were offered for seven consecutive days. And in the latter days of the seventh festival, the Festival of Trumpets, and the Day of Atonement, the sacrifice returned to a bull calf, a ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs. However, at the Festival of Tabernacles, the number of sacrifices increased dramatically. The Festival of Tabernacles was also a seven-day festival. On the first day, there were 13 bull calves, two rams, and 14 one-year-old male lambs. The number of rams and the number of one-year-old male lambs were the same every day during these seven days. However, the bull calves decreased every day. Starting from the first day to the seventh day, there were 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, and 1, respectively. Hence, the total number of bull calves in seven days was 71, the number of rams was 14, and the number of one-year-old male lambs was 98. So many sacrifices were offered during this festival!

Symbolic sacrifices

In the New Testament, it says that our sacrifices are our praise and prayer (Hebrews 13:15), which is symbolized by the sacrifices of cattle and sheep in the Old Testament. The more spiritual sacrifices we offer to God, the greater our intimacy with Him will be. This festival was set up for the Israelites by God, and the number of sacrifices offered was prophetic indicators. The more sacrifices we offer, the more mature we become spiritually. When the Israelites of the Old Testament continued to offer more sacrifices along with the changes of the festivals throughout the year, their actions pleased God.

In the New Testament, this is a spiritual representation. It is a picture of the spiritual maturity of the body of Christ. It can also symbolize the spiritual growth of individual believers. For example, at the beginning of a believer’s spiritual journey, they may offer very few sacrifices. They may not attend church much, give little tithes, do only a little ministry work for the Lord and pray infrequently. However, as they grow spiritually, they may attend church more, give more tithes, pray more and become more involved in ministry. As their spiritual life matures, they offer more spiritual sacrifices to God. These sacrifices may be offered through praying, serving, evangelizing, bearing fruit, or shepherding the church as well as many other areas. The body of Christ is made up of a group of believers, and as it grows spiritually, the more sacrifices they offer to God as a whole. One day, when the body of Christ is fully mature, she will present herself to God as a flawless bride. This is the greatest dedication and spiritual sacrifice.

Decreasing Sacrifices

During our study, we noticed that there was a small decline in the number of sacrifices on the Festival of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement and a large increase during the Festival of Tabernacles at the beginning of Numbers chapter 29. Why was there a temporary decline and then an increase afterward? My guess is that it is a sign that the church will also experience a decrease, weakness, and then revival. Our experience as Christians can be similar in comparison. When we first believed in God, we may have been very fervent for Him. However, our passion for God may slowly fade when we face the temptations of the world and cause us to leave our first love. Hence we need to continue to repent and deepen our dedication to the Lord so that we can always live in the fellowship and love of God. In other words, the growth of a believer’s spiritual life is often not a straight line but a process of arduous repetition and fluctuation.

A man in our Bible study asked why the sacrifices for the last eight days of the Festival of Tabernacles decreased every day. I replied that sacrifices are means, and worshiping God is an end, so that is the result. Over the years, many people have focused on the means or the process but ignored the results or the end. For example, fasting and prayer are means. The Pharisees fasted and prayed but were criticized by the Lord because they exalted these means and did not get actual results. David also said at the beginning of Psalm 51 that God would not delight in sacrifice; otherwise, he would offer it. Later on, David also said that God does not despise a broken spirit and a contrite heart. This was the spiritual sacrifice. In the end, David said that he would offer sacrifices in Jerusalem. When we have a contrite heart in addition to sacrifices, it is the unity of our outward form and inward content.

Freedom in Christ

Israel had already offered more than seventy bulls at this time for the Festival of Tabernacles and could not offer them endlessly. At the same time, the purpose of sacrifice is to form a habit, just like our various spiritual practices in the New Testament. The goal is for us to establish a spiritual habit. After we have established strong spiritual discipline, we can experience freedom in the Holy Spirit.

There is a quote by Confucious that creates a good picture to explain our Christian experience of spiritual freedom. Confucius said, “ At fifteen, I had made up my mind to give myself up to serious studies. At thirty, I had formed my opinions and judgments. At forty, I had no more doubts. At fifty, I understood the truth in religion. At sixty, I could understand whatever I heard without exertion. At seventy, I could follow whatever my heart desired without transgressing the law.”[1]

This means that by the time he reached 70 years old, he would be free from the outward rules. Even though in Chinese culture, we did not have the law of the Old Testament like the Jews, a lot of Biblical wisdom can be found in the writings of Confucius. To mature in living in the Spirit, as Romans 8 talks about, we must build up healthy spiritual habits and continue to exercise these habits as Confucius did. If we keep exercising our spiritual muscles, we will eventually be set free from the law be able to overcome in Christ. This is what Paul talked about in Romans 8.

When I first became a believer, I read three chapters of the Old Testament and one chapter of the New Testament every day according to the teachings of the Local Church Movement so that I could finish reading the Bible once a year. In addition, I read Witness Lee's Life Study every day so that I could complete all of the 1,984 lessons in five years. I persevered and continued to read according to this schedule. My wife saw me reading like this every day, and yet after reading, my spiritual life did not change much. Seeing that I didn't have any revelation when I read the Bible, she joked, saying, "An apprentice monk reciting scriptures/saying what one does not mean.” This is a famous saying among Buddhists to make fun of monks who are not very gifted and devoted to the study. What she meant was that I was simply reading for the sake of reading. Her comments didn’t bother me, and I continued to persevere and read the New Testament and the Old Testament once a year and insisted on finishing all of the Life Study messages within five years. I also read other spiritual articles on a regular basis.

One day when I was leading our Bible study, my wife was surprised to find that the Holy Spirit often spoke revelation from the Bible through me. She asked me why the Holy Spirit spoke through me so often. I told her it was because I persevered and continued reading the Bible and other spiritual articles and offered my sacrifices every day. Hence day by day, I accumulated quantitative changes, and after some time, a qualitative change occurred. This is a spiritual principle. Anyone who perseveres as I did will experience qualitative change because God takes delight in those who persevere. God will reward us in His timing. The result of my perseverance was that when the time came, the Holy Spirit started to give me revelation through my accumulation of reading.

Spiritual Exercises

A woman in our Bible study said that her daughter was anxious about her exams, so we talked about how to help her handle her anxiety. I told her that everyone experiences anxiety, but the key is to learn spiritual exercises such as calling on the name of the Lord and exercise finding peace by living in the Spirit. Anxiety is a sign that we are not communing with God. Communion with God brings peace, and we need to try our best to enter that rest. Isaiah 30:15 says, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

When I was in the Local Church Movement, I was taught to call on the name of the Lord. This teaching encouraged us to call or meditate on the Lord’s name every morning for at least half an hour. In addition to the morning, we should call on the name of the Lord loudly in any environment because the Bible tells us that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). I often practice this. For over ten years, I tried my best to persevere and call on the name of the Lord every morning and pray for more than half an hour. I even practiced calling on the name of the Lord frequently throughout the day. I used to worry about things quite often. However, when I would feel anxiety coming over me, I would stop everything and call on the Lord’s name for ten minutes or more. I found that this was an excellent way to live in the Spirit and be free from all the worries. The Bible tells us, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". (Philippians 4:6:7).

Calling on the Lord’s name is the easiest way to pray because the name of the Lord is Amen (Revelation 3:14), which is also the Word of God. In the beginning, the Lord was the Word of God. (John 1:1). When I kept practicing like this every day, I kept accumulating quantitative changes. Slowly, a qualitative change occurred within me, and I now live in joy and peace instead of anxiety and fear. The woman’s daughter I mentioned previously was still worried. Aside from the pressure of the external environment, she lacked spiritual training. When we offer sacrifices every day, such as calling on the name of the Lord and Praying, it pleases God. On the other hand, by strengthening our spiritual muscles, we can overcome anxiety by resisting the enemy’s attacks. Our spiritual life can be symbolized like the male lamb, growing into a ram and finally growing into a bull calf, just like those 71 bull calves on the Festival of Tabernacles.

Growing in Maturity

Whether it's praying, reading scriptures, waiting on the Lord, or other spiritual exercises, it takes time for them to accumulate. Our maturity will grow as we continue practicing these things.

A prophetess named Donna Rigney shared that she often played worship music in the morning and waited on God. After she had entered into the Spirit, God would give her all kinds of experiences where she encountered Him. The Lord Jesus often appeared to her, took her to visit different places in heaven, and told her many things about the future. When a host interviewed her, he asked her how long would it take before someone could have this type of experience. She said that when she first started, she would have to wait for a long time. However, after she had practiced for quite some time, sometimes she would enter into a spiritual experience of encountering God as soon as she sat down. From this, we can see that even the experience of entering the Spirit takes a long time of practicing, and quantitative changes will bring about qualitative changes. In my experience, this was true in the matter of calling on the name of the Lord. When I first practiced this, it took me more than half an hour to enter into the peace of God. But since I have practiced for so long, now I can instantly enter into the peace of God if I call on the name of the Lord when I have trouble.

I started actively pursuing the gift of prophesy in 2015 and began to have prophetic dreams. Whenever I dreamt in the night, no matter how late it was, I would immediately record them at the expense of my sleep. Every night before I went to bed, I prayed that God would speak to me through dreams. I practiced this for several years and recorded many dreams and visions. I wrote them down and sent them to some publications that spread prophets’ words through media publications. They did not publish the articles at first. However, I persisted in writing and submitting articles, and finally, they published some of my testimonies and dreams. Over the past few years, I have been actively trying to serve the Lord in various ways, especially in mainstream Christian churches in the United States, but the door has never been opened. However, I persevered in writing and translating my Bible studies as well as my dreams and visions. Slowly God opened a door for me. A man who attends our Bible Study commented that from his observation, it was a qualitative breakthrough that I was able to publish articles in these publications.

I have cited a few personal examples above in an attempt to illustrate that any spiritual exercise requires time and repetition to build a habit and sufficient strength. Just like when we are working out, when we continue to train our muscles, they will become stronger and even have muscle memory. Strong muscles help us have a strong body. Similarly, Christians also need to see the spiritual reality behind the representation of Jewish festivals and various sacrifices. That is, we must build good spiritual habits, exercise our spiritual muscles, and build up our spiritual muscle memory through repeated practice. Whenever we face worries and fears, we can exercise our spiritual muscles and faith to resist all the attacks of the enemy. When we keep practicing, our spiritual lives will gradually mature. As the body of Christ practices in this way, her stature will grow and mature into Christ, who is the Head. (Ephesians 4:15).

[1] http://www.myreading.cn/index.php/post/665.html

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Drawing Near to God

Bible Study with Jairus- Numbers 18

Numbers 18:1-5

“So the Lord said to Aaron, ‘You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood. And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die. They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you. And you shall keep guard over the sanctuary and over the altar, that there may never again be wrath on the people of Israel. “

Responsibilities of Leadership

Aaron and his sons were given the job of carrying the iniquity of the sanctuary and the priesthood. Let’s look more closely at this phrase. What does it mean to bear the sins of the sanctuary and the priesthood? Why should Aaron and his sons and the people of his tribe (the Levites) bear the iniquity of the sanctuary? And why should they also carry the sins of their own priesthood?

Ordinary Israelites were not allowed to come near the sanctuary or the Holy Place. Simply approaching these holy places would incur sin and guilt. Ordinary Israelites were allowed to move around in the outer courtyard, but they could not enter the sanctuary. Ordinary Levites, who were not priests, could serve in the sanctuary. For example, the Kohathites could carry the items of the sanctuary; the Gershonites could carry the things in the tabernacle; but neither were allowed to touch the items of the sanctuary. Nor could they serve as priests in the sanctuary (Numbers 4). Aaron, his sons and the Levites needed to bear the iniquity of the sanctuary because they were in charge of ensuring that ordinary Israelites did not touch holy things.

Following the incident with Korah and his followers, God set out strict rules for Aaron and his sons to follow. Though God didn’t directly punish Aaron for what happened with Korah, he had a serious warning for the priests and Levites. Perhaps Aaron and his sons had not been vigilant in guarding the gate to the house of God. Korah received severe discipline because he was envious of the privileges of the priesthood. If these things happened again, Aaron and his sons would need to bear the iniquity of their priesthood.

Perhaps Aaron and his son had been apathetic in enforcing sanctuary rules. Aaron’s lax control may have led his sons Nadab and Abihu to offer unauthorized fire, causing them to be burned to death by the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2). Had they entered the Holy of Holies? Probably not. The golden altar of incense, from which they took fire to add to their own censer, was in the sanctuary just outside the Holy of Holies. A veil separated the sanctuary from the Holy of Holies. They were very close to the Holy of Holies and may have had the intention of entering the Holy of Holies. They took their own censer, added incense, and offered strange fire. God’s severe discipline to these two men was a warning to Aaron. In this passage, the Lord warned Aaron again that if ordinary Israelites entered the sanctuary without permission, Aaron, his sons, and all the Levites would be held responsible. They needed to bear the iniquity. If a Levite became a priest without authorization, not only did this Levite sin, but Aaron and his sons also sinned.

Using a modern example, if you are the leader of a business or organization and others are disobedient to you, of course they need to be held accountable. But on the other hand, you may also have some problems that you need to deal with regarding your leadership skills. After the Lord disciplined the people who rebelled against Aaron, he also dealt specifically with Aaron and his sons in this passage.

Drawing Near to God

When the Lord Jesus was crucified, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place was torn in two, from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51). Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “Brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh." (ESV) These verses tell us that since Jesus Christ took away our sins on the cross, we can now enter into the Holy of Holies with confidence (Hebrews 4:16). In the Old Testament, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year. But in the New Testament, through the blood of Jesus, we can enter into the Holy of Holies with confidence. In the Old Testament, only specially chosen people could become priests. But in the New Testament, we all are the Lord’s royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10).

In the New Testament, God wants us first to break free from our flesh and sin, going from the outer courtyard to the Holy Place. To enter the Holy Place is to experience the transformation and renewal of the soul. In the Holy Place, we serve and draw near to God to find grace and mercy.

The strict regulations of the Old Testament law code seem to be inconsistent with the experience of the New Testament. However, when we think in the spirit, we can find some important principles that apply to our spiritual experience today.

We can compare the outer courtyard to a fleshly Christian. Although he is saved and a Christian, he still has a lot of sins and filth in the world. His life and spiritual situation are far from God. Hebrews 10:19-22 mentions Christians who are still in the outer court, not taking advantage of the opportunity to enter the Holy of Holies: “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (BSB)

Although the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins, we still need to repent and confess those sins so we can enter into a closer relationship with God. In this way, we will have a powerful, close relationship with God and experience answered prayer. It’s not that God never hears the prayer of immature believers; in fact, he does. But sometimes, years after becoming a believer, we discover that our prayers are being hindered because of sin in our lives. It’s not that God doesn’t hear your prayers, or that he doesn’t want to answer. Instead, he wants you to confess your sins and repent, to take away these sins of the flesh so that you can get closer to Him. In other words, although you can come before God through the blood of Jesus Christ, your sin and uncleanness cannot be brought near to Him. Because of your sin and uncleanness, you can only stay in the outer courtyard.

Worshiping God in the sanctuary can be compared to a Christian who has dealt with sin and filth and is actively serving God. Although you are enthusiastic, God will not always let things go your way. For example, you want to be the leader of a certain group in the church, but another brother or sister also wants the same position. In the end, the pastor or elder chooses another person instead of you and you feel really upset. This is the modern equivalent of being a priest. Yes, the New Testament says that we are all priests. But when you really want to serve in a position of ministry, there are many requirements you must meet. Many times, you want to serve in a certain way, but God does not bless your ministry. Maybe this means that although you want to be a priest, God allows other people to get in your way, like Aaron and his sons in the Old Testament. It is not that God wants to hinder you from serving Him. Instead, He wants you to become holier before serving Him.

Serving God in the Holy of Holies can be compared to a Christian who removes the sins of the flesh and the rebellion in the soul, experiences how the cross deals with the flesh, and has an intimate fellowship with God. Although the veil was removed by Jesus on the cross, we often still need to go through a spiritual breakthrough, especially the breaking of the flesh, before we can enter the veil and have an extremely intimate fellowship with God through the Spirit.

Aaron represents the spirit and the Holy of Holies; the Levites represent the soul and the sanctuary; the Israelites represent the world and the outer courtyard.

Aaron's two sons were killed because they entered the Holy of Holies without being redeemed and made holy. God called Aaron and the Levites to be responsible for keeping guard. They must not allow ordinary Israelites go near the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons acted as the guards of the Levites, who were not allowed to come into the Holy of Holies. After we are saved, we still have sins of the flesh in our souls. All of these need to be dealt with and redeemed before we can come nearer to God.

Verses 4-6 state that the Levites are God’s gift to Aaron and his son, to perform the service of the tent of meeting. Metaphorically, our spirit or inner man are like priests to Jesus, the High Priest, who lives in our heart. Our spirit or spiritual inner man should follow Jesus and help Jesus to serve God. Meanwhile our soul should help our spirit to serve God. The soul was given to our spiritual new man as a gift by God.

But very often, our soul does not serve the spirit. It does not focus on spiritual things of life and peace. Instead, it focuses on the flesh, which is death (Romans 8:6). In other words, our soul sometimes helps the flesh to sin. Our soul needs to make the right choice, and our spirit needs to guide and direct our soul in its choices.

Pure Gifts to God

Numbers 18:8 tells us that all the contributions offered by the Israelites were given to Aaron. Even though the Israelites offered their gifts in the outer courtyard, their offerings were still acceptable to God. After we receive salvation, sin still lives in our lives. But we also have a part of us that is consecrated. We may commit sins during the week, but we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. On Sunday, we serve in the children’s ministry. Our offering pleases God because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, even though we still sin from time to time. These offerings are still consecrated, and God will remember them.

The holy offerings of the Israelites were given to Aaron for his daily food. In the same way, when you actively give your offering and serve on Sunday, you are helping the pastor to minister. Your service will become the pastor’s (or fellow member’s) spiritual and practical food. The Lord Jesus also said that His food is to do the will of Him who sent Him (John 4:34). Although your spiritual life is still in the outer courtyard, your service will become the spiritual food the pastor needs, and it will also become an aroma that will please God.

Redemption and Surrender

Numbers 18: 15-17 says, “Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours. Nevertheless, the firstborn of man you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall burn their fat as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.” ESV

Why must the firstborn of man be redeemed? Why should the firstborn of an unclean animal be redeemed as well?

It is easy to understand that the firstborn of man should be redeemed. After all, human beings cannot be offered up as burnt offerings like animals can. But why do unclean animals need to be redeemed?

Any animal that God does not desire as a sacrifice will need to be redeemed. In the story of Noah's Ark, he brought clean and unclean animals onto the Ark. But when he offered sacrifices to God after coming out of the ark, he only offered clean animals and birds on the altar as burnt offerings. God does not desire unclean animals as sacrifice.

When God smelled the pleasing aroma from Noah’s offering, he accepted his sacrifice. Why does God allow unclean animals to enter the ark? This is God’s grace. Why doesn’t God accept unclean animals and birds as sacrifices? This is God's righteousness.

In the same way, Numbers 18:17 says that the firstborn of a cow, sheep, or goat do not need to be redeemed. They are holy and must be offered as a sacrifice to the Lord. The fat of this sacrifice is to be burned as a burnt offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. The meat belongs to Aaron. But unclean animals must be redeemed with silver. Silver is a representation of redemption.

In the New Testament, Christ provides our salvation and redemption. Although Christians are saved, our souls are not entirely sanctified. A part of our heart may be filled with Christ and the Holy Spirit, but many parts of our heart are still not filled with Christ. Therefore, what we do outside of Christ in our soul or in our flesh will not be accepted by God. Only those parts that have been redeemed by Jesus Christ can be accepted by God.

My personal spiritual experience can serve as an illustration. When God was dealing with an area of my flesh (disobedience) through the environment and other people, I was prevented from having intimate fellowship with him. In a part of my soul, I refused to obey God and submit to the circumstances he had allowed in my life. This part of me needed to be redeemed through the work of the cross, so that I could have a more intimate fellowship with God and have a breakthrough in my spiritual life.

Watchman Nee said, “The soul or the outer man must be broken for the spirit man to be released.” There are some unclean things in my soul that don’t please God. God wants to break me by redeeming this part. In other words, we must experience the work of the cross in every part of our soul. I must clean or redeem this part of me with the life of Christ before I can offer it to God.

When God convicts us of sin, we often blame others and our circumstances instead of looking at what God is trying to reveal to us. When we humble ourselves before God and see clearly what God is dealing with, he will provide cleansing for us. The part that has been redeemed by God can now be offered to Him. After struggling hard, I finally surrendered this part of the soul to God. I accepted the circumstances he had allowed in my life. Later, I became obedient to God’s will in this area.

God’s Discipline

Unclean animals cannot be offered to God, nor can they be given to priests. In other words, the sinful things that are of the flesh can neither please God nor supply our spirit with good things. After I surrendered to God in this area, I saw God’s hand of blessing. I had a spiritual breakthrough through His redemption. Because of this, I can enter into a more intimate fellowship with Him. I found that not only is God pleased with my prayers and offerings, but I also have become more spiritually mature than I was in the past. My spiritual man was encouraged through my offering of obedience.

In our world today, God is disciplining us on a global scale. Our circumstances may be permitted by God to deal with our corporate sins and the uncleanness in our souls so that we can grow spiritually. As I mentioned earlier, we often blame others when we experience God’s discipline. The same goes for countries. If you read the Old Testament, you will find that God often uses one nation to deal with another. He used several nations to deal with Israel. When these nations went too far in dealing with Israel, God disciplined them.

God is currently using some countries to deal with other countries. It is easy for us to blame other countries instead of reflecting on God's will to discipline us through these countries. The purpose of discipline is not punishment, but sanctification. God wants us to be sanctified unto Him.

Our society’s circumstances remind me of the book of Judges. Whenever they were oppressed by the enemy, they would pray to God. God then raised up a judge who would lead the Israelites to conquer the enemy. When the leader would sin, the Israelites would fall into sin and again be oppressed by the enemy. Every time they repented, God would raise up a judge to save them.

The world today is full of sin, and the church is full of unholiness. Perhaps the only thing God can do is hand us over to the enemy’s oppression so that we will repent. If we want to break the cycle, every Christian needs to repent. The unholy parts inside us need to be dealt with and consecrated to God. Change in the church will provide a powerful testimony to the world around us, drawing them to salvation.

Christians are the light of the world. The book of Proverbs tells us that the human spirit is the lamp of the Lord (Proverbs 20:27). Churches shine God’s truth brightly to the world, just like Aaron lit the lamp in the sanctuary. If the world sins, doesn’t the church bear a responsibility for this, like Aaron had a responsibility for the sin of the sanctuary and the priesthood? The darkness of the world is not caused by government or politics. It is mainly caused by the failure of the church to shine the authority and light of God to the world. If the church in a city is strong, naturally the politics and society of that city will improve. But if the church in a city is dark, the city will live in darkness.

Numbers 17 records the way God disciplined Korah for his rebellion and the plague that cleansed Israel. This reminds us of dealing with rebellion in the soul and sin in the flesh. Numbers 18 explains how Israelites can become holy. For this reason, Aaron and his sons must remain holy (Numbers 18:32). The Israelites should give the tithe to Aaron and the Levites, and the Levites should offer them to the Lord (Numbers 17:26-28). The tithe is a holy offering to God. As believers, we are in a process of constant sanctification.

Numbers 19 continues to explain the process of purification and cleansing. We will explore this more fully next time.

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Encounters of Heaven Heal Wounded Hearts

by Sean Song

July 5, 2021

How many times have we been wounded and hurt because we did not have the right information or proper perspective about a situation? Our understanding was limited to what our natural mind could perceive. What if it were possible to revisit memories with God and see differently what we once lamented? I propose that once we receive a glimpse of heaven or have an encounter with something heavenly, it has the power to radically transform our viewpoint and heal our broken hearts and memories.

In recent years, I completed a certification program on inner healing. I learned that the Holy Spirit can heal our past wounds by helping us reorganize our memory around a certain event to see it from heaven’s viewpoint. That is, the Lord can show us prior events from a totally different perspective and thus break off former lies or misunderstandings. This can bring healing to our hearts. Here I share a few experiences of my encounters with heaven and how they brought healing to me and a few people I know. As Christians have sought to have more spiritual encounters, God has responded. It seems, more than any other time in history, experiencing heaven is becoming a more plausible and palpable reality for many. I believe that if you pray in faith for an encounter with heaven, God will surely answer you.

My Father-in-law is Not in Hell!

In March 2006, I flew to Baltimore, Maryland to meet my future wife, Ruth. We sat down on the hills of Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore. We were first introduced to each other by people in our church and since then, for a few months, we had been talking on the phone. During our time together that day, she told me the heart–breaking story of her father’s sudden death due to a cerebral hemorrhage. He died during her college years. This deeply impacted her, emotionally and physically, especially since she had been at odds with her father and never reconciled before his sudden death. Although she only became a believer in Christ a couple years earlier when she came to the USA, she worried about whether her father would go to hell. She and I have both been taught that a person will go to hell if he or she, upon hearing the Gospel message on earth, refuses to believe in Christ; for those who have never heard the Gospel, they will be judged according to their conscience (Romans 2:15). In the end, there will be a final judgement before the White Throne and all deceased people will be judged. Whosoever’s name is not written in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelations 20:11-15).

Unfortunately, my wife has no way of knowing how her father will be judged, and if he will end up in hell. She worried that she would never have the chance to make amends with him and apologize. She also blames other relatives whom she believes misled her to have an argument with him. Until the dream I had, this had been a painful situation for her, so much that she had never even mentioned to others that her father died. She cried when she initially told me this story and after years of marriage, I could still see the lingering pain in her heart from this event. I have witnessed her pain and for 10 years, I have tried to comfort her without much avail.

Yet, in 2016, I had an encounter with heaven regarding my father–in–law. This dream was a complete game changer for my wife. After I told her about it, her heart was able to heal. It was only a year after I got baptized with the Holy Spirit that I started having dreams and encounters with heaven.

I never met my father–in–law on earth because he died before my wife and I got married. In this particular prophetic dream, my wife and I were brought to a place where my father–in–law and other people were gathered. My wife was brought inside a building to see her father. In the meantime, I had the opportunity to chat with an old Chinese lady sitting at the door. She showed me a large print edition of the Chinese version of the Bible that she was studying. Here are the details of this dream.

My wife asked me to go with her to a place where she could pick up letters about her father. I questioned her about how people were allowed to put these letters there. She explained that there is a temple where people can drop off letters and they will keep them safe until someone else picks them up. So, we went to this strange place. Initially, it looked like a Chinese temple to me, but there was a man speaking/preaching there. While this man was preaching, my wife approached a counter and picked up the letters she came for. When she got the letters, the man finished preaching. She then asked permission to say a few words about her father. There was a crowd of Chinese people around and they were very excited to see us. I could sense the atmosphere was full of joy and surprise. I even heard people say, “You are the daughter of Tan Ze, right?” It seemed they all knew this man. Although Tan Ze was not my father–in–law’s name on earth, I sensed he was known by this name in that place. It seemed everybody knew him there and people were excited to have visitors.

While my wife spoke about her father, I started to film her with my phone in a vertical position. A Chinese man suddenly approached me and offered to film it for me. I handed the phone to him, and he started to film it horizontally. Since he was helping me, I was freed to walk around the place to check it out. I was very curious about where we were. I walked back to the entrance to the door. Once again I saw the old Chinese lady sitting there, so I asked her, “Is this place a church or a Chinese temple?” I was very cautious since it had the appearance of a Chinese-style temple. I was trying to judge if this place was for worshiping idols or God. Then, she showed me the book she was reading. Perhaps this was her way of telling me what kind of place it was. She was studying from a large–print edition of the Chinese Bible. She explained to me that this large–print edition was for the elderly people to use there. Since it was large–print though, it could not hold all the books of the Bible because of its letter size. There were, therefore, only portions of the Gospels in this edition. After talking with her, I turned back to the building to retrieve my phone from the man filming my wife.

Before I knew it, I entered a much bigger place which resembled a gated community. I talked with a few people there, but they were not the ones with my phone. As I entered further into this community, I saw my wife walking out toward me. I proceeded to ask her about the man with my phone and we eventually went back to the building. We found him in a corner and I got my phone back. The dream ended there.

Now, to my knowledge, my father–in–law did not believe in the Lord before he died. However, in my dream, he and the people with him had the opportunity to study the Bible. I am not sure if the place where they were living is considered the Paradise part of Hades, but this is my impression. At the same time I had this dream, my wife also had a dream about meeting her father. However, she has no recollection of either meeting him in her dream or meeting him in mine. When I relayed the details of this dream to her, she received a lot of healing from it. She can now openly talk about her father’s death and I do not see her carrying the former pain regarding this matter.

I understand that dreams like this can be challenging to our existing theology. I don’t know how a person can end up in a place after death where they can study the Bible and grow to know God. I can only say with certainty that God is good and I resolve to conclude that many spiritual things are beyond my ability to understand.

One Chinese prophetess, Xiulan Laiwang, testifies to a similar experience. In one of her testimonies about heaven, she also describes how she saw her father and mother–in–law reading the Bible in Paradise. She said that when the Lord took her to visit them, they told her that there’s an angel in every household in Paradise that teaches them the Bible.[1]

My Aunt Gives Me A Treat

An encounter with my aunt is another example of a heavenly encounter beyond my understanding. My fourth aunt died of breast cancer. I don’t know if she knew the Lord either. In a prophetic dream, I was taken to a small house where she lives. She received me with fruit grown from her yard. This piece of fruit looked like a mulberry, but it was as big as a kiwi. Although her house was very small, I saw many kinds of fruits growing in her backyard. These fruits mostly consisted of fruits that I have never seen on earth before. The fruit was so ripe when I got there, so I picked some and ate it. Beside her house were many other people’s houses. They were very similar to the small townhouses one would see in downtown Baltimore, but not as tall.

I’ve had several experiences of meeting my fourth aunt. These encounters remind me of a testimony I heard from an Australian prophet named Neville Johnson. He once mentioned that he was brought by an angel to a place with small houses. It felt strange that these were different from the big houses in heaven, so he asked the angel, “What are these houses?” The angel told him that when some people who hadn't heard the gospel passed away, Jesus would appear to them, giving them the opportunity to choose him. If they chose Jesus, they would live in these small houses.[2]

Kat Kerr also publicly shared a similar vision. She saw Jesus appearing to those who rejected him during their lifetime, and he asked them if they wanted to know Him now. Almost everyone cried and said, “yes.” Jesus told them that He would not be righteous if he did not appear to them to give them a choice since their relatives had faithfully prayed for them and decreed that they would be saved in Jesus’ name. Kerr encourages people to pray and intercede for their family members even though they may not seem open to the Gospel. She believes that a lot of family members will be surprised to see that many relatives made it to heaven although they thought they did not make it.[3]

I recall praying for some of my family members to receive salvation, and I especially prayed for my fourth aunt after I found out she was sick. I never knew if she received the Lord before her death. It may be that my fourth aunt is already in the peripheral of Paradise as Neville Johnson mentions.

This dream of my aunt brought healing and comfort to my heart. My fourth aunt was a very important person in my family. I was born into a poor Chinese farmer’s household. My father worked in a brick factory but injured his back while working there. His salary was little, so my mom raised pigs to support the family. My fourth aunt married a guy in my village whose father was a leader in the local county government. Because of her help, my father later got a job with the government. This turned around the hardship in our family and made a way for all three of us siblings to go to college. This incident was a rare occurrence to happen for those growing up in the 1970’s in China.

I later discovered that I had a calling on my life and that God used my aunt to help me get a higher education. This was God’s plan. Yet, I had been at odds with my aunt when I was a kid because of my low self-esteem. I avoided her, and I never apologized to her even when I became a believer (I was still young in the Lord). Thanks be to God that I was able to see her in Paradise even though she only has a very tiny house. By the way, I really enjoyed the fruit from her yard. It was incredibly tasty. I wish to visit her again soon when I reach heaven!

Music Box on the Wall

In another prophetic dream, the Holy Spirit drove me and a Christian couple who attended our Bible study, to heaven. He showed us the house of his wife in heaven. The house was huge. The vines and wall had grown together as one. There was a music box on the wall beside the front door. You could open the music box and music would play automatically.

The lady had a great passion for music. After listening to my testimony, she was very encouraged that God had installed a music box on the wall of her house in heaven so that she could play music at any time. The wife of my friend who was with me in the dream said she also had a dream of herself at the same time as me, and she saw the Lord. Since she thought she might have been dying (from having the dream), she cried out to the Lord and woke up. Perhaps this was not just a dream and we had traveled there together.

Afterward, the husband told me that this was one of the most difficult times of their lives because of the challenges they faced, principally with their son’s schooling. They were frustrated that their child was being bullied in school, so they fervently prayed to God every day for help. They eventually passed through that difficult time and their son is now doing well in school. Yet, at that time, this dream comforted their hearts. The wife was reassured that God cares so much for her that in heaven in the future, he would give her the desire of her heart. In her estimate, God would then surely carry her through her tribulations on earth.

Have Faith in God

God is near to us, and more of heaven is being revealed to us. When I studied to complete my certification program on prophecy, I often heard people quoting Psalm 139:17–18 (NRSV) as evidence for how one can have faith in God to receive a prophetic word for others. These verses state, “How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them—they are more than the sand.” They say God’s thoughts for a person are so vast like the sand on seashores. In this way, being prophetic is like picking up a few morsels of sand, or thoughts of God, regarding a person and sharing it with them. If God is love and includes himself in our personal lives, we can trust that He has millions of thoughts about each of us every single day. Surely, God is willing to share a piece of information with you and I as a word of prophecy or revelation to encourage the next person. Whether you are learning to be prophetic or need healing in your own heart, you can approach God in prayer by faith (Hebrews 4:16). Be assured that He will give you encounters of heaven, transform your life, and heal your heart! Let us approach and trust God together.

[1] Lai Wang Xiulan, Jehovah-jireh, 45.

[2] From Neville Johnson’s sermon on Youtube. No link available.

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Het_gU1nYCI

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Revival is Coming to China

A Message for the Body of Christ

Sean Song, March 11, 2021

A Miracle Baby

By 2015, I had been in the United States for 13 years and a Christian for the same amount of time. In 2006, I married my wife, and like many other Chinese couples, we had every intention of building a family. However, by 2015 we approached 10 years of barrenness. We wanted a child, but we simply could not have one. In search of healing for my wife’s infertility, I traveled to many cities within the US to join healing and prophetic conferences.

A final visit to an Elijah List conference in Oregon in January 2016 sealed the deal for me. There, a well-known prophet named Dutch Sheets spoke to the crowd and said, “Today, you come here not by coincidence. It is God who leads you here and from today on, you will hear God speaking to you like you never have before.” I believed these words. During our lunch break, I wandered to a nearby store and entreated of the Lord to speak to me. When I sat down in a chair outside of a Christian bookstore, my eye caught a Peanuts calendar sitting on display. The cover said, “Peanuts 2016 Family Planner.” Suddenly, God spoke clearly to me: “2016, plan your family; you will have a child this year.” I was astonished! I had never heard God speaking to me so clearly, and He just said I was going to have a child that year! I immediately called my wife and she encouraged me to buy the calendar as a memorial.

Meanwhile, I went back to China to visit my family in February 2016. My mother, who still worshiped Buddha, had been desperately praying to all kinds of idols to help us have a baby. I had been trying to preach the Gospel to her since 2003 but with trivial effect. Months later back in the USA, we continued waiting for our miracle. One day in desperation, I prayed, “Dear Holy Spirit, those people in Pentecostal churches always teach that we should have an intimate relationship with you. Now, I have prayed to both the Father and Jesus many times and I do not know when this [pregnancy] is going to happen. Can you ask the Father and Jesus for me when this will happen?”

That night I had a dream. A woman (representative of the Holy Spirit) pointed to the back of a male figure (Jesus). She said to me, “Did He not tell you that you will have a child next month?” I woke up the next morning and told my wife about this dream. A misunderstanding occurred between us and we ended up in quarrel that left us on non-speaking terms for two weeks until I received a text from her one day that read, “You have won the lottery!” We reconciled when she found out she was miraculously pregnant on May 28, 2016. Our miracle baby girl, Elim, was born healthy and beautiful in early 2017. My parents were astonished with this miracle and they both accepted Jesus as their Savior.

A Revival Among the Chinese

Before attending the Elijah List conference in 2016, I read a book by one of the speakers, Chuck Pierce. In his book, “God’s Unfolding Battle Plan,” Pierce recalls a visitation he had with the Lord in the 1980s. God told him what China would be like in 2006 and that there would be a great revival coming to China in the future. It would also spread to the world. I was just going to the conference to receive healing for my wife, but God had much more in store! That day I received three things: (1) a prophetic promise directly from God that I would have a baby (which came true); (2) an anointing to clearly hear God henceforth (which started that day and has continued); and (3) the beginnings of my commission to be part of this soon-coming revival to China.

When I came home from the conference, the Lord began to speak with me more about this revival. One day I was walking the streets of Washington D.C. thinking about this great revival. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit asked me, “What is a great revival?” I was surprised that I again heard him speak so clearly! I immediately replied in my spirit, “I heard that one out of 10 Chinese people have converted to Christianity. Isn’t this already a great revival?” Immediately, the Holy Spirit asked another question, “How about two out of ten?” I was shocked again by the clarity with which the Holy Spirit spoke. In a very short time, I had a calculation. That would be the equivalent of another 100 million Chinese people.

At that moment, I believe the Holy Spirit intended to challenge me with his questions to open my perspective. Please note that I do not think He only meant that two out of ten Chinese people will be saved. Bob Jones once prophesied that one billion souls would be harvested in the soon-coming world revival. For me, it is not hard to imagine that at least 100 million Chinese would be included in this number.

Sometime later, I met a Korean prophet who confirmed what the Holy Spirit spoke to me on that day. He said, “God will have you go back to China to teach the Word of God all over and be part of this revival.” He also said that the 21st century is a century that God will use to evangelize China.

Prophetic Dreams of China’s Future Revival

On January 11, 2016, shortly after coming back from the Elijah List conference, I had the following dream. There are four scenes. In the first scene, I found myself at a construction site in China. A keeper (a guard-like man) was there with a roll/register in his hand. I got the impression that he was an angel who managed the Book of Life. I asked this man if a relative who had gone missing in China was on this list of names. After looking, he replied, “No.” I felt so sorry for this relative. In the second scene, I experienced great chaos and upheaval. I was tossed upside down and I discerned pending destruction as I watched a steel stick from the construction site fall from a building. By the end of this scene, I saw a building only partly constructed.

In the third scene, my wife and I were in a high glass tower with windows like the ones you see in big cities. It seemed we were a having a Christian meeting there when suddenly we received a report that we were surrounded by persecutors. Arguments arose among the people in the building. Some insisted to go down and some said to go up. I insisted on heading upward, so up we went.

In the fourth scene, my wife and I miraculously escaped into a residential building. I told my wife that no one would see us since we appeared just like the residents. As we walked downstairs, I felt peace and a lion-like animal the size of a cat appeared among us. I carried the animal and it seemed calm and meek until we hit a great wall that we could not pass through. Suddenly, the small lion-type animal arose with great strength to help us roll the wall over. Immediately, I saw several horses gallop speedily and powerfully, and a great pasture lay before my eyes. It was powerful! It reminded me of something resembling a great breakthrough or an extreme revival.

My interpretation coupled with the interpretation of a fellow believer is detailed below. This dream represents several stages of the coming revival. First, the construction site represents a work in progress. An incomplete or half-erected building symbolizes that a work has begun but is not complete. The angelic being keeping track of lives demonstrates God’s involvement and desire. It shows their salvation is important to God. My attempt to find a dead person can represent the spiritual state of many people in China, and my sadness shows God’s feelings regarding this matter. The sudden and great chaos in the beginning and throughout is representative of the shaking that will take place. Authorities and systems that have been allowed to stand for a time will fall, and only what is in line with God’s Kingdom will remain (a building left partly standing). The church will also go through immense suffering and during this test, some may fall.

The third scene is symbolic of a few things. God will give favor to those who are spreading the Gospel and discipling people in China. This is representative of the high tower my wife and I were hosting a Bible study in. Although persecution will arise and has even already, God has given his people the wisdom to see it coming (the glass windows). Wisdom for escape and a battle plan will be granted to those led by the Spirit and commissioned by him. In the dream, wisdom is represented by my ability to discern among those panicking and unsure, that our escape from the building will be by climbing upward instead of down. Climbing upward is also significant of looking heavenward to maintain our eyes fixed on the Lord and tuned into His plans. Persecution and shaking naturally entices us to look at our surrounding and environment; we are tempted to descend instead of ascending. To deal with the situation, faith must move Christians rather than fear. The only way to guarantee supernatural delivery is to continue upwards and the Lord will surely rescue such people.

God will also grant cover when necessary. This is demonstrated by us blending in and appearing like the other residents. Finally, the lion-like animal represents the presence of the Spirit of Christ which will accompany those he calls His own. He will grant them peace amidst the turmoil, and they shall not be afraid. Carrying the lion-like animal is also symbolic of being equipped with the Spirit of Christ. This scene represents both the life of Christ in us and the help he offers. Christ is both meek and mighty. If a wall stands in our way, Christ will arise with power and strength to make a path for our feet by rolling the wall away.

With Christ, Christians commissioned by him will demolish forces in our path to make it possible for breakthrough to be released (represented by the horses and pasture). As speedily and powerfully as the horses were, so will the awakening be. It will also be pleasant (green pasture).

Finally, in March 2020, I was taken into another vision. This was the most vivid 3D type of vision I have had thus far. In it, I saw a great revival happening in China. It was bursting out all over! People were dancing, celebrating, and worshiping God all over the streets of China. In the next scene, I was brought into a heavenly meeting where many saints in glory, including Chinese and Westerners, were meeting. There was a Chinese lady who gave me a tour of the place and she specifically told me that this revival is something she had never seen when she was on earth. In the end, angels had bound an evil political spirit and I saw that a great political change will come to China after this great revival. China will become a democratic nation and they will worship God.

Just as the Lord once appeared to me in great power and light and laid his hand on me, I sense His hand is on China right now. He is about to release a great awakening to China and a mass exodus of Chinese people will come out of darkness into the light.

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God’s Love For Japan

Sean Song

June 24, 2021

I had never thought about going to Japan to preach the Gospel nor had I felt such a strong burden to pray for Japan as I do now. Several prophetic dreams have left me with a longing for this. In these dreams, I was taken to Japan and Jesus appeared to me. As you read, you will see it is the Lord’s desire to reach the nation of Japan with the love he carries. I am also now convinced that revival will come to Japan. That is, many Japanese people will be captured by the love of God and turn into devoted lovers of Jesus. While it may seem to the carnal mind that Japan is one of hardest places on earth to preach the Gospel, it is not so with God’s intervention. God’s love will melt their hard hearts. A massive delivery and exodus will occur and many Japanese people will be freed from idolatry, generational curses, and the grips of evil spirits. All the nations are close to God’s heart and Japan is no exception. He cannot forget them.

A Series of Dreams

Chinese and Japanese Revivals Will Affect Each Other

This first dream happened on September 23, 2016. Before I arose that morning, I saw a plane arriving from Japan to my hometown in China. In fact, I saw it pass through a cloud and come directly to my childhood house. My hometown is close to the capital, just 400 kilometers south of Beijing. The door of my home faces east. In the dream, I came out of my door to give the airplane a signal. I also opened the door to allow the light to shine through so the airplane could see where I was standing. Then the lamp in front of my house started to blink like a car blinker signaling to turn. I sensed it was about dawn outside, so I anticipated the darkness would soon disappear. The airplane, similar to a passenger aircraft used for international flights, was about to emerge from the clouds.

God often uses my house in my hometown in China to represent the entire country of China in my dreams. The same is true of this dream. My childhood home is on the westernmost side of my village. The door of my house faces a main road in the village. In this dream, I stood at the door as the airplane grew closer. I believe the direction of the plane’s path affirms China’s great influence on Japan in the matter of the Gospel. In ancient days, Japan sent many people to China to learn from China about its language and culture. In modern days like today and into the future, Japan may again come to China to learn from them, but this time about Jesus and the Gospel.

In the United States, lights are installed on garages or on the front of the main entrance door to the house to give light to those arriving. In real life, there is no light on the east door of our house. However, in my dream, there was a light that flashed as a signal light. I was certain that these lights were not ordinary lights. These signal lights flickered, so I stood at the door to motion and guide the plane on its landing.

I understand that future revival among the nations of China and Japan are interconnected. In other words, revival may start in China and then spread to Japan. Perhaps after a great revival comes to China, it will lead to Japan’s revival. An airplane from Japan may prophetically represent large and influential ministries that will be raised up in Japan by the Lord. The fact that I stood at the door giving the airplane guidance may again attest to the fact that China will likely play an important role in helping to direct the path of Japan’s revival. This is also confirmed by a dream I had on April 17, 2017. Note: I had two dreams about Japan on April 17. This second of the two is detailed below and involved preaching.

I woke up at about 6:30am that morning, fed my baby, and then went back to sleep. I began dreaming of a screen which showed information related to preaching the Gospel in Japan. In this dream, Chinese people were sent to Japan to preach the Gospel village by village. The movie on the screen said, “One American went to Japan and had a good start.” It was an American missionary. Then I saw Chinese people walking to different Japanese villages to preach the Gospel to them. I saw one Chinese family with a young boy and they went to the entrance of a Japanese village. Japanese people in their traditional clothing came out of the village to talk with them. They asked the Japanese people if they were open to receive something non-Japanese, like Chinese people and the Gospel. Some refused their offer and even blocked their entrance to the village. As the family went to the next village, however, some were willing and open. Later in the dream, it appeared that the Chinese family set up a station and had reached some goals in preaching the Gospel.

These two prophetic dreams embrace the prophetic mission of Chinese people going to Japan to preach the Gospel in the future. Chinese people have always gone to Japan with this intention, and they have aided in Japan’s evangelization process. In the future, God may choose China and more of their willing vessels to go and preach the Gospel there again. There are even prophecies that mention that after China’s great revival, Chinese missionaries will be raised up to preach the Gospel around the world.

The American missionary whom I first saw in the dream was a modern American missionary. Initially, I didn’t understand that when God lets us see a person, it does not necessarily refer to that specific person. It could be representative of a type of person or group. I conjecture that the American missionary here represents the people in God’s move who evangelized Japan in earlier days. They laid a foundation for God’s preaching in Japan.

The Chinese family I saw afterward likely represents the Chinese people that God desires to raise up. The family preached the Gospel from village to village which is self explanatory, but the roadblocks indicate the hardness in the Japanese people’s hearts. There was a question asked by the Chinese child which seemed very strange at first. He said, “Do you accept things other than the Japanese people, such as the Chinese and the Gospel?” This is a good question. It helps illustrate the closed hearts and the difficulty of evangelism there. People in this village rejected the Gospel. Thankfully, these Chinese people did not give up. They went to the next village, and eventually succeeded in reaching the hearts of the Japanese people. We still may wonder though how else this evangelism may happen…

A Supernatural Door to Japan

One evening on April 10, 2017, I was returning to sleep after feeding my baby and I suddenly saw fire in the heavens. It seemed very far away and was comprised of many different colors. It grew closer and began to take the formation of a tunnel. I realized this could be from God and I remembered that some prophets talked about tunnels that can transfer people to different places. Immediately, I was lifted up like in a rocket into this tunnel, and as I was traveling up, I heard a broadcast. I realized I was not in a dream but instead something more like a vision.

During this encounter, I skated on wheels through a Japanese mall. I was very tall as if I had been using stilts. Underneath my stilts was a wheel. I was traveling very fast when a Japanese lady suddenly yelled to me, “You cannot skate in the mall!” Despite her chastisement, I continued on towards a door. I remember thinking I needed to lower my body so I could pass through the door without stopping.

The details in this dream left a deep impression on me. Large shopping malls like the one I was in may represent Japan’s secular society, which is symbolic of a lack of a gospel atmosphere. This kind of culture generally does not exist in Japanese society. I seemed to be walking on stilts with skates underneath. This kind of transportation strategy represents the miraculous power of our preaching of Christ. We are given the means to meet the circumstances with a supernatural delivery.

When the woman shouted, “You can’t skate at the lobby,” she was a symbolic picture of the difficulties and opposition we will face in preaching the gospel in Japan. We must keep in mind, however, that I walked through a door on stilts with wheels. This is a picture that not only demonstrates that God will give grace and means to accomplish the task of evangelism, but it also shows we need not stop. What God is doing and will do in Japan is in motion. God will open a miraculous door for us to preach the Gospel in Japan. And if God opens the door for us, no one can stop us.

The Love of God Equips Me To Preach the Gospel

The next dream occurred on April 17, 2017 and this is the first of the two dreams I had that night. Although in Japan again, I was now in a different place. I was again listening to something being broadcasted on the radio. I felt it was something about God and I had a vague impression that it was in a foreign language. This broadcast drew me to the next scene.

I was now fishing, but I didn’t have a fishing rod in my hand. Rather, I was picking up something from the sea with a pair of tongs like the ones used in a kitchen. From what I could tell, I was on a small island because I was surrounded by water—just as Japan is.

I met some people that looked Japanese, so I asked them to teach me how to catch the fish and other sea creatures. They were very willing to help me, but they were also strangely using tongs. After a bit, I realized my hand was hurt, so I asked one of the guys to help me. He seemed strong and tall; he was the leader of the rest of the people. I sensed he was the Lord. Suddenly, he opened a hole in his lower leg and began to pour out something from that hole that would heal my hand. It resembled sea salt. I rubbed the sea salt on the wound in my hand as this man explained that it would take a while to sterilize and be healed.

In that moment, I suddenly realized that I could not find my bag. I needed to find it though because it contained something very important. One of the guys in the group then shot out a thread-like rope and I was pushed by this rope to other places. I met more Japanese people on the road and I saw people playing basketball. As I was running and joining the game, I strongly felt a burden to preach the gospel to these Japanese people. God’s love for them seemed to have been deposited in me, which was not normal for me.

Here is my interpretation of this dream. The radio broadcasting represents God’s voice. After I heard the broadcast, I was gradually drawn to fish in the seas of Japan. Fishing on Japanese islands is obviously a metaphor for preaching the Gospel in Japan. This is symbolic of God’s call to fish for men just as he invited the disciples to do in the New Testament. I believe this speaks on behalf of us who are being asked by the Lord to embrace a calling to preach the Gospel to the Japanese.

This burden and calling for Japan comes with difficulties. It’s quite tough to preach the Gospel to Japanese people and obstacles exist. This is represented both by the injury I sustained while fishing and the obscurity of the tool I and others were using to fish, which was not ideal for fishing. Yet, we can be rest assured that God will be with those who go forth to preach, even sustaining us in our time of need as we labor. The tongs also represent God giving us supernatural and seemingly foolish means for accomplishing this task. And the mysterious man applying a salve to my wound from his wound demonstrates Christ’s all sufficiency for us. The Christ always takes from himself to meet our needs. Even the hole in this man’s leg is symbolic of Jesus’ nail marks. Jesus’ death on the cross accomplished healing for all of us.

The fact that I found something missing may represent the sense of loss God feels toward those unsaved in this nation. Many Japanese people are lost in sin and death. They are valuable to God because they too were created in the image of God, and Jesus equally died for them on the cross. When I left that scene a mysterious thread/rope was thrown behind me. Although it was thin, it had great strength. It was able to bear my weight and even propel me forward. The rope was so powerful in propelling me that it made me run like Elijah when the hand of God was upon him. This can be symbolic of the energizing and capacitating power that results from the infilling of the Holy Spirit. God baptizes us with His love and power through His Spirit. Not coincidentally, in the scene that followed this incident, I was filled with God’s love for every Japanese person that I passed by.

Interestingly, God also often speaks to me in my dreams through the game of basketball. I believe it indicates the battle between the Gospel and darkness, between Christians and Satan. The Church is on one team and the enemy is on the other. We fight against the enemy under the leadership of our coach, Jesus Christ. When I dream about Japanese people playing basketball, I see it representing the spread of the Gospel in Japan and the opposition the enemy will attempt. Since I was filled with miraculous power and God’s love, I joined the game.

While I was having this prophetic dream, one of my teachers in the Christian Healing Certification Program at my seminary saw a vision. She saw me riding a horse while holding a cowboy’s lariat in my hand. I twirled the lasso and prepared to catch the horse. She received an impression from the Spirit that God would fill me with His love and use His love as a lasso to “catch” those whom He wants to save. What she shared and the rope in my dream expressed the same symbolism.

This does not apply to me alone, however. It’s also for the many in the Body of Christ who are willing to go. God will baptize us with His love and use it as the lasso to return the sinner back to Himself.

Stilts, A Wheel and A Crazy Love for Jesus

In another dream on October 7, 2017, I saw a Japanese man with tattoos on his body. The tattoos read something like, “LOVE JESUS WITH A CRAZY LOVE.” This was a very simple dream, but it conveys a very deep meaning. The words and pictures in Japanese tattoos often carry negative or dark meanings. The tattoo in this prophetic dream clearly did not. In contrast, it shows that redemption is possible for Japanese people once living in sin or out of relationship with God. The words, “crazy love for Jesus” leaves us hopeful that God’s deep love can even transform the tattoo industry!

In several other prophetic encounters regarding Japan, I was taken there to participate in spiritual warfare. It shows that God is working in Japan in the spiritual realm and the spiritual battle will eventually manifest in the physical realm. Let us pray to join hands with the saints in glory and angels to fight this spiritual warfare and usher in breakthrough.

I strongly believe the Japanese people will have encounters with Jesus and their hard hearts will melt. The love they will feel upon seeing visions of his nailed-scarred body will convince them of how He loves them deeply. I pray that the Japanese will be conquered by this love and indeed become CRAZY LOVERS OF JESUS.

My last thoughts are for the many saints in the body of Christ who have been praying for Japan. This also includes the missionaries from many parts of the world who have already gone to preach the Gospel there. As many have testified, they encounter varying difficulties. The hardened hearts of the Japanese is one of the most difficult challenges. Amidst the opposition, God will open the doors necessary to preach the Gospel there. Like the stilts and the wheel, God will give us supernatural power to prevail in sharing the excellence and extravagance of the Gospel. Let us continue empowered and encouraged!

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The Salvation and Justice of God

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 31

One of the most disturbing stories in the entire Bible is the story of Moses’ extermination of the Midianites. Why did Moses want the Israelites to kill not only the males, but also all the boys and married women? How can we make sense of this tragic slaughter?

Although it is difficult to understand this passage, I believe that it points to a consistent pattern in God’s nature. When a nation remains unrepentant, God’s judgment will fall upon that nation. However, he always gives plenty of opportunities for salvation and repentance.

Plenty of Time to Repent

When God appeared to Abraham in Genesis 15:16, he told Abraham an important message about the Canaanites. God said that before he allowed Abraham’s family to inherit the land of Canaan, the people of Israel would first live in Egypt for 400 years. Why? Because the sins of the Amorites (a group of Canaanites) were not yet complete. In other words, their sins did not yet deserve complete annihilation.

Abraham’s descendants would live in Egypt, growing stronger and more numerous. They would eventually be used to destroy the Canaanites. But first, God would give these wicked people four centuries to repent.

Let’s look at a practical way that the Canaanites could have repented and entrusted their destiny to God’s plan. In the time of Joseph, there was a severe famine that affected not only all of Egypt, but also all of Canaan. Joseph’s brothers, who still lived in Canaan, went to Egypt to buy food. (See Genesis 41:56, 42:5, 29, 43:1)

The famine represented the discipline of God. It not only forced Jacob and his family to eventually move to Egypt, but it also forced Joseph’s brothers to come face to face with their sin of selling Joseph into Egypt many years ago. They repented of their sins because of this famine. The famine could have provided the same opportunity for the other Canaanites, but we have no record that they turned to God or repented during this time.

After his brothers repented, Joseph asked them to bring his father Jacob down to Egypt. Jacob and his sons arrived in Egypt two years after the famine began. Then were still five years of famine left for the entire land of Canaan.

The famine continued to worsen. Genesis 47:13 says, “There was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine.” Joseph sold food to the people of Canaan and Egypt. But when the money ran out, an interesting dynamic occurred.

Please pay attention to the following verses. “And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, ‘Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.’” (Genesis 47:15). Notice that although all the money in Egypt and Canaan was spent, only the Egyptians came to Joseph to continue to beg for mercy. Joseph allowed them to sell livestock, land, and themselves as slaves in exchange for seed to plant.

The gospel demands that we surrender ourselves as slaves to God. We trust our entire being to his care. Often, believers and nonbelievers alike will ask me, “Why do you entrust your destiny to a God you cannot see? Wouldn’t it be better for you to hold your destiny in your own hands?” Many people refuse to place their destiny in the hands of God by believing in Jesus Christ. It seems too risky to give up their very lives and wills to God.

In the same way, the Canaanites were unwilling to sell themselves to Joseph in exchange for food. They refused to acknowledge the judgment of God or repent of their sins because of this trial. They would not surrender themselves to Joseph, who was a picture of Christ.

• Joseph was the only one who had food, just like Jesus is the only one who can provide the food of eternal life.
• The Canaanites’ starvation and hunger represents the emptiness of people without Jesus. This emptiness should spur us on to seek the meaning of life and find a solution that truly satisfies: Jesus.
• The food signifies the Gospel. To receive this food, we commit our very lives to Jesus.
• Furthermore, we pay the price over a lifetime. Following Christ is not cheap, but he rewards us richly by supplying us with the daily food of his own presence.

The Egyptians came to Joseph and sold their livestock, their land, and their own bodies to get more food. This indicated that they accepted the salvation brought by Joseph. But there is no mention of the Canaanites taking any further action to get more food. The Bible doesn’t tell us what took place in Canaan during the next five years of famine. It is not difficult for us to imagine that chaos must have ensued. Cannibalism may have occurred among the Canaanite tribes. The Canaanites survived and became an even more evil race, the strongest fortress of evil spirits on the earth.

Salvation is the Goal

The purpose of the famine was not ultimately judgment, but the redemption of the people. God’s judgment is only a means to an end. God’s objective and ultimate purpose was to redeem the people. God allowed a famine in Egypt and Canaan so that the citizens of that land would repent and accept the salvation brought by joseph.

Trials in today’s world are also a means to an end. For example, the Covid-19 pandemic is a wake-up call that reminds people of their need for God. God’s desire is that all people would repent of their sins so they can accept the salvation provided by God through Christ.

However, things are not always that simple. Life’s trials can have different effects on different people, depending on their responses. When faced with a trial or difficulty, some people repent of their sins and are saved. Others not only refuse to repent, but also harden their hearts. Perhaps you’ve seen examples of this phenomenon in the believers and unbelievers you meet every day. When great suffering, disease and difficulty come upon people, some will surrender to God more and more. Their hearts will become very soft and humble. However, others will harden their hearts and become more and more rigid.

We can also see examples of this phenomenon in the Bible. When faced with trials, Joseph and his brothers softened their hearts, repented of sins, and received forgiveness as they trusted in God. But Pharoah and the Canaanites only hardened their hearts more and more in response to difficulty.

God prepared hell for Satan and his subordinates; yet many people go to hell. Why? Because they are hard-hearted. They would rather go to hell with Satan than repent of their sins. In other words, it is not God who sends people to hell. Instead, when people choose not to accept God’s salvation, they are choosing to go to hell.

In the same way, God did not destroy the Canaanites and Midianites. They had opportunities to repent and accept salvation, but they stubbornly rejected God’s salvation. Ultimately, they chose to perish.

God’s Salvation Offered to the Midianites

God is love, and he is also righteous. In His love, he keeps trying to save us. But in his righteousness, he will not excuse the guilty (Exodus 34:7). After giving them many opportunities to repent, God will ultimately judge those who are guilty of their sins.

When we fail to notice God’s loving efforts to provide a way of salvation, we may feel that God’s judgment on the Midianites may be too severe. Let’s look at the opportunities God gave them to surrender their lives to him.

The Bible gives us clues about how this may have happened. When Moses killed an Egyptian and fled into the wilderness, he sought refuge among the Midianites. In fact, he married into a Midianite family. The Midianites provided protection and shelter for Moses, and he gave them a chance to learn to know God.

When Moses met God in the burning bush in the wilderness of Midian, imagine the conversations he had that evening with his wife and in-laws. Perhaps he told them about his encounter with God. Imagine how shocked his Midianite family must have been. Should they believe Moses’ accounts? After all, Moses’ father-in-law was a priest of Midian, and he served other gods (Exodus 2:18).

Moses’ father-in-law was a priest, showing that he was open to spiritual things. At first, he served other gods, but he came to know the True God through Moses’ testimony. Years later, he began to worship the True God, saying, “The Lord is greater than all the gods” (Exodus 18:11).

The Bible doesn’t specifically record Moses’ verbal testimony to his family early on. Exodus 4:18 says that Moses kept his mission vague when he talked to his father-in-law: “Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” (Exodus 4:18). In this account, Moses doesn’t tell his father-in-law a lot about his experience of meeting the Lord, or about God’s calling to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

However, Moses’ later actions and words were a powerful testimony to Jethro. After a series of confrontations with Pharaoh and a series of miracles, Moses finally led the Israelites out of Egypt. Exodus 18:1 tells us that Moses’ father-in-law was impressed by the testimony of Moses’ life. “Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.” He then brought Moses’ wife and two sons to find Moses.

When Moses recounted the stories of what God had done for him, Jethro was deeply moved. He acknowledged that Jehovah was the greatest of all gods, and he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. Jethro accepted that Jehovah was the One True God. He received eternal life. After that, Jethro left Moses and returned to his own land.

What did Jethro do after returning to his country? As a priest of Midian, did he testify to the rest of Midianites that Jehovah is the One True God? We can assume that he did. A natural result of knowing God is sharing him with others. When someone is truly saved, it’s hard to suppress the urge to preach the gospel. Jethro likely shared his faith with his people.

However, even when we preach the gospel, it doesn’t ensure the salvation of those who hear. Paul said that we who preach the gospel are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To one we are a fragrance of death, and to the other a fragrance of life. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). When the gospel is preached, those who refuse to accept it will be judged. Those who accept the gospel will have eternal life.

It’s not God’s desire to send people to hell. He loves the world and desires that everyone believe in Jesus Christ so that they can have eternal life. However, a person who refuses to accept the Gospel rejects eternal life by his own choice.

Similarly, when Jethro testified to the Midianites that Jehovah is greater than all gods, the Midianites had a choice. They could either accept Jethro’s testimony and trust in the One True God, or they could reject Jethro’s testimony and continue to worship their idols.

Believing Midianites

The Midianites’ response to Jethro’s testimony divided them into two groups. Their response to the True God had a life-changing impact on their future trajectory.

Numbers 10:29 says, ”And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.” Was Moses talking to his father-in-law or his brother-in-law? The word can be translated both ways in Hebrew. Judges 4:11 also mentions “Hobab the father-in-law of Moses”. Again, the word can be translated as “father-in-law” or “brother-in-law.” I personally believe Hobab was Moses’ brother-in-law. His father-in-law had returned to his country in his old age, and Moses did not stop him (Exodus 18:27).

Numbers 10:30-32 records Hobab’s response. “’But he said to him, I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.’ And he said, ‘Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. And if you do go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.’”

Moses was begging Hobab to go with him here. However, the Bible clearly says that Moses did not prevent his father-in-law from leaving (Exodus 18:27). This seems to imply that these are two different people.

After realizing that the Lord was the true God, Jethro felt like he was too old to continue such a hard journey with Moses. Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, also wanted to go back to his land. However, Moses promised that if he stayed with the Israelites, he would be a fellow recipient of God’s blessings. The Bible doesn’t tell us how Hobab replied. Perhaps he led some Midianites to follow Moses into the wilderness.

This story creates a beautiful spiritual picture. When Jethro went home to the Midianites and testified that the LORD was the true God, some people had accepted the Lord and decided to join the Israelites on their journey. These people received the benefits promised by Moses.

Judges supports this conjecture. Judges 1:16 tells about the first time the Israelites went to war: “And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ brother-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah,… and they went and settled with the people.” From this verse, we see that Hobab might have agreed to Moses’ request, thereby receiving God’s blessing and acquiring land alongside the tribe of Judah. Judges 4:11 says, ”Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law (or brother-in-law) of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.” Jael, the wife of Heber, the descendant of Hobab, killed Sisera, Israel’s enemy. These verses imply that Midianites descended from Moses’ father-in-law were an active part of the Israelite community.

On the other hand, the Midianites who refused to accept Jethro’s testimony were unwilling to embark on a journey of faith with the Israelites. Their community became a stronghold of evil spirits. Later, the evil spirits used the Midianites to tempt the Israelites into sexual sin. The evil spirits wanted to corrupt the Israelite family tree in order to prevent Jesus Christ from being born through the Israelite family line.

These Midianites had a chance to join the Israelites, but they chose to follow evil spirits instead. There may have been other opportunities to repent that the Bible does not record.

Human Flesh and Evil Spirits

There is a difference between the way God treats our flesh and the way he treats evil spirits. The tribe of Moab is sometimes used symbolically to represent the flesh. The ancestor of the people of Moab was born as the result of incest between Lot and his daughter. For this reason, Moab was often used to represent the flesh. God is patient with the flesh, allowing it to slowly experience the dealings of the cross. God didn’t require the Israelites to wipe out the Moabites. Instead, he asked them to take a detour around their land (Deuteronomy 2:9).

However, God treated the Midianites differently. The Midianites represent the evil strongholds of demons inside us. God’s method of dealing with them was to kill them all. The reason Moses asked the Israelites to kill all Midian’s men, boys, and married women was partly because the Midianites rejected God’s testimony and cooperated with evil spirits to incur their own harsh judgment.

Hope for the Midianite children.

From an eternal perspective, we can see that there may be hope for the Midianite boys who died. Not everyone who dies physically goes to hell. Those who die await the verdict of God’s Great White Throne Judgment. All who have died will be resurrected and judged. Those whose names are not in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). Even though these boys died physically, they may not have died spiritually.

In a prophetic dream, I was taken to heaven. There, I saw some children who had died prematurely. They were living happily in heaven. This scene shocked me. Perhaps the Midianite children are in heaven. By dying physically, they may have been spared the eternal destruction that their adult actions may have merited. Even Paul said that some sinners should be handed over to Satan to destroy the body so that their souls can be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:5). Perhaps there is mercy hidden inside God’s judgment.

God is Love. When we look at this tragedy from an eternal perspective, we see God’s mercy, justice, and love on display.

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Dedication to God

Bible Study with Jairus - Numbers 30

When we read Numbers 30, a question comes to mind. Why is a passage regarding vows placed right between the instructions concerning sacrifices (Chapters 28 – 29) and the story of the defeat of the Midianites (Chapter 31)? It seems very abrupt and out of place, but the Holy Spirit illuminated our minds to see that these are all interconnected. Numbers 30 leads worshipers into a deeper experience of dedication. After the Israelites learned how to offer cattle and lambs to God (Numbers 28-29), God showed them how to offer themselves to the Lord as sacrifices (Numbers 30). Dedicating ourselves to the Lord will help us to defeat our spiritual enemies, just like the Israelites defeated Midian in Numbers 31.

Review of Numbers 22-31

In Numbers 22 – 25, we learn that Balaam tried to curse the Israelites. He instigated the seduction of the Israelites into sin, which led to a plague. After the plague, the Israelites took a census of the new generation (Chapter 26). God’s justice and mercy were further revealed in Chapter 27. Chapters 28 and 29 explain the offerings Israelites should bring to God. These offerings represented communion with God, which brings joy to God and strength to man.

In Chapter 30, we learn that the natural outcome of close communion between God and humans is the offering of oneself to God. We not only offer external sacrifices, but we offer ourselves as sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1). Self-sacrifice is the highest form of sacrifice. When we present ourselves as offerings to God, God can help us achieve success over our enemies, as shown in Chapter 31.

Earlier in Numbers, we see that Balaam was unable to curse the Israelites, but he was able to convince the Midianites to seduce the Israelites to commit promiscuity, leading to God’s anger and the judgment of the plague. Why did his deceptive plan work? Who was to blame? Was it Balaam, the Midianites, the Moabites, or the evil spirits motivating the Midianites?

As Christians, we sin because evil spirits and enemies tempt us in our natural areas of weakness. Yet it is ultimately our own weakness that causes us to sin. How does God deal with our mistakes to help us overcome our weaknesses? God works in two areas. Firstly, he works to defeat the external evil forces. Second, he works to strengthen our inner man to overcome these weaknesses.

God had inflicted severe judgement on the Israelites who had sinned, in the form of a plague that killed 24,000 people. Phinehas had killed the Midianite woman and the Israelite who brought her (Chapter 25). The census in chapter 26 was a form of inspection, like a military review, where God was inspecting those who were still standing after the judgment of the plague.

In chapter 27, Zelophehad’s daughters requested possession of their father’s land. This story is a continuation of the grand narrative. Exodus 34:7 says that God keeps ‘steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Due to God’s just judgement, men who sinned (like Zelophehad) died. But because of God’s compassion, God asked Moses to give Zelophehad’s land to his daughters. This story reminds us of God’s words to Moses in Exodus 34.

As we’ve seen in our study of Numbers 28-29, the animal offerings discussed in these chapters represent communion with God. These offerings were fragrant and refreshing offerings to God. At the same time, a part of these sacrifices was also used as food for the priests. Symbolically, this passage reminds us that our communion with God brings joy to God, but also provides spiritual food for us, strengthening our spirits. This spiritual strength allows us to overcome our internal weaknesses and external enemies, which is the common theme that runs through Numbers’ Chapters 22 to 31.

Initially, we wondered why Numbers 30 was placed in between the passages on sacrifices (Chapters 28-29) and on the defeat of the Midianites (Chapter 31). I see a connection between these passages. I believe that when the Holy Spirit inspires a person to write, there must be a common thread of thought and logic that connects the passages. Understanding how these passages connect helps us feel excited and encouraged to read on.

Offering ourselves to God. Vows of self-sacrifice comprise the highest form of sacrifice, much more important than offerings of sheep and cattle. In Psalm 51, David says that the sacrifice of one’s heart is the best form of sacrifice. David said that God does not delight in sacrifices, but in a broken and contrite heart. This is the best form of sacrifice, an offering which he does not despise.

God loves it when we sacrifice ourselves to him. Other than presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), the best form of sacrifice is presenting our hearts to God. External offerings pale in comparison.

When Jesus was on earth, he watched temple worshipers present their offerings at the temple. The rich donated huge sums of money out of their excess. But Jesus praised the poor widow who gave two small copper coins. Jesus praised her because she gave all she had, her entire livelihood. In other words, the widow not only gave her two small coins, but also her heart. This story demonstrates that God values our hearts more than our external sacrifices.

When Mary broke the expensive alabaster jar of perfume and poured it over the head of Jesus, Jesus saw Mary’s love towards God. He instructed that “wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” (Mark 14:9). The Gospel of Christ states that, “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). The story of Mary talks about man’s love for Christ. The love of God toward man and the love of man toward God are two sides of the same coin. That is why Jesus asked his followers to preach these two stories together.

Numbers 28-29 describe the different types of animal sacrifices (external sacrifices), while Chapter 30 describes vows--the offering of one’s heart and self to God. This is a higher level of sacrifice. This insight provides an important link between chapters 29 and chapter 30.

The Seriousness of Vows

Since this form of sacrifice is the highest form of sacrifice, we ought to pay close attention to it. Numbers 30:2 says, “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” Once a person vows to offer oneself as a sacrifice, one is obligated to fulfill that vow and not break his word.

God gives man free choice. We can choose not to sacrifice ourselves. But once the choice has been made to sacrifice ourselves to God, he takes our promise very seriously. We cannot go back on our word.

However, if your vow was made carelessly out of immaturity, God will not hold it against you. He honors you for your willingness to sacrifice and delights in one who gives out of a willing heart (2 Cor 9:7). However, if your father (vs 3 – 8) or your husband (vs 10 – 15) negate your vow, you are not required to fulfill it.

For example, if an unmarried daughter or married woman decides to give the entire family’s savings to God, but her husband or father objects, God would not hold the woman to her promise. However, if the father (verse 4) or husband (verse 14) says nothing to the woman, her vow will stand. If the husband says nothing at the beginning, but later goes back on his word (verse 15), the husband would have to bear the iniquity of sin. However, widows and divorced women had the freedom of choice. The vows made by these people could not be negated.

Vows and oaths are very serious matters. In the historical records of the ancient Middle East, we learn that many contemporary people groups treated vows and oaths very seriously. To emphasize the importance and severity of His words, God also swore an oath to Abraham. In the same way, God requires us to strictly fulfill our vows.

The Purifying Effect of Trials

In addition, once we have offered ourselves as living sacrifices, it is as if we have been placed on an altar. At this point, it is nearly impossible to retract the vow. When you offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God for His use and purposes, you begin to realize that God will use trials and difficulties to refine your character.

Of course, God allow trials to help us mature. Bob Jones, a leader in the Charismatic movement, has a powerful prophetic gift that is desired by many. However, he shares that nobody would wish to go through the trials that he has been through to get what he has today.

In the same way, Witness Lee, the founder of the Local Church Movement where I was saved, says that many people desire his ministry; but if they were to experience the difficulties that he has gone through, they would no longer covet his ministry.

God called me to present myself as a living sacrifice to God, to allow Him to work through me. After that, various trials and difficulties appeared in my life, including 10 years of infertility. Through these difficulties, God was molding me.

After I had a miracle baby, I met with a Korean prophet, who shared that God planned to use me greatly. However, he also mentioned that I had a strong personality, which needed to be refined before I could fully surrender myself to serve God. My wife and I both recognized that the difficulties and trials were a part of God's plan for me to surrender my strong will fully to Christ. These difficulties were a form of spiritual discipline.

In many American Churches, the discipline of the Holy Spirit through trials and sufferings is not a popular topic to be preached about. However, once we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, God will work through the Holy Spirit to discipline us and make us better people. Many times, external trials and sufferings cause us to feel sorrowful instead of joyful. But for those who have gone through trials and emerged stronger, their lives will yield the ‘peaceful fruit of righteousness’ (Hebrews 12:11).

The Korean prophet shared with me that God not only wanted to use me for His Work to preach the gospel, but He also wanted to sanctify and purify me, so that I could be a better testimony for Christ. However, there are many weaknesses in the flesh that I have yet to overcome.

Let me share a personal example. I have an area of weakness that is difficult to overcome. I have often failed in this area. Certainly, this is due in part to the external attacks and temptations from the evil one. But more importantly, it is due to the weakness of my inner self. Because of these weaknesses, I fall to ‘the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life (1 John 2:16).

This passage reminds me that I need to renew myself as an offering to God, to allow God to continue to purify me, helping me overcome my weaknesses, temptations, and desire for worldly things. Offering myself to God strengthens my inner man for the glory of God and to benefit those around me, and prevents enemies from attacking me. There are still worldly temptations that seek to consume me, but God has called me to let go of these desires.

This area of weakness has been a struggle for a long time. One night, I had a prophetic dream, in which I found myself stepping on earth’s surface, which was covered with dirt. In the dream, I was continuously stepping on the dirt surface to compact it, shouting, “Through Christ’s strength, I will overcome the temptations of this earth.” This prophetic dream was the Holy Spirit’s promise to me that as I rely on Christ, I will have victory.

Our victory comes through dedicating ourselves to God. On our own, we are powerless to change. By ourselves, we are unable to overcome worldly temptations. However, if we offer ourselves as sacrifices to God, God can do that for us.

After hearing my testimony, a woman shared that God has prompted her to work on an area of weakness that is difficult to overcome. Together, we prayed for God’s help in overcoming this weakness. Through our communion and prayer with God, we renewed our offering of ourselves to God and asked for God to work in us to overcome our weaknesses. We begged God to help us overcome any fleshly barriers to spiritual advancement.

Total Surrender

The most important aspect of our sacrifice to God is that we need to surrender ourselves entirely to God, allowing him to be sovereign in our lives and work in our hearts. If we do not choose to offer ourselves to God as living sacrifices, God will respect our free choice and not interfere.

When we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, we display our love for Him. In Revelation 2, Jesus rebuked the Church of Ephesus for abandoning the love they had at first. He asked them to remember from where they had fallen, repent and do the works they did at first, or God would come to them and remove their lampstand from its place, unless they repented (Revelations 2:4-5).

The weakening of the American Church and the corruption of American society are caused by a lack of love. Christians have abandoned their first love of Christ. Churches are faced with internal issues, which provide an opportunity for evil spiritual forces to tempt us. To solve the issues faced by the American Church, we need to return to our first love. Though American Churches are faced with many external attacks from the enemy, these are not the root problem. The root of the problem lies in the weakness within the hearts of American believers, due to lack of dedication to God and communion with him.

We need to offer the sacrifices of prayer and communion with God, continuously drawing close to him so he can empower us spiritually. These are the sacrifices depicted in Numbers 28-29.

We also need to go deeper in our relationship with God, to present ourselves as a joyful, living sacrifice. We need to undergo spiritual transformation in our thoughts and mind. As Romans 12:1-2 writes, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” This is what Numbers 30 portrays.

In Numbers 31, God commands Moses to kill the Midianites. While the Midianites (and evil spirits) tempted the Israelites and led them into sin, the core issue was that the Israelites had not offered themselves freely to God. As the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire. While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they continued to lust after Egypt’s leeks and onions. They had left Egypt, but Egypt was still inside of them. Today, many Christians find themselves in the same situation. We have been taken out of the “world”, but the “world” still lives in us. Our fleshly desires, coupled with worldly temptations, need to be continuously dealt with by the cross. As God disciplines us on the inside through communion and dedication to God, we grow closer to Him. Our relationship with God will strengthen us to defeat the external forces of evil.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 23

Numbers 23 tells the story of Balak hiring Balaam to curse the Israelites. Although this story may be familiar to Christians, when we were having our Bible study, the Holy Spirit opened our eyes to receive new revelation. We realized that our prayers should be causing us to humble ourselves before God. In other words: we pray to change our mindset and attitude, not to change God's will.

God wants to bless us, but a wrong perspective, lies we believe, and strongholds built by the enemy are barriers that prevent us from receiving God's blessings. We must die to our flesh through fasting and prayer so that the enemy cannot continue to control and hinder us through our flesh. Through fasting and prayer, we can also cast out evil spirits, as well as experience and accept God's blessings in Christ.

Let’s look at Numbers 23 to understand this better. In Numbers 23:13 (ESV), Balak says, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” A lady asked, “Why did Balak change locations to curse the Israelites?” It appears that sending a curse from Balak’s original location was unsuccessful. Does changing the location make it successful? This is a bit incomprehensible. I replied, “I need to give you an example of fasting and prayer.”

I learned a lot about fasting and prayer when I sought healing for my wife’s medical condition and the blessing of one day having a child. One thing fasting is not is a "hunger strike." We should not approach fasting with the mentality that I will fast and argue for something and if God does not grant my request, I will no longer eat. This is not prayer and fasting. This is a hunger strike, a protest. True fasting and prayer is temporarily sacrificing one of man’s biggest physical needs through a time of abstaining, in order that our flesh will be weakened and challenged to submit to our spirit. Eventually, the noise of our flesh will diminish. When our flesh is in this weakened state, our spiritual man can rise from its suppressed place. We can then rely on the strength of our spirit and God’s Spirit within us. This is what the Lord Jesus said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (ESV, 2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul also said that, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (ESV, 2 Corinthians 12:9).

True fasting and prayer moves us closer to God through a process of resisting our body’s demands and aligning us with God’s will instead of trying to change God’s heart and insisting on doing things our way. A hunger strike is a religious prayer and not a means of humbling oneself to get closer to God. True fasting and prayer will make our strong flesh weak and awaken our suppressed spiritual man. It can also loosen the enemy’s strongholds on us thereby making it easier for evil spirits to be cast out.

Jesus once took the disciples up to a mountain and there He was transfigured. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus and his disciples saw a demon-possessed child. The disciples were unable to cast out the demon, so the Lord cast it out. Later, the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn't cast it out. He said that this kind of spirit does not leave except by fasting and prayer (NKJV, Matthew 17:21). We come to understand that fasting and prayer play an important role in casing out demons. Some evil spirits, for example, maintain strongholds in us through lies, deceptions, and bitterness from past hurts. These strongholds are the combination of our flesh and demonic forces. We must discipline our flesh for a time to remove the lies we once believed. This is done through fasting and prayer. Then evil spirits can be cast out.

Unfortunately, many people have experienced believing various lies and becoming bitter after being hurt. This then becomes an opportunity for evil spirits to set up strongholds in them. One of the biggest lies people believe is that God does not love them. God’s Word constantly reiterates His love for us, but when we are hurt, it’s difficult to believe this. In this kind of situation, we end up being more prone to believe the enemy than God.

A person’s upbringing may also impact one’s ability to believe in God’s love. For example, if you didn’t experience love from your parents when you were younger, when you experience suffering and harm from the world, you will be much more susceptible to believe Satan’s lies. Satan will easily feed you the lies, "you are unworthy of love" and "no one loves you."  These are obvious lies to someone who knows the truth or has experienced love from their parents, but not to the child who loses or lacks a healthy, loving relationship with their parent(s). When he or she receives these lies into their soul, they become indifferent to life and even begin to hate society. I was a reporter for a few years. I once interviewed a family in the United States whose child came from a mixed Chinese and American family. Because of his parents’ divorce, this child became extremely cold-hearted to the point of brutally killing another person. I participated in the on-site interview and felt deeply compassionate and sad when I saw this child. I thought to myself that maybe if his parents hadn't divorced, he wouldn't have ended up like that. Of course, I cannot completely blame his parents since I don't know what really happened between them, but I also do not ignore that their divorce probably hard a large negative impact on his soul. Life’s misfortunes will cause people to believe lies and distortions of the truth.

Balak, the Moabite, is another example of this. Naturally, we all hope and believe that we are the Israelites whom God has chosen and whom are the descendants of Abraham. And if Abraham’s descendants, we prefer to be the descendants of Isaac, and not of Ishmael, but the reality is often not that simple. The Moabites are descendants of the incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughter. We don't know if the society at that time discriminated against descendants of incest. If we look at humanity’s overall situation, it seems that any society would discriminate against children of incest. Perhaps, when the Moabites grew up, they inevitably faced humiliation. This humiliation and hurt became a stronghold for them.

As I mentioned earlier, in Deuteronomy 2, the Lord specifically ordered Moses not to contend with the Moabites because the Moabites were descendants of Lot and God had given those lands to the Moabites. God would not give it to the Israelites. God also specifically ordered the Israelites to pay with silver for the food they would eat and the water they would drink when they passed through Moab, and not to provoke the Moabites to war. He also reminded the Israelites to be especially careful because the Moabites were afraid of them.

God commanded the Israelites not to hurt the Moabites, but the Moabites still feared the Israelites. Although unnecessary, the Moabites allowed fear to take root in them and this was taken advantage of by evil spirits. Their fear became an open door that turned Balak and Moab into tools to curse and hurt the Israelites. Our fears often come from our wrong judgments of reality. If the Moabites knew the message of Deuteronomy 2, which was that God did not want the Israelites to fight against the Moabites, would they still have been afraid? Fear often makes us act irrationally. Out of fear, Balak asked Balaam to curse the Israelites.  

The Moabites—descendants of Lot—were related to the Israelites, so they were people associated with the holy and chosen people. However, the purpose of their prayers to God was not to humble themselves to move closer to God so as to receive God's mercy. Their prayers were instead like that of the Pharisees’ prayers which sought to justify themselves before God, asking God to do things according to their own ideas. Their purpose was to change God, and not change themselves. The correct way to pray, however, is like the tax collector who, beating his breast in the temple, said in anguish, "I am a sinner. Please have mercy on me.” Jesus said that this tax collector would be justified, but the Pharisees could not be justified because their motives were wrong (Luke 18:9-14). People in church nowadays can commit the same error. We should be careful to not just offer religious prayers and engage in religious activities but remain disconnected from God’s heart.

Now, the problem with Balak is actually the same problem evident in Christians in churches today. They have wrong perspectives and believe lies of the enemy, so the enemy maintains strongholds over them. I learned during my training in deliverance ministry that many people are possessed by demons. For example, some women who have been raped or hurt by men in their family carry deep wounds. Because of these hurts, they begin to hate men. The accumulation of their anguish turns to bitterness and hate, and it gradually opens the door to evil spirits. In order to cast out the evil spirits in them, they must learn to forgive. This is difficult, but it is necessary.

Rodney Hogue, one of my teachers in deliverance ministry, makes a great comparison between forgiveness and strongholds by evil spirits. He uses the example of pitons used by mountain climbers. When a rock climber cannot find or reach any spots to continue upward, they will use pitons to create one. The function of the piton is to expand within a crack in the rock, and with the force of expansion, it secures a stronghold for grabbing and bearing the weight of the climber. Unforgiveness, bitterness, and hatred caused by our hurts, etc., create cracks within us; they fracture our mind, soul, or body. Evil spirits are like pitons—they squeeze into the cracks and build strongholds there.

This is why in the Lord’s Prayer, the Lord Jesus taught us to pray, “God, forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (ESV, Mark 6:9-13). God’s intention is to bless us, but if we refuse to forgive our debtors, God will not forgive our debts.

Balak and the Moabites may have believed some kind of lie and thus were taken advantage of by evil spirits. My personal guess is that they believed the following lie: the reason they were not blessed was Abraham's fault, and not Lot's fault. We know that the Bible says that Abraham and Lot's servants were in conflict with each other, so Abraham had let Lot separate from him. Afterwards, Lot went to Sodom. Perhaps the Moabites and Balak were thinking it was the Israelites’ fault that they were not blessed. This is like children competing to be their parents’ favorites. The Moabites could have been jealous. They probably wanted God to bless them and curse the Israelites. Balak knew it was the Lord who was speaking to Balaam, and Balak hoped that God might curse the Israelites from another place (Numbers 23:27). This proves that Balak is not cursing God. Rather, he hopes that God will curse the Israelites. This is different from the Gentiles’ worship of false gods such as Baal. Balak is not changing his position. He is instead trying to change God's will through repeated attempts.

This is in line with the principle of fasting and prayer that we cited in the beginning. We cannot change God. We can only change ourselves. The evil spirits also know this. Satan and evil spirits know that they cannot change God's loving nature, but they can change our faith in God through lies. They can also attempt to prevent us from pleasing God by tempting us to sin. Thankfully, God responds by repeatedly telling us about His loving nature and that He loves us. Remember: not only does God love Israel, but He also loved Moab and all the nations. One important reason for God's choice of the Israelites was so that one day Christ could be born through them and become a blessing to all nations. God’s intent from the beginning was to make a way for all to come under his wings. Therefore, God was not going to change His mind, nor His choice of the Israelites because this choice would eventually become a blessing to the Moabites. Later, Ruth, a descendant of Moabites, understood this truth and wanted to return to Israel with her mother-in-law to come under the Israelite’s blessing. She married Boaz and became the ancestor of Christ. This is a foreshadowing of how God would later graft in foreigners and strangers of Gentile nations into God’s covenant and family which was first established with the Israelites.

Now, let’s go deeper into how evil spirits attack us. First, they attack by deceiving us and instilling countless lies in us. Because of my past experience in rural China and some family misfortunes, I believed many lies, and these lies became strongholds within me. Later, I was delivered from these lies through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the demonic strongholds were broken.

Many people also testify to a similar experience. I mentioned earlier that children whose parents are divorced or have no parents since childhood may be deceived by lies that say, "no one loves me" or "I am unworthy of love." These are all lies. They are not the truth. But if one believes these lies, the evil spirits will have an open door to build a stronghold within them.

This does not just happen to individuals. It occurs among races and nations as well. For example, the country of China has been wounded over the past few hundred years. These hurts and humiliation can result in bitterness and hatred and be taken advantage of by evil spirits. Some races have been oppressed throughout history. Their wounds from hatred and injustice fester and multiply when left undealt with. These races can become more oppressed by evil spirits henceforth. We must address the lies and wounds in our flesh in order to loosen the enemy's strongholds. In the case of nations and races, people groups and countries must repent and seek forgiveness and reconciliation with each other in order for the strongholds to be broken and the enemy to be cast out. Until then, evil spirits are being given the authority to remain and cause further oppression.

Since some of our small group members are seeking to be physically healed, it is appropriate to talk about the relationship between these categories: fasting and prayer, the lies we believe, demonic strongholds, and our healing. God’s truth is that we all receive healing through Jesus Christ’s wounds (Isaiah 53:5), but why do many people not receive physical healing? There are many reasons for this. One of the reasons is that we have not been able to receive and accept our healing by faith. Our unbelief, the lies we believe, and strongholds reinforced by evil spirits, prevent us from receiving God's healing. We must acknowledge, remove, and replace the lies as well as remove the unbelief and bitterness. This will create an opportunity for strongholds to be demolished. Afterward, we can believe for and receive God’s blessings for us including healing.

It’s just like we see in this chapter of Numbers 23. God wanted to bless Moab which included bringing peace between them and the Israelites, but the Moabites lost their opportunity to receive God's blessings because of fear. However, God's intention remained—to bless the Moabites and let the Israelites pass through Moab. If they passed through peacefully, it would have removed the Moabites’ fears and the anxiety they carried.

In the same way, God longs to bless our soul and body. The general principle we follow is that God always wills to heal our body. However, there is always something that can prevent us from accepting God's blessings. The lies of the enemy are often, "God does not heal people today;" "God does not perform miracles today;" or "You don’t deserve God's healing." Once you believe these lies, it will be difficult for you to have faith that you’ll be healed.

Therefore, the lie is the first method used by the enemy. Other lies like "God does not love us" or "God has abandoned us" leads to an orphaned spirit. Just like the Moabites here—they lived in fear, and not in love. The Bible says that there is no fear in love, and perfect love casts out fear (ESV, 1 John 4:18). Therefore, anything that makes you scared is not from God because the spirit God gave us is not a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control (ESV, 2 Timothy 1:7).

The second method of the enemy is to make us sin and leave the position of God blessing us. This is what is recorded in Numbers 25. After Balaam realized that he could not curse the Israelites, he instigated Balak to encourage the Israelites to fornicate with the Moabite women. They fell into this trap and sinned which aroused God’s wrath and incited a plague that killed 24,000 Israelites. Committing sin is often a result of believing lies and having an orphaned spirit. The thought process behind one’s motivation to sin is usually, "No one cares about me anyway; I’ve got nothing to lose." Yet, God loves us. There are also many people who love us, so we should not sin. Although God is gracious, we should avoid sin because sin still brings suffering in the form of unpleasant and negative repercussions and consequences. Even the Israelites who were so blessed by God were severely disciplined by Him for their error. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Let’s instead be holy.

We can learn from the lesson of the Moabites in this chapter. Let’s rid ourselves of our prejudices and judgements because of past hurts. Let’s change our perspective, demolish the strongholds within us, and let ourselves receive God’s love, blessings, and healing.

Written on December 14, 2020.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 20

Numbers 20 is the story of how Moses did not follow God's command when asked to strike a rock to produce water. Instead of following God’s exact directions to hit the rock once, Moses struck the rock twice. God still acted mercifully to allow water to flow out for the Israelites. Later, however, God chastised Moses and Aaron for not believing in Him, nor upholding Him as holy in the eyes of the Israelites. Because of this, they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12).

A man in our Bible study asked, “How do Moses’ actions show that he did not believe in God?” I replied, “You must use the former Israelite spies as a reference because they were also regarded as unbelieving spies by God.” The spies were regarded by God as having no faith because they exaggerated the height of the Canaanites and underestimated God’s promise. They regarded the enemy as able to triumph over God's promise to lead them into the Promised Land. The spies’ disheartened position in the face of enemy weakened the Israelites’ faith and led them to believe that their inability was greater than God’s promise and God’s power. They trusted more in what their eyes could see than in what the Lord had spoken. Thankfully, the Israelites inability did not overcome God’s ability. Caleb and Joshua are examples of those who believed. Since God had already promised that they would be brought into the Promised Land, they did not waiver in their belief. They put God's promise first. They said, “Let's go up for we will devour them.” Faith is putting God's promise first and not allowing yourself to be frightened by the immediate circumstances.

The same principle can be applied to Moses and Aaron. What did Moses regard as larger than God? Moses did not exemplify complete trust in the Lord. Moses was disappointed with the Israelites. His disappointment with the people’s inability surpassed God's promise and hope for them. Thus, he acted in disobedience and God regarded him as unbelieving. Although Moses believed the first time, he did not believe God the second time. Why? His discouragement affected his faith.

At the beginning of this chapter, the death of Miriam, Moses’ sister, is recorded. We can assume that Moses loved his sister. Without Moses’ sister, there would be no Moses. When Moses was put into the river as a child, it was Moses' sister who stood by watching him. When Pharaoh's daughter came to bathe, Miriam talked with Pharaoh's daughter and offered to find a Hebrew mother to nurse him. Miriam arranged for her mother to take care of him. In other words, without Miriam, Moses might have died.

In later years, Miriam rebelled against Moses and God struck her with leprosy. Aaron asked Moses to beg God to remove Miriam's leprosy. Moses prayed to God and God answered his prayer by allowing Miriam to be healed after her confinement outside the camp for seven days. We see that Moses had no resentment toward his sister. We can imagine that Miriam's death had a huge personal impact on Moses. He was likely very sad. Miriam's death also happened at a special time. It was right about the time when the Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. The first generation of Israelites were almost dead. Perhaps Miriam, Aaron (who dies at the end of this chapter), Moses (who dies shortly after), and Caleb and Joshua (who entered the Promised Land), were among the few people from the first generation who were still alive.

Now, we arrive at the story of Moses and the rock. The Israelites were already tired after about forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses was also tired. The second generation made the same mistake as the first generation. They complained again that there was no water to drink. Tired and sad Moses became irritated by the people. At first, he remained humble before God. He fell facedown just like he had when Korah attacked him. God responded and asked Moses to speak to the rock to produce water. But when Moses came before the Israelites, he reverted to being angry. Why? Perhaps when Moses went before God, he hoped that God would avenge him as He did when He disciplined Korah the last time. God did not act the same this time. My guess is that Moses’ response was a way of venting the pent-up pain and anger he had held in his heart.

Moses’ mistake is also one often made by pastors. Sometimes we feel disappointed with the people we lead and shepherd. Such disappointment must be dealt with at the cross. It should not affect our emotions and decisions. I discussed this with a classmate who is a Korean pastor. I asked him to tell me about the hardest thing he has faced since becoming a pastor. His church is not big. One time, a family that faithfully served in the church, suddenly left without giving him any explanation. I comforted him by suggesting, “Maybe God had a different direction for them, but they were too scared to tell you. It is not necessarily that they had bad intentions by not telling you.” I tried to encourage him not to be disappointed in people, and to have faith in God. Whether it’s Moses or my Korean pastor friend, we should all have greater faith in God's ability to lead His chosen people than in the difficulties we face in the environment around us. True faith exceeds the disappointment brought by the environment. Keeping God’s promise before one’s eyes, above the difficulties, is faith. This does not mean we do not acknowledge that we will face failures in the church or in the Christians we care for.

So why did God regard Aaron as unbelieving? It seems that Aaron didn't do anything. A man in our study commented that because Aaron did nothing, that’s why he was regarded as unbelieving. I believe he was right. Aaron was a priest. He should have interceded for Moses as well as help him to overcome his weakness. But Aaron did nothing. His inaction was unbelief in the eyes of God. During the previous judgment on Korah, Aaron took the censer to intercede and it stopped the plague. This time, Aaron didn't intercede for Moses which demonstrates that he didn't fulfill his responsibilities as a priest and thus was disciplined by God. God determined Aaron’s death before he would reach the Promised Land too.

The Bible records that Moses and Aaron did not uphold God as holy in the eyes of the Israelites in this matter (Numbers 20:12). Verse 13 (ESV) concludes, "These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy." Why does it say here that God showed himself holy through them?

God’s judgment in Numbers 16 begins with Korah being swallowed up by the earth. The chapter continues to talk about the 250 elders burned by fire; 14,700 people killed from the plague; the warning of the budding of Aaron’s rod in Numbers 17; and the decreasing degree of judgment on the Israelites. We notice that God's judgment is more severe with those closer to the Holy of Holies, and with those who try to touch His authority. With those closer to the outer courtyard and whose spiritual lives are not as mature, God shows mercy. This is a basic principle of God. Moses did not represent God's disposition. Instead, he got angry. He should have showed mercy to the second generation of the Israelites when they immaturely complained. He should have taken pity on them instead of judging them, since mercy triumphs over judgment. This would have been upholding God as holy—upholding God’s holy character.

Let’s consider the difference. Moses also got angry when Korah rebelled, but God did not criticize Moses for this. Instead, God supported Moses, severely disciplining Korah and burning 250 elders with him who had rebelled against God. This included the death of 14,700 people from the plague God sent. This is an example of God's severe judgment. Thankfully, God's anger is temporary; His kindness and mercy are everlasting. Although God disciplined the first generation of Israel, he treated the second generation with kindness. The same principle exists for churches today. Sometimes we may need the courage from God to point out the mistakes of certain mature believers so that they can grow even more and serve God and others well. For immature and new believers, the reigning principle is love. If we are too strict with them, they will often stumble.

Of course, Moses knew this principle. Exodus 34:6-7 (ESV) records the Lord’s appearing to Moses. It states, "The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.’” God’s holy nature is characterized as slow to anger, especially for people whose spiritual lives are immature. His mercy prevails over His anger or judgment. Moses knew this was the character he should embody, so his disobedience was an act of deliberate sin. Moses was furious at the second generation of Israelites for violating God’s holy nature, but God, full of kindness, still gave the living water to the second generation. In this way, God upheld his own righteousness to the Israelites.

The following verses (14-22) record the story of Moses attempting to lead the Israelites through Edom. Unfortunately, the king of Edom did not allow them to pass through. When this happened, God ordered the Israelites not to contend with Edom because God gave Esau the country of Seir as a possession (ESV, Deuteronomy 2:5). Therefore, Moses requested of their king to let them pass through in accordance with the requirements set forth by God in Deuteronomy. Moses also offered to pay for the food they would eat and the water they would drink (Deuteronomy 2:6). The King of Edom still denied their request.

At this point in our bible study, the same man asked, “Are the pillars of cloud and fire going to lead the Israelites through Edom?” If God was leading them in this direction, why didn't Edom let them pass through? When Edom refused to let them pass through, what was God’s attitude? I read Amos 1 to this man, where it says that God judged Edom because Edom chased his brother with a sword. Amos 1:11 (ESV) says, “Thus says the Lord: ‘For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and cast off all pity, and his anger tore perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever.’" We can see that God was unhappy that Edom did not let the Israelites pass through. This verse indirectly demonstrates that it was God’s plan to lead them through Edom. If God knew the king would not allow them to pass through, why did God lead the Israelites to Edom in the first place? Maybe God wanted the brothers to reconcile, or maybe he wanted the Israelites to testify to the Edomites about him, telling them how much God cares for the Israelites. Perhaps when the Edomites heard this, they would exalt God’s name and return to Him. In today’s language, we would say the Israelites were being given the opportunity to evangelize. Unfortunately, Edom refused.

Israel’s journey can be likened to a planter of the gospel. They sowed the seeds of the gospel wherever they went. As Psalm 126:5 (ESV) says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” This sentence refers to the Israelites who wandered and were taken into captivity. When they were in Egypt, they sowed seeds just as Joseph testified of God's greatness to Pharaoh. When they passed through the wilderness, they sowed seeds because God’s pillar of cloud and fire went before them. They also reaped. Rahab, for example, became an ancestor of Christ. The Israelites journey went from Egypt (the world, the flesh, and the outer courtyard) to the wilderness (the soul and the sanctuary) and then to the Promised Land (the spirit and the Holy of Holies). Their journey was a continuous process of sanctification for the body, soul, and spirit. However, wherever they went, they had the tabernacle (God’s dwelling place) with them.

The same is true for New Testament Christians. Each believer is a tabernacle of God. We are constantly being sanctified. Our body represents the outer court, our soul represents the Holy Place, and our spirit represents the Holy of Holies where the Spirit of God dwells. We meet with God spirit to spirit when we pray. We also take God’s presence wherever we go, and this is the process of manifesting God to the outside world. We are carriers of God’s presence. In the end, we are all sowers and reapers.

The Israelites journey and our journeys are representations of the flowing river of life that springs forth from the throne of God (Revelation 22:1). It is alive and flowing. Edom represents our flesh (the dependents of Lot and his daughter), and our flesh cannot be dealt with by spiritual warfare or deliverance. It must be slowly and deliberately dealt with by the work of the cross. As people often say, “YOU CANNOT CAST YOUR FLESH OUT OF YOU.” The Canaanites, however, represent the strongholds of evil spirits in our lives. We need to cast these out through spiritual warfare and God's help. These are not just a matter of relying on the work of the cross. Evil spirits must be cast out through deliverance. Thankfully, God is with us. We are able to deal with the flesh and renew our souls, while also driving out the enemy and breaking the enemy's strongholds.

Let’s take a deeper look at the symbolism of the incident with the rock. God stood before Moses when He asked Moses to strike the rock the first time (Exodus 17:6). This represents the work of Christ. The first generation is symbolic of one’s flesh being dealt with by the work of cross. The second generation deals with the transformation of the soul, which is the renewal and change of the soul in the wilderness. Striking the rock the first time is symbolic of our first encounter with Christ when we receive salvation and the Holy Spirit. Speaking to the rock the second time also produces water (the life of the Holy Spirit), but this is a representation of the work of the Holy Spirit in us. As we mature, we must be prepared to speak to the rock by faith so that the Holy Spirit can work in our lives. We move from a salvation experience to mature sons and daughters.

The wilderness represents a place of trials. We are reaching the end. The Israelites' journey in the wilderness was about to end, and Moses' sister Miriam had died. The trials in the wilderness and the thirst in the desert are environments created by God to cause us to hunger and thirst in our spirits. In other words, God designed the wilderness. Because of the dryness and thirst, the Israelites called on the Lord. In fact, this is a picture of what it looks like to yearn for being filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a thirst created by God. The purpose is to cause people to pursue the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Initially, Moses didn't understand this. Whether he missed this because he was in low spirits or simply impatient, Moses suffered the consequences for it.

Christians today can experience this spiritually. When your life or ministry is brought to a point where you find yourself thirsty, suffocated, disheartened and disappointed, remember that this is an environment God created for you to allow you to see that you need the living water brought by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This living water alone will satisfy your hunger and thirst, and it will cause you to cry out for the abundance of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, many people who carry a traditional understanding of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, fail to realize that this is a separate experience that follows salvation. Perhaps this is the mistake Moses made here. His restricted understanding toward old traditions caused him to miss out on God’s second blessing.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the second blessing Christians can receive. Many churches teach that we are filled with the Holy Spirit after we are saved, and that there is no second infilling. The Local Church Movement (LCM) teaches something similar. They believe that persons are baptized into the body of Christ once and for all because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. They preach that it is through faith that one receives the baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit subsequent to the salvation experience. Sometimes it’s unclear how to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit through faith. We may not clearly know what manifestations we are expecting to receive after being filled.

I tried to pursue the baptism of the Holy Spirit during my time with the LCM, but I wasn’t able to receive it. I only later received this baptism in a Charismatic church. After being baptized with the Holy Spirit, I experienced many external manifestations including stumbling (as a result of my inability to stand), speaking in tongues, receiving prophetic or other miraculous gifts, and experiencing electric currents flowing through my body. Not everyone who experiences the baptism of the Holy Spirit has the same external manifestations. I would be more concerned if there were no manifestation at all. An illustration by Derek Prince may be help us understand why this is. Prince called those who were baptized in the spirit but not speaking in tongues, elephants without a TRUNK or NOSE. It is possible that an elephant lacks a trunk due to an accident or abnormality, but the normal is that an elephant has a trunk. (After all, this is part of what makes an elephant an elephant!) In the same way, when a Christian does not speak in tongues, it does not mean they have not been baptized in the Spirit, but it should be natural that a believer can and will speak in tongues after they have been baptized. Speaking in tongues is proof that God’s Spirit has come upon them (as He did at Pentecost), and it’s important proof that one has been marked by the Spirit just as having a trunk is the marker and proof that one is an elephant. Of course, we can still tell if an animal is an elephant by seeing its big ears, big body, and other dominant characteristics, but the complete package is that an elephant has all these elements.

My experience even surprised me. When I was baptized with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit came upon me in such a way that I took a dozen steps back and fell to the ground. As I mentioned, I also experienced electric currents flowing through my head for several months. I received miraculous gifts, and I believe I can now more keenly discern things in the spiritual world. I also often have prophetic dreams of being taken to heaven and paradise. I believe that there is a second blessing Christians can receive called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I personally believe that we receive the Holy Spirit upon faith in Jesus Christ and this marks the regeneration of a person’s spirit unto eternal life. This is what is referred to in John 20:22 (ESV): “And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” However, we only receive power from on high when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit as recorded in the book of Acts. I also believe we can receive different degrees of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in various stages of our lives. It is even possible that we were baptized in the Holy Spirit without us realizing it or showing signs of any manifestations including speaking in tongues. I do encourage people to practice speaking in tongues after one is baptized in the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, if you haven’t received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you can yearn for it and you’ll be able to receive it. This experience will completely change your Christian life.

At the end of our meeting, we prayed that God would strengthen us so that we would be able to face the various trials in our lives. May we receive God’s strength and the filling of the Holy Spirit for all kinds of trials—from Egypt to the wilderness and on to the Promised Land. Let us become sowers and reapers, and never stop preaching the aroma of God’s gospel wherever we may go. The aroma lets those who reject God’s gospel to die and those who accept God’s gospel to live (2 Corinthians 2:14-15). We also pray for the Holy Spirit to fill us so that we can not only deal with the flesh but break the enemy’s strongholds. It is difficult for us to break the enemy’s strongholds without the baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to pursue this today.

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I have been fervently praying for America. There is a fierce spiritual battle going on in this country, and it often appears that the dark forces are winning. I am convinced of a different reality, however. Defeat is not the future of America. Though our natural eyes see a bleak situation, our eyes of faith allow us to see a spiritual reality of hope and restoration. Through countless dreams, God has shown me that a great revival is coming to many countries, including America and China. The intense spiritual battles that are going on around us are the enemy’s attempt to stop these future revivals, but God’s plans will not be defeated.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to lead an online Chinese Christian Bible study. This group had been reading the book of Deuteronomy and learning about Moses’ prophecies regarding the Twelve Tribes. The group didn't understand the meaning of these prophecies, so they invited me to share my perspective. The Holy Spirit led me to compare Moses’ prophecies with Jacob’s prophecies in Genesis 49. Both passages offer prophetic visions about the Twelve Tribes. I believed that comparing these two chapters would give them a better understanding. As we were talking about Jacob and Moses’ prophecies of Joseph, the Holy Spirit spoke though my mouth. I began to proclaim that America is the Joseph of today and that her branches run over the wall. Each Christian who is fighting for America can also be the Joseph of today. When countless “Josephs” strengthen their bows to resist the enemy, God will begin to save the world. The difficult environment that America is currently facing will be a catalyst for change. Countless Josephs can arise making America, the collective Joseph, even stronger.

I felt the Holy Spirit on these words to the group. In fact, I felt as if these were God’s hidden plans for America. As we examine this prophecy deeper, it becomes obvious that the Spirit was using pictorial language based on the biblical images of trees and branches. First, I was led to Genesis 49:22 which says, “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a fountain; His branches run over the wall.” The Holy Spirit explained this metaphor: Joseph represents America today. She is a fruitful bough. Her branches run over the wall, bearing abundant fruit all over the world. Although the archers (49:23) tried their best to attack her, her bows will be unmoved, and her arm will still be agile (49:24). God will certainly rise to help her (49:25) and bless her greatly. What a great thing to hear about the condition of America! God’s calling for America is also represented by Moses’ prophecy over Joseph: “His horns are the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall gore the peoples, all of them, to the ends of the earth” (Deuteronomy 33:17). This verse prophetically speaks about America’s role. They should continue to play the role of the “horns of the wild ox.” That is, they should spread the gospel to every country in the world and “gore” the people and nations who resist the Gospel.

Joseph Is A Fruitful Vine

Let’s look deeper at the prophetic implication of these verses in Genesis. The Bible says that Joseph is a fruitful bough. He’s a lovely vine by a fountain; his branches run over the wall (Genesis 49:22). Using the same metaphor, the Lord Jesus told us, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Joseph was a branch that depended on God as his vine. Joseph was the fruit of the prayers of his mother, Rachel, after an extended period of infertility. He was his father’s favorite, a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Joseph embraced the God of his fathers and his roots were Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. He was firmly attached to the vine of God. Even after a series of life hardships, Joseph still flourished like a vine because he was deeply rooted in the soil. We don't know how Joseph spent his years in prison, but it is not hard to imagine that Joseph stayed connected to God through prayer. Hardship and the prayer it inspires, help us root our lives and identities in God.

Joseph’s Branches Run Over the Wall

One of my hobbies is planting fruit trees. I also enjoy reading articles about effective horticulture. On the internet, I saw pictures of a fruit tree planted close to the neighbors' yard. A heavy bough, laden with fruit, was hanging over the fence into the next yard. In many cases, tall courtyard walls hide the branches that spill over the wall into the next yard. Because of this, the owner of the fruit tree may not be able to see the fruit hanging on the branches in their neighbor's yard.

Joseph originally lived in Canaan with Jacob and his eleven brothers. Suddenly, his brothers attacked him, sold him to the Ishmaelites, and brought him to Egypt. Metaphorically, we can say that the archers (his brothers) attacked him. Later, Potiphar's wife (who was another archer used by the enemy) falsely accused him of rape and sent him to prison. Genesis 49:23 describes this series of tragedies: “The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely.” Why? Because Joseph had God’s calling on his life. God wanted to save the world through him. Because of God's calling on his life, evil spirits used humans to vigorously attack Joseph. These “archers” tried their best to attack Joseph. Psalm 105:18-19 says of Joseph, “His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.”

But this suffering did not knock Joseph down. On the contrary, God was with him wherever he went. God helped him, strengthened him, and turned his life into a beautiful testimony of salvation. Through Joseph, the world was saved from famine. Because of his godliness, Joseph received the firstborn rights which the eldest son, Reuben, lost because of his immorality. Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, received double portions of the land and became two separate tribes of Israel. This fulfills the prophecy of Genesis 49:24: “Yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).”

These words of prophecy were not solely heartfelt words of blessing from Jacob to his son Joseph, but they were also words inspired by God. Jacob went on, “By the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers" (Genesis 49:25-26). In the life of Joseph, we see an example of God’s wishes for America.

America, A Modern-Day Joseph

If we as Christians are rooted in the Lord, we can become like Joseph, a fruitful vine that extends over the wall. Joseph does not just represent individuals but also countries that are called by God to witness for Him. In the Old Testament, Joseph represents Israel. God wanted Israel to be His witness to the nations in order to attract them to Him.

Today, Joseph represents America. America was founded so that Christians could worship Jesus freely. Modern-day America is like Israel in the Old Testament: a city on a hill, a light to the world, and a witness for Jesus Christ. I have often heard it said that since its founding, America is responsible for sending more financial aid and missionary witnesses than any country in history. America is a modern-day Joseph. Her branches run over the wall, bearing fruit outside her borders.

I came to the United States in 2002. Although there was a Gospel revival in China at that time, most of the revival took place in rural areas where the Chinese government’s control was less strict. In cities and universities, intellectuals have almost no or little chance to hear the Gospel. So, God created an environment, allowing many Chinese scholars to study in the US. It is estimated that half of the students from mainland China who came to the US received the Gospel. Almost every campus in the US maintains campus fellowship groups to preach the Gospel to Chinese students. These groups include Chinese Christians and Chinese churches but also American Christian campus ministries such as Campus Crusade. I was saved in one of these campus fellowship groups in Southern California.

Without America, I may not have received Christ. After I was saved, I continued to study Christian literature available in English. I am now currently finishing a Doctor of Ministry degree program. As I have studied, I realized that the richness of American Christianity rooted me more firmly in America and in the Christian traditions of Europe and the ancient church. Although we are all rooted in Christ directly, we are also rooted in our Christian traditions through our language and culture. Many Christian works have not yet been translated into Chinese, and I would not have been able to access this information were it not for English translations available in America. Through the English Christian classics, I have become rooted in thousands of years of Christian tradition.

Just like Joseph was rooted by the fountain, the United States is rooted in thousands of years of rich history of European Christian civilization. Their roots go all the way back to Paul's gospel work in Europe, which can be traced back to the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth. God has called America to be rooted by the fountain, like Joseph, and send her fruit-bearing branches over the wall to many nations. As a result, however, archers are attacking America severely. Evil spirits are finding numerous ways to shoot at her, seeking to lure her into sin. Through the sins of the flesh and of the worldly nations that are against America, evil spirits attack her simultaneously from both the inside and the outside. Their purpose is to cut down America, the expansive vine that is rooted in God.

America Will Not Be Taken Down!

After I received the revelation about America being like Joseph, I exclaimed, “Now, they are cutting America off from its roots, which is the same as cutting me off from my roots. They absolutely can’t do that! Not on my watch!” I explained to the Chinese Christians in the meeting why I felt so strongly to resist the opposition with my proclamation, “Not on my watch!” It’s not because I’m arrogant. Instead, it’s because I’ve made up my mind to become a modern-day Joseph. No matter how hard the archers try to attack us, we must remain unmoved. Our arms must remain agile because the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob will help us. He will bless us. He will bless America, just like he blessed Joseph. The all-sufficient God of Jacob will bless Joseph with blessings of heaven from above, blessings of the deep that lie beneath, and blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

Each Christian has the opportunity to stand as a modern-day Joseph. Meanwhile, America is the collective modern-day Joseph. Jacob’s blessings to Joseph surpass the blessings of Jacob's ancestors, reaching the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills; these blessings will be on Joseph's head and on the crown of the heads of those who are separated from their brothers (Genesis 49:25-26). These words are for Americans today. Although I thank God for using President Trump, he is not our salvation. Our salvation comes through the rising of the Church as every Christian becomes like Joseph. As each of us rises to become like Joseph, rooted in God, our branches will bear fruit, run over the wall, and make an impact on people outside the church walls. Our relatives, friends, and those who have not yet believed in the Lord will be reached by our low-hanging branches of Christian fruit and testimony.

Therefore, I said, “Don’t lose hope.” I encouraged the Chinese American Christians in that meeting. Because of the current difficulties, some of them were believing the lie that America was about to be defeated and abandoned by God. “God will not abandon America,” I said. America will not be defeated. America is Joseph. Although the archers are trying to attack her, her bow remains unmoved. As American Christians wake up, they will use their agile arms to fight back. The God of Jacob will help us. This is Jacob's prophecy to Joseph and it’s the Holy Spirit’s words for America today. If American Christians ever needed encouragement, it’s now. We Chinese believers are fruits of America’s branches that ran over the wall. America’s branches have borne countless fruits and have run all over the world.

I don't know about the rest of the world, but I know that in America and China alone, there are millions of Chinese Christians praying for America. We stand like Aaron and Hur, who held up Moses’ hands and prayed while Joshua was fighting his battle against his enemies. There are countless Christians in other countries praying that America (Joseph) will be able to fight her battles well. This battle will end with victory. God will definitely help America because God is the Shepherd and the Stone of Israel (and America as well) (Genesis 49:24).

Horns Of A Wild Ox

Moses’ prophecy to Joseph has some similarities to Jacob’s prophecy. In it, Joseph received all the blessings in heaven and on earth (Deuteronomy 33:13-15). Like Jacob, Moses described Joseph as a “prince among his brothers” (Deuteronomy 33:16). In addition, Joseph was described as “a firstborn bull—he has majesty, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall gore the peoples, all of them, to the ends of the earth; they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh” (Deuteronomy 33:17).

Joseph had authority and power. He was the steward in the house of Pharaoh in Egypt. His brothers bowed before him. Joseph dealt harshly with his brothers, even throwing Simeon in jail. In the end, he led his brothers to repent of their sins. Likewise, a modern-day Joseph will not only bring the Gospel of Life to the world but will also be a majestic bull with the horns of a wild ox. America is like Joseph in this respect as well. God has blessed her, and she has become the most powerful country in the world. She upholds justice and spreads the Gospel to the ends of the world. America will fiercely gore the nations and people who resist God and the Gospel, with the horns of a wild ox. This is why nations unite to try to knock America down. Unfortunately for them, God has already ordained Joseph's future and thus America’s too.

Written by Sean Song on October 19, 2021. (All scriptures are quoted from English Standard Version.)

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Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 26

Numbers 26 tells the story of the second generation of Israelites being counted. After the counting, God divided the Promised Land by lot. Why had the land already been divided when they hadn’t entered the Promised Land yet? God’s planned time had come and the Israelites had already been wandering in the wilderness for forty years. The first generation of Israelites had already been judged, so the second generation was tired and discouraged. God's grace and mercy were manifested at this time. He led them into the land He had promised. Although they had not yet entered the Promised Land, there is no concept of time to God. Thus, God divided the land by lot before they entered the Promised Land. Also, this time was a great encouragement to their faith, helping them have more faith in fighting against the evil spirits that occupied the Promised Land. Today, we will discuss God's perfect timing and sovereignty in the lives of both generations of Israel and in our own lives today.

God’s Promises vs. Our Experiences This chapter starts with the Lord asking Moses to count the people of Israel a second time. The first count was in Numbers 1. At that time, the number of the people of Israel was 603,550. This time, the number of people was 601,730. These were two generations of Israelites. Both generations had a chance to enter the land the Lord promised them. But after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the first generation fell in the wilderness because of unbelief. The second generation also had God’s promise that they would enter the Promised Land.

We must look at the problem from the perspective of the second generation. Like the first generation of Israelites, the second generation also experienced all kinds of unbelief, weakness, and failure. They might have thought, “The first generation also had the promise of God, but because of their unbelief, they were not able to enter the Promised Land. We have God's promise, but we also have failures, weaknesses, and unbelief. Will we also be disciplined by God and not be allowed to enter the Promised Land like the first generation?” It’s very normal to have this kind of thinking. For example, after God sent the flood to wipe out all humanity except Noah's family, He made a covenant with Noah with the sign of the rainbow, saying that He would never send a flood again to wipe out the earth. From here we see that God knows that people understood His warning. He made this covenant so that people would not fear His judgment by flood every time it rains. Similarly, the failure of the first generation of Israelites had a negative impact on the hearts of the second generation of Israelites.

Similar ideas have also emerged in the 2020 US election. Many Christians believed the prophecies of some prophets, saying that God chose Trump to be the President of the United States for eight consecutive years. But so far (as of March 11, 2021), this has not been fulfilled. Two attitudes emerged at this time. One attitude says that these were false prophecies. Some of the prophets who made such prophecies apologized and admitted their mistakes. Another attitude says that the prophecy was not wrong. Trump was indeed elected, but the election was stolen. These people believe that God is working behind the scenes to miraculously bring Trump back to the White House.

There is a further breakdown of beliefs among the Christians who believe in the prophecy that God chose Trump. One side believes that we didn’t repent enough, so God didn’t intervene. He handed us over to the enemy so that we would repent more. Many of God’s prophetic words are conditional. For example, God wanted to destroy Nineveh. But if Nineveh repented, God would change His mind. Similarly, God promised the first generation of Israelites that they could enter the Promised Land, but because they failed to meet the conditions of having faith, God did not bring them into the Promised Land.

Others believe that we do have enough people to repent. If Sodom had had ten righteous people, God promised to not destroy it. Currently, there are more than ten people in the United States who are repenting, and there are Christians all over the world who are praying for the United States and Trump. Because the United States has been a major light for the gospel, Christians all over the world hope that the United States can continue to be ruled by those who support Christians and the gospel. Therefore, it is not that God does not interfere with what happens here on earth, but that He has greater wisdom. He does not “play chess” according to our time and thinking. God's prophecy to save America this time is not conditional, but unconditional. The time of God has come. God wants to release a great revival in the United States and in the rest of the world. His interference is unstoppable.

Conditional vs. Unconditional Promises Is the prophecy about the second generation of Israel entering the Promised Land conditional or unconditional? Let’s consider this in detail. First, let’s review. When Moses struck the rock the first time, God was angry and punished Moses, saying that he did not uphold Him as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel. When Korah and others rebelled, God severely judged the first generation of Israel. But when Moses hit the rock the second time, the second generation of Israelites were the ones who wanted water. God was unwilling to severely judge the second generation of Israelites because they were spiritual infants, and God's grace and mercy were far greater than His judgment on them. In our spiritual experience, the first generation of Israelites represents our old man, while the second generation of Israelites represents our immature life in Christ. Both have weaknesses and flesh, but the natures of the two are completely different. In this matter, God definitely abided by His prophetic words and brought the second generation of Israelites into the Promised Land.

It is precisely because of this, and the fact that there is no time to God, that God divided the land by lot in the wilderness for the second generation of Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. This was to increase their faith and ability, and for them to be able to fight and defeat God’s enemies when entering the Promised Land. The time of God had come. He had commanded the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for forty years. Therefore, regardless of the second generation of Israelites’ weaknesses, God had to lead them into the Promised Land. In other words, God’s promises to the first generation of Israelites were conditional. They were not united by faith with those who listened (Hebrews 4:2)[1], and therefore could not enter the Land God had promised. But this prophecy was unconditional for the second generation, because God's sovereignty arranged them to enter the Promised Land at that time.

The Location of the Second Counting After looking at God's timing, we will look at the importance of where they were. Let's look at two scriptures that the Holy Spirit illuminated to me as I studied this passage. The first verse is Numbers 26:3, "Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with the Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho…" This verse talks about the place where Moses and the priest counted the Israelites. Similarly, verse 26:63 repeated this phrase and said, "These were those listed by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who listed the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho." We all know that one written word of the Bible is worth a thousand pieces of gold. The Bible is written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If it is not absolutely necessary, it was not recorded in the Bible. The apostle John said, “If every one of the things which Jesus did were to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). From this point of view, the words repeated in the Bible must have a very important meaning. Otherwise there is absolutely no need to repeat them. Therefore, from this principle, it is very meaningful that Numbers 26 repeated the place where the counting happened.

Moab is the descendant of incest between Lot and his daughter. It is a representation of our flesh and sins in the flesh. Jericho is a city occupied by the Canaanites, the enemies of God. It represents the evil spirits and the strongholds that the evil spirits build in us. The Jordan River is a dividing line that separates the wilderness from the Promised Land. The Israelites had to cross the Jordan River to leave the wilderness and enter the land promised by God. In our spiritual experience, crossing the Jordan River represents our spiritual victory of overcoming the world, our flesh, and sin; being able to enter the abundant spiritual life God has prepared for us; being able to break the evil spirits and the strongholds built by the evil spirits in us; and defeating our spiritual enemies. This spiritual representation applies not only to the spiritual experience of individual Christians, but also to the collective spiritual experience of the Church.

Therefore, the place where the Israelites were counted has a very special spiritual significance. We can imagine ourselves as the Israelites here. They had been wandering in the flesh and in the wilderness for forty years. They were full of failures and weaknesses. But they also had God's promise and His presence. On the one hand, the place where God wanted to lead them was the land He had promised. But on the other hand, it was occupied by the enemy. The fear and lack of faith of the first generation of Israelites led to God’s anger and discipline, preventing them from entering the Promised Land. The Jordan River was also in front of them. Although the Jordan River is not as big as the Red Sea, they didn't know if God would perform miracles and dry up the Jordan River for them to cross over. They had seen their parents fail. They were also tired and discouraged, not knowing whether God would bring them into the Promised Land according to what He had promised them.

Not only do many Christians in the United States feel this way about the election, but many individual Christians also have similar situations in their lives. How many people have God's words, but are still unsure if God will fulfill His promises? This includes personal prophetic words, or universal prophetic words in the Bible (for example, “by His stripes, we are healed”). Many people believe that God will fulfill His promises, but the fulfillment is delayed. I think this is many people’s experience. In this US election, some people who believed in the prophetic words about Trump’s reelection feel this way. Is it true that God promised that Trump would be re-elected? If God really promised this, is it a conditional promise or an unconditional promise? Many people are confused.

I personally feel that God’s promise to the second generation of Israelites here is an unconditional promise. In God’s sovereignty this was the time, arrangement, and place He had planned. So, no matter the weaknesses and failures of this generation of Israelites, God would sustain them as they entered the Promised Land. He does the same for us in situations we face. We may be bound by our flesh, but He brings us into His promises and helps us defeat the enemies that lie ahead.

How God Encourages God's comfort and encouragement were very important at this time. God had to let the second generation of Israelites know clearly that it was His sovereign plan to bring them into the Promised Land. As God was with Moses, He promised to be with them and also with Joshua. The goal of prophecy is upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation (1 Corinthians 14:3). Prophecy is not to prove how accurate someone prophesying can be or to prove that we are able to foresee what God will do. The goal of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ because His testimony is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). Prophecy is the light in the darkness. Peter said, "We have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;" (2 Peter 1:19).

When people who prophesy focus on themselves, they often make mistakes because the focus of prophecy should not be on us, but on Jesus’ testimony and on consolation, upbuilding, and encouraging the discouraged.

For example, let’s look at modern day prophecies. Although the prophecies about Trump have caused a lot of controversy, many people who prophesy have apologized for their “false prophecies”. Unfulfilled prophecies do not mean that we should no longer prophesy or pay attention to God's prophetic words. On the contrary, we need to pay more attention to God's prophetic words and the people who share them. But what we must focus on is Jesus’ testimony and strengthening, comforting, and encouraging others. When we prophesy and release prophetic words, we must understand God's heart and His love. When we rebel against God in the flesh, God will discipline us. His promises may be delayed because of our unbelief and rebellion. In this case, the prophecies seem to be conditional. It is about whether we have faith or not.

Even if we are weak in the flesh or are discouraged with ourselves and reality, God's faithfulness and power will give us strength. Although God disciplines us, His purpose is to love us and help us be spiritually mature, not to make us fall. Therefore, when we are weak, He stretches out His steadfast hand to give us support. In the end, we will win spiritual battles not by relying on our flesh, but by the mercy and faithfulness of God, who will sustain us to the end. Whether it is a Red Sea moment for the first generation of the Israelites or a Jordan River moment for the second generation of the Israelites, the prophecies are unconditional. It is about God’s faithfulness to us. Remember that the Bible tells us, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful.” (2 Timothy 2:13)

In the Flesh or in the Spirit? So, it is not a question of true or false prophecies, but a question of whether we are in the flesh. Similarly, it is not the law’s fault, but whether the person who obeys the law is of the flesh or the spirit. If we set our mind on the flesh, it is death, but if we set our mind on the Spirit, it is life and peace (Romans 8:6). God’s prophecy for the first generation of Israelites was not wrong. But because the Israelites were in the flesh, full of unbelief and rebellion, they were not united by faith with God’s promise. So, this promise could not be fulfilled. But the flesh of the second generation of Israelites had already been dealt with to a considerable extent after forty years in the wilderness. Although they still had their flesh, God's mercy and faithfulness held them back, allowing them to manifest God’s strength and power when their flesh was weak.

As David said, "The battle is the Lord's" (1 Samuel 17:47). 2 Chronicles 20:2 records the Moabites and Ammonites attacking Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. If the Jews represent our spiritual person, and the Moabites and Ammonites represent our flesh, we can see that the disturbances and harm of the flesh toward our spirit lasts for a long time. Even after we arrive at the Promised Land, we have to face the evil spirits and strongholds (represented by the Canaanites). We also need to face the bondage of the flesh. Faced with such a situation, Jehoshaphat said to the Israelites: "Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed." (2 Chronicles 20:20) Jehoshaphat led the Israelites to pray and praise the Lord, and they won the battle. We also need this in our spiritual journeys today.

In summary, when the time of wandering in the wilderness had passed and it was time for the second generation of Israelites to cross the Jordan, God confirmed His promise to them and brought them into the Promised Land. The spiritual meaning of counting the Israelites is like when the angel measured the temple in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 40:5). The purpose of it was to check and inspect the spiritual condition of the Israelites. Only God can measure us. In God’s eyes, when David counted the Israelites, he sinned seriously. When God was there to count the Israelites, the spiritual condition of the Israelites was measured on the scale. The Canaanites' sin had also reached its full measure, so God's time had come. Therefore, the scale has been tipped toward the judgment of darkness and evil. You can see this picture again in Revelation 8. When the prayers of the saints collected on the golden altar became full to a certain extent, the judgment of God poured down. We also know everything has a season (Ecclesiastes 3:1). The season of chastising in the wilderness was 40 years and it was fulfilled. So, God brought them into the Promised Land.

At the beginning of the Book of Numbers, God did a counting. That counting manifested the result of God's power in saving the Israelites from Egypt. The second counting manifested the result of God’s power in dealing with the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years. The former represents saving us from sin; the latter represents saving us from the world and our flesh. The last two verses of this chapter say: "But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For the Lord had said of them, ‘They shall die in the wilderness.’ Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.” (Numbers 26:64-65) These two verses show what we have discussed. In the eyes of God, the first generation of unbelievers had already died in the wilderness, and Aaron had also died. It was Moses and Eleazar the priest, the son of Aaron, who counted the Israelites this time. God's anger had also subsided. His faithfulness and mercy led the second generation of Israelites into the land He had promised them. The spiritual meaning of it is that our flesh has been crucified with Christ (crossing the Red Sea) and has been disciplined by the Holy Spirit (wandering in the wilderness and crossing the Jordan River).

Dear Christian, are you discouraged today by the situation of the world, politics, and the state of the church? Do you question whether God's promises will really be fulfilled? Do you think your weaknesses and flesh are greater than God's promise? I personally feel that the church has reached the end of flesh today, just like the end of the wilderness. God will lead us to experience a breakthrough, which is leaving the wilderness, crossing the Jordan River, entering the Land He promised, and defeating His enemies. The great revival is coming, and the political situation of the world is going to change drastically. Everything is for the development and effectiveness of the Gospel. Fellow believer, don't be disappointed and discouraged. God's faithfulness and mercy will never change. When we are discouraged and weak, He gives us His support and manifests His power. If we wait in prayer, praise, and belief in God and His prophets, we will surely triumph in the final battle. The battle is not ours, but the Lord’s!

We are entering a different age that God has planned for us to walk into. It is beyond a worldwide revival. Some people call it the third Great Awakening (as compared to the previous two Great Awakenings in the history of American Christianity). Others say that it is the second Reformation movement (as compared with the history of Martin Luther’s Reformation movement). It has been over 500 years since the Reformation. I personally believe that God has shifted us into a second reformation movement which may comprise a great revival in the church and societal transformation worldwide. Nothing can stop this as this is God’s sovereign plan. In prophetic dreams, God has shown me many details about the future revival of China and how it affects the world. After this revival, China will become a democratic nation that worships God. God has also made many personal promises to me about my role during the coming great revivals in both China and America. I have been preparing for this all my life. Don’t tell me they are not coming, as I have seen them in the spirit many times. In my view, the prophecies about Trump and American politics are unconditional. Though it looks backwards in the physical world right now, it is a setback that the enemy sent. It is NOT ABOUT Trump or politics. It is about stopping the coming revivals and reformation. I don’t know how or when God will change American politics to an administration who promotes God and the Gospel. But what I do know is this will happen. If you have an administration who promotes unbiblical values, it is like a train going in the wrong direction. The purpose is to stop the coming of this revival and reformation. I know this revival is unstoppable. The direction of this train must change. Please watch and see how our God will do the impossible.

Written by Jairus Bible World Ministries on March 11, 2021

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Phinehas’ in Today’s Church

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 25

While preparing for tonight’s bible study, the Holy Spirit suddenly highlighted Numbers 25:4 (ESV) to me. I was drawn to the part where the Lord asked Moses to kill all the chiefs, but Moses asked the judges to kill all the idolaters instead. The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”

Phinehas Stops the Plague

Details about how Moses and the judges killed people were not recorded. Instead, the Bible records Moses and the people of Israel weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting. We assume that the plague had already occurred by this time. Suddenly, Phinehas came and killed a Midianite woman and the leader of a Simeonite family. It’s only at this moment that the plague stopped. I mentioned that the current COVID-19 outbreak is also a plague. There have been many sins committed throughout American history. These include abortion, homosexuality, the African slave trade, the Indian massacre, people straying from God, and schools not allowing the Bible to be taught. These sins bring God's judgment. The "Phinehas’" of the Church must stand up against these and say no to injustices and all kinds of wickedness. We must not allow authority to be given to evil spirits. When we strongly stand in opposition, God's anger and the plague will stop and His blessing will come.

We know from previous verses that the anger of the Lord broke out against Israel when the Israelites indulged in sexual immorality with Moabite women and when they worshiped the idols of the Moabites. However, I never noticed that the Lord asked Moses to kill all the chiefs in daylight so that the anger of the Lord would be averted.

Since the Holy Spirit had highlighted this verse, I continued reading to find out more. I realized that Moses did not kill all the chiefs, or at least it was not recorded here. Rather, he asked the judges of Israel to kill all those who joined in on worshipping idols. Strangely, the verse also does not record that the judges of Israel publicly executed the people as the verse indicates. We only read that Moses and the whole congregation of the people of Israel wept at the entrance. My guess is that neither Moses nor the judges could kill their loved ones. Since the plague may have already broken out by this time, perhaps many Israelites had already died because of the plague.

Right about this time, unexpectedly, an Israelite man brought a Midianite woman to his family “right before them.” The Bible uses the words "and behold" in the sixth verse of this chapter to describe the man’s action. In modern spoken language, this means this man was asking for trouble—he was flaunting his sinful act with the Midianite woman openly. When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation. He immediately took a spear and killed the Israelite and the Midianite woman. Then, the plague stopped. The Lord said that because Phinehas was jealous with God’s jealousy for the Israelites, the Lord would not consume the Israelites in His jealousy. That is, Phinehas’s zeal for God’s people to be holy was sufficient to halt God’s need to execute his jealousy. Therefore, the Lord blessed Phinehas and gave His covenant of peace to him and his descendants. The Lord stated, "It shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel" (ESV, Numbers 25:13).

The Covid-19 Plague

I mentioned to our group that thousands of people have died from COVID-19 in the United States. Shouldn’t this already be considered a plague? On one hand, this plague is an attack from the enemy. I believe this is from the enemy as an attempt to limit church gatherings and hinder the coming of God's revival. On the other hand, since God is allowing it to happen, it also shows that God's judgment is somewhere in it. How can we stop this plague?

Many people’s attitude towards this plague is one of blame. They want to blame certain people for poor leadership, and/or blame other countries. While some people may be responsible, this perspective focuses on the problems pertaining to the physical realm and not the spiritual realm. The root cause of the plague, on a spiritual level, is that people in this era, both China and the United States, have committed spiritual fornication. Therefore, in the physical realm, we suffer for it. People must wear masks, maintain 6 feet of social distance, and be injected with the coronavirus vaccine. Meanwhile, they ignore the spiritual root of the plague. If the spiritual root is not removed, it will be difficult to eradicate COVID-19. The spiritual root of COVID-19 is the same as the story in this chapter of Numbers. The world and churches, including the American church, have fallen because they have committed the sin of spiritual fornication.

But you might say that this virus came from China, so China should be blamed. Again, this makes sense in the physical realm, but not in the spiritual realm. Why? Because it would not be right to say that one nation would suffer for the sins of another. We can say that because of China's sins, idolatry, and its resistance to God, the plague came to China. However, if the United States was a country that lived in God’s perfect will, and Americans and churches lived free from spiritual fornication, then God would protect America from the plague because Psalm 91 tells us that those who take refuge in the Lord are people that have no fear of the terror of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday (ESV, Psalm 91:6). If we live according to God’s will, God will send His angels to protect us and He will not let us strike our feet against a stone.

America Has Sinned

We must admit that America has committed many sins. Some of these sins have penetrated society and become so-called "political correctness." Christians do not dare to speak against them. They even say that tolerating and accepting all people, even homosexuals and transgenders, is part of American culture. We are told we should love everyone. While we should love homosexuals and transgender people, as Christians, we should not accept immoral behavior. Many Christians dare not to speak up, and they continue giving in to the status quo. When we continue to compromise with fornication, evil, rejecting God, not allowing prayer and study of the Bible in schools, and aborting babies, we gradually join these people in worshipping idols.

There is a spiritual battle behind abortion, just as it was described in the Old Testament when Pharaoh wanted to kill all the Israelite boys and Baal wanted to use children for sacrifices. Satan and evil spirits come to steal, kill, and destroy. Child sacrifice is often demanded by certain evil spirits. This is just an example, but many Christians do not dare to say "no" to secular culture and cultural things that are unbiblical like abortion. Jesus described what would happen. Over time, the salt loses its taste and usefulness. Salt is meant to disinfect and cleanse. Phinehas acted as salt and his action made atonement for the Israelites.

The fundamental problem in American society is that the Church has forfeited its authority and place of influence. Therefore, when God comes to deal with America, His first method will be to deal with His Church. As the current plague judges the United States, there is a need for the Church’s "Phinehas" to stand up and intercede by saying "no" to spiritual fornication and idolatry. This Phinehas must strongly stand for what is right and be jealous for God's Church and His chosen people. Only by courageously challenging evil and sinful practices and structures, even challenging the churches and believers who have sinned, may we please God. If many Phinehas’ in the Church would stand up, we would be able to make atonement for the Church and American society. This would please God and stop the plague.

Many Christians who yearn for the return of the United States to its Christian foundations, support Donald Trump as a president because they see that Trump acknowledges God and supports and agrees with certain Christian values and principles. Many Christians were disheartened and disappointed when the election results surfaced, myself included. On January 5, 2021, I was very surprised seeing the election results. Yet, I had a dream that morning. I dreamt about a person fishing. This mysterious person held a fishing rod, but I couldn't see who he was. A fish had already been hooked, but the person holding the fishing rod was sliding the fish. A child in front of him held the line to help slide the fish. Fish-sliding is a common method in fishing. After a fish is hooked, the fish is not taken out of the water immediately. One should first slide the fish so that the fish's strength gradually diminishes. Only then does the fisher find a suitable opportunity to bring the fish up. If you bring the fish up immediately after the fish is hooked, it is easy for it to get off the hook and swim away. The revelation I received from the Holy Spirit regarding this dream was, “Do not be anxious, the fish has already been hooked, but you should slide it for a while before you can bring it up.”

I think this relates to the recent election. Many people were disappointed after Congress certified Biden's electoral votes and inaugurated him on January 20th. Christians across the US prayed for Trump to be re-elected, but when he failed to win, they began to wonder whether it was really God’s will for him to be re-elected. They began to even criticize the prophets for making false prophecies. Many prophets even apologized afterward for making false prophecies. However, some other prophets and Christians did not. They still firmly believe this battle is not over. They look forward to the time when God miraculously intervenes and brings Trump back to the White House.

Recently, I was listening to a program on the Victory Channel called Flash Point. The host interviewed Pastor Bill Johnson and his wife Beni. Beni mentioned that when she prayed and sought God about the election, God told her to wait. Many prophets, including her and Kat Kerr, believe this battle is not over. Kat Kerr even said that God took her to the future where she saw that Trump had eventually won and God's chosen people went out to the streets to cheer. She also said that God told her to eat cake and celebrate this victory.

When Trump was in the White House, many people were against him and betrayed him. Things didn’t go smoothly. Although God raised him up to help Christians and help America return to faith in God, Trump couldn’t then and cannot now solve all our problems. Let’s consider his re-election: if Trump is successfully re-elected, and if the leftists still make things difficult for him, how much will he be able to do in the next four years? Or, if Trump is successfully re-elected and the Church is not revived after four years, won’t those on the left side continue to oppose God? Won’t they get stronger? Unfortunately, Trump cannot be president another four years after that, so who can American Christians rely on? We have to turn to God. Trump was and is simply a judge for a time. Like in the Old Testament, he was raised up by God to free God’s chosen people from control and turn their face back to the Lord. We certainly have to thank God for raising up the judges because the judges were greatly used by God for saving the Israelites and for bringing justice. But let’s not forget the fundamental reason why the Israelites were handed over to the enemy. The fundamental reason is that they turned away from God and worshipped idols. That’s why God handed them over to the enemy.

Let’s review. When oppressed by the enemy, the Israelites called for God's salvation. God helped them in the form of judges who were sent to bring justice and reverse the oppression. However, after they were saved, the Israelites returned to committing idolatry. Trump for a time served America and sought to put God back into the conversation of law and society. Now that he is no longer president, will American Christians continue to fight for what is right or will they surrender? It is not that God does not want to intervene, but God is using all these circumstances to cleanse the church and raise up Phinehas’ among the Church.

So, the Lord asked Moses to kill all the chiefs, but Moses did not take any action. Moses asked the judges to kill all idolaters, but the judges did not take action either. But Phinehas took action, and he killed the adulterous Midianite and the Israelite. His action greatly pleased God. Not only did it stop the plague, but it also moved God to promise him and his descendants a covenant of peace.

Where are the Phinehas’ Today?

What does the United States need today? You are making a mistake if you are putting all your hope in Trump. I still choose to believe that Trump will miraculously come back and fight on behalf of the Christians in the political realm, but if each believer in Christ does not learn to fight and become a Phinehas, Trump alone will not give us the results we want. However, Christians together can stop the plague and receive a covenant of peace from God. What action can we take for this to happen? We need to be the Phinehas of today's Church. Every Christian should rise and be salt. We should not compromise our commitment to God’s Word by mingling with the world, fornicating, committing sin, and worshiping idols. We should dare to say "no" to things that are not in line with the Bible. My advice is that we should be zealous for the churches in the United States with God’s jealousy, presenting churches in the United States as a pure and innocent virgin to Christ. When each of us rises and does this, it will greatly please God. God will then remove this plague and make a covenant of peace with America.

Dear American Christians: do not keep your eyes fixed on Trump. Rather, keep your eyes fixed on God. Pray, repent, and reflect on these things before God: Is there sin in our churches and among ourselves? Are we compromising the teachings of Christ? Have we been submitting to darkness? Do we testify about Christ anytime and anywhere in our daily lives, or are we afraid about what others think of us? I don't know when and how God will intervene on our behalf, but I know that we must be strong to be the Phinehas’ of today's church. I will no longer compromise with the world, nor submit to darkness. I'm not encouraging everyone to use violent methods—I am talking about the prohibition of spiritual fornication. It’s not a battle in the flesh but a battle in the spirit.

I prophesied that many Phinehas’ would soon rise up from our churches to overturn the curses and make room for God’s blessings. Behold, the victory is coming soon. As God told Kat Kerr, “Celebrate and eat cake!” The great victory will soon appear, and on the horizon are countless Phinehas’ arising. You can be one of them!

Written by Jairus Bible World Ministries on January 31, 2021

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Requirements for Prophesying

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 24

The verses that inspired us after reading Numbers 24 were verses 15-16. What particularly caught our attention is the description of the prophet Balaam. We realized the need for the Church and Christians to be people who replicate these verses: "whose eye is opened, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered” (ESV, Numbers 24:15-16). If we become such people, we will also prophesy and help others to hear and see God. We would see Christ in everything and everyone, preach the gospel confidently, and bring people from the kingdom of darkness into God's Kingdom of light.

Meant To Be A Blessing

Numbers 24 is about the king of Moab, Balak. The king of Moab invited the Gentile prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites. After Balaam’s two failed attempts to curse them, he went into the wilderness. There, the Spirit of God came upon him and he blessed the Israelites (Numbers 24:3-9). After this blessing, Balak became angry with Balaam and would not honor (pay) Balaam. Balaam responded by stating that even if Balak were to give him his palace full of silver and gold, he still would only say what the Lord asked him to say.

Balak is a Moabite, and Moabites are descendants of Lot. Deuteronomy 2 records that God told Moses not to contend with the Moabites in battle because God gave the land of Ar to Lot’s descendants, and not to the Israelites. We recall from Numbers 23 that God wanted to bless the Moabites. The purpose of God leading the Israelites to pass through Moab and pay for their food and water was so that the Israelites and Moabites could reconcile. God was hoping to use Israel’s passage through their land as an opportunity to bless Moab.

Why? Because Abraham’s and Lot’s servants had fought, which led Lot to move to Sodom, and Abraham to go to the Promised Land. Later, God would judge Sodom. Since Sodom did not have 10 righteous people, the city was destroyed. Abraham interceded so that God would save at least Lot. Although Lot was saved, his wife became a pillar of salt because she looked back at Sodom in disobedience to the angels’ command. Afterward, Lot's daughters plotted to have incestuous relations with Lot which resulted in the people groups of the Moabites and Ammonites. People and races who commit incest will inevitably be discriminated against. There must have been a lot of humiliation in the environment where the Moabites grew up. We can even see and feel that this existed when we read about the Moabites in the Book of Ruth. Naomi's husband and sons were even judged and died in Moab.

It is not difficult to understand why the Moabites regarded the Israelites with so much hatred and prejudice. God told the Moabites over and over through the Gentile prophet Balaam that He had blessed Israel. Yet, God wanted Israel to reconcile with Moab so that blessings could come to Moab. Even the birth of Christ through the Israelites was intended to be a blessing to the Moabites. This was God’s plan. However, because of the Moabites’ distorted mindset and fear, they were taken advantage of by the enemy to believe that God would not bless them. The Moabites even became Satan’s tool to attack God’s chosen people. After repeated refusal to repent, God's curse came upon Moab. God really wanted to bless Moab, but because the Moabites were obstinate and refused to forgive and accept the Israelites, they were tricked by Satan into engaging in sexual immorality and a plague followed. The plague was punishment aimed at dealing with the sinful activity they engaged in; the Moabites suffered for this sin.

Beware of Spiritual Fornication

Today, the spiritual situation of many people in churches is the same as those in Moab. We commit errors of spiritual fornication by harboring unforgiveness and entertaining ungodly thoughts and prejudices. We give the enemy and evil spirits the opportunity to build strongholds in us, even to the point of us being used to oppose God and His anointed people. For example, I read a true story about a woman who was harassed by her father and other men. Afterward, she became full of hatred toward men. This hatred turned into a stronghold reinforced by evil spirits and she became possessed by demons. In the case of this woman’s deliverance, the first step to her freedom was leading her to forgive the men who hurt her. When she released forgiveness, she dispossessed the evil spirits. She removed their authority to possess her and abide in her. On the contrary, if she had refused to forgive, the deliverance ministers would have been limited as to what they could do since she would still be granting the demons a home. No matter the conflict, if we do not learn to forgive, we will be opening doors to the enemy to set up strongholds in our lives. Everyone must learn to forgive and accept people according to God’s perspective so as not to commit the same mistakes as the Moabites.

Blessings in Disguise

In many cases, things that come to us are brought by God to bless us, but these blessings are often blessings in disguise. They may not look like blessings on the surface, but God’s hand is actually behind them. I have had many experiences like this. For example, for a period of time in both my work and family life, I repeatedly had to deal with people who were strict and stern with me. At the beginning, I complained to God asking Him why He allowed such things to happen to me. I later understood. God used those people to become a blessing to me by allowing me to examine my shortcomings, repent and confess, and learn to become a more mature and humbler follower of Jesus. In the end, I was helped and blessed. As Hebrews 12:11 (ESV) says: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

The first reaction of the Moabites when they saw the Israelites was fear. They did not expect that God wanted to bless them through Israel. If the Israelites had been given water and food and were warmly received and cared for by the Moabites when they passed through Moab, God would have greatly blessed the Moabites. We know this because God established a principle when He made a covenant with Abraham that whosoever blesses Israel will be blessed and whoever curses Israel will be cursed. God's purpose of allowing the Israelites to pass through Moab was to give the Moabites a chance to treat the Israelites kindly and receive a blessing. Deuteronomy 2 records that God even commanded Moses to buy water from the Moabites instead of freely consuming it from their land. God hoped that the Moabites would respond by treating the Israelites with generosity and respect.

Elements of Prophecy

Let’s continue with Numbers 24:17-19 (ESV). It says: "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!”

A man in our group asked, “To whom are these words directed to?” and “Who is ‘the one from Jacob who shall exercise dominion’ in verse 19?” I pointed out what Balaam said to Moab. Verse 14 (ESV) says: "Now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” Balaam left and returned to his hometown, but before he left, he prophesied again telling Moab how the Israelites would treat the Moabites and other nations in the future. This prophecy includes salvation and punishment. Salvation in the sense that Christ, as a star, will rise from Jacob, and Christ will become a blessing given by God to all nations through Abraham. Christ will bear all the sins of the world as well as the sins of Lot and Moab. The punishment part is referring to God’s judgment which would also rise through Israel to other nations. Discipline will come to nations such as Moab and Edom. In verses 18-24, Balaam’s prophecy also mentions the judgement of other nations, including Edom, Amalek, Kenite, and Asshur. Then, it is recorded in verse 25 that Balaam went back to his place, and Balak also went his way.

Prophecy often has two aspects to it. One aspect to prophecy is like a close-up camera shot. It’s the part of prophecy that addresses the here and now, or soon-coming state-of-things. Balaam’s close-up prophetic word addresses the history of Israel and includes God’s impending judgement on Moab and Edom through Israel. Verses in the book of Numbers support that God specifically ordered Moses to punish the Moabites for inciting fornication. God punished Moab through Moses and later Moab (Edom) would become subject to King David. The other view of prophecy is like a far-off camera shot. In the case of Balaam’s prophecy, this would be the reference to Christ coming in the future. Moses even also said that one day God would raise up a prophet like him, and the Israelites must listen to him. Those who do not listen to Him will be cut off (Deuteronomy 18:18). This is talking about Jesus Christ. Jesus even affirms this himself when he says, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he (Moses) wrote about me" (John 5:46).

Prerequisites to Prophesy

Verses 15-16 tell us three things: the kind of person who may prophesy for God; the kind of person that we need to be to become the channel of God's prophetic words and blessings to others; and the kind of person that we need to be to better understand God's prophetic words.

Verses 15-16 (ESV): "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered..."

Many prophetic words of the Bible appear in the form of hymns. The Holy Spirit uses hymnal form to prophesy, and these hymns often have a special meter or rhythm. We can learn how to distinguish which prophetic words are God’s true prophecies by checking whether these prophecies have a meter. Do these meters exceed what the person who prophesies can do? Balaam’s prophecy is a hymn. I have highlighted all the meters in bold and I share my thoughts on each.

First, we must be someone whose eye is opened. When the prophet Elisha and his servant Gehazi were under attack by the enemies of Israel, the servant became afraid. Elisha told him, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Elisha prayed that God would open Gehazi's eyes. Afterward, Gehazi saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (ESV, 2 Kings 6:15-17). We too have to look with spiritual eyes. We need to see God’s work amidst our complicated world. We cannot be like Moab who failed to see or recognize the hand of God or His work through the Israelites. We cannot be blind. Society is full of chaos, and social media is full of rumors. As Christians and churches, are our eyes open? Are we people who can see what God is doing in the Spirit? Or are we people who just simply follow the crowd and become panic-stricken when there’s a straw blowing in the wind?

God has given me prophetic dreams about a major upheaval that will come to the world, and the purpose of it is to shake all the nations that can be shaken so that people will repent and seek God. In one prophetic dream, I saw an angel stretching out a huge stick from heaven straight into the ocean, and he began to stir. After which, I saw surging waves rise from the ocean and many houses were destroyed. I understand that God will raise up upheavals to break humanity from the status quo. To those who live according to God's will, God will guard them. We should take advantage of these upheavals to preach the gospel and bring many people into God’s Kingdom.

We must see through appearances to perceive the essence of things as they are in the unseen realm. We should perceive God’s hands in the things happening in this world and see God working through people and things. We need to see God's perfect plan amidst the imperfect exteriors. We have to be able to see past the sinful surface to find God's beautiful and good nature. We need to see the beauty of God in the ugliness of people. We need to overcome the weaknesses of our flesh to become spiritually capable of fathoming things in the Spirit. We need to be people whose eyes are opened in the Spirit. Are you such a person?

If you are, you will be a blessing to many people around you. If the Church becomes like this, it will also become a great blessing to the world. Let’s not be blind with covered eyes, unable to receive and fathom spiritual things. We don’t want to be the blind trying to lead the blind. Naturally, both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14). One of the main reasons why society remains sinful, blind, and unaware of God and His salvation is because the Church has yet to mature and embrace their calling of giving light and reconciliation to the world.

Second, we must be a person who hears the words of God. Do you often hear the voice of the Holy Spirit? Do you treasure hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit? If you have not heard it recently, when was the last time you heard his voice? If you have never heard it, have you ever fasted and prayed to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit? Are there any obstacles between you and God? Do you have any hidden sins that prevent you from approaching God and listening to His voice? Have you repented of and confessed your sins? As Christians we should always hear God speaking to us. The Bible is “logos,” the sure Word of God. We must consistently meditate on the Scriptures and eat God’s Word so that it turns into rhema (timely words of God). We can do this by reading and praying (pray reading). Do you pray read and meditate on God’s Word every day?

At the same time, churches must admit the existence of prophets nowadays. They must humble themselves and listen to God's words through the prophets. Many people think that there are no more prophets today. This is a false teaching. God has recovered a lot through the prophetic movement today. Although the prophetic movement is still immature, and many prophets have flaws, God is still speaking through them. The Lord Jesus said, “The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward” (ESV, Matthew 10:41). The Lord did not say that this sentence only applies to the Old Testament. Perhaps one of the rewards of the prophets we can receive today is to hear God's words for this age. We know that "where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint" (ESV, Proverbs 29:18). When the church neglects the gift of prophecy or the office of prophets, it often loses its prophetic vision. The New Testament also teaches us that we should not despise prophecies, but test everything and hold fast to what is good (ESV, 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). Let’s continue to strive to be people that hear God’s words, especially through the prophets He has given.

Third, we must be someone who knows the knowledge of the Most High. In the Local Church Movement, we use a term called "God's economy," which means "God's plan." What is God's plan? What was God's plan for people throughout history until now? God's plan was and is to redeem us in and through Christ—to become His chosen people, prepare Christ's bride, and in the end, become Christ's army and reign with Him.

What is God's plan for this age? Are we facing the last days? Is the Lord Jesus coming soon? Many people believe the end of the world is near. The darkness we are facing is unprecedented, so the end of the world must really be getting closer. Rumors of the coronavirus, vaccines, and various wars are all portrayed as scenes of the last days. However, I personally don’t think that we have reached the end of the world yet. An American prophet, Katt Kerr, believes that the heavenly Father told her that the last days are still far away. The enemy hopes that the last days come in advance, but God has a beautiful plan for this age—for a great revival to come to the world.

In 2016, I sought God’s healing due to my wife’s infertility and I went to a prophetic conference. After I got home, the Holy Spirit asked me a question about China's great revival that was mentioned in the conference. In my conversation with the Holy Spirit, I understood that God is planning to bring a great revival to China, and perhaps more than 100 million people or more will be saved. A Korean prophet also told me that the 21st century is the time that God will evangelize China. There are about 100 million Christians in China. If 100 million more are saved, that’s 200 million people in total. If more people are saved in this great revival, China will still only be 80% Christian like the United States once was before. Evangelization in China will take several generations. God is not in a hurry to bring the end of the world. He will give us enough time to evangelize. The Church is far from being spiritually mature enough, and the glory of God has not yet filled the whole earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). But this day will come. Before the glory of the Lord fills the earth, the end of the world will not come.

Fourth, we must become someone who can see the vision of the Almighty. “Almighty” in Hebrew is elyon, meaning the Most High God. We must see God. Many people know God in terms of knowledge and doctrine, but they lack personal experience from encountering Him. This is a big shortcoming. In particular, many traditional churches devote more attention on gaining biblical knowledge than on believers having personal encounters with the Lord through pursuing the gift of prophecy or other supernatural gifts. Traditional churches even discourage the use or pursuit of the gifts and the supernatural. The result of this is a withering Body of Christ.

On the other hand, I’ve observed many people having personal encounters with the Lord in Pentecostal churches. As a result of these encounters, a new culture was created—one that focuses on encountering God. Many people now term this culture “Encounter Culture.” The emergence of this kind of culture is based on many people’s lack of personal encounters with the Lord in traditional churches. I have seen that this kind of experience blesses the people who engage in it. Many people in the Toronto Revival experienced God personally too. My own personal encounter with God when I was in the Local Church Movement changed me a lot. My experiences with the Lord in tangible and supernatural ways have only increased as I have sought to pursue the gifts of the Holy Spirit and engage more in a Pentecostal church. This includes experiences of being taken to heaven and talking with Jesus. These experiences have become great blessings to me.

But the pursuit of personal encounters with the Lord cannot replace our study of Bible. These two are interconnected and they need to complement each other. Pursuing only personal, subjective experiences will result in a weak foundation of biblical truth and will leave us gullible to deception by evil spirits. Pursuing only knowledge and biblical principles while denying and neglecting subjective experiences will cause us to wither and lack in zeal and prophetic vision from the Lord. Let us be willing to pursue both.

Fifth, we must be someone who falls down with our eyes uncovered before God. In another prophetic dream, I was taken to heaven to see the Lord Jesus. While waiting in line, I was given a robe to put on. Before I could even enter the door, I fell to the ground by a tremendous force, and it left me unable to stand. Then I heard the powerful voice of the Lord say, "Get up." I immediately gained strength. Upon entering, I saw the Lord sitting inside and He called me by my English name, Sean. This was a very shocking experience for me; it is an indescribable feeling when you hear the Lord Jesus personally calling your name. I have an idea of what it means to fall down before the Lord. Do you?

A person who can prophesy for the Lord or understand God's prophetic words more deeply will be someone who satisfies the above conditions. It’s only when we become such a person can we speak or understand God's prophetic words. And it’s only when we become this person that God will entrust prophecies to us. Otherwise, our understanding of the Bible will likely only scratch the surface of things we could know. Our knowledge of the Word will help us have more subjective experiences of Him and our subjective experiences and personal encounters will bring us to a higher spiritual level in the Spirit to better understand His Word. These two coexist in a complementary relationship. Valuing only one and neglecting the other will cause us to become biased in understanding God's Word. However, if we combine these two, we can prophesy better and understand the prophecies in the Bible better as well. Concluding, we should avoid being like Balaam who had a heart of greed while being gifted in prophecy. Likewise, we do not want to be the Moabites who could not hear the words of God because they maintained a veil of hatred and prejudice over their heart. How wonderful it is to have a pure heart in service to God and be followers who are willing to listen to Him!

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Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 12- A Discussion of Gifts

Our discussion in Romans 12 begins with a focus on verse 3. This verse says, "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." A man asked me a question about this. He said, “What is the direct relationship between this verse and the previous verses? Why does Paul mention this here? What does it mean to think with ‘sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned’?”

We must understand that the background of the book of Romans is the fierce conflict between the Jews and the Gentiles. This conflict caused all the Jews to leave Rome in the time of Claudius (Acts 18:2). At that time Priscilla and Aquila left Rome and traveled to Corinth. Corinth is where they met Paul, the apostle. Since all three of them were tentmakers by trade, Paul remained there and helped to build tents. Perhaps it was prior to the time that Paul was burdened to write the Roman Church. He was also urged to write the book of Romans because he was determined to go to Jerusalem, and he was uncertain if he would leave Jerusalem alive and eventually visit Rome.

Racial conflicts in society usually penetrate the church. Therefore, in our study of Romans, we have also mentioned that one of Paul’s burdens was a hope that both the Jewish and Gentile believers of the Roman church could accept each other and live in peace. This may also help us understand Paul’s words in the highlighted text. Paul is admonishing both Jewish and Gentile believers to see each other’s strengths and not to think highly of themselves.

Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ I shared that there are two great problems with Christians or churches. The first is that they think highly of their own gifts or callings but belittle the gifts and callings of others. Secondly, they look down upon their own gifts and callings but admire or even envy the gifts of others.

First of all, this is true among individuals. Paul uses the different parts of the body as a metaphor in Romans 12:4-8. Each of us is a member of the body of Christ, and each of us has our own function. Both the mouth and tongue are parts of the body, but they have different functions. With regards to the function of speaking, they are both indispensable. But if the mouth thinks too highly of its gift and acts like it does not need the tongue’s cooperation, it cannot speak alone. If the tongue feels that its work is less efficient than the mouth’s, it may belittle itself, become envious of the mouth, and give up its function. Again, the mouth would not be able to speak.

This is what “to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” means. We need to know and understand the measure of faith, the calling, and the gifts that God has given us. First, we need to do our part. When we do our part, we can complement each other and accomplish God's work.

From the body’s perspective, it is important that the mouth does not attempt to control the tongue or likewise. To produce a cohesive outcome such as eating or talking, the two must agree to work together. The same must also be done spiritually. Therefore, when Paul talked about us being different members of the body of Christ, he specifically mentioned that we use our gifts “according to the grace given to us.” Romans 12:6-8 lists these gifts and how we should use them: “if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. When we are faithful to the talents and gifts that God has given us, God will multiply our gifts.

For example, you may only have the gift of preaching at first. You have shared the gospel and people were saved so you are now an evangelist. As you begin to teach these newly saved believers the truths of the Bible, you gradually develop the gift of teaching. Because you need to shepherd them, you will also develop the gift of pastoring. When the number of people or even churches you lead increases, you will become an apostle. Of course, if you pursue the gift of prophecy, you might be an apostolic prophet.

My Gifting Allow me to use a personal example to further explain. I left the Local Church Movement (LCM) in 2015 to study in the charismatic church. There I encountered many people with prophetic gifts. When they met me for the first time, many people said, “You have the gift of teaching. God has given you a gift in which once you understand a truth, you can express it in a language that others can understand.” Many people have prophesied to me like this. They have the gift of prophecy and I can confirm this because they do not know about my experience in the Local Church Movement. The LCM practices prophesying in the way of forth-telling [see note at the bottom] and PSRP (pray-reading, studying, reciting, and prophesying). It encourages every brother and sister to learn to speak for the Lord. Therefore, many brothers and sisters in the Local Church Movement have the gift of teaching. The Local Church Movement’s position is that everyone prophesies. If speaking is not your natural talent, everyone will say amen and encourage you. Everyone dares to speak over time, and everyone is granted the opportunity to learn to speak. Everyone is afforded the opportunity to speak with boldness. Since the church encourages everyone to study the Bible diligently, many people have the ability to teach to some extent. Everyone can speak boldly.

In 2015, I had been attending meetings in the Local Church Movement for 13 years. My wife and I had been married for almost 10 years but we were infertile. Therefore, it was my hope to seek help from some brothers and sisters who were attentive to the voice of the Lord and could help us understand God’s will. We needed direction on how to be healed. But no one could help me in the Local Church Movement. Later, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, I visited some charismatic churches and met some Christians with prophetic gifts. They could see prophetic visions or receive miraculous revelations after praying. Some people even saw in their prophetic vision that we would have a child and shared that with us, which became our comfort in difficult times. Some of these prophetic words have yet to occur. But in general, there was indeed some hope and comfort for us at that time. Later, God also spoke personally to me. After this, we had our miracle baby! During the process, I realized that the gift of prophecy is real and that I was very eager to pursue it. I studied and completed the prophetic class offered by Randy Clark’s Global Awakening. I continued to learn and practice. Gradually I was able to activate the gift of prophecy. Although the gift has been stirred up within me, it must mature. I have started to have many prophetic dreams and some prophetic visions. Although these gifts are very controversial for many Christians, my experience is real, and I did experience an increase in my measure of faith and in my gifts.

Because the Local Church Movement does not acknowledge, understand, or teach the gift of prophecy (in the sense of foretelling), it was naturally impossible for me to learn or grow in the gift of prophecy in its meetings. Using your gifts is like exercising. if you exercise a muscle often, this muscle will be naturally strong; but if you do not exercise or never use a certain muscle, this muscle will not be strong.

The reason why the Local Church Movement does not teach the gifts of prophecy in terms of foretelling is based on the inaccuracies of many foretelling prophecies in the Pentecostal churches, including revivals or earthquakes that did not come as prophesied. This judgment is true, but the gift of prophecy was immature at that time when the leaders of the LCM made such conclusions. There have been more developments and progress since that time. But the Local Church Movement completely closed this door based on its bad experience from the past. As the saying goes, they “threw the baby out with the bathwater.” Another saying, “Misuse is not the excuse to not use," does a better job of explaining what they should have done. There are many misuses of gifts in the history of the Charismatic Movement, but the misuse of gifts is not an excuse for us to neglect gifts.

The Local Church Movement does not advocate for or teach miraculous healing because they believe that pursuing miraculous healing will make believers pay less attention to spiritual life and growth. However, on the other hand, if our bodies cannot be healed, it would conversely limit the spiritual growth of believers. My own needs were not met in the Local Church Movement. Didn’t this prove that I was missing something? My experience is unique to me, but common to the body of Christ. I shared my experience on YouTube and WeChat, and believers from the Local Church Movement in the United States and China wrote to me to affirm my experience. They also discussed with me how to get healed. Although the gift of healing is new to me, it is being developed so that God can use me to help others. After talking to others who share similar beliefs, we all agreed that the Local Church Movement does not teach or exercise the complete five-fold gifts as described in Ephesians 4:11-13.

Therefore, in addition to the gift of prophecy, I also pursued the gift of healing. I went to New York to attend the healing meeting of Kenneth W. Hagin, the son of Kenneth E. Hagin, and asked him to pray for me to receive the gift of healing. After some hesitation, He said “This is entirely up to God.” He reluctantly prayed for me. However, I had a prophetic dream that night. In the prophetic dream, I saw Jesus telling me from a high place that He had given me the gift of healing. I said, “I didn’t receive it.” Then the Lord said, “Raise your right hand.” I then raised my right hand. A current flowed through my hand. Then the Lord Jesus asked me to raise my right arm again. This time the heat current flowed through my entire arm. Later, many people with prophetic gifts said that God has bestowed on me the gift of healing to help me steadfastly pray for my wife. God healed my wife through my prayers which resulted in a miraculous pregnancy!

Just as my prophetic gift is currently dormant, my gift of healing is also limited. In addition to my wife, I have prayed for many other people. Not many have received healing. However, when I look back on my experience over the past few years, my measure of faith and my gifts have indeed increased. Although there is still room for improvement, I have made progress.

I am thankful to the Local Church Movement for its help of activating the gift of teaching and spiritual growth. I also thank the charismatic church for helping me activate the gift of prophecy and the gift of healing. My gifts may be limited, but God’s gifts are unlimited. We cannot think highly of the gifts of our teachers and belittle the gift of prophecy in other people (or vice versa).

How Teaching and Prophecy Fit Together Rick Joyner, a well-known prophet in charismatic churches, compared the gift of teaching with the gift of prophecy, thinking that these two gifts need to balance each other. He said that prophets often receive revelation from God, but if there is no balance with the gift of teaching, they often are in danger of teaching heresy. For example, in history, "Mountainists" paid a lot of attention to the gift of prophecy. They declared that they had received special revelation. In the end, they taught wrong truths, which had a great impact on the misunderstanding of the gift of prophecy by Christianity in later generations. Another example is William Marrion Branham, who was a prominent figure in the healing and charismatic revival in the 1950s. He had a keen gift of prophecy. He could often tell the symptoms of patients and heal them. But in his later years, he taught heresy and wrong truths, even calling himself Elijah. Therefore, the gift of prophecy needs a balance of the gift of teaching so as not to go to extremes.

The gift of teaching also needs the balance of the gift of prophecy. Many traditional churches only give importance to the gift of teaching. They deny, neglect, or belittle prophetic gifts. Gradually, teaching tends to become dogma. If the church lacks prophetic vision, it will gradually face spiritual death. This is the result of over-emphasizing the gift of teaching and neglecting the gift of prophecy. The Bible says that, “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint.” (Proverbs 29:18). Many people may feel that “casting off restraints” here may be too serious, but the fact is that many churches are spiritually dead. The reason is that they have too much teaching. They lack fresh words from the Lord or fresh encounters with the Lord. It is not that we don’t need the gift of teaching. But if we only value the gift of teaching, the situation that Solomon said will happen: "My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) This does not mean that we should not study, but that studying should be combined with experience. Prophetic visions and prophetic dreams are our subjective communication with the Lord. They belong to the category of prophetic experiences. They are to know the Lord through subjective experience. Meanwhile, reading the Bible and studying are to know the Lord in objective truth. They belong to the category of the gift of teaching. They are to know the Lord through knowledge. These two need to balance each other. We need both the knowledge of the Lord and experiences with the Lord.

The Gifts In Practice After I left the Local Church Movement, I visited many churches. I observed that every church has a different assignment before God. Some churches focus on teaching the truth. Some churches focus on worship. Some focus on 24-hour prayer and worship. Some focus on fasting and prayer. Some focus on religious ceremonies. Some focus on saving the children's ministry. Some focus on caring for the poor, and so on and so forth. Every church and every denomination has a call from God. But the disagreement between churches is often because they regard God’s call to themselves as God’s most relevant call. Actually, this is not the case at all. We might reverence our own call as the most important, but it does not necessarily mean that what we are called to do is the most important thing to God. Because each of us has a limited energy, we can only focus on one thing. God has a titanic size workload. Therefore, in God's eyes, different churches are different members of His body. They work together to accomplish His perfect plan.

If we regard God's calling to us as God's entire work, or as God's most central work, and neglect to learn, understand, and cooperate with other people's callings and gifts, we will easily wither or become biased. Because we are different members of the body, those of us with the gift of teaching need to balance those with the gift of prophecy. Those who have the gift of prophecy need to balance those with the gift of teaching.

If you pay attention to the situation of different churches, churches that value gifts but are not solid enough in God’s Word are often prone to have wrong teachings on the truth or not have enough spiritual maturity. This type of church falls apart easily as they tend to be lukewarm, unrooted, and not disciplined.

The churches that value the teachings of the Bible, but not the gift of prophecy, have a lot of knowledge, but without God’s anointing and not exercising gifts at the appointed time, they tend to be confined to their ivory towers. Such churches often think they know the truth, but many of their teachings are full of tradition-based knowledge. Often, they are not strong enough in the operation of the Holy Spirit. They, along with their followers, often die and wither spiritually. Such churches are often prone to legalism.

I just cited two gifts -the gift of teaching and gift of prophecy for comparison. There are other gifts that are also vitally important. For example, many churches do not attach importance to the work of deliverance ministry, which will gradually lead to many problems. There are controversies about the gift of apostleship and whether there are apostles in the church today. But I believe the apostolic ministry is still vital today. Due to time constraints, we will not discuss other gifts in detail here.

Unity in the Body Therefore, in addition to individual Christians needing to admit that their faith and gifts are limited and thus need to be paired with those of other members of the body, churches must also admit this fact. Unity in the church is not conformity. In order to achieve unity in the church, the church must recognize the diversity in churches and their different callings before God. The unity in the church does not lie in any one method. It comes from a oneness in the understanding of the knowledge of God's truth.

Let’s consider the following example. In the early years, the Local Church Movement practiced gathering in Los Angeles in accordance with the locality’s principles and on the basis of oneness. A group that advocated speaking in tongues had gathered with the Local Church Movement on the basis of oneness. But in the end, everyone had a different understanding of speaking in tongues. This caused a separation. Although the leader hoped that everyone would put aside their differences and attend meetings on the basis of oneness, they still could not be at peace with each other.

I left the Local Church Movement and went to the charismatic movement in 2015. After experiencing the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues there, I realized that speaking in tongues is an important truth in the Bible, which is essential to a Christian’s spiritual experience. Speaking in tongues is not what many people think, the smallest gift among the gifts. Speaking in tongues is a very important gift and a requirement for the growth of other spiritual gifts. Many people need to pass this requirement first before they can pursue more gifts, and even spiritual maturity (though speaking in tongues itself will not guarantee spiritual maturity). If used properly, speaking in tongues can help believers to obtain more maturity. There is a lot of controversy about this truth, but remember that Paul specifically asked the church not to forbid speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:39). He said that he spoke in tongues more than anyone else (1 Corinthians 14:18). But many churches have actually forbidden speaking in tongues, which is inconsistent with Paul's teaching. I don’t have time here to explain the truth about speaking in tongues. But for people who understand its importance, it is difficult to stop speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is a gift. Although I don’t need to speak in tongues in meetings, I know that people who don’t speak in tongues lack knowledge of certain spiritual truths and spiritual experiences regarding tongues. I do not force others to speak in tongues, so others do not need to force me to quit praying privately in tongues. The difference in understanding of this basic truth caused the church to split into two major divisions. Who says that speaking in tongues is the smallest gift? If it is, why does the smallest gift cause the biggest split in Christianity? Does this make sense? It is evident that speaking in tongues is a very important truth. It is a truth and gift that the enemy strives to prevent Christians from knowing and practicing. The purpose is to prevent Christians from growing up in their spiritual life and receiving spiritual gifts to fight him.

Of course, counterfeit tongues and the fleshy situation of Christians who are speaking in tongues have always existed, whether in the Corinthian church or the modern church. There are also many wrong teachings about speaking in tongues. For example, the statement that “speaking in tongues is necessary for salvation” is not in line with the Bible. This will cause the people who don't understand about speaking in tongues to stumble. But as we said earlier, “Misuse is not the excuse to not use.” In fact, this is another method used by the enemy to attack the truth about speaking in tongues to make people misunderstand it and to stigmatize it. When anything is stigmatized, it is often more important.

Consider the example of speaking in tongues. I pointed out that the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movement, which is comprised of 600 to 700 million Christians, cannot be in oneness with other evangelical denominations which have around same number of people. This is because everyone’s understanding of the truth is not in oneness, and everyone’s lives are not mature enough. Under this premise, any method, including the basis of "oneness in our locality" (which may be a good method and in line with the Bible) won’t bring people into oneness. The problem does not lie in the method but in us.

Under these circumstances, if you insist on oneness, there will be two results. One is organizational unity, such as the Catholic Pope and the different levels of religious systems trying to maintain oneness. The other is trying to unite us in a coalition. But often you are friends only on the surface. Neither method can achieve true oneness.

Andrew Murray said that the division between churches and denominations lies in the fact that they have not allowed themselves to be filled more with God’s Holy Spirit. He gave the following example. He said it’s like when the tide goes down, shoals appear one after another. Each shoal is like one denomination. There are fish in it. Everyone does their own thing there; they shepherd their own fish. The barriers of the shoals are like the barriers of the denominations. Only when the tide rises will all barriers be removed and will oneness be achieved. The true oneness is for the Holy Spirit and the Lord’s glory to fill the earth. People's knowledge of the Lord fills the land as when the water fills the sea. Before this, no method can let us achieve oneness.

I told the brother who asked this question that there is no need to pursue oneness just for the sake of pursuing it. Our oneness with the Lord is enough. Slowly, as the body of Christ grows in stature, a better understanding of the truth will slowly bring about oneness. Oneness is made by the Holy Spirit, not by us humans. Before that, learning to love one another is the most important.

In conclusion, let us review the four sections of Romans 12, which sums things up well. The first section tells us to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice, which is our spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). The second section tells us we should “be transformed by the renewal of our minds” (Romans 12:2). The third section tells each of us we should look at ourselves “according to the measure of faith God has assigned.” We should not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, and we must use our gifts alongside those of other believers. But at the same time, we must also yearn for an increase in the measure of faith and an increase in gifts. The fourth section is a reminder that there should be love in everything. Love one another with brotherly affection, love your enemies, and live in harmony with one other. (Romans 12:10, 14, 18) When we live out love, we live out oneness.

Perhaps this was Paul's burden for the Jew and Gentile believers in the Roman Church.

Note on forth-telling: “Foretelling is the declaration of future events as revealed from the Lord, pertaining especially to the kingdom of God

Forth-Telling is to utter forth, declare, a thing which can only be known by divine revelation; declare the divine will, to interpret the purposes of God, or to make known in any way the truth of God which is designed to influence people. It can only be uncovered and revealed through prophets.”

Source: https://joycewaiwai.wordpress.com/2016/11/23/prophecy-foretelling-vs-forth-telling/

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Understanding God’s Gift of Free Will

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 7

The Process of Spiritual Growth and Maturity

Romans 7 is a very relatable chapter for many Christians, especially verse 24 (ESV), where Paul sighed and said, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" This type of expression is familiar to many Christians while they are in the process of pursuing spiritual life.

We received new inspiration when we read Romans 7 in our Bible study. The Holy Spirit illuminated the words in Luke 2:34-35, which covered the birth of Jesus and gave us new revelation. Just like a baby in the womb, Jesus will enter our spirit and dwell in our hearts, and we have a choice to make. If we choose Jesus and let Him grow in us, it brings life and peace. But if we choose to live according to the flesh, it leads to death (Romans 8:6).

Therefore, every descendant of Adam must make a choice. They can either choose the tree of life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and one will result in life, the other, death. The power we have, especially our free will, is very important. It determines whether we have life or death. Since God has given us free will, our choice is the determining factor. This is why Jesus came to the world as a baby and why the divine life we receive after believing in the Lord can also be likened to a baby. The life of this baby is in us, revealing many of our thoughts and leading us to fall and rise (Luke 2:34).

One question we had was why did Jesus come into the world as a baby and not as an adult? Couldn’t God have come into the world as an adult and gone to the cross immediately to accomplish redemption? Of course, He could have. In the same way, at the moment we are born again, why is it that Jesus also comes into our hearts as a baby? Why doesn’t He allow us to go to heaven and become spiritually mature instantly so we could avoid all temptation? Could God do this? He is omnipotent, so if He was willing to do so, He could. However, this is not His will.

His will is to give us divine life that starts out small, just like a baby. Jesus Christ first came into the world as a baby. Similarly, the spirit of Jesus Christ that is born again and dwells in our heart (Ephesians 3:17) is also just like a baby. How we treat this baby within us reveals the thoughts of our soul. If we are unwilling to believe that Jesus Christ came to save us and are unwilling to accept Him, we are choosing death, and we will face eternal punishment. If we choose to accept Jesus Christ and be reborn in the Spirit, He will dwell in our hearts. However, how we treat the spiritual baby-like life of Christ within us also determines whether we will be rewarded or disciplined in the future. If we set our mind on the Spirit and on things above (Colossians 3:2), we will have life and peace (Romans 8:6); If we set our mind on the flesh, we receive death.

God’s Gift of Redemption

In other words, we must use our free will to make this choice. God is righteous and just. Therefore, if we were disciplined in the future, we could say to God, “If it’s Adam who sinned, why would you let me, the descendant of Adam, bear this sin? Adam is the one who made the wrong choice. I did not have the opportunity to make my own choice. So if you convict me, I do not have to accept the consequences.”

This statement is fair and would make sense. Therefore, God gave the world His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and allowed him to die and accomplish redemption on the cross to bear the sins of Adam. This opened up our way to the tree of life. As 1 Corinthians 1:30 (ESV) said, "But you are in Christ Jesus who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption." The teaching I received in the Local Church Movement was that the redemption that Christ accomplished opened our way to the tree of life. They teach this because Genesis 3:24 (ESV) says that after the man was driven out of the Garden of Eden, God “placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way of the tree of life.” The cherubim symbolize God’s glory, the fire symbolizes God’s sanctification and the sword represents God’s righteousness. Thus, God’s requirements for glory, sanctification, and righteousness render us unable to get close to the tree of life. But Christ accomplished righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (the redemption of the body represents the glory we received, which is our glorified body). Therefore, through the blood of Jesus Christ, we can come to God's throne with confidence and receive mercy and grace in times of need (ESV, Hebrews 4:16). Ephesians 2:18 (ESV) says, “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” These verses prove that we can come to the tree of life (which is the life of God embodied in the life of Jesus) through the blood of Jesus.

God did not allow Jesus Christ to accomplish redemption on the cross for all men to be automatically saved. That’s not how it works. Instead, God created everyone with free will to make their own choice. If you choose Christ’s redemption and accept His life by faith, you will have eternal life. But if you do not choose this redemption, it is not God’s heart to condemn you. Condemnation is the natural consequence of not choosing redemption, and you will be heading towards death. When we preach the gospel, we often share an example. In this example, we are all sitting on a train that is heading towards death. It lines up with what Jesus said; “you have been condemned already (John 3:18)”. Because the wages of sin is death, everyone is naturally heading towards death. But Jesus’ train of salvation has arrived, and you must board this train to have life. Jesus’ train of salvation is not here to convict you but to save you.

Jesus’ Entry into the World as a Baby

After Jesus was born as a baby in Israel, He was circumcised and cleansed for eight days. After this, Mary and Joseph took Him to Jerusalem and presented Him to the Lord. The Holy Spirit had revealed to a prophet named Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. He praised the Lord and said that he could now die in peace after seeing His redemption with his own eyes. He blessed Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, and said to Mary: "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (ESV, Luke 2:34-35).

In other words, when Jesus Christ came as a baby, it was quiet and low-key, so much so that he was born in a manger. He could have chosen to come into the world in a more noticeable way, but He did not. Instead, He chose to come into the world quietly as a baby. This baby was appointed for the fall of many in Israel. For example, many people thought that He came from Galilee and despised Him because there had never been a prophet that came out of Galilee. This baby was also appointed for the rising of many. Because many people believed in this baby, they followed Him and were appointed as apostles. Even a thief who was crucified with Jesus believed that he would enter paradise with Him. The baby Jesus became a sign to be opposed. Whether you accept or oppose Him, the thoughts in your heart will be revealed. God can test your heart through your attitude. He knows whether your heart chooses life or death. Everyone who is saved today can be likened to Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus. Because of the life placed within her, she was persecuted, and her soul was pierced by the sword. This happened not only when Mary saw her son Jesus being crucified but also when every Christian suffered and was persecuted because of their faith.

Paul’s Struggle with the Flesh

When we were reading Romans 7 this time, the Holy Spirit illuminated this verse in Luke to help us understand Paul’s experience in Romans 7. In this chapter, Paul’s experience had paved the way for Romans 8, which talks about spiritual reality: “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (ESV, Romans 8:6).

Paul's distress in Romans 7 stemmed from him not being able to discover the mystery of this choice at the time. Each one of us has three parts that can be likened to three different people. One is the old man, which symbolizes living in our flesh. This old man has been crucified with Christ, but his hold on us is still very powerful. The second is the good man that God created in our soul or the "inner being" that Paul mentions in Romans 7:22. This man loves the law of God. But the law of the flesh (Romans 7:23), which is the law of sin and death, waged war against Paul’s mind, so he felt overcome by the law of sin and death and his flesh. Although his "inner being" or mind wants to serve God, his old man is serving the law of sin and flesh (Romans 7:25). This was the cause of Paul’s distress. Many Christians have the same feelings as Paul. The Bible clearly says that the old man has been crucified with Christ. If this is the case, why is it that our old man’s influence still seems so strong in our lives? This question brings us to the revelation that we received during this discussion while reading the previous verse from Luke.

Because God has made a way for our old man to be crucified with Christ, why is our old man still so strong? This can be explained by the lesson of re-election given to us by God. The law of sin and death in our body is still trying to influence our choices and get us to choose death. But the "law of the Spirit of life" (Romans 8:2), like the tree of life in Genesis, is hidden in our spirit. The Bible says, seek, and you will find (ESV, Matthew 7:7). However, whether we seek or not, the thoughts in our hearts will be revealed. Many people wonder why the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden is in an obvious location, but the tree of life seems to be hidden. It is symbolic because life is found only by a seeking heart. Sin and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil are very easy to find. Finding life requires a seeking heart, and Jesus promises, “Seek, and you will find.” (ESV, Matthew 7:7).

Choosing Life or Death

Today we must make a similar choice as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. Our soul, which is our thoughts and mind, must make a choice. We can choose the life of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that is readily available. Or we can choose the baby-like life of Jesus Christ hidden in our spirit, which is the tree of life. Our choices will result in either life or death.

At the beginning of Romans 7, Paul compared our old man to a husband. If a husband dies, the wife will be free. In the same way, we have died to the law (Romans 7:4). As wives, we are not subject to the control of our original husband (which represents our old man). Instead, we live for our new husband (which represents Christ) so that we may “bear fruit for God” (Romans 7:4). Romans 7:5-6 (ESV) says, "For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code." Here it says, "While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions were aroused by the law." What does this mean? It means that if we choose the flesh, sin, and death, the law of God will convict us, and we will die. The law itself is not wrong, nor is it sin (Romans 7:7). However, the law convicts us of sin (Romans 7:7). In other words, the law reveals, convicts, and kills our flesh. But if we choose life, the law will not convict and kill us. Rather, it will help perfect us. The greatest commandment in the Law is to love the Lord and to love your neighbor as yourself. When we choose life, we will satisfy Jesus Christ’s requirements of this law.

The Function of the Law

The function of the law is to bring death when we choose sin and the flesh. The purpose of it is to turn our hearts towards the Lord and choose life. The law itself is not wrong, but the reason why the law kills is because a veil lies in our hearts. But when our hearts turn to the Lord, the veil is removed. The Lordis a Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (ESV, 2 Corinthians 3:16-17).

If you were driving a car on the highway in the United States, you would notice that there are white or yellow lines on the side of the highway, and there is some very bumpy pavement outside the yellow lines. If you accidentally drive your car over the line, it will make a loud noise and your car will shake. The purpose of this is to remind you that if you do not readjust the steering wheel, you could be in danger once you cross this line, and your car could go off the road. This is exactly how the law functions. The law itself is not wrong. Rather, it is the behavior of your flesh that is wrong. The law acts like the bumpy pavement. It doesn’t cause your car to crash, it is your own driving mistakes that cause the car to crash. But the function of this highway border is just like the function of the law. Once you cross this border, your car may go off the road. This is what Paul meant in Romans 7:7-17. It is not the law (border) that caused you to sin (crash), but the behavior of your flesh (driving) caused you to sin (crash). With this being said, if you fail to obey the law or drive across the border, you may crash, or die.

Just as you can deliberately drive over the borders you set, the law of sin and death in your flesh can also overcome the law of goodness in your soul. In Romans 7:18-23, Paul begins to talk about how powerful this law of sin and death and the flesh is, and how it can overcome the law of goodness in his soul. Paul found that the law of God was with those who were willing to do good, but evil was right there in his flesh. The members in his mind wanted to follow the law of God, but the law of sin in his flesh often seemed to take him captive. He felt like a passenger in a car. He didn't want an accident to happen, but the driver was driving very recklessly. Fortunately, passengers are not required to ride in this car and they can choose a good driver. Just like when Americans are riding in an Uber, they usually choose a highly rated driver. In the same way, you have the opportunity to choose Christ today. If you set your mind on the Spirit and choose God and the Lord Jesus Christ, you will have life. But if you set your mind on the flesh, you will die. If you entrust your life to the Lord and let Him drive the car which represents your life, He will lead you to the path of life. But if you choose to live according to the flesh, and let the flesh and the law of sin and death act as the driver you will be taken to the path of death.

The Spirit of Life

This is the experience that Paul talked about in Romans 7 and the preparation he did for the revealed truth that he saw in Romans 8. This truth is "The law of the Spirit of life has set me free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (ESV, Romans 8:2). But just as I mentioned earlier, this law of the Spirit of life will not automatically allow us to have life. It is up to each person, you have to make a choice! The choices you make will have different results. If you are feeling distressed like Paul in Romans 7, it means that somewhere along the way you made a wrong choice.

Of course, we must acknowledge the fact that it takes a period of time between making these choices and seeing positive results. For example, let’s say you were a farmer and you planted crops in a field. These crops are like the law of the Spirit of life, but the weeds are very powerful. If you fail to get rid of the weeds in time, they will grow very quickly and dominate and kill your crops. I have a garden at home but I didn't attend to it very well for period of time because of my hectic schedule. When I went back to check on it I found that the weeds had grown so tall that they had taken over many of my plants. Some of my plants had even died.

Because these crops, or the life of the law of the Spirit of life, started out as babies we must harness our thoughts and choose the spirit of life and continue to weed out the behavior of our flesh in order to mature spiritually. It is only after becoming spiritually mature that we can truly experience freedom through the law of the Spirit of life.

Our soul is created at the beginning of God’s creation. After God created us, He even said, it was very good (ESV, Genesis 1:31). God then allows us to choose again, which is the process of saving our soul. We must make the right choice in order to have life. Christ's redemption gives us the opportunity to choose again, but it is up to us to make the right choice.

Choosing Life Every Day

In the beginning, the life of Jesus Christ was still a baby in us and needed to grow and mature slowly. The choices you make and your attitude towards this life will reveal your thoughts and determine whether you will receive salvation and God’s rewards. I pray that God works in your heart and that you make the right choice, and become a child of God. If you have already received salvation, I pray that you choose life every day, so that the life of Jesus Christ will continue to grow in you, allowing you to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Many people have received salvation in America, but many of them have still not chosen to set their minds on the spirit to receive life and peace. Rather they have chosen to set their minds on the things of the flesh. This is why they reap death. People, wake up! Don’t make the wrong choice as Adam did! Yes, you were saved, but you will not be automatically saved from everything! You must make the right choice just as you made the right choice when you decided to accept Jesus Christ into your heart! The life of Jesus in you is still a baby. Give Him room to grow!

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Settling Legal Matters Between Believers

Bible Study With Jairus - 1 Corinthians 6

1 Corinthians 6 contains three distinct paragraphs. The first paragraph is about lawsuits among Christian believers. A man in our Bible study inquired whether Paul’s perspective on lawsuits between believers is still relevant today, especially given the increasing number of lawsuits between believers in the United States. It is, in my opinion, highly controversial. Some people believe that Christians should not sue one another even if they are wronged. Others use Paul’s appeal to Caesar as an example, believing that we can make an appeal to Caesar too or, in other words to go to court. They believe Christians can file an appeal in a court of law to resolve issues of unfair treatment. We always thought about cases of lawsuits between Christians when we read this chapter in the past. Should we sue to protect our benefits, or should we accept being wronged?

The inspirations that we will share today while reading this chapter are not from this perspective. It is only when Paul mentions that the lawsuits could involve immoral behavior that the church felt ashamed. And in their case, the law may have been used to wrong others instead of protecting their own lawful rights at the time. This is probably why Paul advised us not to file lawsuits against other believers. On the one hand, it tarnishes the church’s image. On the other hand, believers should not use the law of this world to harm others, particularly our brothers and sisters in Christ. Please continue to read my explanation as I share a verse that touched us today.

Should Believers Rights be Protected in Court?

We were moved by 1 Corinthians 6:8 in today’s reading. It states in verse 7, “To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?” This is the background for verse 8. Christians often use this phrase to argue that we should not protect our rights in court. But this verse does not contain the full picture unless we read it in context with verse 8. Verse 8 says, “But you yourselves wrong and defraud - even your own brothers!” According to this verse, Paul condemns Christians who wrong and defraud others and file lawsuits against other believers. According to these verses, Paul condemns not only those who have been wronged but those who have wronged others in court. Paul does not say that even if our legal rights are threatened, we should still be submissive. This was not the intended meaning. Paul could be trying to say it is not good for those who have already committed offenses to bring lawsuits against others, especially other believers. Perhaps what he said about “Why not rather be defrauded?” was directed at those who defraud others in court.

Paul Warns the Church About Sin

Furthermore, we will discuss the conditions of the eight sins mentioned in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. In these verses, we will look at why Paul discusses the conditions of these eight sins. One fundamental principle must be followed when we try to understand the Bible, and that is the relationship between previous and subsequent verses. We often overlook the relationship between verses like these, especially if the previous verse appears to be unrelated to the subsequent verse. If the correlation between two verses is not obvious, it can be very difficult to see any connection. This is the case with the verses we have been discussing. For example, let’s take a look at Chapter 6 verses 1–8. This paragraph discusses lawsuits between believers. The main topic in verses 9 through 11 is prostitutes and sexual immorality. Why does Paul bring up prostitutes in this chapter after talking about lawsuits? Is the matter of prostitutes related to lawsuits in any way?

My guess is that some believers who filed lawsuits may be guilty of one or more of these eight sins mentioned here. This is just a guess but let me explain my reasoning. These are the eight sins mentioned in the second section of this chapter: “sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who practice homosexuality, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, swindlers” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Paul also says, “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) When Paul wrote letters to people, including the Church of Corinth, he was probably aware of their situations. More than likely they understood what he was saying without him having to go into detail. Paul obscures details for them and does not mention their names or the sins they have committed. I believe he did so under the leading of the Holy Spirit and because many of the believers repented. Although Paul was lead by the Holy Spirit and did not reveal their wrongdoings, this does not mean that the wrongdoings did not exist. Those who filed lawsuits may have committed some of the aforementioned sins. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for Paul to mention them right after talking about the lawsuits. Although Paul does not discuss the details of their lawsuits, I assume it’s because he didn’t feel it was appropriate to address them publicly.

The reason I assume this is because in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul specifically mentions two weaknesses in our flesh: gluttony and sexual lust. He only mentions gluttony briefly, but he spends a lot of time talking about sexual lust. In verse 15, he says our bodies are members of Christ, and those who join themselves to a prostitute become one body with her, and the two will become one flesh (6:16). However, those who join themselves to the Lord become one spirit with Him (6:17).

Paul withholds the names of those believers who are involved in lawsuits, as well as the content of the lawsuits, and whether or not these believers committed one or more of the eight sins, he mentioned in verses 9-11. However, sexual immorality was one of the special sins mentioned in verses 12-20. As a result, my guess is the lawsuits between these believers were related to sexual immorality. We do not know for certain what the lawsuits were about, but they could be about prostitution.

We know that the city of Corinth was a thriving commercial city. There was a lot of idol worship and sexual immorality. Mark Allan Powell, a theologian, says, according to some ancient historians “throughout the empire, the expression ‘to act like a Corinthian’ came to be Roman slang for engaging in sexual promiscuity.”[1] In Corinth’s society, sexual promiscuity was part of the cultural background. Some believers had grown up in this culture, and their spiritual senses were not strong enough to pull them away from it. So Paul reminded them that while some of the believers had previously committed these sins, they had been sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (6:11). As a result, they had to learn not to join in sin and instead learn to join with the Lord, because joining with sin caused them to become one body with sin. He who is joined to the Lord is one Spirit.

This is just my best guess, seeing as we will never know the exact details of the lawsuits mentioned in this chapter. However, one point stands out, and that is the distinction between joining with a prostitute versus joining with the Lord. If a Christian joins with sin, the flesh, or the world, he will more or less think, act, and behave according to the world’s laws. He will solve his problems in a worldly manner, not a in spiritual manner.

A Dispute Between Believers

Not long after I became a believer, one older man who we shall call Adam in my church told me a story. This story took place in our dorm which was called the Brothers House. There were two students that we shall call Bob and Chris, who came from China. Bob had been a believer for a longer period of time than Chris, who was a new believer. One day, Chris accidentally hit the bumper of Bob’s car, resulting in minor damage. This accident caused an argument between them. Chris begged Bob to settle the dispute privately because if the accident was reported to the insurance company, Chris would be charged a higher premium later. Bob plainly refused and insisted on reporting the accident to the insurance company. The older man, Adam, attempted to resolve their disagreements, telling Bob, “Chris is a new believer. If you insist on reporting the accident to the insurance company, this may negatively impact his newfound faith. Please think about resolving the incident in private. Furthermore, this was a minor accident with very little damage.” Bob did not follow Adam’s advice. He persisted and reported the accident to the insurance company.

I’ve never met Bob and Chris but heard their story from Adam, who regretfully told me that because Bob did not follow Chris’s suggestion, Chris had not attended any gatherings since. From the way it sounded, I believe Adam was sad. If he were Bob, he would have definitely treasured the fact that Chris, who had just received salvation, could feel the love of brotherhood more than his own insignificant loss.

By contrasting the attitudes of Adam and Bob, we can see that Bob was following in the footsteps of the world. This is not incorrect. In the United States, reporting a car accident to an insurance company is a basic step. To Adam, who was more mature and passionate, acting in a worldly manner was not wrong, but rather it lacked the love of God. He valued Chris’s spiritual life and didn’t want his faith to be hurt through this small incident. Is there anything wrong with reporting an incident to an insurance company in this example? Certainly not! Does Chris feel loved if Bob reports this incident to an insurance company? Of course not!

I shared this story to explain Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 6 and to provide a better understanding of Paul’s attitude towards lawsuits. Assuming that Adam in the above story is Paul and that the car accident between these two believers occurred in the Church of Corinth and is recorded in 1 Corinthians, can I assume that “Paul disagreed to report the car accident to the insurance company”? Or am I correct in assuming that Paul preferred “resolving the incident privately” following the car accident? It would not be reasonable for me to interpret Paul’s words in this manner. But, if we explain Paul’s attitude towards lawsuits in 1 Corinthians 6, we might make the same mistake.

Love Among Brothers

Paul was more concerned with whether or not there was “love among brothers” than with whether or not filing lawsuits in court was appropriate. Paul says, “can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers?” (6:5). Paul may not have objected to believers filing lawsuits in court, especially if believers were forced to do so or their rights were violated. If that was the case, Paul might have advised making an appeal to Caesar, similar to what he did. Paul was concerned that the believers of the Corinthian Church were still living in the flesh. Apart from having possibly committed some of the eight sins he mentioned in verses 9-11, the spiritual life of these believers was still immature as they were still living in their flesh.

Paul said, “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food.” (6:13). This verse contains a lot of meaning. It reminds me of the phrase: “Man eats for the sake of being alive, but man does not live for the sake of eating.” Eating is a necessary part of life, but it is not the center of our entire life. Our lives should be guided towards something more meaningful, much like human sexuality, which is not only for human reproduction but also many other rightful causes. Sexual lust is not all we want in marriage, and it is not right to have lust outside of marriage or with a prostitute. If some Corinthian believers committed sins out of lust, resulting in lawsuits as a result of these sins, this is not what Paul would want to see. Paul hoped the Corinthian believers realized that although some of them committed similar sins, they could experience the redemptive power of Christ that is mentioned in this verse: “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God.” (6:11). These words appear simple, but they are difficult to put into practice. How many Christians today live in sin, despite the fact that they have already been sanctified and justified by the Spirit of God? Why do they live with this contradiction? However, in our own journey, we must learn to overcome the temptations of sin and stay away from evil by the power of the cross and the strengthening of the Holy Spirit.

How do you overcome evil? Do you have an experience similar to Paul’s in Romans 7? The more you want to overcome sin, the more sin defeats you. The key to defeating evil can be found in Romans 8, where Paul discusses “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2). How can we have “the law of the Spirit of life” within us but still lose the battle against sin? This is due to a lack of union with Christ.

That is why, after sharing something negative, Paul followed it up with something positive about how to join with the Lord and become one spirit with him (6:17).

The Spirit of God Unites Believers

One of the men in our Bible study shared his heartfelt thoughts. He believed that the Corinthians’ lawsuits were merely a problem on the surface and that the main reason for this was that they did not practice joining with the Lord. He felt they would be one spirit with the Lord if they practiced joining with Him. He believed we would also have more unity with other members in the body of Christ if we were joined to the Lord as one.

What this brother shared was extremely good. The Lord Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35). However, we are constantly separated by different denominations and teachings and we cannot always love one another. Although we do not file lawsuits against one another in court, the nature of our relationship among different denominations is similar. Conflicts and disagreements between different denominations cause Christians to not have a good witness in the eyes of the world. If Paul was still alive, he probably would have agreed with this.

The ability to get along well with one another, whether it was believers of the Corinthian Church or Christians of different denominations, all depends on their ability to unite with God. We are members of the body of Christ, and like the members of a physical body, we are linked to one another. All members of a physical body are connected to the brain (or head), which sends instructions to each of the limbs, and the limbs must first follow the brain’s instructions before they can interact with other limbs. Suppose a person has Parkinson’s disease or another disease that affects the nervous system. In that case, this person’s limbs will be unable to function, perhaps even paralyzed, and his limbs will be unable to coordinate properly.

The same principle applies to the spiritual realm as well. We must connect with our head, Jesus Christ. We will become one spirit with God if we unite with Him. As we become one spirit with God, this unites us in spirit with fellow believers as well. However, if we do not unite with God, it will be difficult for us to unite with other believers.

Ezekiel 37 portrays such a picture. As Ezekiel prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. (Eze 37:7) And there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. (Eze 37:8) And the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Eze 37:10) Paul also said, “and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” (Col 2:19) If we are unable to become one in Christ and hold fast to the head, we will not be fully nourished and knitted together. We will not be able to grow with a growth that is from God, similar to Ezekiel 37’s description of rattling bones. We must first unite with God and receive abundant supplies from our head, Jesus Christ, just as our body parts receive instructions from our brain. Then we can unite with one another and grow and mature and experience the life of God within us.

In this chapter, I do not believe Paul is focusing on whether Christians should file lawsuits in court, but rather on the maturity of a Christian’s life and being one with Jesus Christ. His concern is that we should be good witnesses of one another’s love to the world so that the world may know that Jesus has sent us. Paul’s words are the inspired Word of God; however, it does not mean we need to take it literally.

[1] Mark Allan Powell, Introducing the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009), 278.

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Be Ready to Discern God’s Plan

Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 10

Are visions important?

In Acts 10, the Lord gave Peter a fascinating vision. God showed Peter all kinds of unclean animals and asked him to kill and eat them. He refused, saying that he had never eaten anything unclean. Nevertheless, God gave him permission to eat, saying he should not call anything unclean which God has made clean. God’s words were not merely referring to unclean animals; God was guiding Peter to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, whom the Jews deemed impure.

I was saved in a church that emphasizes the life and teachings of Christ much more than it emphasizes visions or similar topics. However, as the Lord has led me into learning more about the Charismatics, I have come to understand that Charismatics place great emphasis on visions.

How should we resolve this discrepancy?

There are dangers on both extremes of the spectrum. We should avoid being overly cautious with visions and emphasizing the Bible alone, and we should also avoid an over-acceptance of visions that dismisses and neglects the written word of God.

First of all, let’s look at Peter’s experience. We must acknowledge the fact that it was not easy for Peter to evangelize to the Gentiles. His mind was filled with preconceptions and prejudices. However, we must revisit this question: why didn’t God grant this vision to John, James, or others? We do not know the answer to this question, but we can speculate that Peter was probably more flexible. Compared to those who more strictly adhered to Jewish traditions (such as James), perhaps it would have been easier for Peter to make a concept shift.

We know that Peter had a high spiritual intellect. He understood and acknowledged Jesus as the Son of the living God. He also committed frequent mistakes, saying that God would not let the Lord be crucified. Peter was criticized by the Lord frequently, but he also rectified his wrongdoings. Possibly Peter’s personality was more receptive to changes and corrections.

Despite this flexibility, however, it was still difficult to instill in Peter the idea that God had cleansed the Gentiles and was determined to preach the gospel to them. Because Peter found it hard to believe that this vision was really from God, the Lord had to send the vision to Peter three times in a row.

Traditional churches put aside visions, mainly for fear that if the visions are not from God but from the enemy, they would cause mistakes or harm to the church. This is a valid concern. Throughout church history there have been many who have seen so-called visions that turned out to cause a lot of damage to the church or even endanger the lives of innocent believers. These concerns are real.

However, if Peter had then dismissed the vision, saying, “I’m not going, let me take a year’s time to scrutinize whether this vision is coming from God or Satan,” then God’s plan to evangelize to the Gentiles would have been compromised.

Imagine Peter as a present-day believer. As a new believer, he was taught and instructed in the Christian faith. He believes the truths he’s learned are in perfect alignment to biblical truth. Nevertheless, one day somebody challenges him and tells him that the truth is outdated, and that God has updated this truth. What was not permitted before is now permissible; what was considered wrong before is now correct. Facing this major change, do you think a church member nowadays would be easily persuaded to change his mindset? Based on my personal experience and observations, this would be very difficult.

I recall hearing a preacher explaining why God needs to speak to us through dreams and visions, and I think his explanation makes sense. He said, “God also speaks to us during the daytime through our mind or other channels. However, if there is a concept which does not align with our pre-existing conceptions, our minds would become a barrier to God’s conversation with us, thus hindering God’s words from penetrating our souls. Therefore, when God speaks to us through dreams and visions, He is using a pictorial language to bypass or get around our minds.” At night, when our souls are relatively restful with a lower activity level, speaking directly to our spirits would achieve God’s aim to communicate with us.

For instance, the Lord might use a dream to remind us that a certain action might cause us danger, especially if the action is directly related to our personal interest. In our souls we might have various excuses telling us that it is okay to move forward with a dangerous activity, and that it would be beneficial to us or even to God. God might have warned us several times, but we have not received the message. However, if in a dream at night we do the action and encounter sudden danger, such as a dog jumping out to bite and startle us, we might start wondering if we are really justified in doing the action. We might give the dream some consideration, reflecting on whether the Lord is warning us about the decision we are about to make, which might bring us danger or a predicament.

Job 33:14-18 gives us the following insight:

“For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings, that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.” (ESV)

This passage is frequently quoted by teachers in Charismatic churches to illustrate the importance of God speaking through dreams. That is, God does speak to people in many different ways, and yet oftentimes people ignore his communication or do not understand what He means. Hence, God speaks in dreams and visions at night. He speaks in their ears and imprints the messages directly onto their hearts. In this way the spirit’s hindrance is bypassed and the objective of communication is achieved.

This passage says that dreams take place at night, while visions occur mostly during daytime. Some people say that, compared to visions, dreams contain more pictorial language that is more difficult to comprehend than visions. I think this belief makes sense. If you compare this vision seen by Peter and the dream Daniel had, you will easily reach this conclusion. Nevertheless, in principle, their methods and aims are the same: to give you a pictorial depiction of ideas that are not easily expressed by words.

Why does God send a message that is beyond words? Hasn’t God asked Peter to preach the gospel to the Gentiles through other means, such as through the leading of the Holy Spirit? Yes, God has probably communicated this multiple times. Peter may have felt inspired by what he learned, but he wasn’t motivated to carry it out because the idea was too radical for his Jewish ideology. In order to break through this ideology, God had to speak to Peter through visions, even multiple repetitions of the same vision. Finally, Peter is forced to pray to God and ask him about this message. God once again revealed that He had already purified the Gentiles and that it was the right time to preach the gospel to them.

God uses our weaknesses for his glory.

I once heard a Charismatic preacher give the following insight: “Paul was committed to preaching the gospel to the Jews until death. He was even willing to die eternally for his Israelite brothers and sisters. In Romans 9-11, he swore that it if his own eternal damnation could bring his people to salvation, he would not hesitate to accept eternal death. Nevertheless, once he had been saved, God did not allow him to preach the gospel to the Jews; instead, God sent him to a faraway place as an apostle to the Gentiles.

“Paul would have been a powerful preacher to Jews. He had studied under Gamaliel and was a Pharisee of the tribe of Benjamin. As a highly qualified Jew, he would have been a powerful tool to bring Jews to Christ. His testimony was a convincing and effective message for the Israelites. He could have been an excellent apostle to the Jews. However, God did not make him an apostle to the Jews.

“On the other hand, Peter was a fisherman. We don’t know for sure whether the Gentiles despised him, but the Jewish rabbis, teachers of the law, and Pharisees must have looked down on him. He was raised in the Galilee region where Jews mingled with Gentiles. How fitting it would have been to make him the apostle to the Gentiles! Nevertheless, God chose him as the apostle to the Jews and had him preach the gospel to Israelites!”

This preacher believed that in our work for him, God sometimes uses our innate weaknesses instead of our innate strengths. In this way, we are forced to rely on God’s power instead of our natural gifts. Paul is an example of this concept: When Paul went out to preach the gospel, people’s first reaction was to recoil. They knew that he had been a persecutor of Christians, so they rejected him. When God sent Ananias to speak to Paul, Ananias raised this objection. However, through God’s wisdom and sovereignty, Paul became the apostle to the Gentiles, while Peter became the apostle to the Jews.

This concept gives important insight into Peter’s apostleship to the Jews. If people like James had seen the same vision, it might have been more difficult for him to understand what God was trying to convey. This is because James and the others were deeply immersed in the sense of Jewish privilege. A breakthrough to reach the Gentiles might have been more difficult if God had used James or other disciples. Peter seemed to be the most malleable one and the weakest link among these apostles. He lacked the higher education in Jewish religion, and at the same time he had a more flexible character. Because of his flexibility, Peter sprang into action as soon as God spoke to him in a vision. In other words, in order to pass on to the Gentiles the salvation He had prepared through the Israelites, God seemingly chose the most vulnerable and open individual, Peter. He placed the most open individual when placing the “water line” of salvation to the Gentiles, so that His grace of salvation could flow out most easily.

God’s perfect plan

To substantiate these ideas I’ve been sharing, compare Peter’s story with the story of God’s choice of Cornelius. God truly has sophisticated plans.

After I was saved, I used my salvation testimony to evangelize my parents. Nevertheless, my mother constantly argued that someone in the village who had be baptized as Christian was constantly stealing from others. She asked, “Are you Christians more moral than others?” She refused to accept Jesus Christ because she saw the hypocrisy of some Christians. Christians commonly encounter this objection to their beliefs. Living out our Christian values really does matter.

In other words, if God were to choose a flawed and imperfect Gentile to be the first to accept his gift of the living water of salvation, his plans would have been severely hindered. I’m not saying that God couldn’t have accomplished his plan through a flawed vessel (with God all things are possible). I am just saying that this would have caused significant challenges to God’s plan.

Now let’s look at how the Bible describes Cornelius:

“At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. Cornelius your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.” (ESV)

This passage shows us that Cornelius was probably affiliated with Judaism. In modern church vocabulary, he was a “friend of the gospel” or “seeker of the truth.” He was a Gentile, but he prayed continuously to God. His whole family feared God, he was generous with the common people, and he was respected by all, even among the Israelites. The Israelites did not have complaints or even false testimonies against him. The angel also praised him. He was such a blameless person that he seemed perfect.

Can you see how amazing God’s plan and provision was? If Cornelius had had any moral issues, or if his family had had any flaws, the Jews who were against evangelizing the Gentiles would have caused quite a stir. God’s plan to bring the gospel to the Gentiles was perfectly orchestrated. With redneck Peter as the spigot and the perfect Cornelius as the water hose, God’s plan was executed in perfection.

Discerning attentiveness to God’s plan

When we serve the Lord, we should not block, neglect, or completely deny God’s revelations through dreams and visions just because of previous incidences of fake visions, fake dreams, and fake prophecies that were used to harm the church. We must be discerning and cautious, but not overly cautious. Being overly cautious is a lack of faith, and lacking faith in God is a sin. This is a concept which we must grasp properly.

Let me say this again: Imagine that God had devised this perfect plan of how the gospel would be transmitted to the Gentiles. Each part was in place. Imagine that Cornelius was standing by for a seamless transition, but Peter dropped the ball at the critical moment, saying, “What I saw was only a vision which might have come from God, or from Satan, or I just had too many cheese pizzas (this is a popular joke among Charismatics about dreams). Let me spend some time to check it out and see.” In that case, wouldn’t Peter be saying that God’s plan was unreliable? God is not an unreliable God; He does everything according to plan.

When Peter had seen the vision and heard God’s words, he took a bold step of faith. We need to acknowledge that this was not easy for Peter. Today if we face the same scenario and a difficult choice, we must take the risk in faith. If you slip, people will be eager to call you a “false prophet” or even attack you with stones.

In the end, we must stress the other side of the coin. If we are overly cautious, we lack faith. It is not right to be doubtful. However, it is also not right to be too trusting and believe everything without scrutiny. I’ve been learning about Charismatic beliefs for about three years, and I’ve seen many fake dreams, fake visions, and fake miracles. I’ve become acquainted with many Christian brothers and sisters attending Charismatic churches. Most of them are true Christians who have been saved. However, many of them tend to focus on the exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and not on the discipline of reading the Bible. These two need to be balanced.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 3

During exhausting and depleting times, we all yearn for rest, refreshment, restoration, and hope. Acts 3:19 promises a wonderful blessing to God’s people: “times of refreshing” which come straight “from the presence of the Lord.” (NASB)

These times of refreshing are not just a vague memory from the past or a vague hope for the future. Instead, they are a present reality that we can experience every day. When we repent and turn away from our daily worry and wandering away from God, we can experience these "times of refreshing" anytime and anywhere. Hebrews 4:11 (ESV) says: "Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience."[1] As we call on the Lord's name and enter His presence, God saves us from worries and brings us into his rest.

Surfing the Waves of God’s Working

In Acts, we see Peter being used greatly by God. But we also see him stumbling greatly. On the one hand, he healed lame people and performed miracles. On the other hand, he cowered in the face of legalistic Jews, pretending he didn’t care about the Gentile Christians. Even Barnabas was led astray by Peter’s hypocrisy.

This discrepancy demonstrates a profound interaction between human and divine effort in the early church. When Peter cooperated with the Holy Spirit, he performed great acts of service for the Lord. But when he got out of step with the Holy Spirit, he fell and failed.

The Holy Spirit can be compared to a puppeteer who directs the puppets, and believers can be compared to the puppets acting on the stage of life. Unlike a puppeteer, however, God does not control us or force us to act a certain way. Instead, we can liken God’s influence to ocean waves. The power of the Holy Spirit can carry us along, like a wave carries a surfer. When a surfer stays in sync with the waves, he will surf the waves and troughs. But when he gets out of sync with the motion and rhythm of the waves, he will be knocked over. Overwhelmed, he will crash to the ground. A surfer needs to understand the wave patterns and how waves move so that he can move in cooperation with the waves’ power.

In the same way, if we move in sync with the Holy Spirit, we rise to new heights. However, if we fail to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, or fail to grasp the wave patterns, we may get stuck or fall. Rather than a powerful force to propel us forward, the waves have become a force that hinders us and even kills us. When we don’t stay in sync with the Spirit, we will be overwhelmed by worldly trends, worries, and opposition from the enemy. However, when we let his power propel us forward, we can thrive—even during times of opposition and difficulty.

Persecution in the Book of Acts

On the one hand, the book of Acts retells the history of the church. It recounts powerful preaching and miracles performed by the apostles through the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, it is also the history of their constant persecution. After Peter rebuked the Jews for crucifying Jesus, he suffered for it. Paul was later flogged and mistreated, just like the Lord Jesus. Peter was imprisoned.

Why is there so much persecution in the book of Acts? When we demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, Satan will do everything he can to hinder us. This is a clash between two kingdoms, the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light.

Wherever the Lord Jesus or the apostles went, they aroused fierce resistance from the evil spirits.

One way to know whether we are filled with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit is by asking ourselves whether we have encountered persecution and opposition. If there is no opposition or persecution in our lives, perhaps we do not pose a threat to the evil spirits. We can infer that the power of the Holy Spirit is lacking in our lives.

The more I seek the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit, the more opposition I face. Although

I am deeply disturbed by these unprecedented attacks, I accept them as an inevitable part of following Jesus.

We Christians not only face outward pressures, potentially including imprisonment, but we also are subjected to inward pressures, such as fear and worry. Our fear and lack of confidence keep us from riding the waves of God’s power.

Prophetic dreams: big bowl of noodles and small bowl of noodles

Acts 3:19-20 says, "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." Let’s dive in deeper and seek to understand what God means by these “times of refreshing.” This verse looks forward to the millennial kingdom, a future time of restoration that God has promised. However, we can begin to experience this blessing right now. If we draw near to God with prayer and faith, we can have a foretaste of God’s promised blessings today.

In a church meeting, one of the men in our church shared a testimony about his stressful job. He shared that as a stockbroker, he handled tens of millions of dollars in transactions every day. He realized that if he made the wrong decision, it could cost the company millions. He had never dealt with such large amounts of money before. Sometimes the stress of his responsibility kept him up at night.

Two days before the meeting where he shared this burden, I had a dream about him. In the dream, I was eating noodles with him. I had washed two small bowls and was preparing to make noodles for the both of us. Suddenly, I saw a huge bowl appear. It was as big as a jar. I heard a voice saying, "That bowl is too big, you can't eat such a big bowl of noodles right now."

I have been having prophetic dreams since 2015. God often speaks to me and those around me through prophetic dreams. God speaks to me with personalized metaphors and imagery. As a Chinese immigrant, I have many dreams about eating noodles. Slowly I began to understand that God used "noodles" to represent "food", which demonstrates his provision.

Since God instructs us to comfort, strengthen, and encourage others through prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:3), I shared this dream with him. I knew he was under a lot of pressure. I then asked the believers in our meeting to share their inspiration with him.

The man's wife shared that this dream reminded her of the story of five loaves and two fishes, which teaches us that God will give us even greater blessings through our small contribution. Because of his excellent upbringing and streamlined journey through college and into his career, it was easy for him to depend on himself. His current difficulties would help him rely on God’s strength and support, rather than on his own ability.

My wife had an important insight to share. She wondered if God had chosen me and this man to work together. God was preparing us for future cooperation and service. He wants us to band together to preach the gospel to the Chinese people. I was preparing to serve the Chinese by studying theology and Bible truth, and perhaps God had sent this man to me so we could serve together. Perhaps he will use his financial acumen to help me manage my finances in the future. Or perhaps God will bless him financially so he can make large contributions for His kingdom.

The ministry God will give us in the future may be huge, just like that big bowl of noodles. But our capacity is still small right now, and God will continue to increase it. What this man is currently experiencing may be a process through which God increases his capacity. Perhaps God is allowing him to go through a lot of pressure so he can realize his endless potential. After he has gone through this difficult process, he will find that his capacity has increased.

I also shared my own insights. I think we need to focus on serving God in the present and achieving the things within our reach. Although the large bowl of noodles seemed like a promise, the voice said, "You can't eat such a large bowl right now.” We must take things one step at a time and slowly increase our capacity.

I shared with this man that recently I’ve been very busy. There have been so many things I needed to do. I was not efficient enough to multitask and complete all the tasks I was hoping to do. So I made some adjustments. I decided to focus my entire energy on whatever I was doing at the moment. If I only have 20 minutes to pray, I will focus entirely on praying, instead of praying for 20 minutes and thinking about things for 20 minutes in my 40-minute prayer time. Although I only have 20 minutes to pray, my mind is completely focused on praying, which is actually more effective. In all of our daily tasks, we will be much more efficient if we concentrate on one thing at a time.

It is very difficult for us to focus. Many people find themselves procrastinating, unable to focus. Because of their half-hearted attitude, they get very little accomplished. In reality, the ability to focus is strengthened through our spiritual disciplines and our fellowship with God. Meeting with the Lord every day, listening quietly to his voice, taking time to be still, and fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit will increase our ability to focus.

Every morning, I pray for at least half an hour. At noon, I set aside time for contemplative Bible reading and meditation on God’s word. In the past, I would also fast and pray once a week. These habits help me stay in the presence of the Lord and stay in sync with the “waves” of the Holy Spirit. They help me keep in step with the Spirit and follow in his footsteps. As we keep in touch with God, we can surf the waves and ride the wind. As our lives flow in rhythm with the Holy Spirit, we will do great things.

However, if we lack fellowship with the Lord, the same force that helped us move forward will become a force that suppresses us. If we neglect our fellowship with the Lord for a long time, we will find that we are overwhelmed by the forces of work and life. Why? Because the Lord is a river of living water within us; He always flows out of us. He is a powerful force. Only when He flows out of us can we withstand the pressure from the world.

We can compare God’s power in our lives to centrifugal and centripetal force. The Lord attracts us towards heaven, just like the moon or other planets attract the earth. His centrifugal force pulls us towards our eternal home. In addition, the Lord is at the center of our being, attracting inward closeness to him. This is an inward or centripetal force. As we maintain a balance between these two forces, we can stay strong against outside pressures. Without the inner strength that comes from fellowship with the Lord, the pressures we are facing will crush us.

Christ is our center. We must focus on Him. When we focus on Christ and his word, rivers of living water will flow out of us. Just like this man, the stress of this life can keep us from resting in Christ. The more we fellowship with the Lord, the more inner strength we will receive from Him, which can help us beat all of our worries and pressures. As we allow God to set us free from worry and the pressures of this life, we will enter the "times of refreshing" mentioned in Acts 3:19.

Prayer and repentance bring times of refreshing

Like this man, many Christians lack the inner strength that comes from fellowship with the Lord. They are overwhelmed by the busyness and pressures of the world, and their lives are full of worries. When we are overwhelmed and stressed, we must ask God to help us enter the rest he has prepared. We must prioritize our fellowship with God. We must let go of our busy lives and focus on worshiping, praying, reading God’s word, and waiting on Him. As he delivers us from our stressful lives of hurry, we will enter God's rest and peace. The more we practice a disciplined and quiet life, the more we will grow in our ability to focus. Even when we are outwardly busy, we will be able to enjoy God’s rest on the inside. We will be able to maintain our focus and concentration, get twice the results with half the effort, and become highly efficient.

The beauty of the Chinese language contains hidden wisdom to help us understand these concepts. For example, The character “忙” (busyness) is composed of two parts. On the left is the word "heart" and on the right is the word "dead". It means that when we are busy and preoccupied with worldly tasks, our hearts are dead. Paul said that setting our minds on the spirit brings life, but setting our minds on the flesh brings death (Romans 8:6).

True repentance includes a change in attitude as well as a change in behavior. The former is aimed at our heart, while the latter is aimed at our life. If we really want to repent before God, we must change our attitude and our actions. For example, if we repent of being busy, but make no changes to our busy lifestyle, our repentance has no practical worth. We must actually set aside time to pray and connect with the Lord. We must schedule time for spiritual practices such as prayer, praise, reading the scriptures, speaking in tongues, etc.

The Holy Spirit is a river of living water. He promises that those who believe in Him will have rivers of living water within them (John 7:37). Our responsibility is to have fellowship with Him, remove the mud and stones that block the channels of his love, and allow the rivers of living water to flow out of us without hindrance.

Conclusion

We don't need to wait for the millennial kingdom to have "times of refreshing". This future promise is real. Like the big bowl of noodles I shared about earlier, it is a promise for the future. But today, we can start enjoying the small bowl of noodles. We can increase our capacity and grow our ability to focus on the present. We can repent from our busy lives and focus on the Lord. In this way, our sins will be wiped away and we will experience times of refreshing every day. The inner peace and strength brought by fellowship with the Lord will prevent us from being entangled in worldly trends, and will help us surf the waves of God’s love. In the strength of the Holy Spirit, we will impact the world like Peter did.

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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Showing Gentleness and Humility

towards those who believe differently.

Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 21

One of the ways the Holy Spirit speaks to us is by highlighting. Whether we’re reading the Bible or using prophetic gifts to prophesy, the Holy Spirit often points out something important that we should pay attention to. This is called highlighting.

For example, when a person with prophetic gifts is getting ready to prophesy, they often start “people-watching” to see which people in the meeting catch their attention in a special way. When one person jumps out at them, they ask the Holy Spirit what he wants to say to that person. Often, the Holy Spirit uses the prophet to speak specifically to that person that he highlighted—just like the prophet expected.

In traditional churches, many people use the word “inspire” rather than “highlight.” For example, people may say, “God inspired me to read a certain verse,” or “He inspired me to call someone.” Both “inspiration” and “highlighting” describe ways the Holy Spirit speaks to us.

For example, when you read a chapter of the Bible, you may suddenly notice a verse you never paid attention to before. Or perhaps you had read the verse many times, but you never thought about all its potential meanings. But today, you glean more meaning out of it than you ever had before. You need to pay special attention to this verse; you can be sure the Holy Spirit wants to speak to you.

When a particular verse jumps out at you, you need to learn to be quiet and listen to God’s voice. In the book of Samuel, God tells a story of young Samuel, who heard God calling him during the night. He thought it was his guardian, Eli, who was calling him. Because he didn’t know how to distinguish God’s voice, he missed the message God was trying to send. But Eli instructed him that the next time he heard God calling, he should say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening" (NIV, 1 Samuel 3:9). After old Eli taught him how to discern God's voice, Samuel began to learn to communicate with God. We must learn to pay attention to the way the Holy Spirit speaks to us while we read the Bible and fellowship with the Lord. Otherwise, we may miss His message, as Samuel did at first.

Be gentle towards those who are different

The main story told in Acts 21 is about the trials Paul encountered in Jerusalem. As we’ve learned in previous Bible studies, Jesus stood by Paul and gave him strength, telling him that he must testify in Rome as he did in Jerusalem. Paul’s friends and acquaintances prophesied that Paul would be bound in Jerusalem. Through these prophetic voices, the Holy Spirit tried to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem. When Paul decided to go anyway, the Lord stood by him and gave him strength. We have already discussed in detail the spiritual significance of these seemingly contradictory facts, so we will not repeat this theme here.

In today’s reading of Acts 21, I feel that the Holy Spirit is especially highlighting a verse to me, which is, Acts 21:21: “They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.” (NIV)

Paul had gone to see James and the elders in Jerusalem and shared what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When these elders heard it, they glorified God. Then they said to Paul, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law" (NIV, Acts 21:20). This verse provides the context for verse 21, the verse the Holy Spirit is bringing to our attention. The Holy Spirit not only highlighted verse 21, but he also emphasized a few words in particular: "teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses." The highlight in these words is "Jews who live among the Gentiles.”

In other words, one of the main reasons for this uproar in Jerusalem was the concern of the Jewish elders (the “they” in verse 21). Tens of thousands of Jews who were zealous for the law had heard rumors that Paul was teaching the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses. They felt that what Paul was doing went against their interests, which caused this uproar.

When I read this verse, the Holy Spirit showed me that the Jews may not have been concerned that Paul taught the Gentiles themselves to turn away from Moses and abandon circumcision and Jewish customs. Their main concern was the rumor that said that the Jews who lived with the Gentiles were being taught to turn away as well.

According to the general logic of Christians, Paul did not do anything wrong here when he was preaching that “neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation” (NIV, Galatians 6:15). Paul had already said he regards everything as garbage because of knowing Christ (NIV, Philippians 3:8). Naturally, he regards "circumcision," "customs," and even "Moses" as garbage. I don't think Paul is wrong, and I don’t believe the Holy Spirit is blaming Paul for the way he taught. But I think the Holy Spirit is encouraging us to be gentle with people who are different from us, or who have not yet recognized the truths that we’ve already realized. Let me explain.

We should treat others with love and inclusiveness, even if their beliefs seem like garbage to us. When we speak to them with gentleness, we show respect to them and their journey. What we see as garbage, others may regard as a treasure; and what we see as treasure, others may regard as garbage. When we treat a certain concept as garbage, and impose this view on others who value that concept as a treasure, it may harm the other person and cause conflicts between us. For example, many Chinese Christians believe that the people who have blind faith in Buddhism are idolaters and are completely "garbage." Because I am Chinese and there are many people in China who worship Buddha (including my mother, who worshiped Buddha for many years), this attitude may be hurtful to my unbelieving friends. I don't think there is anything wrong with the concept itself; compared to Christ, worshiping Buddha is indeed garbage. But I’ve observed that people who try to preach the gospel to Buddhists, while simultaneously proclaiming that their beliefs are garbage, do not have good results.

Similarly, my denomination’s prized Bible truths may seem like "garbage" to another Christian group. Let me give two extreme examples. When I used to take the train to Washington, I would often see Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons. One day, I met a zealous Filipino Jehovah’s Witness on the train. We debated on the way to our destination. He told me that Christ is not God, but that he is just a human prophet. The man gave me a lot of examples from the Bible, trying to prove that Jesus is not God.

For me as a Christian, acknowledging Jesus is God and is the son of God is a basic prerequisite. A preacher in my former church said that one day, some people came knocking at his door. When he saw that they were Jehovah's Witnesses, he said to them, "Jesus is Lord" and closed the door. He also taught us that we must reject people like Jehovah's Witnesses because the Bible says, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work” (NIV, 2 John 1:10-11). I accepted this teaching, so I treated Jehovah's Witnesses quite coldly. But then I began to be introduced to a different way of treating Jehovah’s witnesses. This is not to say that what the Jehovah's Witnesses are preaching is correct. Rather, we are saying that Jehovah’s Witnesses are like the Samaritans in Jesus' time.

As you may know, the Samaritans were not considered orthodox by the Jews. Samaria was the capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel (which was later destroyed). People there worshiped the golden calf and deviated from the true worship of God. Jews despised the Samaritans because of their heretical beliefs.

Because of this, Jesus’ response to the Samaritans might surprise you. John 4 records that when the Lord Jesus came to the well and met a Samaritan woman, He approached her with compassion and openness. Not only were the disciples surprised, but even the Samaritan woman was surprised. She said to the Lord, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink? (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans)” (NIV, John 4:9).

Later, she even asked questions about theology: "Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem" (NIV, John 4:20). In previous lessons, we learned that the Northern Kingdom of Israel sinfully worshiped the golden calf. The mountain the Samaritan woman is referring to is not Jerusalem; likely, she is referring to the place where the Northern Kingdom worshiped the golden calf. The Lord Jesus explained, "Woman, believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem" (NIV, John 4:21).

Jesus not only challenged the theology of the Samaritan woman, but he also challenged the theology of the orthodox Jews. The theology of the Samaritan woman was undoubtedly wrong, but Jewish theology needed to be renewed as well. Later, we’ll see that one of the reasons the Jews could not accept the Lord Jesus was that He challenged their existing theology. For now, let’s consider how to imitate the attitude of the Lord Jesus towards the Samaritans. The Jews considered the Samaritan woman to be a heretic, just like most orthodox Christians consider Jehovah’s Witnesses to be heretics. But the Lord’s attitude towards the Samaritans was not one of rudeness. He did not reject them brusquely and close the door. After I understood this truth, I slowly changed my attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses.

I often take the train to Washington, D.C. Every day, rain or shine, I see Jehovah's Witnesses outside preaching. Although almost no one pays attention to them, I am still quite moved when I see them standing there. They are more hard-working than any other Christian group I have seen. Now, whenever I see them, I give them a friendly smile. I know I cannot change their beliefs or theology. But at the same time, I have heard many prophecies that predict that the next move of the Holy Spirit will convert many Jehovah's Witnesses to Christ.

Another time, a young man with a name badge pulled me aside at the entrance of a subway station. He told me that according to the Bible, humankind has fallen into sin and failure. Through the ages, God has sent prophets like Moses to save us. These facts were not wrong.

But then he began to say that God had sent John Smith to carry out the same work. At this point, I couldn’t bear to listen anymore. Based on the truth, I certainly could not accept his statement. But even though I reject his theology, I should respect and love him as a person. God loves all people, even Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. Throughout Christian history, we’ve failed to show love and grace to so-called heretics; we fail to treat them with the dignity they deserve as fellow image-bearers of God.

I cited these two extreme examples to illustrate that all people deserve to be loved—even those who are universally recognized by orthodox Christians as heretics. We should learn to respond the way Jesus responded to the Samaritan woman—with love. Unfortunately, many of the so-called heretics in history have been persecuted. Sometimes, the church persecuted people who later turned out to have true, biblical beliefs.

For example, in church history, the Catholics would not only burn Reformers, but also the Anabaptists. Anabaptists, the predecessors of modern-day Amish and Mennonite Christians, were against infant baptism. Because of this stance, they were considered to be heretics by Catholic and Reformers alike. The Reformers committed many atrocities against the Anabaptists, even drowning them to death. The massacre of Protestantsby Catholics is widelyknown, but the massacre of the Anabaptists by the Reformers is less widely known. This example illustrates that we sometimes make mistakes; those we consider to be heretics may later prove to be orthodox, Bible-believing Christians.

This issue hits close to home for me because I was saved in a branch of the Local Church movement in the United States. Many Chinese Christians believe that the Local Church Movement and Witness Lee are heretics. Not only does the Local Church teach that each town should have only one church, but it also teaches that “Christ is the Spirit” and “God became man so that man might become God.” These teachings are controversial and condemned as heresy. The latter was not just said by Witness Lee, but also by the early church father Athanasius. This issue should be considered to be a theological debate rather than a heresy.

Many Chinese Christians in mainland China are affected by this accusation of heresy. A Chinese Christian was very happy when I preached the gospel to her unbelieving husband. Later, when she learned that I was a member of the Local Church Movement, she told me on the phone that our church was "not good."

In addition, I often used to participate in campus services at a campus of the University of Maryland. I would often invite Chinese Christians from other places, but after a while, I’d notice that they’d stopped coming. It turns out that other Chinese Christian groups were telling them behind our backs that our church is heretical. Christians often work overtime to destroy rival groups behind one another’s backs. They claim they are focused on preserving the truth, but sometimes there is also an element of competition.

Christian Research International (who originally called out the Local Church Movement as heretical) published a magazine in 2009, acknowledging that their initial judgment was wrong. They now accept the Local Church Movement as an orthodox evangelical movement. But the damage has been done, and the situation cannot be remedied in one day. Many people still see the Local Church Movement as heretics because of their original article.

God led me to leave the Local Church Movement in 2015 in order to come in contact with churches in the Charismatic movement and to learn the gifts of the Holy Spirit and other teachings of the Charismatic movement. Indeed, I did break with a lot of the ideas and teachings of the Local Church Movement. After learning the teachings and practices of the Charismatic churches and other churches, I no longer agreed with some of the teachings and practices of the Local Church Movement. For example, I found that the Local Church Movement, like other evangelical groups, lacks basic understanding of many of the truths that God has restored through the 100-year history of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement. But this does not affect my continued adherence to many of the good truths taught by the Local Church Movement. These principles have been of great help to me in my spiritual growth, and they continue to benefit me to this day. I think that some teachings and practices of Local Church Movement would be very beneficial to evangelical Christian groups and Charismatic groups. However, if they are labelled as heretical, many people will be fearful to learn from them. Of course, we also need to distinguish between the truths that are worth learning and those which are not worth discussing.

The point I want to make with these examples is that Christians are often wrong in their judgments and evaluations of other Christian groups. Our understanding of the Bible is often subject to bias.

Breaking away from Bias

Going back to the content of this chapter, did the Christians have a bias towards the Jews? Did they interpret Paul’s treatment of the converted Jews through a distorted or biased lens? Is there a bias that continues to affect our attitude towards the Jews today?

While studying for my pre-Doctoral program at the United Theological Seminary in the United States, I took "Introduction to the New Testament" for two consecutive terms. During this course, we analyzed the story of Galatians 2. In this chapter, Peter was pretending not to care about the Gentiles and refusing to eat with them.

In my homework for this project, I wrote that the Jews were trying to be justified by the law through the efforts of their own flesh, while Christians were justified by faith. Here, Peter clearly understood that we are relying on God’s grace to be justified. But because of fear, he pretended that adherence to Judaism was required for salvation. The Jewish Christians sent by James were overly influenced by Judaism. They pressured Peter because they had not fully broken away from the concept of keeping the law. This is not in line with the teachings of the New Testament.

I did not expect my teacher to disagree with my point of view. She asked me a serious question. She said, “Why did you say that the Jews are all trying to be justified by their own efforts, by keeping the law through the flesh? What is your reason for saying this? Many modern Bible scholars disagree with this idea. You are seriously prejudiced against Jews.”

She said that for Jews, keeping God’s law is a way they can please God and live in the grace of God. Just like Old Testament saints kept God’s law and pleased God, she believes modern-day Jews can live in God’s grace through keeping the law. Her explanation was completely opposite to mine. I explained that my view was justifiable, based on the way I’ve been taught.

I am instinctively suspicious of modern seminary and modern Bible scholars. Although I was led to a seminary by God, I didn't have a good impression of seminaries. I feel that many seminaries are full of liberals and religious scholars. Many theological dissertations are barely touched or read. They are nearly covered with dust.

Additionally, I have heard that seminaries are a cemetery. Many excellent Christians and pastors never studied at a seminary, yet do an excellent job. After studying at a seminary, however, their spirituality becomes suppressed. Some even become unbelievers.

Because of my suspicion, I couldn't accept my teacher’s point of view at first. There were some tensions between us, but I told myself that I should be humble and listen to her logic.

I was also taking two consecutive terms studying Christian history, which taught me how Christians persecuted the Jews after their rise to power. Previously, I knew nothing of this historical persecution. For example, some people developed a theory that since the Jews killed Christ, all Jews were cursed and should be exterminated. Even during the first Crusades, many Jews were annihilated.

What's more, after Martin Luther's reformation, when anti-Semitism was on the rise, most German Christians did not step forward to stop Hitler from using this line of thought to incite hatred against Judaism. Only a few Christian scholars stood up for the Jews.

I began to understand that theological errors among Christians were exploited by the enemy to cause great harm to the Jews. Unbelievers often ask, "Where is God? If there is a God, why did the Jews, God's chosen people, suffer such a massacre?" God did not want the Jews to be massacred; this was done no doubt by the Enemy. But the enemy has taken advantage of our Christian theological errors.

In particular, Christians have misunderstood Matthew 27:25. In this passage, the Jews were preparing to have Christ crucified. Rather than blaming Pilate, the Jews shouted, “‘His blood is on us and on our children’”. Many believe that the Jews were bringing down trouble upon themselves. For this reason, hateful people over the centuries have subjected Jews to a series of punishments and massacres, saying they were meting out the divine punishment the Jews asked for.

Oh my God! In the past, I accepted this teaching as well. As I thought about it, I realized that this view is not in keeping with Jesus’ prayer on the cross. Before Jesus died, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (NIV, Luke 23:34). Were the Jews more evil than other Gentiles, thus making them unworthy of the forgiveness of Jesus? Were the Jews not included in the "they" that Jesus prayed here?

Should we blame God for all the massacres, saying he was punishing the Jews? I do not deny that God sometimes punishes people. But now that Jesus has taken the full wrath of God upon Himself on the cross, we should think seriously before concluding that God is punishing someone. We are no longer in the Old Testament. The hostility and intolerance that Christians have shown towards Jews has furthered Satan’s goals of persecuting the Jews.

After understanding this, I pondered over what my teacher had said again. She said that Jews who seek to be justified by the law may not be doing it out of fleshly motivations. Further, Christians living under grace may not be living fully in the faith they profess; they may have adopted a legalistic motivation as they pretend to live only by grace.

She said Jews in the Old Testament were justified by the law, and that Christians often live in the flesh as they try to save themselves by their own efforts. She believes it is more accurate to say that whether Jews keeping the law or Christians relying on faith, both of them have a sincere side that seeks God through the law or faith, and they also have a ritualized and religious side. The key is to see if a person is really keeping the law (or seeking God through faith), or is just pretending. Every Christian denomination contains people who have true faith in God, and others who pretend.

She believes this principle also applies to Jewish groups. In other words, we can’t throw out one particular system as completely evil and problematic. Rather, every system can be abused. It’s true that many Jews keep the law out of their flesh, but we cannot say with 100% accuracy that every Jew of all times has kept the law out of one hundred percent fleshly motives. In the Old Testament, many diligent law-keepers were accepted by God because of their faith.

I understand what she meant, and I still can't fully figure this problem out. Christian theologians have different understandings about how Israel is saved in the end times. Some say that in the end, Israelites are saved because they were God's chosen people. According to God's covenant, all families of Israel will be saved in due time. Others hold that before the world ends, Israel will experience a great spiritual revival; many Israelites will come to know Jesus Christ and will be saved.

Working together in the Body of Christ

The verses I mentioned earlier, which the Holy Spirit highlighted, mention that the elders of Jerusalem were accusing Paul of teaching the Jews who lived among the Gentiles to abolish circumcision. Paul seems to teach that since Christ has come, the Jews don’t need to be circumcised. As I mentioned earlier, Paul said, “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation” (NIV, Galatians 6:15). It seems that Paul is against the continued circumcision of the Jews.

But in drawing this conclusion, we may have overlooked other verses. For example, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:18-20, "Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them." (NIV) Many people believe that Paul is saying this to avoid offending the Jews. But what Paul means here is circumcision or uncircumcision is not important. If a Jew is circumcised and saved, there is no need for him to become uncircumcised. If a Gentile is not circumcised, then he should not be circumcised. Why do I say that the latter statement may refer to the Gentiles? Because the Jews are generally circumcised on the eighth day. They do not wait until they are saved to consider whether or not to be circumcised. So Paul’s statement that they don’t need to be circumcised is referring to Gentiles.

When Paul mentions becoming uncircumcised, what is he referring to? We know that circumcision refers to cutting off the foreskin. Becoming uncircumcised would mean growing the foreskin back. Anyone who has relevant medical knowledge knows that one can't grow the foreskin back. Only modern skin grafting could replace a lost foreskin, but this wouldn’t have been possible in Paul’s time.

Why were some of the circumcised Jewish Christians thinking about becoming uncircumcised in the first place? We can suspect that in places where there were many Gentile Christians, the Jews felt the pressure of public opinion "to make the Jews like the Gentiles".

We know that there was pressure placed on Gentiles by Judaizing believers. In churches dominated by Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, the pressure of this public opinion was so great that it led to Peter’s pretension in Galatians 2. He used to eat with the Gentiles, but after the people sent by James came, he pretended to not eat with them. Why? Because eating with the Gentiles does not conform to the laws of the Jews. This pressure had led some Jewish Christians to believe that Gentiles should also obey the law and be circumcised. A similar pressure existed in today’s chapter. The elders referred to it in Acts 21:10 "Brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law" (NIV).

We all know the pressure of "Judaizing the Gentiles," but we may have not noticed another kind of pressure, which is, "to make the Jews like the Gentiles." Paul may have faced both of these pressures. So when the Jews in Jerusalem accused Paul of "teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses" (NIV, Acts 21: 21), it was not groundless. I personally think that it was not Paul who was teaching the Jews to abandon the law and circumcision. Likely, in the Christian community dominated by the Gentiles, there was an atmosphere that denied all of Jewish tradition and law. As an apostle to the Gentiles, Paul was wrongly accused by the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. In other words, Paul became a scapegoat here.

I personally think that Paul didn’t completely condone the Jews who wanted to abandon all their laws and Jewish characteristics to become a complete Gentile. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:20, “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.” (NIV) Paul did not completely deny the Jewish law; he recognized it as a part of Jewish identity. When Paul came to Jerusalem, he brought some people into the temple and paid for them to fulfil their vows. All of these behaviors are in keeping with the rules of the Jewish law.

It is true that Paul opposed the Jewish Christians who tried to impose the law on Gentile believers. We know that Paul did not advocate for Gentiles to be circumcised. But he also refused to allow Gentile Christians to completely annihilate the Jewish characteristics from the Jews in their communities.

In other words, the Jews who lived among the Gentiles did not have to eliminate all of their Jewish characteristics to be pleasing to God. Paul often advocated for the Jews to continue to be faithful to their religious duties.

This discussion will help us understand how to accommodate different opinions within the body of Christ. We need to learn to be gracious to people who are different from us. We don’t blindly talk about inclusion for the sake of inclusion. We don’t go to the opposite extreme of saying that Christians must embrace all religions, condone homosexuality, or agree that all religions bring us to God.

On the one hand, we Christians should be tolerant towards each other when we have differing understandings of certain passages. On the other hand, we should not accept those who deny basic Christian principles. We should not be inclusive just for the sake of inclusivity. We must maintain a healthy balance of being inclusive without losing our principles. This is the way Christ lived. As we face disputes with other groups of believers, we should contend for the faith but never lose sight of love.

Pastor Bill Johnson said that when God works in a mighty way in the world, the people He uses are often persecuted by the people God used previously. This is absolutely true. Whether we look at Jews persecuting Christians, Christians persecuting the Jews, Catholics persecuting Protestants, Protestants persecuting the Anabaptists, the state church persecuting the Puritans, Evangelicals persecuting the Charismatics, or early Charismatic sects persecuting new Charismatic sects, we see this pattern playing repeatedly. If you study church history, we see that the people used by God in His previous move end up persecuting the people and groups used by God in His next move.

When God's next move comes, will you be the persecutor or the persecuted? Will you be used by God, or will you seek to destroy those whom God is using? Larry Randolph, an American prophet, said that sometimes our posture determines whether or not God brings revival. The distance between revival and lack of revival may be the width of a fishing boat: a few feet. When Peter cast the net on one side, he caught nothing. But when he changed his posture and cast his net on the other side according to the Lord’s command, he was able to catch a lot of fish.

If a tornado is coming, and you are in it, you will become very dizzy. You’ll think the earth and sky are spinning around. But if you are not in the tornado, you can just stand by and watch, without having the slightest damage. Will you be a member of the new move that will be persecuted and used by God, or will you be a member of the group who is persecuting people used by God in His new move?

A prophet prophesied that when the next revival comes, it may come from a place like Galilee, a place you don’t expect God to come from. We must be careful. Many people in history missed God's move because of their prejudices. The Jews missed Jesus because they weren’t expecting him to come from such humble circumstances. Many Christians have also missed God’s revival. I hope that we can be alert now.

Returning to our passage, I believe that in the end, the early Christians realized that they should not force the Gentiles to become Jews. However, in church history, the pressure of “annihilating Jewish characteristics” still exists. This pressure caused many Christians to misinterpret Paul’s attitude towards the Jews. It even caused the tragedy of Christians persecuting and even killing the Jews. I think the way that all Jews will eventually be saved may not be the way we imagine. Let us learn from history to accept the differences of other members of the body of Christ and help each other fulfill God’s will.

Each of us must realize that our own personal view only represents one side of the matter. We do not have the vantage point of God, who looks down at His body in a holistic manner. We must be alert to the enemy’s temptation to use our narrow-mindedness to reject others and force them to be like us. We must have an inclusive attitude towards other races, cultures and Christian groups. We should learn from, tolerate and accept each other in order to avoid the mistakes made by many Christian groups throughout history.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 15

Acts 15 tells us three stories. The first story is about Paul and Barnabas getting into a fierce argument with people about the need to circumcise the Gentiles. Peter and James responded saying that God had chosen the Gentiles. The second story is the sending of Judas and Silas to Antioch to comfort the brothers and sisters of Gentiles. The third story is about Paul and Barnabas getting into a disagreement whether or not they should take Mark to Pamphylia.

The discussion we had in our Bible study revolved around these three stories.

In the first story, the woman leading our Bible study asked why Paul and Barnabas opposed circumcising the Gentiles? What does circumcision signify? Why did the Pharisees insist on circumcising the Gentiles to keep the Law of Moses? This opened up our discussion. I shared some of the views of an American teacher on the history of the Pharisees, while I was studying a New Testament course in seminary. My teacher recommended some books in class, telling us that the Pharisees are actually people like the "vigilantes" of Jewish history. “Vigilantes" is the nickname I have given to the Pharisees. If you don't know the meaning of this internet slang, you can look it up online. I call them “vigilantes” because they are always looking for someone making a “mistake.” For example, the Pharisees challenged Jesus for not washing His hands before meals and, in the end, were rebuked by Jesus. He said that the Pharisees broke the law of God because of their human traditions. God never created a rule that Moses should wash his hands before meals. This law was created in the Jewish tradition. Although the law requires the Levites to wash themselves when they serve in the tabernacle or in the temple, the Pharisees are not the Levites. And, the law does not require the Pharisees, or even the Levites, to wash their hands before meals. This was a human created law, not one declared by God.

The Pharisees were an extremely strict sect. When they were suppressed by the Romans, they felt that it was because the other Jews did not keep the law, so they have adhered strictly to the law (voluntarily) and forced others to obey all of the rules, those made by God and those made by man. They believed the Jews were under the power of the Gentiles because they did not keep the Law of God. Thus, they strictly obeyed the Law of the God and even added a lot of rules to it.

In other words, they were acting like "vigilantes." Vigilantes are people who aren’t policemen, but act like they are. The Pharisees were such people. God didn’t call them or order them to do so; they volunteered to do these things out of their responsibility to preserve the survival and law of the Israelites. Actively obeying the Law of God is good, but on the other hand, they were unconsciously becoming the executors of the law. This was a bit much because God did not ask them to do so.

The Bible did require the Jews to be circumcised. This was a sign of covenant between Jews and God. But the Bible does not strictly require the circumcision of the Gentiles. All the Bible said was that those Gentiles who live in Israel need to satisfy certain conditions first before they could be circumcised. Instead, the Pharisees demanded that the Gentiles be circumcised. Circumcision is one of the many laws the Pharisees tended to enforce.

The woman who led the Bible Study also asked why the following verse was mentioned twice: “Gentiles wanted to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.” (NlV, Acts 15:20).

It is first mentioned when Simon witnessed how God saved the Gentiles and filled them with the Holy Spirit. After that, James said that God also gave salvation to the Gentiles. He used the prophetic words in the Old Testament to confirm that God did promise He would one day reveal himself to the Gentiles. Therefore, he suggested, "Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For the Law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” (NIV, Acts 15: 20-21).” When the brethren sent Judas and Silas to explain these to the Gentile brothers, they had again mentioned: "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements. You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things." (NIV, Acts 15:28- 29).

What do these two repetitions mean? This is important because, the Pharisees would execute the law excessively, and the Gentiles knew nothing about the law. So, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the brethren decided to adopt a compromise or balanced strategy, by applying only a few laws to the gentiles. This helps us understand how to work with different Christian groups today while maintaining unity in the Spirit. The conflict among most churches is still due to their different understandings of the Bible. If we can take a step back and hold to some basic truths, such as Jesus (the Word) became flesh, died and was resurrected, without arguing over other controversial issues, then we can stay unified in the Holy Spirit.

The second story is about when the apostles and elders chose two people, Judas and Silas, to go to Antioch and explain the unanimous decision, reached by the Church of Jerusalem, denying that the people who were calling for the circumcision of the Gentiles were not sent by them. The Bible commended Judas and Silas for being “men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"(NIV, Acts 15:26). Verse 22 says that "They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers.” This passage of scripture foreshadows our understanding on why Paul and Barnabas argued later in this chapter. We did not see it at the beginning, but we realized this foreshadowing while talking about the third story.

The third story is about Paul and Barnabas engaging in a conflict with Mark. Barnabas insists on taking Mark, but Paul thought that Mark was not suitable to bring since he returned home early on their last trip. Paul and Barnabas disagreed. Eventually, Barnabas takes Mark and sails for Cyprus. But Paul chooses to take Silas with the blessings of the brethren, and travelled through Syria and Cilicia to strengthen the churches there.

The teaching that I’ve received explains that the reason why Barnabas and Paul were arguing is that Barnabas may have a bias because Mark was his relative. And, perhaps, Paul just thought that Mark was not suitable to go with them at this time. But Paul admitted in his letter later that Mark was useful to him, and that Mark was restored years later. One argument of those who hold this view is that Barnabas has never been mentioned in the subsequent verses of the Bible.

This argument makes some sense. But through our study of this chapter in today’s study, several members had different opinions. One woman said that maybe the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas is not a question of who is right or wrong, but rather Paul not wanting to risk their mission since Mark left early last trip. Barnabas seems to think that Mark is still trustworthy to serve. Therefore, he regards Mark's spiritual life as more important and is thinking about Mark first. From this point of view, the difference between Paul and Barnabas is not necessarily a question of who is right or who is wrong, but rather different priorities being placed on them by the Holy Spirit. Because Mark is restored later maybe we can say that Barnabas played an important pastoral role in his restoration.

While this argument is reasonable, another woman replied that this still does not explain why the Bible does not mention Barnabas again, as if his exit is a bit unexpected. She asked everyone: “Is it unexpected for people like Moses, whom God favors, to suddenly exit out of the scene of Bible?” I said that although Moses offended God, and God did not allow him to enter the Promised Land, Moses still appears later in the New Testament (NIV, Matthew 17:2-3). From this, we can see that Moses was able to enter the Promised Land in a different way. And there is a greeting behind every letter written by Paul so it is reasonable to end something properly. This woman speculated that perhaps Barnabas did something that made God unhappy. In this regard, I think that everyone who serves God will make mistakes, but some mistakes are too big and carry consequences for future generations. Maybe Barnabas changed and no longer was following the Lord’s leading and, thus, no longer appears in Scripture.

The meeting approached its end, but I saw that not everyone wanted to finish. I sensed the Holy Spirit might have something else to say. As expected, the Holy Spirit suddenly inspired me regarding two verses.

This verse appears after the sending of Judas and Silas (who represent the church of Jerusalem) to Antioch and other places to read the council’s letter.

“The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. But Silas decided to remain there.” (NIV

, Acts 15:31-34).

Suddenly, I was inspired by the Holy Spirit and asked everyone a question: "When the brethren sent Silas and others back from Antioch and to Jerusalem, why was Silas unwilling to leave then?” The Bible specifically stated that only Silas believed that he should continue to stay in Antioch. And, the Bible also mentioned that Silas was a man who led the brethren in Jerusalem and said that he risked his life for the Gospel of God. He is also a prophet, a person who has received words and revelations from the Lord.

This involves a huge principle of the Holy Spirit, and it is definitely not a simple disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. Rather, the questions should be: (1) How can the Holy Spirit move forward and assign who will be the leader for the next move of God? (2) Who will be able to match Paul with moving God's work forward? (3) And, how will the Holy Spirit make use of His spiritual gifts to build the church?

The verses that I’ve mentioned (and laid a foundation) in the beginning of the article clearly show that the Holy Spirit wanted Barnabas to step out in this stage. This is only on the surface, and the root cause of it is that God wanted to guide Silas towards front-line service and co-work with Paul. This is a big point that many of us have overlooked. I had not seen this before and just saw this in the meeting when the Holy Spirit suddenly illuminated these words.

I’ll explain it in more detail. Perhaps it will help you understand it better.

First, let's look at the relationship between Barnabas and Paul. When Paul was still Saul, he experienced a sudden change from a person who persecuted Christians to a person who served God. The disciples had not accepted Paul; only Barnabas introduced and accepted Paul. Barnabas’s mentoring played a significant role in Paul’s development. This may be one of the reasons why the Holy Spirit had not mentioned Barnabas' shortcomings and weakness here. God was willing to cover for him because he was helping Paul to grow spiritually. Once, when I was teaching in another session, I asked our bible study members, why did Barnabas accept Paul and not the others, but in the end Barnabas and Paul get into a conflict resulting in a split? My answer then was that it’s not easy to accept a new person, and it’s even more difficult to accept a new person to be your leader. The first point is that Barnabas was doing better than others. The second point is that maybe he is not doing so well.

Why do I think this? For example, if we are in the church today or even in a cell group, a newcomer, who has lower qualifications than you or even a person you have helped/mentored before, becomes your boss or leader, how would you feel? Perhaps some bitterness? This is only human nature. Barnabas was certainly useful in shaping Paul, but when Paul was mature enough to be a builder (which God called him to be), perhaps this is where the conflict between him and Barnabas started. On the surface, it seems that it’s a problem with Mark. But the fundamental problem is who is in charge. Barnabas may have felt that he was older than Paul, and he also recommended bringing Paul into the ministry. Paul should listen to him, or at least agree with him by allowing Mark to go, but Paul is adamant, putting Barnabas in an awkward position.

But maybe Paul is the one following the leading of the Holy Spirit, and he may have felt in his spirit that it wasn’t right. He did not give in just because he had a relationship with Barnabas. Maybe Barnabas wanted Paul to take Mark, so he could learn. If Barnabas was a senior at that time ready to retire, Mark could probably inherit his mantle and continue his ministry. Why didn't Paul use this opportunity to give Barnabas a favor and help Mark?

If Paul had let Mark come, it would be understandable according to human standards, but he may have missed God's will because God's plans for your life far exceed human standards. I told many of the men and women who have been with me in our Bible studies that the Holy Spirit is the best film director and screenwriter. Every time we read the Bible, we must carefully understand the ideas and thoughts of the directors and playwrights, in order to help us understand the Bible better.

The previous argument over circumcision led the disciples to choose Judas and Silas as the “men who were leaders among the believers” (NIV, Acts 15:22), and praised them that “they can risk their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NIV, Acts 15:26). Afterwards, it says that “Judas and Silas were prophets themselves, and they said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.” (NIV, Acts 15:32). When the brethren of Antioch thought that they had already spent enough time there, they intended to send him and Judah off safely. The Holy Spirit specifically mentioned that only Silas felt that for some reason, he should continue to stay there. Why? We can say that since he is a prophet, he was moved by the Holy Spirit to stay. At that time, he still didn’t know the reason why he should stay and not leave. But, after reading and listening to this part, I think you may already understand the reason behind it. The Holy Spirit decided to have Paul and Silas to work together so that Silas could be at the forefront of this stage of history. From just a background character, who renders service to a person who is put in front of the stage, to a leading role with Paul. This leads him to go with Paul who is set out by God to build the house of God and lead the movement of God. Thus, Silas was moved by the Holy Spirit and to stay in Antioch. Otherwise, if he did not obey the will of the Holy Spirit and left in accordance with the opinions of the brethren, then he would not have been able to complete or accomplish the task that was to be entrusted to him.

God’s plan was for Silas to stay with Paul, but the brethren of Antioch had the intention of sending him back to Jerusalem, and Barnabas wanted to bring Mark along with him. This clearly shows the inconsistencies between humans and God. Even church leaders or mature Christians can miss God's will. This is God’s will versus man’s opinion. This has a very significant spiritual significance. A pastor in the United States, Bill Johnson, often says that "Over the ages, people who have opposed the new move of God are the ones used by God in His previous move." In other words, yesterday, we may have been greatly used by God, but when God moves forward again, we may not be able to keep up and, consequently, hinder God’s work. For example, Barnabas may be a good person. As the Bible stated, maybe, he had no intention of being hard on Paul as I’ve guessed before. Perhaps, it was just that Barnabas was already old and had some established views on things and how God works. On the other hand, Paul was young, and had received revelation from God. Still, Barnabas may have felt that Paul was not reliable. As a result, the two had a conflict. Their conflict may be caused by their love of God. The two sides have no selfish motives. They are both trying to do what they think is right for the sake of the Lord and the Church. But they have affected God’s work. Even if Barnabas’s idea is a little old, and he hasn’t done anything bad to Paul, it still may not be suitable to be co-workers with Paul again.

My other guess is that perhaps God has reminded Barnabas many times: "You can retire, let the young people do it. Through your guidance and mentoring, Paul has become more mature now. You can retire already. Let's give the young people some opportunities." Barnabas may have said to the Holy Spirit, "Actually I am still like Caleb. I refuse to give in to old age. My expertise is still needed. For example, Mark is a good young man. Shouldn’t I continue to develop him to be a co-worker for Paul in the future?

I shared at the meeting that it’s not easy when you are the leader in the church because, when the time comes, they’ll let you retire and let the young people replace you. This is hard because sometimes you don’t feel ready to retire just yet. It’s also hard because if you retire, you hope to put someone in place who will give you some say in the future. This is only human nature.

But I said that this is not the purpose of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to introduce and bring Silas to the front stage. In addition to the special commendation by Holy Spirit towards Silas that I’ve mentioned previously, the Holy Spirit continues to give Silas more credit, paving the way for his appearance. This has another profound hidden meaning which is contained in 1 Corinthians 12:28. The verse says “And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.” (New International Version, 1 Corinthians 12:28).

Both Paul and Barnabas are apostles. How did the apostles come into being? These two apostles are mentioned in Acts 13. When the prophets and teachers were worshiping the Lord and fasting in the church at Antioch, the Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to be apostles. Rick Joyner, a prophet in the United States, said that only when teachers and prophets come and serve together, will the apostles be produced. He is referring to the traditional church's neglect of the gift of the prophet and other churches that acknowledge the gift of the prophet but do not pay attention to the gift of the teacher. The two did not integrate fasting and praying so it is impossible to produce apostles like Paul and Barnabas in today’s church.

Another aspect of this passage is Christ Jesus’ work in building the foundations of the apostles and prophets. This is what the Holy Spirit said through Paul in Ephesians 2:20. Ephesians 2:19-20 says, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” (NIV) Since the Holy Spirit has laid a good foundation for the church (through apostles like Paul and Barnabas), the next step is to build a second foundation, the prophets. Therefore, the Holy Spirit specifically mentioned that Silas was a prophet Himself and had said much to encourage and strengthen the believers in Antioch. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit and because of this he remained in Antioch. The Holy Spirit’s guidance had profound significance because it lead a prophet like him to work with Paul, while building the second foundation of the church, the prophet.

Some people say that the apostles are the greatest gifts to the church. Paul was gifted in many ways. His role as an apostle meant he could function as a prophet, teacher, miracle worker, servant etc. In layman’s terms an apostle is a well-rounded person or a general practitioner. A general practitioner is not an expert in any one area, but versed a little in all of them. For example, when you have a general practitioner as your family doctor, they know a little bit about everything. When the patient comes, the general practitioner can help further diagnose the problem, but you will probably need to see a specialist for serious issues. But since a good general practitioner knows a thing or two, they will be able to help find the problem, but might not be able to fix it. Sort of like Tiger Balm, which can do a lot, but not fully heal everything.

The primary gift of the prophet is to hear God's timely word. Although I am a Christian who grew up in a traditional church focused on the gift of teaching, I am still extremely eager to pursue the gift of prophecy. I was exposed to the modern prophetic movement in the US, after the Lord led me to come out of my evangelical church and into the Charismatic church. Since I have studied the five prophetic courses in an online prophetic school, I understand the prophetic movement more clearly. In particular, I’m familiar with the tradition of paying attention to the gift of teaching, which takes a lot of time to study and teach God’s word. But now I’ve been exposed to the prophetic movements who tend to worship, praise, be alone with God, staying up all night waiting for God, fasting and praying etc. People have limited energy. You could be well-rounded, but there is only one Paul in this universe. You may not be a well-rounded person like Paul, or even if you are, you may not be as good as Paul. God raised up some well-rounded leaders like Moses, David, and Paul, who were talented in many areas, but this is not the only path. In the church, we have different gifts, according to the grace given us. The Holy Spirit is unbiased, but we have different callings. The gift given to you is different. It’s not that God doesn’t want to give you the good gifts, but you might be too distracted if you are given too much. You may not be able to focus on God’s calling because your time, energy, and ability are limited. What God wants to create is not only a person like Paul, but a team, or a structure - the gift of the body of Christ, such as the apostles, prophets, teachers, etc., working together to build up the body of Christ.

I heard Rick Joyner say in a message that the gifts of the prophets and teachers need to be balanced by each other. Prophets can often hear God's timely words, but if there is no balance by the gift of teaching, it’s easy to fall into extremes. I know what this means because I have been pursuing the prophetic gifts. I mentioned previously that I have had some prophetic experiences including seeing Jesus in heaven and I have also been taken to mysterious, heavenly places in my dreams. I am still a novice who has learned only a little about the gift of prophecy. Many people who have more experience with the prophetic gifts may have more wonderful spiritual experiences. One day they may say they visited heaven and another day they may say they’ve visited hell. Should you believe them or not? So, if there is no foundation and restrictions of God’s word, it will be unbalanced. For example, I recently saw a WeChat article saying that a Korean pastor had witnessed Calvin in the lake of fire. I know some churches that were deeply influenced by Calvin, were opposed to the charismatics, and blocked the work of God to a certain extent. But just because of a vision or testimony that Calvin is in the lake of fire by a pastor, you cannot know that Calvin is in hell. Sometimes stuff like this just gets circulated on the web. I personally think this may be an extreme example of relying too heavily on the so-called prophetic gift or personal experiences.

On the other hand, the gift of teaching also needs to be balanced by the gift of prophecy. This is one of the reasons why God put the gift of the prophet in front of the gift of the teacher. If the teacher isn’t able to get God’s timely touch and words, there is a danger that the spiritual understanding of the message of the Bible can be elevated to the level of doctrine. Over time, it will limit the freedom of the Holy Spirit. I was saved in a traditional evangelical church. This church pays great attention to the study of God’s word. Basically, it is indifferent to or against Pentecostalism and the prophetic movements. When I was led by God to leave my church and come to the Pentecostal Church to learn about the gifts of the Spirit, the church elders who care for me were honest with me about their fears that I may have been deceived by the evil spirits. They loved me so much that they wouldn’t directly reprimand me, but they expressed some anxiety.

I personally think that the evangelical church pays too much attention to the gift of the teacher and has overlooked the gift of the prophet, which leads to dogmatism and legalistic tendencies. As the Bible says: “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint.” (NIV, Proverbs 29:18). The prophet sees vision from God, and teachers need to learn from them keeping their minds open. Of course, another imbalanced situation can happen in the Pentecostal Church if they pay too much attention to the prophets and ignore the teachers of the Word of God.

Back to our topic, who should Paul take on his journey – Silas, Barnabas, or Mark? Naturally, the Holy Spirit wanted him to take Silas, otherwise the Holy Spirit wouldn’t have annointed Silas to stay, nor would it praise Silas again and again in the text. God wants to build the foundation of the church through the gift of the prophets and the apostles. Barnabas was just another apostle, and Paul had already worked with him for a while, and he did a good job. God continued to lead the merger, or cooperation of apostles and prophets. But is Mark a prophet or a teacher? The Bible isn’t explicit about that. Paul later mentions in another letter that Mark was useful to his ministry. Perhaps Mark has the gift of the "helper" mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12. Of course, the Bible does not say that, it’s just my guess.

So, what the Bible addresses here is not only about Barnabas and Mark, but about the question of who will continue to work together with Paul and how will the church be built? At face value, it is a human dispute, but it’s actually about how the church will develop. One false step will make a great difference. If Paul listens to Barnabas's suggestion and lets Mark become his co-worker, it may have interfered with God’s plan (again, this is my guess).

In my life, various circumstances have come up that didn’t seem to make sense at the time. Over time I realized that this was the Holy Spirit intervening through circumstances to lead me in the proper direction. We don’t often see it clearly in the midst of difficulty. This is especially true when I don't obey God's guidance. God always stirs something up around me that forces me back in the right direction of God's leading. When I look back, I realize that these small accidents or changes in my life are actually orchestrated by God. God may have spoken to Barnabas many times and led him to withdraw from the stage, or he may not have followed God’s leading, so God allowed the disagreement with Mark to happen resulting in a separation between Barnabas and Paul. Either way, Paul ended up taking Silas who was prepared by the Spirit to work with Paul. I am not saying this because I want to advocate conspiracy theories or say that God used unethical means. Instead, I am saying this because I hope to comfort those who have experienced church disputes and divisions. You should not think that it is merely the attack or destruction from evil spirits, and there is no need to argue on who is right or wrong in these kinds of disputes. We can look at it from another perspective. Perhaps God’s guidance is different towards different people. Perhaps God is leading you in a new direction, taking you to the place He has prepared for you which is beyond your expectations.

If we are like Barnabas, and have been used by God to help bring someone further toward God, when the time comes, will we be able to let go of our pride or resist and be a hindrance to God? Have we allowed Silas, who was led by the Holy Spirit, to enter the front stage and play the leading role? Or will we choose Mark instead, someone who was fostered and trained according to our past church traditions? I have no intention of belittling Mark, but the Bible does not mention that Barnabas ever helped or guided Silas. At this time, Barnabas didn’t know Silas. If you were Barnabas, could you accept this reality? You may have longed to see the revival of God, but you didn’t expect that when the revival came it would fall on a church next door or on a group of people who you disagree with. Would you throw yourself into the revival fire of the Holy Spirit or would you just stand at a distance and criticize it? These are very practical issues, and it is worthwhile for us who serve God and who are church leaders to think them over.

Silas was a great help to Paul in his later service which is clear because Paul repeatedly mentions him and even says some of the letters were written by both Paul and Silas. Just like 1 Thessalonians 1:1, where Paul, Silas, and Timothy have written to the church at Thessalonica. Acts 16:25 tells us that Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

Afterwards, in 2 Corinthians 1:19 Paul says: “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.”” (NIV, 2 Corinthians 1:19).

Even Peter said: "With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it." (NIV, 1 Peter 5:12).

We see from these verses that Silas is a faithful person, more so than Mark who left halfway through their last journey. Clearly, there is a reason why the Holy Spirit chose Silas to replace Barnabas to work with Paul, and Silas was even valued and praised by Peter. This proves once again the importance of our character to the service of the Lord.

I hope I have made it clear to you what was really happening in the dispute between Paul and Barnabas. It was not simply an HR dispute. It was a much deeper. It was the question of who should continue to co-labor with Paul to lead in the next move of God. Silas’s gift and calling as a prophet would help the Apostle Paul to build the foundation of the church which is the work of Apostles and Prophets, as mentioned in Ephesians 2:20.

Dear readers, or listeners, have you been taught that there are no apostles or prophets today? If you have, I am telling you that you are being fooled by the enemy. God is restoring the gifts of apostles and prophets today. Once your veil is taken away, go do some research, and you will find out God is doing a great work in restoring these gifts today.

Have you ever wondered why we don’t have great apostles like Paul today? It is not that the age of apostles has gone. But it is because that the teachers and prophets haven’t come together to pray and fast.

One night the Lord appeared to me in a dream and told me two rivers would merge together. I have been thinking about it ever since. I may share more about the experience in another blog, but I would say the merging of the gift of teaching and the gift of prophecy could be the merging of two rivers in my dream.

Thank you for your time reading, or listening, and stay tuned. We have a lot more to share.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 14

Understanding the Power of the Soul Through Numbers 14

When reading Numbers 14, we come across what at first appears to be an inconsistency in the text. Why is it that verse 24 (ESV) says, "But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it," but in verse 30 (ESV) it says, "Not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun." Why would the Lord say two different things? Why did He only name Caleb the first time He spoke, but mentioned both Caleb and Joshua the second time? Does this have any spiritual significance?

My thinking is that God had a different target audience and setting when he was speaking. The first time the Lord spoke, He spoke to Moses alone. The beginning of verse 11 says, "The Lord said to Moses...," revealing that this was a private conversation between the Lord and Moses. Numbers 11:28 (ESV) says, "Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth...," indicates that Joshua was chosen by Moses. Moses was a man of God. He chose Joshua. So it stands to reason that Moses would have spoken with the Lord about his assistant. Numbers 13:16 (ESV) says, "Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua." This verse is also very interesting. "Hoshea" means "salvation." "Joshua," in the original Hebrew text, is the name "Jesus" in Greek, which means "The Lord has become our salvation." Therefore, Joshua, who was chosen by Moses, led the Israelites into the Promised Land through battle, which is a representation of Jesus, the commander of our salvation, when he waged spiritual battle against death, hell, and the grave. Today, this warrior against our enemies, our “inner Joshua,” if you will, can represent our spirit. He will help us win victory when we turn to our spirit and call for help.

I think that in the context of verse 24, the reason why the Lord did not mention Joshua to Moses was not because He excluded Joshua; rather, because the minds of God and Moses are in sync.

But at the beginning of verse 26, it is recorded that "the Lord said to Moses and Aaron." Here the Lord was publicly commanding Moses and Aaron to tell all the Israelites that only Caleb and Joshua could enter the Promised Land, and that every other person would perish in the wilderness. This is was a message for the whole nation of Israel. Naturally, He had to make His plan clear to everyone, so there is no inconsistency in what He said.

What is Our “Inner Caleb?”

If Joshua represents our spirit, then Caleb represents the strongest part of our soul, or the good part of God's original creation. Our “inner Caleb” must rise up and fight to help our spirit obtain the victory in our spiritual battles. The soul is very powerful. Paul's words in Romans 8:6 (ESV) are a good proof of just that. He said, "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." If the thoughts in our soul (which are represented by Caleb) can help our spirit (which is represented by Joshua), then we can receive God’s abundant life in the Spirit today and enter the spiritual Promised Land that God has given us.

The lives of the ten evil spies indicate the law of sin and death in our flesh (Romans 8:2). Caleb represents "our inner being who delights in the law of God" (Romans 7:22, ESV), while Joshua represents "the law of the Spirit of life" (Romans 8:2). We must get help from Caleb in order to help Joshua win the battle.

In order to understand this concept, let me give a few examples to illustrate how this “inner Caleb” works within us. My belief is that not everyone is gifted to preach. Some people are not gifted with words, but they are very caring. In the 1980s, there were brothers who came to Guangzhou (in the south of China) from Inner Mongolia (North China) to get a copy of the Bible. In order to save money, they purchased standing-room-only tickets on the train and didn’t eat for a couple of days. An older woman in Guangzhou, who was not good with words, came every day with a basket full of food she had bought, and fed these hungry brothers. The love of this lady is her “inner Caleb,” or the strongest part of her soul, at work within her. The love in her soul is like the attributes of Caleb that God bestowed on her so that she could be victorious in the Spirit.

Each of us has certain characteristics and strengths, which were especially given to us by God when He created us. For example, one of my strengths is persistence. No matter what obstacles I face, I am always determined and persistent in accomplishing what I think is right. When I was writing these articles, my wife often said, “You spend so much time writing, who will read those?” My mother told me, “The articles you have written are so long. You should write shorter. No one has that much time.” I know that a lot of the inspiration I receive during our Bible study comes from God and I must faithfully record it, because if I don't, I will gradually forget it. The Holy Spirit also told me through the mouth of a Korean prophet that one of my characteristics is that once I set my mind on something, I must carry it through to completion. Thus, my ego is a bit strong, and the Holy Spirit wants me to surrender myself to Him. On the last day of 2017, I was taken to heaven in a prophetic dream. The Lord Jesus said something similar to me. He told me that I should surrender so that He could greatly use me. The people around me also recognize this characteristic of mine, and my wife often says that I am “resilient.” Although I look weak on the outside, I am persistent on the inside. I came to the United States with only $300 to my name. An American teacher who helped me in those early days didn’t like me at first. However, after I attended her class for one semester, she commented, "You have a big soul." She meant "You have a strong will and a persistent soul." Of course, I got through that difficult period by relying on the grace of God and the love and help of brothers and sisters in the church and my teachers. But this also has something to do with my personality of persevering and never giving up. I often say that my IQ and EQ are not high, but the reason why God may use me is more than likely because of my perseverance. Everyone who serves God has something in them that God can use.

This is the “inner Caleb” that God has given me, which is one of my greatest strengths. It is what the Lord praised here: "Caleb has a different spirit and has followed me fully" (Numbers 14:24). It’s not only me who has this strength – you have it in you, too. Just like every snowflake created by God is one of a kind, every human is also made distinct and special by Him. He must give you unique qualities, which others do not have. That way, you can bring unique happiness and glory to the Heavenly Father.

How God Uses Weaknesses in the Soul

I know a woman who was sick, and recently experienced God's healing. She said that her will is often weak, but her compassion and empathy are strong. Emotional richness seems to be her forte. Like the old woman from China who fed the traveling brothers, she is loving and feels deeply. They both gave their love to Jesus, just like Mary, who poured perfume on the Lord.

God may have given you virtues and good characteristics, but you must discover them and make good use of them. This will be the key to your spiritual victory. The strong "Caleb" in you is often the point that is most fiercely attacked by the enemy, or where he will often try to deceive you. For this reason, some people never discover the inner “Caleb” God gave to them.

The woman who had been healed went on to say that because she was weak-willed, she found she was often deceived or intimidated by the enemy. But after recent trials, she hopes to become a strong fighter for the Lord. I then shared with her a teaching I received in the Local Church Movement, which I think is very useful. The teaching goes like this: each of our weaknesses is a "mirror" that reflects a characteristic of Jesus Christ. For example, when I lack love and I look up to the Lord because of this weakness, I will gradually begin to reflect His love. I will slowly transform into the image of the Lord and become a caring person. Similarly, if you lack a strong will but you often look upon and reflect on the strength of the Lord, you will slowly become strong like Him.

In other words, your strengths and weaknesses are created by God, or at least were permitted by Him. Their purpose is to help you win spiritual battles. Even our weaknesses can be used by God to change us. I remember reading an example in Brother Witness Lee's "All-Inclusive Christ," which is also a good illustration. In the story, there were two brothers; the elder was more kind and caring towards his parents than the younger brother. When the elder brother began to follow Jesus, he still treated his parents well because of his natural goodness, and he did not pray for God to change him. The younger brother was also saved later on, but because of his natural selfishness, he often prayed to God to help him be more compassionate to his parents. Thus, he slowly became caring and tenderhearted as well. The question is, who experienced more divine changes in their life? The answer is, naturally, the younger brother. In this example, the brother who had natural weakness and no love prayed frequently because of those very same weaknesses, and thus experienced more of God's transformative power. The elder brother, who had been living by natural goodness all along, underwent fewer divine changes in his life.

Much to our dismay, there are still many qualities in us that are more reminiscent of the ten evil spies. This is because of our ancestors’ sins and our own, our social environment and cultural influences, satan's deception, etc., that have caused us to have unbelief within us. Each of us have some qualities of these "inner evil spies," which are not pleasing to God, thus we have to experience the killing work of the cross. The evil spies here had to drop dead in the wilderness, and were not allowed to enter the Promised Land. This actually represents them having experienced the killing work of the cross.

I went on to share some of my weaknesses and "inner evil spies" with the woman from my earlier story. She sighed and lamented that she struggles greatly with this. These "evil spies" may be the effects of the fall of man (e.g. unbelief, lust, greed, theft, deception, etc.). They are rooted deep within us because of our sin and weakness. They often try to work together with Satan to kill us. Just like Paul's experience in Romans 7, the law of sin in his flesh often bound him, and even killed the good behavior in his soul that tried to obey God’s law. For that very reason he called himself a wretched man (Romans 7:24)!

Whether you have a strong will and faith or are weaker in these areas, the “inner Caleb” in our souls must rise up and stand firm, and cooperate with God’s promise and the Joshua in our spirit. It’s only when we are strong in certain aspects of our souls that we can help our spirit win.

The Power of the Soul

Many Christians often ignore the power of the soul, thinking that as long as we are saved, we can exercise our spirit in all things to overcome the difficulties in our souls. Things are definitely not that simple. Because although God’s life flows through our spirit, and our spirit also has the “law of the Spirit of life” (Romans 8:2), our spiritual power usually starts out small and fragile, like the seedling of an oak tree. Although it can grow into a towering tree that is dozens of yards tall, a small oak seedling can be eaten by a deer in one bite. I have a deep understanding of this because there are a lot of deer that gather near my house when I plant trees and vegetables in the Spring. I must install a fence to stop the deer, otherwise the deer will ruin them all overnight.

Have you ever watched swans take flight? It’s an awe-inspiring sight. They run on the surface of the water before taking off. This run-up is very important. The same goes for an airplane takeoff. Although planes and swans rely on wings, not legs or wheels, when flying, these parts still have to be immensely powerful in order to give them the lift necessary to achieve flight, because of their huge body mass. For us, our flesh is a heavy mass that weighs us down, and our spiritual power is still not strong enough to achieve takeoff on its own. We need the power of the soul to get off the tarmac. But one day, when our spiritual life is strong enough and our flesh no longer burdens us so much, we won’t need the runway anymore. We can take off directly from a launchpad, like a helicopter.

We must not underestimate the power of our soul, but use the positive part of its power, our “inner Caleb,” to help our spirit overcome the “evil spies in our flesh. Although Paul mentioned in Romans 8 that the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death in the flesh, he did not neglect to mention that our soul, especially its power of choice, brings different results.

Some Christians who pursue spirituality belittle the power of the soul, and do not clear up its problems. Instead, they blindly pursue spirituality, and eventually find that they arrive in a bottleneck. I have seen this many times, especially when I was studying Inner Healing Ministry and Deliverance Ministry in the Pentecostal Movement. Some people who pursue spirituality in traditional churches do not recognize or ignore problems in their souls. They treat them as their old selves, thinking that it is enough to just exercise their spirit. They have a saying that the soul is a "city of problems" and the spirit is a "city with no problems.” Some people even categorize inner healing in the Pentecostal Movement as simply "counseling." But as far as my learning experience is concerned, it is not that simple. We cannot ignore the fact that the killing of the flesh and our old man needs the work of the cross. The damage of the soul needs inner healing, and the demons inside need to be cast out. These are two different aspects of spiritual truth, which are both necessary for true freedom. According to my study and observation, many inner healers of the Pentecostal Movement often use prophetic gifts when serving people. They receive miraculous words from God and illuminate the problems of the souls they minister to, thereby letting people be set free and receive inner healing.

Unleashing Our “Inner Caleb” Sets Captives Free

For example, a Charismatic prophet I know said that once when he was ministering to a woman, he received an inspiration from the Holy Spirit and mentioned the name "Mike.” Immediately, the woman became hysterical. After that, they carried out deliverance and cast the demons out of her. Later, they continued to interview her and give her inner healing. It turns out that "Mike" is the name of the person who raped her. Because of this painful experience, her soul was distorted. But because the prophet brought up this matter through the gift of the Holy Spirit, told her through the love of Jesus that this was caused by the person’s evil, and assured her that the love of Jesus Christ is always there to guard her, she was set free, able to know God's love, and get rid of her hatred towards men.

This is of course an extreme example. Although the situation and degree of severity differ, each of us has a "Mike" in our soul. It is the unspoken pain in your heart that you hide from the world. Even if you believe in the Lord, these "Mikes" are still there, obstructing your spiritual pursuit. They are just like blisters - if they pop, they must be treated properly so as not to cause an infection, which would affect your overall health. Similarly, the path to pursuing spirituality requires solving the problems in your soul. I once observed a Charismatic church in Baltimore that was able to lead hundreds of people, many of whom were struggling financially or addicted to drugs, to salvation in just a few years. I believe their tremendous results came from the great importance they placed on helping people solve their actual material needs, and also on solving the problems in their soul through inner healing and deliverance ministry. They held many inner healing classes and trainings on "Identity in Christ." I have seen many people at many different churches use the gifts of the Holy Spirit to minister to others in similar ways, as well.

We minister to people not only to provide the light of God's words, but also to nourish people's spirits, so that they can grow spiritually. When we minister to people, we need to be able to help them recognize and solve the problems in their soul, discover their own value from the soul, and use the power of their soul to help them develop their spirit. This is a question of mutual help. Our spirit can help our soul overcome the control of our flesh, and once our soul can stand against our flesh, we have the opportunity to mature spiritually.

I know that the soul problems of many people are piled high and seem overwhelmingly numerous. It is difficult to solve them all at once. But the Holy Spirit is God. He will illuminate our soul, clear up any of its problems, and strengthen and renew it, thereby saving our soul.

This is the inspiration I got from reading this chapter. I am praying for you to discover the “Caleb” inside you that can rise up to fight with your “inner Joshua,” in order to win your spiritual battles. You need also to find the “ten evil spies” in you and put them on the cross. Our souls need inner healing so that we can become strong “Calebs” today. Let go of your “Mike,” but let your “Caleb” rise up in you! Do you agree with me?

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Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 7

In Acts 7, we find the story of Stephen being stoned to death. As we consider Stephen’s tragic death, we see two types of people: people of faith and people of fear. Stephen, a person of faith, saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. The angry crowd, people of fear, could not see the heavens opened. Instead, they covered their ears and stoned Stephen to death. We must ask ourselves: Are we people of faith who can see into the throne room of God, or are we covering our ears and seeing nothing but the material world around us?

Are we those who see the heaven opened, or are we persecuting those who see heaven opened?

Bill Johnson, an American Charismatic pastor says that each new wave of God’s work in the world is persecuted by people instrumental in bringing about the last wave. This is not limited to persecution between denominations. Even within the Charismatic church, each new movement is persecuted by the previous movement.

For example, when the charismatic movement was just emerging, many charismatic denominations were persecuted by their previous evangelic denominations. One of the big charismatic sects, Denomination A, was persecuted by traditional evangelical churches. Neville Johnson, an Australian prophet, says that Denomination A also participated in making up lies about future prophets. Regarding the prophet who has been accused of claiming to be Elijah, Johnson says, "The prophet William M. Branham did not claim to be Elijah and there were tapes to prove that he had said that he was not Elijah. This [accusation] was made up by the people of Denomination A.” If Neville’s statement was correct, then the once-persecuted Denomination A also participated in persecuting others.

In addition, the church in Canada that initiated the Toronto Revival was originally a church of the Vineyard Movement. But when the revival began, John Wimber, the leader of the Vineyard Movement, excommunicated the church. This type of persecution has been seen not only in the Charismatic movement, but in many religious groups throughout the history of Christianity.

In Acts 7, the persecutors were the Pharisees, scribes, elders and priests. They were the elite of the elite, and they believed they knew all they needed to know about God and the Bible. They believed they had mastered the truth, and that their persecution was an outflow of their dedication to God. Why did Israel’s elite make this mistake? Why were they unable to see heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God? Why did they cover their ears and beat Stephen to death?

Rather than condemning the Pharisees, scribes, elders and priests, we should consider our own lives. We must be careful not to degenerate to the same degree. We must make sure that when others see new revelations of God, we do not cover our ears, condemn them as heretics, and try to kill them out of service to God.

Entrenched Preconceptions and Traditions

What is the root cause of this hard-heartedness that rejects others’ experiences of God? Often, entrenched beliefs and traditions can cause us to fall into rigidity. After a person reaches 40 years old, they often solidify their existing knowledge and slowly become stubborn and narrow-minded. Instead of being open to new beliefs, we often believe whatever we like—what we have always believed. As we grow older, we need to continue to learn from each other’s strengths. We need to work to understand different perspectives held by different churches and denominations, so that information and truth can flow freely and we can obtain different perspectives and fresh information.

While I lived in London, I had a discussion with a roommate who was also Chinese. She found out that when cooking Chinese food, I heated the oil first, then put in ginger and garlic to sauté, and finally added vegetables. She told me I was wrong: I should put vegetables in first, and then add ginger and garlic. I explained that I’d watched my mother cook since I was a kid, and she always did it this way. She replied with the same response. Both of us were imitating our parents, and both of us thought the other was wrong.

This small example shows the powerful influence of traditions. We all grow up in a specific environment. When others teach us specific things, we naturally form specific ideas and preconceptions. We must be careful not to let these traditions keep us from learning and growing.

In Stephen’s sermon, he shared a familiar story from Israel’s history. Why did he tell a story that would have been so familiar to his Israelite listeners? Why is his information recorded in such detail? Why did the story cause the Israelites to hate Stephen to the point of killing him?

At the end of chapter 6, the Israelites accused Stephen of “speaking against this holy place and the law” (Acts 6:13). At the beginning of chapter 7, the high priest asked Stephen to give his defense against these accusations: “Are these things so?” (Acts 7:1). In response, Stephen began to tell the story of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. He explained how the Israelites worshiped the golden calf under Aaron’s leadership and later worshipped other idols. After that, he mentioned Joshua, David, and Solomon, and criticized the Israelites for killing prophets throughout the ages and for not observing God's law (7:2-53). By this time, the Israelites were very angry, and they stoned Stephen to death.

While at first glance it seems that Stephen was just repeating Israel’s history; he was telling the stories from a new angle. He drove home a point that the religious leaders did not appreciate. He illustrated how the Israelites killed the prophets and refused to abide by the law. Stephen’s narrative retold the same events, but with a different emphasis. His narrative differed powerfully from the narrative of those who killed him. This is the power of different narratives. Stephen’s interpretation challenged the long-held narrative and traditions that the religious leaders held.

Throughout the ages, many kings and dictators have attached great importance to the power of controlling narratives. How you tell a story will eventually affect people's thinking and make them form a strong perception and prejudice. One way to break this perception and prejudice is to retell the story from a different angle, with different conclusions. This narrative will challenge the mindset of the people who hear it and force them to rethink. Although the stubborn people refused to change, and even killed Stephen, his efforts to change the narrative were definitely not meaningless. His efforts eventually changed Saul’s (later to become Paul’s) view of the world.

We learn in Acts that God appeared to Saul (Paul) after Stephen was put to death. Why did God wait so long to appear to Saul? If Saul, who was renamed Paul was chosen by God when he was in his mother's womb, as we learn in Galatians, why did God wait to appear to him until after Stephen’s martyrdom? If God had appeared to Paul earlier, the needless persecution of Paul towards believers could have come to an end earlier.

However, God chose to allow Saul to witness Stephen’s martyrdom before calling him to apostleship. Listening to Stephen’s new narrative and witnessing Stephen’s martyrdom must have had a powerful impact on Saul’s life. God wanted Paul to hear Stephen’s interpretation of Israelite history. This event would prepare him for encountering God.

In Acts 8, Jesus appeared to Saul on his way to Damascus. This appearance was not only a result of God’s sovereignty, but also a natural consequence of Stephen’s narrative and testimony. We can have the same spiritual experience today. As we remove the veil of our preconceptions and traditional mindsets, we will encounter God. Many times, our preconceptions and traditions prevent us from grasping certain spiritual truths. They prevent us from entering into deeper spiritual experiences.

When our hearts are turned to the Lord, the veil will be removed

In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul said that Moses covered his face with a veil so that the Israelites would not gaze at his shining face as it slowly lost its glow (2 Corinthians 3:13). Then Paul changed the narrative and said that the Israelites’ minds were hardened when they read the old covenant. Only through Christ is the veil lifted (2 Corinthians 3:14). Paul goes on, “Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:15-18)

Paul was telling us here that the Israelis’ prejudice while reading the Old Testament was a veil which prevented them from knowing Jesus Christ. When their hearts were turned to the Lord, the veil was removed. Once the veil is removed, we can use the mirrors of our hearts to reflect the glory of the Lord and slowly change into his image.

If the glory of the Lord is like the sun, then the Israelites’ preconceptions were like a dark cloud. On a cloudy day, the sun is still shining, but the dark clouds obscure the sun. Similarly, the dark clouds of Paul’s preconceptions needed to be removed so he could see the bright light of Jesus’ truth. If he had not heard Stephen’s sermon and adjusted his narrative, he might not have been able to respond to this encounter with God.

This truth is demonstrated by the fact that his traveling companions did not see the light. The light of Jesus’ presence was there, but only Paul saw it. Why are unbelievers unable to see God’s light? Because the veil in their minds prevents them from seeing the light. A small insulator can block the power of electricity, and a small prejudice can keep us from understanding God’s truth.

Stephen’s narrative enlightened Saul, who was standing nearby. Paul was a prominent Pharisee whose thinking was shaped by the Israeli narrative. Paul had been circumcised on the eighth day and belonged to the tribe of Benjamin (Galatians 3:2). He was educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of their fathers (Acts 22). Paul was zealous for God, believing that his persecution of Christians was a service to God. At that time, the veil in his heart had not been removed. However, Stephen’s sermon helped open Paul’s mind.

Stephen’s sermon included historical stories familiar to the Israelites such as Paul, but his conclusions were completely different from traditional teachings. Stephen said in Acts 7:51, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, this sentence must have administered a strong psychological shock to Paul.

This experience is not unique to Paul. I am a Chinese immigrant who encountered Christ here in America. At our church, we preach to both Americans and Chinese immigrants, but we often find that immigrants are more open to the gospel. We’ve often wondered why this is the case. We’ve concluded that since many Chinese students have never heard of the gospel, they respond in amazement and acceptance when they hear about Christ. However, many Americans have heard about Jesus since childhood. They are very familiar with the Bible, and this familiarity has become a veil in their hearts which prevents them from knowing God. Familiarity with God does not equal intimacy with God.

This is not only true in evangelism but also applies to helping Christians to know the Bible. Many Christians already have fixed preconceptions about the meaning of certain Bible verses. Their knowledge of these verses has become a veil in their hearts. When they read the Bible, they are unable to get fresh revelation because they feel they already know what that verse is saying.

However, when we remove the veil of our existing knowledge of God’s word and pray humbly before God, He will give us new revelation of his truth. These revelations can illuminate and change our lives.

God opposes the proud

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Pride blinds us to realities that are obvious to others. Pride exaggerates our blind spots.

A story from Chinese history illustrates this point. After China established the Republic of China in 1912, a warlord named Yuan Shikai seized power as a president. Deep down, he still hoped to be a feudal emperor of China. However, all the people in the country were against it. So his son and others made a fake newspaper which reported that the people all over the country wanted him to become emperor. They gave this newspaper to Yuan Shikai. Yuan Shikai was a very smart person, but he failed to realize this was fake news. His blind spot and pride led him to make a big mistake. After he became emperor, he received fierce opposition from the whole country and soon died.

This story demonstrates that we should avoid pride. If our church is not open to learning from other denominations and the light that God has given us, we will not have access to the whole story of God’s revelation. We will make wrong judgments because of incomplete information.

The root cause of pride is overconfidence in our own understanding of God. Some Christian groups believe that their understanding of the Bible is absolutely correct. They often fall into the trap of pride. It’s impossible for any Christian or denomination to completely, fully grasp the truth in an absolute way. When we think we have mastered the truth, we are in a dangerous place spiritually.

Stephen passed the baton to Paul

Like a relay runner, Stephen had finished his journey and handed the baton to Paul, another fast runner. When Stephen finished his race, he was lifted into the presence of God. When Stephen gave his testimony, a seed was planted in Paul which would later grow into maturity. Paul would imitate the legacy Stephen left behind.

The blood of martyrs is a seed which later produces great fruit for God. Stephen testified for the Lord and was not afraid to die. As he was being martyred, he forgave his persecutors, just like Jesus did before his death. Stephen imitated the Lord, like a mirror reflecting the glory of the Lord. Stephen mirrored Jesus so well that when Paul looked at Stephen, he could see the glory of Jesus Christ reflected on Stephen's face.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Paul probably had his own experience in mind when he said this. Stephen was like a mirror. When Paul looked at Stephen’s face, full of glory, he could see the glory of Jesus reflected, as in a mirror. Jesus Christ is the radiance of the glory of God (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus Christ reflects the glory of God, and Stephen reflected the glory of Jesus to Paul. At the same time, Stephen was able to look into heaven and see the glory of God reflected in the mirror of Jesus’ face.

Many Israelites did not see the vision that Stephen saw. Instead, they stoned him to death. However, Paul was deeply moved. He not only saw the glory of God reflected in Stephen, but he later glimpsed the glory of Jesus himself: “the heavens are open, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God ” (Acts 7:55)!

God’s work among his chosen people on earth is like a relay race. Stephen ran faithfully and finished the race. He left a left a good testimony and example for Paul to follow. He then handed the baton to Paul, who became one of the best runners the kingdom of God had seen.

Paul compares the work of God to an athlete. He said, “Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. But I discipline my body and keep it under control.” (1 Corinthians 9:25, 27). Paul was a very good and disciplined athlete. He also finished his race, won his crown, and received his reward (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

We can imitate Stephen and Paul today

When we know Christ like Stephen did, we can reflect Christ and have a strong testimony to others. Our testimony can help remove the veil of misconceptions in others’ minds, helping them become great servants of God, like Paul. Conversely, if we don’t know God deeply and personally, we lose our effectiveness for Christ.

In addition to imitating Stephen, we can also imitate Paul. We can take up the mantle of those who have gone before us, living up to the standard set by our predecessors. We can follow their example of faithfulness to the mission of God.

When others give a strong testimony of love for the Lord, we must let go of our preconceptions and fixed mindsets. We must not cover our ears. Instead, we must open our hearts to see the vision of the Lord that they see.

Are we following the example of Stephen and Paul, who saw the heaven opens? Or do we cover our ears? These questions are worth pondering.

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Caring in love and ministering in the Word of God

Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 6

Acts 6 is very brief. In the past, my understanding was that these Greek-speaking widows were neglected, and the apostles were too busy to take care of them. The apostles said that the more important thing is to pay attention to the word of God (verse 2). There was no time to deal with these widows, but since they were protesting and making trouble, there was still a need for someone to deal with their need. Finally, Stephen and others were found. These people were not apostles, just ordinary disciples of Jesus who were spiritually mature due to it being the beginning of the apostolic era. Stephen was not only good at cooking, but also full of the Holy Spirit, faith, wisdom and the words of the Lord. Miracles also followed him and the other men who were serving. In short, the apostles did not have time to deal with these matters so they were handed over to others.

But when we started talking about this, we found that the Holy Spirit led us to a broader understanding of the situation. I felt that the words and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit were that these complaining widows were not only materially poor, but also lacking the Lord's abundance in the spirit. Therefore, the apostles’ decision was not only to arrange and provide meals for them, but also to allow people like Stephen, who were full of the Holy Spirit and the Word of the Lord, to both serve meals and dispense the Spirit and the Word to these poor people.

Poverty limits our imagination

I was born in an ordinary family in rural China, the bottom rung of society. The people in our Bible Study also include many Chinese from the same background, so we naturally talk about poverty. Our experience of poverty has not only caused us to be materially poor, but also limited our imagination and made us lack self-confidence in many ways.

We talked about the spirit of poverty in modern Chinese society, American society and even among some Christians in the US. The external poverty is not terrible—the most terrifying thing is that poverty limits our imagination. Some of the women in our study said that American social scientists investigated the impact that poverty has on human nerves. This study showed a decline in human learning ability. Therefore, some educators in the United States hope to include children from poor families in special education.

This argument is controversial. One woman said that being poor on the outside does not necessarily mean being poor on the inside. For example, Forrest Gump’s mother in the movie "Forrest Gump" encouraged him to maintain a pure heart even though they were poor, and at last Forrest Gump achieves success. I think the discussion on both sides makes sense. I also specifically mentioned that, for example, at the time of the founding of the United States, even though the American Puritans were poor outside, they were rich in spirit. Compared with people at that time, Americans nowadays are rich in material goods, but even poorer in their spiritual richness towards the Lord.

But we have to say that material poverty and spiritual poverty (or any restriction which leads to lack of self-confidence and imagination) are often closely linked. The lowliness and poverty of our birth often lead to our lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem. I used to work as a reporter for a newspaper in New Jersey, often interviewing people at Princeton University. I saw many Chinese children attending summer camps at Princeton. I was very envious. I thought to myself that if I had such a good opportunity when I was a child, I might be more successful in my career and healthier in my personality. However, when I was young, I did not have these opportunities. Because I lacked adequate role models and help, I used to feel very inferior.

Reasoning from the above logic, if the Greek-speaking Jews and their widows are ignored and not taken care of, they will also develop spiritual problems after a long time. So, their grievances are not a trivial matter. Like physical poverty will bring about poverty of spirit, physical negligence will bring about improper spiritual growth and development.

The relationship between shepherding in love and the provision of the Lord’s words

Let me give an example. I heard a fellow believer talk about the relationship between giving loving care and using the Lord’s word in ministry. He said that our love seems to be a hot pot for Chinese believers to cook their spiritual food. If the pot is not hot, the dishes are not cooked well. We preach the gospel and help the new immigrant believers with their physical needs, often doing something like driving them to gatherings, helping them buy groceries and rent houses, and visiting them often. These actions of love will warm their hearts. If their hearts are not warmed, they will be closed to us. Even if we have the Lord’s words, they won’t be open to us. So, loving care is very important. It is like a hot pot.

However, merely making the pot hot is not enough. If the pot is hot and even smokes, but there is no oil in it, it is impossible to cook the food. In the same way, if we do deeds of love without the Word of the Lord and the Holy Spirit to minister to the people, it will be as if the pot is hot, but there is no oil in it.

This is not only true in our lives today but it was true when Jesus walked with the disciples on their way to Emmaus. By walking with them to Emmaus even when they did not recognize Him, Jesus was caring and ministering to them in love. While He explained what the scripture said about His resurrection, their hearts burned (Luke 24:32). If Jesus had not walked with them all those miles, He would not have the opportunity to minister to them. If Jesus had not made the Word of God regarding His resurrection clear to them, it would be impossible for their hearts to burn, and later recognize the resurrected Jesus. Jesus set an example for us of how to care by loving well, and ministering the Word of God at the same time.

Imagine that Stephen is a chef who is good at cooking and also filled with the Holy Spirit. When he is cooking, he is particularly concerned about a newcomer or widow, and gives them each a spoonful of vegetables to express his concern for them. This action may warm their hearts. In addition, they find that Stephen had cooked dinner for everyone that day. Cooking the meal was very tiring, but he did not blame them because it was hard or tiring. His smile was full of joy, and he often shared some words of the Lord to comfort and encourage them. They would realize that what they lack is not only the food and care outside. They would observe the joy in the Lord that Stephen has, his wisdom in the Holy Spirit, and the abundance of the Lord’s words. Therefore, the service they receive goes far beyond providing meals in the moment.

The early church did well because it was built on the disciples’ foundation, which was personally completed by Jesus Himself, and because the work of the Holy Spirit was strong. I think if the Holy Spirit keeps doing the work Himself, it may be better than what we do. But why did the church fall? It is God's desire to put the building of the church in the hands of people. Although God’s people will make mistakes and take detours, they will learn through these processes sooner or later, so that they can finally reach maturity through their service. This is God’s will.

Our current failures in building the church involve nothing more than these two aspects. On the one hand, the church lacks love for God and people. On the other hand, it lacks the Word of the Lord. In the worst cases, it lacks in both areas. Therefore, if we are to build the church well today, we must recover these two aspects, so that the Holy Spirit has the freedom to love and care for others through us, as well as ministering God’s Word to others through us.

The spiritual meaning behind grievances

Acts 6:1 says: "In those days, the number of disciples multiplied. Some Greek-speaking Jews complained to the Hebrews because they neglected their widows in the daily supply." People who spoke Greek may have been Jews from Gentile lands. They could have been immigrants or vulnerable groups. They complained that their widows were neglected. They seemed to be complaining that their material needs were neglected, but perhaps they were also complaining that their spiritual needs have been neglected. Why do I say that? Because people's material needs are often connected with their spiritual needs. The spiritual needs are often hidden behind people’s material needs.

I met with a man who shared about his occasional quarrels with his wife. His wife is somewhat short-tempered, which makes it easy for him to get hurt. He asked me how to deal with this situation. I said that I had the same difficulties in my marriage, and I have learned a lot. I told him that the things our wives complain to us about may seem trivial and confusing to us. If we consider each complaint individually, we won’t be able to solve the problem in the end. The key to solving the problem is found in looking at the big picture. Our wives’ complaints remind us that not only did we neglect their feelings in trivial matters, but also that we are not spiritually mature enough. We aren’t manifesting Him by living out the Lord’s love nor feeding them with the spiritual abundance of His Word. So her grievances actually indicate her spiritual hunger and thirst, although she may not realize it.

Although dealing with matters in the material realm or getting marriage counseling in the realm of the soul are helpful to marriage, they cannot fundamentally solve our problems. The fundamental solution to conflicts between husband and wife is that the husband matures in his spiritual life and can feed and support his wife spiritually. The Bible says that the husband is the head of the wife, not lording over her, but providing the her with spiritual protection. Consider the comparison to the human body—the head will direct the mobilization of blood circulation and nerve transmission to supply our limbs at any time. If a person's body is paralyzed and he loses the use of his lower limbs or is even a high-level paraplegic, but the person's head is still healthy, then he can still live well. But if a person’s head has a problem, he will decline to a persistent vegetative state. Although his limbs are fine, they will gradually lose their function. In the same way, when I tried only to correct my behavior during the difficulties of marriage, it did not have much effect. However, when I surrendered to God, learned to get close to the Lord and communicated with the Lord more deeply through these challenges, my difficulties were reduced.

I used the theory of the " Slumbering Spirit " by John Sandford, a pioneer of "Inner Healing" and "Deliverance Ministries" in the American Charismatic Movement to continue to explain this truth. When I was studying the "Inner Healing" and "Deliverance Ministry" courses, his books were included in the teaching materials. He put forward a theory that many people's problems are not only in their souls, but in their spirits. If a child does not get enough hugs and care during his growth stage, his spirit becomes a "Slumbering Spirit". In other words, his spirit no longer continues to grow, which also hinders the normal development of his soul. Many of these children develop psychological and emotional disorders. In ministering to these people, he used God’s timely Rhema words which are obtained through both the Bible and through his prophetic gift (including words of knowledge, and prophetic words) to awaken the spirit of those people, to tell them that God loves them. Gradually, their hearts were healed through this process.

When I shared the above story with this man, my baby was still being bottle fed, so I continued to explain with the story of feeding my baby. The child would cry at night when she was hungry. My wife was exhausted from working all day, so I got up at night to feed my daughter. She could not speak and could only cry. Her complaining cry said that she was hungry. Faced with her need, we had two choices. One choice, at the expense of our convenience, was to feed her whenever she was hungry. The other choice was to ignore her. If she cries and no one responds, after a while she will not cry anymore. Why? Because she would find that crying does not work. I read an article that said that if you do this, the child will gradually get used to it, but her stomach will shrink and will not grow larger. The baby's stomach is already small, so it gets hungry after a few hours. When we feed her on time, not only will she get full, but her stomach also gradually expands. After a while, she will sleep through the night.

We normally don’t treat children like this. However, I heard that many children in orphanages often cried but were ignored, so they gradually stopped crying. They knew that crying did not work, so they stopped. However, their spirits would shrink and become the “slumbering spirit” mentioned earlier, and they would no longer believe that there is love in the world. When their spirits begin slumbering, some functions of their souls, especially emotions, will be distorted. Therefore, caring people often go to the orphanage to hug or touch these children, which awakens their spirits and helps them grow up relatively healthily. Modern science also proves that receiving frequent touch and hugs will make people feel warmer and more loving, another reason this practice helps these orphans to grow up better.

I once worked as a reporter and interviewed a murderer in the courtroom. After his parents divorced, he felt abandoned. He gradually went astray, and eventually became a murderer. Many who commit homicides in the United States have no father or have received no love from their father, so they feel hatred for this world. These people have been hurt by the world and deserve our sympathy.

Going back to the issue of the wife's complaint that I mentioned earlier, I told that man that our wives’ grievances seemed to be somewhat trivial to us, but they are actually opportunities God gave us to live for and manifest Christ. Every time a wife complains, we have to come out of our own emotional injury. Do not focus on the quarrel itself but focus on examining your recent spiritual situation before the Lord. Ask yourself in the presence of the Lord, “Am I close enough to the Lord? Am I full of the Holy Spirit and the words of the Lord? Have I shared some of the Lord’s words or spiritual experiences in my life intentionally or inadvertently, and provided for my wife's spiritual life?” If after reflection, you find that your spiritual life doesn’t measure up, and you have not provided for your wife's spiritual life in this way, you need to make up for it. Only in this way can you fundamentally change your situation.

Joyce Meyer, a famous preacher in the United States, also shared an experience between her and her husband. She said that the Lord trained her through marriage. Sometimes she would get into arguments with her husband. She asked the Lord, “Why can’t my husband change? Why require me to change every time?” She refused to obey at first, but then the Lord would discipline her through her marriage. She learned a lot in the process.

Another preacher, Yvon Attia, shared a similar experience. She said that she was also struggling with these problems. But the Lord told her that she should forgive the other party first because his spiritual life was not as mature as hers and he was unable to forgive. In other words, in a Christian couple, one person's spiritual life is more mature, and the other’s spiritual life is relatively immature. People who are spiritually mature always have to forgive others first. It is because they have a deeper fellowship with the Lord, which makes them more capable of exercising this ability.

Both examples above are about women. We can see that it is not only the husband who can provide for the wife spiritually. If the wife is more spiritually mature, her husband is like the complaining child who is yearning for spiritual feeding. The Jews who spoke Greek in this chapter are like the young children spiritually. Their complaint was not just because the widows had no food. They also needed to be fed by the Lord's words and given spiritual care.

The apostles knew this truth well. Otherwise, they would just have arranged for someone who could cook to serve these widows. However, they chose Stephen and others, who could not only serve meals, but were also people full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom (verse 3), full of faith and the Holy Spirit (verse 5), and the apostles also laid their hands on them to pray to pass on blessing and authority from God (verse 6). The apostles knew that the widow’s grievances were definitely not only about material things, but it was a signal that they needed to arrange for someone to serve the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to them.

As a result of that verse 7 says: "The Word of God has expanded, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem has greatly multiplied, and a large group of priests have obeyed this belief." In other words, the Word of God expanded there because of the apostle’s decision to put Stephen and others in charge who were full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, and faith who not only served the widows meals but also the Word of the Lord. These widows grew spiritually and their testimony affected other orphans and families, gradually expanding the influence of the Word even causing many priests to receive to the faith. Just as a stone thrown into the lake, causes a wave of ripples, when the apostles arranged for Stephen and others to provide the widow's meals and the Lord's words, it brought a series of positive results.

Conversely, if the apostles had ignored the grievances of the Greek-speaking Jews and their widows, it would be as if the babies I mentioned earlier were ignored. Their spirits would become shrunken and lethargic because they didn’t get enough care. Feelings of dissatisfaction and even betrayal could have arisen in their souls, which would have eventually hindered the spread of the gospel in Jerusalem.

This is not only the case of the family or the church we cited above, but also the truth of everything in this world. Paul said in Romans 8:19, “The creatio is eagerly expecting, eagerly waiting for the sons of God to be revealed.” He meant that after Satan’s rebellion and the fall of man, everything was in bondage. God's salvation begins with man, who must be reborn as God's son and be glorified. When man finally receives the glory of the Son of God, all things, including plants and animals will be free from this bondage. They groaned with all creatures and suffered the pain of childbirth together until now because they hoped to be redeemed (Romans 8:22). Everything is groaning and struggling, and hoping that we will become the image of the Son of God soon, so that we can be liberated together. This is why the Lord Jesus said that the church is a city on a hill and a light in the darkness, and we cannot put its light under the bushel. When our church does not shine, when it is not like salt to the world, we cannot illuminate the world. All the while, the world is in darkness, and is looking up to see our light.

The problem in American society is that the church has lost its light to some extent. When society is full of problems, it is actually crying and complaining to the church, just like a baby crying or a wife complaining. If we listened to these grievances in the Spirit and translated them, they would say: "Why doesn’t the church shine and illuminate me? Why doesn’t the church feed me?" The darkness of society is only a manifestation of the darkness of the church.

We need to use the Lord's word to build up believers

The problem with the American church is the lack of feeding people with God’s word. You may not be convinced of this. You might say, "Aren’t there many pastors preaching and feeding people with the God’s Word?” This is true, but what we are missing is people like Stephen, Philip, Procurus, Nicanor, Timon, Pamenas and Nicholas from Antioch who converted to Judaism (verse 5)— people are who are full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom and faith. Even if every pastor was like this, it is not enough. We also need many believers like this. In this chapter, it is not only the apostles who are full of the Spirit, wisdom and faith, but many ordinary believers were as well. While we recognize Stephen and Philip’s names, who knows or remembers Procurus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas? They were also people full of the Spirit and wisdom as is mentioned clearly in verse 3. You see, the Lord Jesus did a great work of discipleship through these ordinary men!

Many churches still work in the outer courtyard, which is just taking care of the widows’ food. However, we must go further and be able to serve the believers God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. A dominant characteristic of American culture is superficiality and the fast-food culture. This culture also affects the spiritual atmosphere of the church. Many ordinary believers are not being edified and discipled, so the church cannot be built up strongly enough to withstand the attacks of the enemy. Although there was a time when American society claimed that 70-80% or even more of the population were Christians, it was still not enough to prevent American Christianity and society from degenerating or the attacks of anti-Christian agenda in this county. What a sad fact! How can the majority of people be defeated by the minority of unbelievers, if the statistics are true? The reason lies in the lack of spiritual edification or discipleship of believers. Many people with insight into American Christianity have already admitted this. Therefore, the fundamental way to reverse the decline of American Christianity lies in the discipleship of believers. The lack of discipleship makes the church look like it’s built on sand, unable to resist water, rain and wind (Matthew 7:24-27).

If the believers were better disciplined in God’s Word, it would transform the church and the society. We need what happened in this chapter—the Word of God expanded first, then the numbers of the disciples in Jerusalem greatly multiplied (verse 7). It is not the other way around. We cannot seek for the numbers first, but should seek to expand the Word of God first. The Bible charges us to be filled with the Words of Christ in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16) but the reality is that many believers have never read through the entire Bible once in their lifetimes. If you read three chapters in the Old Testament and one chapter in the New Testament a day, you can read through the Bible once a year. I have been doing this for many years.

As your hunger for God’s word grows deeper, begin meditating on one verse each day. This will help bring the black and white of the written word into light and it will transform your life!

Do you agree? I personally think that God’s calling for me is to help to disciple believers, and make the church stronger. If this message blesses you, please help to share this word with a friend.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Acts 5

Acts 5 begins with the story of Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit about the proceeds of the land sale. The Holy Spirit punished them severely for keeping some of the proceeds for themselves, while claiming they had given it all. Ananias and Sapphira’s sin doesn’t seem very serious, so why was the punishment so severe? Many modern-day Christians do not even tithe, let alone give the entire proceeds of a sale or business deal. So why doesn’t the Holy Spirit punish modern-day believers?

As we consider this question, let’s put aside the lens of punishment and fear for a moment. This lens can limit our understanding of this issue.

Being closer to God is like being closer to the sun

First, we can understand this issue using the analogy of “light.” We often hear others say that God judges us not because of the sin and darkness that is in us, but rather for how much we reject the “light.” Before salvation, we lived in darkness and ignorance. The sins we committed before we came to Christ were committed in ignorance.

However, after we come to know Jesus, the “light of the world,” it is another matter altogether. God holds us accountable for rejecting the clear presence of the Holy Spirit. In vs. 15, we see that the Holy Spirit was powerfully working all around Ananias and Saphira. Even Peter’s shadow could heal people of their diseases! Despite all this, Ananias and Saphira still sinned blatantly against the Holy Spirit. Hence, it is only natural for them to be punished severely.

The closer you are to the sun, the more you are at risk of being burned. In the same way, the closer we are to God’s light and the Holy Spirit’s powerful working, the less our darkness is tolerated. However, if the Holy Spirit is not as active in the world, and an individual is farther away from God, the punishment will not be as harsh.

This does not mean that God excuses sin. God hates all sin. However, as we draw closer to God, God’s expectations for our holiness increase. As we serve God, we need to be holy. As mentioned previously in our study of Acts 4, the Holy Spirit was specifically at work during this time, choosing the apostles and working powerfully among the people. Despite this, Ananias deliberately lied to the Holy Spirit. For this reason, he was severely punished.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the capacity of the vessel

Second, we can consider this topic using the concept of "capacity.” Humans are like vessels, or containers, that hold God’s power and glory. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is like a powerful current of electricity. Only the strongest of wires can handle such high voltage.

God wants to strengthen us so we can handle his “high voltage.” Peter and the other disciples had been prepared during Jesus’ three and a half years of ministry on earth. Without this preparation, they would not have been able to handle the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Modern-day Christians also need to undergo many trials and tests to prepare us to handle the weight of God’s powerful working. We need to grow our capacity.

Consider the analogy of a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers can withstand higher pressure than normal non-pressure cookers. If a regular pot is placed under high pressure, it will explode. Even a pressure cooker has a limit to the amount that it can withstand.

Similarly, each of us has a different capacity to withstand pressure. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:13 that he would not boast beyond limit, but would only boast about the area of influence God had assigned to him. We each have our own area of influence. We must not reach beyond the measure or capacity that God has assigned to us. Each of us has a limit to the amount of pressure we can take, but we are often greedy for more than we can handle. Then we are unable to manage this pressure.

So, to a certain extent, it was not God who killed Ananias, but rather Ananias’ own lack of capacity to cope with the pressures of such holiness. Jesus explained that when you put new wine in old wineskins, the wineskins will burst. On the one hand, the new wine caused the wineskins to burst; on the other hand, the old wineskin was unable to manage the pressures of the new wine. During the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Ananias tried to receive and contain God’s glory within his flesh. But since he was not a clean and pure vessel, he self-destructed, just like a normal pot disintegrates under high pressure.

Ever since the ascension of Christ to heaven and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit has always been with us. If the Holy Spirit is present with us, why do we lack the manifestation and movement of the Holy Spirit within the Church? One reason could be the lack of capacity of our own vessels.

Jesus Christ molded and empowered the disciples as vessels for His use. This process of preparation is essential to prepare us (his vessels) to receive the Holy Spirit. It only takes a second for the Holy Spirit to fill you, but it takes more than 20 years to prepare a vessel.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is like a heavy downpour, and we are the containers that are used to collect the rainwater. If we are not prepared to receive the Holy Spirit—in the areas of holiness, character, personality etc.--we are an ill-prepared vessel. When the rain comes, we are unable to manage the rainwater. Instead, we will leak.

In the Old Testament, Elisha performed the miracle of providing olive oil to the widow. Elishaa asked the widow to borrow vessels from her neighbors. When all the vessels were filled, there was no more oil. This is a wonderful image which illustrates that our vessel’s capacity limits the amount of oil we can receive (2 Kings 4:1-7). We need to ensure that we allow God to prepare us to be vessels for him, so that we can manage the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we will run into trouble.

Many Christians desire revival but have not made themselves ready as vessels. For this reason, many spiritual revivals die a premature death due to lack of preparation of the vessels. God wants to grant us our desire. He wants to send a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But he wants us to be willing, prepared vessels. He is using the waiting time to prepare us as his vessels.

The process of obtaining God’s glory

The third lens through which we can approach this subject is the importance of God’s glory. Although Ananias and Sapphira’s sin may seem inconsequential, it was significant because it was an affront to God’s glory. The couple wanted access to God’s glory without sacrificing their money to God. This is a very serious matter. The couple sinned in the same way as Satan did: exalting themselves against God and wanting to steal his glory.

Jesus was different. He humbled Himself, never desiring to obtain glory for himself. He sacrificed himself because of God’s love, and in return he received glory and honor. If we want to receive God’s glory, we must take the path of self-sacrifice. If we desire glory without sacrificing our own interests, we will be punished. God will not share His glory with such people. God punished Ananias as a warning to us. We must not attempt to steal God’s glory.

America experienced a healing revival in the 1950s, where God blessed many with the gift of healing. However, this revival ended prematurely. Many healers refused to train other assistants, hoarding the gift of healing for themselves. They wanted glory for themselves instead of giving the glory to God. Because they tried to steal God’s glory, God withdrew his presence and cut short the great revival.

God’s severe punishment of hypocrisy

Fourth, we must consider this question through the lens of hidden sin and hypocrisy. Hypocrisy must be exposed. Those who live double lives bring great harm to the church. Servants of God who sin morally while pretending to be godly cause great destruction. In the scripture, Jesus also points out the hypocritical pharisees, who seem morally flawless but have hidden sins. They may be able to deceive many people, but they cannot deceive God. God exposed them for all to see.

Some sins are obvious to all. Even non-Christians who abide by worldly moral standards will disapprove of these sins. These sins are condemned by the conscience and by the law. However, other sins are hidden in the heart. Only God, who sees the heart, can perceive these sins. Therefore, God alone can expose these sins. If Ananias had become an apostle without his hypocrisy being exposed, he might have brought great harm to the work of God. No one would have ever known about his sins.

Even today, God continues to expose hidden sins of church leaders and lay leaders. He does this so that the church can become a pure, holy community.

Where did Ananias’ wife go?

Acts 5:7 says, “after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.” Where was Ananias’ wife during those three hours? The Bible doesn't tell us, so we don’t know the answer to this question. However, my guess is that she went to settle the fortune, the money they had decided to keep. Due to the powerful presence and working of the Holy Spirit, everyone in the Christian community was sharing the money they had with the Christian community. But this couple wanted to keep half the money for their own use.

Ananias and Sapphira both sinned. They fell into sin as a couple, just like Adam and Eve did. In Genesis, Eve was deceived, and Adam consciously chose to sin. Both husband and wife faced temptation at the same time. This story reminds us that Christian couples need to help and support each other. When one spouse is weak, the other spouse needs to be strong. If both are weak at the same time, it is a recipe for disaster. Many believers can attest to the value of mutual support. The husband can support the wife when she is weak, and vice versa.

If either Ananias or Sapphira had been spiritually strong, they would have been able to have avoided falling into sin. The strong one could have supported the weak one and keep them faithful to God. Unfortunately, both were weak and sinned at the same time, which led to this tragic outcome.

Positive and Negative Examples

Often, when the Bible gives a positive example, it follows up with a negative example of the same concept. For instance, the positive example of Barnabas’ generosity is given in Acts 4. Barnabas ‘sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostle’s feet.’ Then in Acts 5, God gives a negative example about the lack of generosity: Ananias and his wife. The Bible often places a positive and negative example together to illustrate a point. The point God illustrates in this passage is that we need to sacrificially give to God, and not lie to Him.

Your enemy could be God’s messenger

Because Peter preached about Jesus and performed signs and wonders, there were some who wanted to kill him and his fellow apostles (Acts 5:33). However, a pharisee named Gamaliel interfered. He said, “Keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” (Acts 5:38-39 ESV). Because of Gamaliel’s wisdom, a disaster was averted.

This story illustrates that the very people whom we view as enemies could be God’s angels in disguise. Even though Jesus had criticized the Pharisees, Gamaliel the Pharisee actually helped Peter and the apostles at this critical juncture. Some people whom we treat as enemies or do not consider as friends, could all be angels in disguise. God can make everything work together for the benefit of those who love God.

Here is an example to illustrate this point. There was a Taiwanese Christian couple who often performed charitable acts and took care of children with cancer. However, due to their status as celebrities, they were criticized by those who did not believe them. People began to spread rumors that the couple were profiting financially off of their acts of charity. This was completely untrue, and the couple felt deeply betrayed. However, because of the rumors, many people learned about their charitable work and donated to their cause. They gained a lot of publicity, which meant they received many more donations and were able to help many more children.

To be free from punishment and fear

Nobody knows if Ananias and his wife went to heaven or hell, as it is not recorded in the Bible. However, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:5 regarding Christians who have sinned, “you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” In the Old Testament, Aaron’s two sons and Uzzah were both killed by the Lord. What happened to Aaron’s sons, Uzzah, Ananias, and Sapphira after death? God is the one who judges; only He knows the answer to this question. According to Paul’s principle, there is a possibility that God struck them down to prevent them from committing a greater sin. Although their bodies died, their spirits may have been saved.

When we read the Bible, our understanding is often clouded by our own perception. Our perspective of fear and punishment makes us think that God is easily angered. We imagine he will punish us for every little mistake. Many Christians say that God is love, but are unable to truly grasp God’s love in their minds and hearts. Many Christians feel like God is intentionally punishing or hurting them, just like he punished Ananias. Even though Ananias’ story is an extreme example and many do not have the same experience in their lives, Christians can become fearful and expect God to punish them like he punished Ananias. Understanding God’s love helps us understand difficult stories, such as the story presented in this chapter.

We need to change our perspective about trials and difficulties. The hard times we go through were not created by God. God allows them to happen in order to increase our capacity and prepare us as vessels for His glory. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit lives inside us (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Holy Spirit wants us to exhibit the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

At the same time, God’s discipline is real. Even though the killing of Ananias is an extreme example, we often encounter God’s discipline in our lives today. God disciplines us in order to put our flesh to death. He trains us for our own good. Galatians 5:17 states that, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Our flesh often tempts us to indulge in greed, sinning against the Holy Spirit. However, God does not kill us. The killing of Ananias is an extreme example and should not be used to negate God’s love for us. God is love. His love is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4). More often than not, God treats us with great kindness and patience, even when run away from Him. God loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). However, if we want to be united with God and partake of His love, we need to flee from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire (2 Peter 1:4).

God’s love and holiness are two sides of the same coin. God loves us, but He is also holy and just. Because God loves us, He sent His son to redeem us. On the other hand, God is also holy. If we want to draw close to Him, we need to live in holiness.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Acts 4

Acts 4 tells the story of Peter healing a lame man. For 40 years, the man had been begging for food at the temple gates with no hope of healing in sight. However, the lame man's faith and perseverance finally cured him. When Peter met him, he was healed instantly.

We can learn an important lesson from the lame man. In the process of seeking God, we should not be disappointed and depressed when healing takes a long time. We should not be deterred by the spirit of religion. Instead, we should be bold enough to pay the price and pursue all the promises of God by faith.

Why did it take 40 years for the lame man to receive healing?

While reading Acts 4, the Holy Spirit led me to dive deeper into the story of the lame man who was healed by Peter at the Beautiful Gate. Although the healing of the lame man has already been mentioned in Acts 3, this chapter records the impact of this incident. As a result of the healing, the priests, court officials, and Sadducees came to arrest Peter. They interrogated him, asking him by what ability and in whose name he was doing these miracles. Of course Peter told them it was in the name of Jesus that he could perform such miracles.

The chief priests would not even believe Jesus while he performed miracles on earth, and they were even less willing to pay attention to rowdy Peter. The chief priests tried to frighten Peter and the other disciples, telling them they were not allowed to preach in the name of Jesus anymore. However, Peter and the others didn’t listen.

Acts 4:22 says, “The man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.” A brother in our Bible study wondered if there was any special meaning to the man’s age. This question leads to the theme of our study today. We will look at this story from the perspective of the lame man who was healed.

The man had lived 40 years without cure. It took more than 40 years for him to be healed. This fact reminds me of other occurrences of the number 40 in the Bible. It is interesting that 40 often correlates with times of difficulty and trial. The Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness, and Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness. Both were times of trial. What about this lame man who had not been healed for 40 years? Was he also undergoing a type of trial?

Begging was not easy in Israel. Many beggars were people with disabilities, such as the two blind men in the book of Matthew. These beggars were begging for food when they heard that Jesus was coming. They immediately threw off their clothes and ran towards Jesus, shouting, “Son of David, save us.” They wanted to recover their sight. Some preachers believe that the clothes they left behind were not ordinary clothes, but clothes approved and distributed by the chief priests, elders, scribes and other leadership systems of Israel. The cloak confirmed that you were blind, giving you permission to beg. When the Israelites saw this cloak, they would give money to the poor and blind, as their legal code prescribed. Over time, the cloak had become a symbol. It was the approval they needed within the system in order to beg for food and receive relief from others. It gave them a certain degree of protection.

When the blind men threw off their cloaks, they were abandoning their former status and identity as blind people. Ignoring the criticism and hindrance of the disciples, they ran towards Jesus for healing. This is the modern-day equivalent of abandoning social security or disability insurance.

There was a price to pay for pursuing Jesus by faith. The chief priests, elders and scribes did not approve of those who believed in Jesus. The formerly blind man in the book of John was cast out of the synagogue for his faith in Jesus. The synagogue and the temple community were of great importance to the Jewish people, so this rejection cost him his relationship with family and community. The price of trusting Christ was high, but Bartimaeus and the other blind man ignored this. They abandoned the shackles and benefits of the system and trusted in Jesus alone. Naturally, they also received a generous reward.

I want to briefly mention the healing of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with the flow of blood. The woman with an issue of blood kept telling herself, “I can be healed by just touching Jesus’ clothes.” According to the law, this woman was unclean. If she went into crowds and contaminated others, she could be stoned. But she did not care. She risked her life to see Jesus, and in the end, Jesus praised her great faith.

Everyone who is healed in the Bible is outstanding in some way. Whether they had outstanding faith or persistence, they all are all amazing examples to us. God’s mercy and sovereignty extended to these ordinary people and made them great. We can extrapolate that the man at the Beautiful Gate was also an extraordinary person.

The Beautiful Gate was at the entrance of the temple. In Eastern cultures, a gate is a place of great importance. When I was in China, I witnessed two fruit vendors fighting over the premier spot at the gate. In China, if you set up a stall in a market or at the gate of a school to sell things, you will not be able to occupy the best spot unless you have special skills. Even if you are able to occupy the best spot, more clever and ruthless people will eventually drive you away.

With that in mind, let's imagine that it was a big accomplishment for this man to beg at the Beautiful Gate. We don’t know how many years he’d been begging there. It is likely that he had been begging there for quite a long time. It was not easy. We don’t know if he had friends in the system, a relationship with the high priest or his relatives, so that no one would drive him away. If he was someone in the system or someone who had benefited from the system, then there was a relational price to pay for accepting Peter's services. This man was far from ordinary because he was willing to pay the price.

The lame man must have been grateful he got to beg at such a premier spot. Maybe other blind men envied him, saying how fortunate he was to be able to beg at the Beautiful Gate. There, he was sheltered from wind and rain. The people who entered the temple to make sacrifices were not short on money. He had many advantages over those who begged out in the streets. However, this man was not satisfied and continued to seek more. His yearning for more shows that he was not an ordinary person.

Jesus must have been in and out of this same temple many times during his lifetime. Did Jesus encounter this same lame man while he was living on earth? If so, he did not heal him. Did this man feel disappointed and avoid coming here to continue begging? We know that inside his heart, he was longing to be healed. Although he didn’t even recognize it externally, we know that the man was seeking for healing by faith.

Why can we be so confident about his faith? We know that when Paul healed someone, the Bible specifically mentions that Paul saw that the person had faith to be healed. Before he released the healing, Paul evaluated the person’s faith. In other words, many in the Bible were healed because of their faith. They may not have known it, but the apostles saw their faith. We can imagine that this lame man was yearning for healing. Even after so many years, he persisted in begging at the Gate of Beautiful in hopes that one day, he would get healed. Even if he might have missed the healing from Jesus, he did not give up. His persistency shows that he was extraordinary.

God blesses the humble

If Jesus saw the lame man, why didn’t he heal him? We have no way to prove that Jesus really saw him or not, but if he did, we can draw on a general principle to formulate an answer to this question. When Jesus healed a blind man, he did it to display God’s miraculous deeds. In the same way, the disabled man in Acts must have been uniquely destined to display God’s awesome deeds through the apostles.

Peter was a fisherman from Galilee, and many people did not trust him. However, God wanted to perform signs and wonders through the apostles in order to show God’s power. Most people did not respect this rowdy Peter, but this lame man had no prejudice against him. In his spirit, he sensed that Peter could help him. His humility and discernment enabled him to hope that Peter could help him. This shows the extraordinary humility of the lame man.

In the church today, many people look down on a humble person being used by God. Because of pride, we cannot accept the help of someone who seems inferior to us. How many blessings have we missed because of our pride? As mentioned earlier, this lame man may have been from a noble or upper class, since he could get a spot to beg at a place like the Beautiful Gate. Even if he was from a rich family, he was willing to seek help from a poor fisherman like Peter. His humility shows that he was not an ordinary person. Many high priests, scribes, and palace guards were too prideful to accept Peter's or Jesus’s help. They scoffed, “What good could come out of Galilee?”

God often speaks through the humble person. God often speaks to us through people we look down on. If we have a proud spirit, we will miss God’s blessings because we will not hear what the Lord is saying to us.

The story behind the healing testimony

We usually read the Bible from a broad, traditional perspective. When we read this chapter, we see overarching themes such as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s power through Peter. However, there are subtler things that might be easy to miss. For example, just think about the rescue and redemption that this healing brought to the man and his family, who had suffered so much humiliation!

In my own life, our healing and miracle baby had a great impact on our unsaved family. My mother, who worshipped bodhisattva for many years, has noticed a difference in me since this miraculous baby was born. Before our baby’s birth, she said that my smile looked forced on photographs. Even though I was smiling, she could see the bitter sadness on my face. However, the photos now show an inner happiness which can't be concealed. My mother also agreed not to worship bodhisattva. “The God you believe in can perform miracles and wonders,” she exclaimed. Because of this miracle, she believed in the Lord and got baptized.

Another Christian brother shared his mother had been paralyzed and bedridden for five years. While listening to the preaching of the gospel, she stood up by faith. What an impact this event had on this young man, who was in middle school at the time. He was shocked! The power of the gospel is so great. This brother’s mother later came to America to visit her son, and I saw her with my own eyes.

I don’t deny that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and Peter’s healing authority and power from God had an important impact on the healing of this lame man. However, the role of the individual cannot be ignored. For Peter, this was just an ordinary ministry day. But for those who were healed, it was a life-altering moment of salvation.

In my experience of seeking divine healing, I have encountered opposition and differences of opinion. Some people think that God no longer heals today. I told them we would rather believe but be disappointed than give up seeking. In the end, we chose to continue to seek God and finally received His healing touch. When I talk about this experience, I often say that if a person is not healed, he experiences 0% of God’s healing, and if he is healed, he is experiencing 100% of God’s healing. There is no in-between. In other words, you either got it or you didn't get it.

God shows no partiality to man

In conclusion, God is not partial to people. He has set a specific time and place to heal you. There are signs, wonders and blessings waiting for you. However, God hopes that through the process of waiting, you grow in humility and confidence, growing in your experiential knowledge of his love.

However, many people gave up halfway and don’t hold on till the end. Brothers and sisters, it’s not that God is unwilling to bless you, or that God is partial. It is because you did not continue on the road of blessing that God has set for you. We encourage those brothers and sisters who are still suffering to believe in God’s love. Continue to seek the miracles that you hope for with faith. You will surely receive them!

Why didn’t the church continue to hold all things in common?

The last paragraph of Acts 4 tells us that the disciples had everything in common. The text mentions that Barnabas sold a field that belonged to him, brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet (36-37). Why was Barnabas specifically mentioned here? I believe his action was part of the reason God chose him as an apostle. When Barnabas sold his field and placed it at the feet of the apostle, his action proved that he was true to God, and God was pleased. Later the Holy Spirit chose him to be an apostle, alongside Paul.

However, Ananias’ story turned out very differently. Ananias sold his property and only donated half of the proceeds. Because he claimed he had donated all of his earnings, he was killed by God. Perhaps this was a special time when God was choosing the apostles. Such a deliberate deception to God was severely punished by Him. We know that in the church today, many Christians don’t even tithe in the first place. They give far less than Ananias did. Yet God does not punish them as severely as he did Ananias. Perhaps Ananias longed for the status of an apostle and knew that God was in the process of choosing his servants. Because of Ananias’ lack of total consecration, he was severely punished by God. Such punishment may reflect God’s high standard for his chosen servants. It is not necessarily a general principle for the church.

Ananias could have become an apostle just like Barnabas. Although he yearned to do good works, he was not humble like Barnabas. Although he wanted to be an apostle, he refused to pay a similar price. As a result, he received a severe judgment instead of special status. This is a wake-up call for those of us who serve God today.

Have you ever wondered why we no longer share all things and hold all things in common? As was the case with Ananias’ death, this may also be a special case. After the church formed on the day of Pentecost, God intended the gospel to be spread forth from Jerusalem. Therefore, it was especially important for an apostle to be able to give himself entirely to the ministry. The apostles’ complete consecration was crucial so that the gospel could spread forth from Jerusalem for the very first time. Just like the first shell fired by a cannon needs to have adequate gunpowder, God needed the apostles to be completely consecrated so that the gospel could spread for the very first time.

Although the practice of holding all things in common has not been a continual practice of the church over the centuries, there are specific examples of this happening during times of great spiritual revival. George Mueller, the father of faith giving, established an orphanage by faith, which moved many people to donate money. One day, a poor old lady donated her life savings to him. She said, "I've saved all my life, hoping to buy a coat that I love. I'm going to save enough money soon. However God moved me to donate this money today.” Mueller replied, “Your money is too precious, you think about it again.” However, this old lady insisted on donating the money.

In the Plymouth Brethren movement led by John Nelson Darby, many members of the brotherhood were well-off. Following the example of John Nelson Darby, they donated their property and were willing to serve God in poverty. Darby himself came from a noble and rich family, but for the sake of the gospel and the holiness of the church, he was willing to give up his wealth. I don't mean that that every servant of God must become poor. But since many of the clergy of the Anglican Church at that time were unsaved and were greedy for the world, Darby offered himself as a shining example of poverty and holiness.

The Holy Spirit moves in different ways at different times, but he always calls us to holiness, purity, and joy in Him.

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Bible Study With Jairus – Acts 2

Acts 2 introduces us to some hotly debated topics: tongues, dreams, visions, and the infilling of the Spirit. Even though these topics are controversial among Christians, most Christians do not deny the historical events in this chapter. What Christians cannot agree upon is whether such experiences still occur today.

Let’s dive in and examine some important questions related to the birth of the church in Acts 2.

Why is the Holy Spirit like a tongue of fire?

When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in bodily form as a dove. Should we conclude that the Holy Spirit only takes the shape of a dove, or are there other forms that the Holy Spirit can take?

When the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in Acts 2, he came in the form of tongues (Acts 2:1-4). In verse 3, God says that “divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one.” Did the Holy Spirit appear in the form of fire, or of tongues? The Bible clearly states that the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of tongues—tongues that seemed to be made of fire. We all know that Acts Chapter 2 details the infilling of the Holy Spirit, so we can conclude that the tongues were the Holy Spirit or the display of the Holy Spirit.

Why the tongue shape? As the book of James mentions, the tongue is very difficult to control. James noted that the tongue is the most troublesome member of our bodies. It can praise God or curse men. Like the small rudder of a ship, the tiny tongue has great power to direct the course of our lives. Like putting a bit into a horse’s mouth to control it, we need to control our tongue (James 3:2-12).

So, what does it mean for the Holy Spirit to come down in the form of tongues? Perhaps the Holy Spirit is asking us to surrender to Him and let him control the most untamable part of the human body, the tongue. As we offer our tongues to him, we can then offer our entire bodies as living sacrifices to God. We can allow the Holy Spirit to speak in and through us, allowing our tongues to pray and speak for the glory of God.

The original intention of speaking in tongues made provision for the entire body, will, and tongue to be surrendered to God, an indication of a spiritual and mature Christian. However, tongues have been used by the evil one to cause arguments within the Christian body, so much so that the mentioning of tongues is viewed as a lack of Christian maturity.

The understanding of the experiences in Acts 2 often differs across different Christian groups. We know that Satan often distorts the most important truths of the Bible. For example, Satan often lies to Christians about their identity in Christ, which is vital to spiritual growth. Similarly, tongues are an important tool of a mature Christian. Therefore, Satan actively attacks and distorts the truth regarding the use of tongues. As a result, some Christians believe that speaking in tongues is a sign of immaturity in the spiritual life.

How do tongues help Christians mature spiritually?

As you mature spiritually, the hardest area to surrender to God is your tongue. The Holy Spirit wants to use your tongue to utter prayers. When you surrender your tongue to God, God will use your tongue to build you up in your faith (Jude 1:20). God will use “groanings too deep for words” to intercede for you (Romans 8:26). He will use your tongue to build you up personally (1 Cor 14:4) and to build up others when the tongues are interpreted. (1 Cor 14:26). When we use tongues appropriately, we benefit the body of Christ in many ways.

However, if we do not live surrendered lives, our tongues are useless. This does not indicate a problem with our tongues. Just like any spiritual issues in the churches, it is often not about the issue itself, but whether individual believers live in the flesh or in the spirit.

Hence, objecting to tongues for the sake of objecting is a fleshly response, just like speaking in tongues for the sake of speaking in tongues. To God, it is most important that we be truly surrendered and obedient to Him, whether or not we speak in tongues.

Tongues: Human languages, angelic languages, prayer languages and prophetic words

What exactly are tongues? Are they human languages or angelic languages? They are both. In this passage, we see that the tongues are human languages. Jews from different regions were bewildered by hearing the disciples speak in their own languages, and the Galileans were startled to hear believers speaking in their native language as well (Acts 2: 7-8).

Paul also mentions the language of angels (1 Cor 13:1). Paul says, “if I spoke in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” This verse is often used to undermine the use of tongues. However, the issue is not whether you speak in tongues, but whether you have demonstrated God’s love. Speaking in tongues without love is just as useless as not speaking in tongues without love.

Tongues are also a language of prayer (1 Cor 14:14). In this verse, Paul says, “If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.” Paul also mentions that “one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God” (1 Cor 14:2), and “builds up himself” (1 Cor 14:4). Many view the “building up of self” negatively, especially when compared to “building up of the Church.” These believers feel that building yourself is not the priority. But in reality, we need to build ourselves up so that we can build a better church.

Jude 1:20 says that we need to build ourselves up in the most holy faith, and “pray in the Holy Spirit.” Many believers think that Paul’s reference to “praying in the Holy Spirit” is synonymous with “praying in tongues.” Previously, Paul used “pray in a tongue” and “pray in spirit” interchangeably (1 Cor 14:14-15). As we practice praying in tongues, we experience how tongues can build up our inner man. This practice will also increase our faith, and open doors to many gifts of the Holy Spirit.

At the same time, tongues are also a form of prophecy. Paul wrote in 1 Cor 14:26, “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” The tongues mentioned in this passage refer to prophetic messages. When messages spoken in tongues are not translated, others cannot understand the message. For this reason, Paul does not allow for believers to speak in tongues during gatherings. However, if the tongues can be translated, then he permits a few to speak in tongues. Paul wrote in 1 Cor 12:30, “Do all speak with tongues?” This verse is not saying that believers cannot use tongues to pray personally, but rather that not all believers are gifted by God to speak and interpret tongues as a form of prophecy.

Many people lump the different types of tongues together and end up blindly objecting to the use of tongues, without even understanding the mysteries of tongues.

How should we perceive dreams and visions?

In Joel chapter 2, God foretold that in the end times, he would pour out his spirit on all flesh. People would prophesy, dream dreams and see visions. Though many Christians believe we are in the end times, few people actually see visions or have dreams. Those who do have prophetic dreams and visions usually interpret them subjectively. It’s important to gain a clear understanding of the Bible’s teaching on dreams and visions.

The Bible is full of accounts of dreams and visions. Christians understand the dreams and visions differently. When the dreams are difficult to understand, such as Daniel’s dreams and John’s visions in Revelation, these differences of interpretation are even more pronounced. Many believers are even more skeptical about modern Christians’ dreams and visions. Skeptical believers point to past mistakes in the area of dreams and visions—mistakes which have caused harm and hurt to Christians. However, we cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Does God still speak through dreams and visions today? The answer is a definitive yes. Despite the subjective nature of dreams and visions, and the possibility for misinterpretation, we cannot completely neglect, belittle or deny such experiences. If we do, we will miss out on important opportunities to encounter God and the Holy Spirit in a fresh way.

My personal encounter with dreams and visions

I have personally experienced a series of dreams that provided me with direction when I needed to make decisions. My natural mind interfered with my interpretation of these dreams and visions, but God provided guidance through more dreams and the moving of the Holy Spirit. In the end, I found the right path.

In 2015, after 10 years of infertility, the Holy Spirit guided me to seek help in the Charismatic movement. Through YouTube, I had learned about Randy Clark and his ministry work under Global Awakening. As I participated in a few sessions organized by Global Awakening, I heard about the “Christian Prophetic Certification Program” and “Christian Healing Certification program”. I longed for God’s healing and wanted to hear His voice, so I signed up for the two certification programs. They also organized the “Global School of Supernatural Ministry” that lasted for two years. In addition, Global Awakening shared that they were partnering with the United Theological Seminary to organize a Doctor of Ministry (Dmin) program.

Through his “still small voice,” the Holy Spirit moved me to get this training. In addition, I received some prophetic words which confirmed my internal witness. Realizing that this idea was of God, I began the certification course so I could be equipped to serve him. My plan was to complete the online courses for “Christian Prophetic Certification Program” and “Christian Healing Certification program”, before going full-time to the “Global School of Supernatural Ministry” for two years. After graduation, I would then join the United Theological Seminary to pursue the Dmin program.

In 2015 and 2017, I completed five semesters of the “Christian Prophetic Certification Program” and twelve semesters of the “Christian Healing Certification program” (4 semesters of supernatural healing, 4 semesters of inner healing, 4 semesters of deliverance ministries). At the beginning of the journey, we had not yet received miraculous healing or our miracle baby. However, during this process, I was continually seeking God’s words and healing. We were finally blessed with a miracle baby in 2017.

During my studies, I remember praying unceasingly to God. I told him that if He healed us and gave us a baby, I would be willing to give up my business and translation job to go full-time into the “Global School of Supernatural Ministry” and serve God full time. I prayed unceasingly for God’s healing. My wife also wished that God would give us a child, and she was willing to do whatever was needed, even allowing me to go into full-time ministry.

During the summer break of 2016, even though I had not completed both programs I was in, I wanted to quit my job and sign up for the “Global School of Supernatural Ministry”, while completing the other programs online. However, my wife did not agree. Since we did not yet have a child, my wife was unhappy and would not allow for me to go into full-time ministry to study.

One day, I felt extremely discouraged. During the moment of discouragement, I felt the Holy Spirit speaking: “One day, you will be seated in a classroom to study.” These words brought great comfort. I knew that God would allow me to undertake the theological education I had wished for, and that He would provide us with a child so that my wish to go to seminary could come to pass.

On July 18, 2016, I had a dream which reinforced my belief. In the dream, I took public transportation to the location of the Global Awakening classes. There were two stops. At the first stop, some people got off, but I did not. At the second stop, I got off. The female driver led me to a billboard that listed the names of some songs, such as “Crazily in Love with Jesus.” After that, a picture showed me that I would receive more of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Besides this dream, during one of the online lessons, I heard the Holy Spirit speaking to me that when I had more time to serve, God would pour out His Holy Spirit on me. At that time, I saw a person being filled with the Holy Spirit during the laying on of hands. I wondered, “When will I be able to experience this?” The Holy Spirit spoke immediately, “When you are able to give more time.” I believed that God was leading me to quit and give up my translation business and go into full time ministry. However, because I did not yet have a child, all these goals could not be accomplished. I had the feeling that, once God gave us a miracle baby, doors would begin to open. If God gave us a child, I would quit and give up my translation business and go into full time ministry.

Sure enough, our miracle baby was born in February 2017. Besides feeling very happy about the birth of my child, I also believed that God would open doors for me to go into full-time ministry and studies. I planned to stay in Maryland and commute to Pennsylvania daily for school. While the trip took two hours, traffic was smooth and allowed for a daily commute. During the day, my mother-in-law would take care of the child, and I could take care of the child at night.

However, my wife did not agree. I prayed to God in confusion. I had thought I was following God’s will in making these arrangements. In addition, my wife had once promised God that if he gave us a child, she would agree to anything.

Additionally, I believed that the first bus stop where I did not get off in my dream represented the year 2016, and the second stop with an open door was 2017. Sure enough, the miracle baby was born in 2017. It seemed like an answered prayer.

However, my wife objected to the arrangement, questioning whether there was really a need to go to seminary full-time if I could do online courses. Furthermore, she emphasized that the school was setup for high school students. My wife was strongly opposed to my plans. As I prayed to God for guidance, I again had a dream.

In this dream, I was attending school in a classroom, and it seemed like class was over. However, I insisted on studying that particular topic, while the teacher wanted to change topics. I heard the teacher telling me not to be so stubborn. What he meant was for me not to insist on my viewpoint.

I felt like this dream was God telling me that He did not want me to attend Global School of Supernatural Ministry right now. My understanding of the second stop was wrong. A prophet spoke to me at a seminar, sharing that she felt that this was not God’s route for me, since family should be my top priority. She believed that leaving my wife and child to study at a school that was so far away was not a good arrangement.

For this reason, I had to continue with my online courses in the “Christian Prophetic Certification Program” and “Christian Healing Certification program”. Between 2017 and 2019, I also started on preliminary courses for the Dmin program at the United Theological Seminary, officially embarking on the Dmin program in 2019.

I faced many challenges during the DMin studies, and even wanted to give up. One day, I attended a seminar on prophetic teachings. I sat in front of a sister-in-Christ from Nigeria, who suddenly prophesied over me that she felt God wanted me to finish the Dmin program. She believed this program would lay a strong foundation for serving Him, opening many doors in my service to Him.

At the end, the different pieces of evidence showed that God was indeed pointing me to undertake a Dmin study. God showed me that the joint program between Global Awakening and United Theological Seminary was the second stop in my dreams, while the Global School of Supernatural Ministry was the missed first stop. Even though the dream was from God, I had a wrong interpretation of it. The Holy Spirit, through the internal witness, other dreams, prophecy and environmental factors, allowed me to understand God’s guidance.

Due to my misunderstanding of God’s will, I was prepared to give up my translation business in order to go into full-time ministry. However, though many dreams, God led me to continue my translation business. In a dream, one of my earliest business clients spoke to me to continue my translation business, because clients trusted me. After that, I also received a prophecy saying that God wanted me to continue the translation business. It would not only provide for me financially, but also train me in leadership skills so that I would be able to manage bigger areas of service to the Lord in time to come. God’s goal for my business was not making me an entrepreneur, but teaching me basic business skills and organizational management capabilities. This dream and prophecy helped me understand God’s will. As a result, I continued my translation business so that I could continue to develop these skills.

This testimony shows that God speaks in many ways. He speaks through the Holy Spirit’s still small voice and the internal witness. In my case, God’s voice led me to get more education. However, my natural mind was a hindrance. I misinterpreted God’s guidance, thinking that God intended for me to give up everything so he could pour out His Spirit on me. When God answered our prayers for a child, I wanted to honor my side of the promise and give up everything. However, God used visions and prophecies, as well as environmental factors (my wife’s objection), to clarify his guidance. We can see that God uses many ways to speak to us and to help us understand His leading. Dreams and prophecies helped me understand God’s guidance, and even though I misunderstood the dreams at first, God used more dreams, prophecies and environmental factors to help me understand His intentions.

Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved

Acts 2:14-21 talks about Joel’s prophecy, placing special emphasis on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all flesh. When the Holy Spirit was poured out, “sons and daughters shall prophesy”, “young men shall see visions” and “old men shall dream dreams” (verse 17). God says, “even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” (vs. 18)

And that’s not all. Verse 21 says, “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Revelations 19:10 says, “for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.” The essence of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. Paul added that the purpose of prophesy was to “speak to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.” Since dreams, visions and prophecies are tools God uses to encourage, console, and build us up, we should not blindly reject them. Instead, we should learn how to use them appropriately.

Recognize the Risen Christ and Peter’s work

In Acts 2:22-47, Peter preaches about the risen Christ. At one time, Peter had failed to recognize the risen Christ. But in this passage, he speaks about the risen Christ and brings thousands of people to salvation. To be able to do the work God has called us to, we need to experience the real and risen Christ. This chapter describes the beginning of Peter’s beginning of apostleship. Later in Acts, Paul appears on the scene. The work of Peter and Paul are two main themes of the book of Acts, which we will discuss in detail in later passages.

To recap, we have learned about the importance of tongues, dreams and visions. A correct understanding of these truths is an important foundation to accurately interpreting the book of Acts. May the Lord open our spiritual eyes so that we don’t blindly object to these spiritual matters. Instead, may we humbly learn about them and use them as tools to bless others and accomplish God’s work.

Translated 7/7/2021

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Bible Study with Jairus - Acts 1

Different perspectives lead to different understandings

A fellow Christian once asked me how believers are able to effectively understand and interpret the teachings and lessons from the book of Acts. He wanted to know how believers from different churches and denominations can come to a similar conclusion as they read the text. My response was that we need to always look at things from a balanced perspective. Though the Bible is a book written in black and white, we cannot only focus on wordings while ignoring personal spiritual experiences and spiritual encounters. We also cannot ignore the importance of understanding the resurrected Jesus.

As believers, we must be mindful as we read the Bible, specifically, as we read the book of Acts. Due to the variety of denominations and beliefs, controversial issues such as: how we see God's miracles, the angels, the resurrected Jesus and his manifestation, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, how we regard seen and unseen things, and how we balance Bible knowledge and spiritual experience can be very divisive amongst believers. Different perspectives result in different interpretations of the events in the book Acts and will lead readers to have different spiritual experiences.

Lack of spiritual understanding of the Word of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit in their works or ministries will cause believers if not careful, to end up just like the Pharisees who follow the law strictly because they have biblical knowledge of the scriptures without experience. Legalism can spiritually weaken the church over time. However, placing too much emphasis on spiritual experiences such as dreams, visions and encounters with angels without a focus on studying the Word, can lead believers to the opposite extreme of superstition. These are some of the dangers that those who seek only spiritual gifts in some Charismatic churches will face. These believers are spiritually immature, often lack a solid foundation in the Word of God and growth in the life of God. They are easily swayed by the wind of doctrines. One's pursuit of a deeper relationship with Jesus will flourish by having a balance of the above.

In our Bible study meetings, I have shared with fellow believers, some of my personal experiences including multiple encounters with Jesus Christ, and seeing with the activities of angels in prophetic dreams. I think these experiences have helped me gain a better understanding of the Bible, and also have given me more insights into what is happening in the spiritual realm. These encounters have also enabled me to receive assistance and breakthroughs that I would not have received from the traditional Evangelical church that I came from. I also mentioned that some Charismatic churches go too far in their pursuit of this experience, which has led to not only superstition, but the followers experiencing slow growth in their spiritual lives. My conclusion is that while it is a remarkable blessing to have visions or dreams; to experience seeing angels, or miracles, we should not become preoccupied with them. We need to focus on being saved from both eternal perdition and the constant worries of our lives. We must seek Christ first and foremost for it is only those who call on the name of the Lord who shall be saved.

How to view the things seen and unseen

Acts 1 tells of the selection of an apostle to replace Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus. The eleven disciples suggested two men, one named Joseph and the other Barsabbas (also called Justus and Matthias). Matthias was chosen through casting lots (Acts 1:15-26). Because there is no detailed introduction to these two men in the Bible, we don't know much about them. Readers will no doubt be curious to know why Matthias was chosen and whether this was random or the result of casting lots.

Nothing happens by chance with God. In the above case, this also holds true. The Lord knows everyone’s hearts (Acts 1:24). God has complete control over everything. Jesus Christ while on earth said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father," (Matthew 10:29). Based on evidence from human history, everything is under God's control. Unfortunately, we do not always have this kind of perspective and recognition based on our own experiences. We choose to view things through our lens instead of through the Lord's. To have the Lord's perspective, we must be able to see the unseen.

With the knowledge of God's omnipotence, we can conclude that He chose Matthias. Matthias would have been chosen no matter whether the people cast their lots or not. I can speculate jokingly that perhaps an angel was there to ensure that Matthias was chosen based on God's plan. We cannot see the activities of angels unless we are gifted in seeing the spiritual realm. Angels truly exist in the spiritual world. They exist, regardless of us seeing them or their activities. Of course, our spiritual eyes must first be open to seeing these angels. This vision is one function of the prophetic giftings.

I heard someone once say, "If you truly know God, you will see God's burning flames after every thorn bush." If you do not know God, even if you see the burning thorn bush, it is only a thorn bush for you. To know God and His works, we must learn to see the unseen with our spiritual eyes. The records in the Bible are not just words in black and white; they are actual events that happened in both the physical world and the spiritual world. We often have more understanding of what is happening in the natural world than the spiritual world. This sometimes makes it feel difficult to connect the dots. That is why, to truly comprehend the meanings of the Bible, we must first understand what has occurred in the spiritual world.

The Chinese enjoy eating sea cucumber. Sea cucumbers are considered to be a high-class food with high nutritional value. Dried sea cucumber, which we usually purchase at Costco, is extremely hard, almost as hard as rock. This should not be eaten right away. Preparation of this includes softening them in water for a few days before they are cooked. Sadly, many people read the Bible as if it were dried sea cucumber. They are aware of its nutritional value but are unable to chew and digest it. This is why we need the help from the Holy Spirit, just as water softens dried sea cucumber. The spiritual water softens the words of the Bible so that readers can properly digest and understand them. The Bible teachers used by the Holy Spirit to interpret the Bible must do the same thing. A good teacher will spend a few hours explaining just a few sentences in the Bible using various quotes and examples. His purpose is to rightly handle the word of truth or make the Word more digestible to the listeners (2Tim 2:15).

We must diligently pray that the Holy Spirit will enlighten us and help us understand the meaning of the Bible and know what is happening in the spiritual realm. This procedure is similar to the previous paragraph's discussion of soaking dried sea cucumber in water. We are not to change God's words, but with the enrichment of the Holy Spirit's water ingest them.

How we perceive angels

Our natural eyes cannot always see God or angels, but God and angels do exist. Many Christians in traditional churches do not deny the existence of God and angels, but they ignore the existence of angels and never discuss them. Some Charismatic churches often discuss angels, while Christians from traditional churches respond by saying, "we cannot worship angels" (Rev 19:12) and never revisit this issue. I received salvation from a traditional Evangelical church that rarely mentioned angels when I was there. Although we acknowledged angels in the Bible, we didn’t discuss or see angels in modern church activities.

In contrast, angels and their work, are always discussed in churches where the prophetic gifts are available and readily manifested. Prophets who have received the gift to see into the spiritual realm are often known as Seers. They can see spiritual things and activities, such as God and angels. That is why Seers are always willing to share what they see regarding any angel encounters. An American prophetess Kat Kerr who is a Seer once explained that the Bible tells us not to worship angels, but gives no command to avoid communication with them (Rev 19:10). She went on to say that she saw in the spirit, that God sent many angels to work with various people. Unfortunately, they did not know how to release God's words in asking the angels for help, so the angels were left with nothing to do.

I am not suggesting that believers can give angels orders. I do, however, want to propose that angels do respond to the words of God declared by us to cooperate with us. If Kat Kerr is indeed correct, it behooves us to think about it. Why not enlist the assistance and cooperation of angels in our spiritual battles and our service to God? We are all fellow servants of Christ, and so we can serve God together. Angels, on the other hand, are ministering spirits sent out by God to serve those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14).

I have never seen angels with my natural eyes, nor have I ever seen angels in a vision during the day. However, in 2017 I attended a special meeting held by a Jewish Christian Church near my home. While there, a woman approached me and prophesied that God would bless me with prophetic gifts which would allow me to see angels and understand other people's tongues. This would be given to me to know what God is speaking through people when I visit other churches to minister. Not long after that event, I began to see angels' activities in my dreams regularly. For example, I saw a huge angel, using an extremely long stick swaying from the sky to the earth to stir, and then I saw waves of the sea, buildings collapsing, and people fleeing. I heard a voice from the spirit say that this stirring was to shake people's hearts and cause them to repent. I still await the second part of that prophesy to interpret the tongues of others.

Angels and their activities play a crucial role in the Bible. We must understand that while we do not worship angels, it is permissible and acceptable to admit our need to understand their activities, and even cooperate with them in serving God. We do not need, however, to place too much emphasis on them. It is exciting to be able to see angels and their activities. People in the Charismatic churches often tell stories about angels appearing and dropping feathers in their gatherings. Perhaps, this story is true, but putting too much emphasis on it is not good. I once attended a Charismatic conference where I met a participant who showed me a feather without speaking a word. I surmise he wanted me to see that the feather was from an angel. My thought though, was that the feather came from someone’s coat. With this experience, it is obvious that this kind of attitude towards angels does exist in some churches.

How to perceive the Holy Spirit and baptism of the Holy Spirit

How believers perceive the Holy Spirit and baptism of the Holy Spirit is very diverse as well. On the surface, the disciples appear to work for God, but in reality, it is the Holy Spirit who works for God through His disciples. The Book of Acts could easily be renamed, "Acts of the Holy Spirit." Before Jesus’ crucifiction, He commanded the disciples not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father. He also promised that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4).

The Holy Spirit is a promise from the Father. Jesus is the one who will baptize us in the Holy Spirit through the Father (John 14:26). Many Christians from traditional churches often quote the following two scriptures to criticize those who teach about the working of the Holy Spirit. John 15:26 says: The Spirit of truth will bear witness with Him. John 15:13-14 says: and declare what He has heard from Christ, and glorify Christ. These Christians ignore the different stages of work by the Holy Spirit, the Father, and Jesus Christ. The work of the Holy Spirit is an essential part of God's work on the earth today. Let me explain more in detail.

In the Old Testament, God the Father chose the Jews and prepared them to receive His Son who became a blessing to many nations (Gal 3:14). Satan's main role in the Old Testament was to persecute and corrupt the Jews to prevent Jesus’ birth which would ultimately lead to His victorious death on the cross. Satan’s role during this timewas to prevent Jesus' work of salvation. The Holy Spirit was poured out on believers after Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven. The Holy Spirit's main role was to establish the church so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27). God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are represented by Abraham, Isaac, and the old servant. The old servant's task was to find a wife for Abraham's son, Isaac, as directed by Abraham. Similarly, God has given the Holy Spirit the task of finding a wife for His Son. That is why Satan is so hostile to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit's work in the New Testament church.

In three ways, Satan resisted the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. To begin, Satan used the world to oppose the Father. The Apostle John said, "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1John 2:15). To begin, Satan used the world to oppose God the Father. Satan uses the world's temptations, busyness, and sin to entice and occupy many Christians, rendering them incapable of loving God the Father. Second, Satan worked hard to oppose Jesus' works. 1 John 3:8, says, "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." This reflected Jesus is to abolish the devil's works. Third, Satan made a concerted effort to use our flesh to oppose the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:17 says, "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do." God's work of choosing and planning is complete, and Jesus Christ's work of salvation is complete as well. The Holy Spirit must demonstrate this completed work in each follower. Satan can resist the work of the Holy Spirit by using lies and our flesh.

Satan spreads lies among Christians through whatever means he can. One lie, in particular, is that if we proclaim the Holy Spirit’s work, we will be exalting Him above Christ. That is Satan's misinterpretation of the Bible. A Chinese Christian accused me of preaching the Holy Spirit while belittling Christ. The work of the Holy Spirit, I replied, is to exalt and glorify Christ. If you oppose my preaching of the Holy Spirit and do not accept the works of the Holy Spirit, you are opposing the Holy Spirit exalting and glorifying Christ within you. The Holy Spirit will never exalt Himself. The goal of preaching the work of the Holy Spirit is not to exalt and glorify Him above Christ, but to exalt the Holy Spirit so that the He can exalt Christ within us.

Even though the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each focus on different stages of the work, they are all working together. When we compare the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to a kite, they look like an upside-down kite. The Holy Spirit is the kite in the sky; the Son is the string that keeps the kite flying, and the Father is the man who holds the kite. Jesus said, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). Such a picture regarding the tree and wind is depicted in Jesus's word above. This picture also applies to my illustration of a kite. Jesus Christ is behind the Holy Spirit, and God the Father is behind Jesus Christ. They are one. We should see the kite, the string, and the man holding the string.

We must be regenerated in the Holy Spirit and receive the Holy Spirit as our life (John 20:22). Many Christians do not object to this viewpoint, however they object that we must also be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). This latter experience allows us to gain a better understanding of those unseen things, as well as receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is not an experience that Christians usually gain when we are baptized in water. Rather, it is a second experience. Satan attempts to keep us from knowing this truth in the modern church while also triggering conflicts between those who accept and those who reject it. Christians, as a result of this divisiveness, are unable to become one.

One of the main reasons for church splits today, is whether or not to accept the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. We must be aware of Satan's tricks and strategies, as he seeks to divide our beliefs in seeking and accepting the baptism of the Holy Spirit along with speaking in tongues. By being keenly aware of this, we can help to bring churches together while receiving power from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit and the work of the Holy Spirit are the key aspects of the book of Acts. If you do not know the Holy Spirit and refuse to accept baptism in the Holy Spirit, you may have a hard time understanding and comprehending God's words in Acts. At the very least, your perspectives will vary from those who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirt and had their spiritual gifts activated.

How to understand the resurrected Christ

The topic in Acts1-8 is about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the resurrection of Christ is in Acts 9-11. Many times the resurrected Christ appeared in front of disciples, but they seldom recognized Him. For example, Jesus walked with the disciples to Emmaus, but they did not recognize Him. After Jesus Christ was crucified and died, Peter and the other disciples went fishing. Jesus appeared to them, but they did not recognize Him either. Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not know that it was Him (John 21:4). When the resurrected Christ appears to us, He often changes His appearance, and often, we do not recognize Him. In saying this, Jesus may have appeared to you many times but because your eyes were not open, you did not recognize Him. Jesus is often hiding. He often hides among people and things. To see the resurrected Christ, our spiritual eyes must be open.

Jesus often appears to me in prophetic dreams, however, I find that I may not notice or recognize him. In my prophetic dreams, an elderly Chinese lady always appears to me. I was unaware she was a disguise for God in the beginning. Eventually, on the last day of 2017, she came to visit me and led me to heaven in a prophetic dream. I was initially hesitant to follow her because I was concerned about who she was. Finally, she overcame me with her power to take me to heaven, where she later transformed into the image of Jesus. I realized at that point that she was Jesus in disguise in my previous prophetic dreams. I recalled the details of my other prophetic dreams with her presence and started to pay attention to subsequent encounters realizing they were from God. Also, after these kinds of experiences, I have a better understanding of how to tell the difference between God's manifestation and the fake ones from the evil spirits. This helps me know what is from God and what is not.

Christ often hides in a variety of people, things, and environments, requiring us to open our eyes to recognize Him. He may speak to you through various people or environments, but you may not recognize His voice. He may appear to you many times, but you may not recognize Him. We must learn to recognize the resurrected Christ to understand the Bible better as well. Our main goal as we read the book of Acts is to be able to recognize Jesus Christ in all situations.

How to look at miracles and visions and dreams

Miracles play an important role in the Bible. We must bear in mind that miracles still happen today, and God still uses visions and dreams to communicate with His children. Given that one-third of the contents of the Bible is about visions and dreams, we must never rule them out; though we must carefully examine them in all circumstances. Our different perspectives and understandings on miracles, visions, and dreams will lead to different interpretations of Acts as well.

How to strike a balance between knowledge and spiritual experience

The Chinese proverb "It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books" can also be applied to our Bible reading habits, especially when it comes to the book of Acts. This Chinese proverb is trying to say we need more hands-on experiences than head knowledge. To me though, both reading ten thousand books and traveling ten thousand miles are valuable for a person to better understand the world. The implication is that we must have biblical knowledge while also having a spiritual experience. I was a member of the Evangelical church from the time I received salvation in 2002 until 2015. I rarely had visions and dreams. I was unaware of the prophetic gifts still available today and had not yet received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. As a result my experience of seeing things in the spiritual realm was limited.

In 2015, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and began to have dreams and visions. My prophetic gifts were activated from the Holy Spirit after the baptism of the Holy Spirit and I began to see into the spiritual realms. Many times in my prophetic dreams, I was taken to the third heaven to see heavenly activities or sometimes the second heaven to experience some spiritual battles. I was able to see some of the activities of God and the angels as well as activities of the demonic forces.

These encounters have helped me break free from the constraints of my thinking and gain a deeper understanding of the Bible through spiritual eyes. It also made me aware that spiritual warfare exists. My previous experience in the Evangelical church helped to establish solid Biblical knowledge which helped me not to get too caught up in being deceived or sidetracked. These spiritual experiences allowed my limited thinking to be opened as I gained a better understanding of the Bible and knew how to apply it in my life. The Bible knowledge and our personal spiritual experiences are two sides of the same coin. They are identical to our two feet. To walk further, we must strike a balance between the two.

An important verse in the book of Acts is "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21). We must recognize miracles, dreams and visions, angels, and things in the spiritual realm; but we should always keep our focus on God and the salvation we have received in Jesus Christ. We must endeavor to be saved from eternal perdition, as well as from various temptations and snares of the world. By calling on the name of God, we will be saved from both the eternal perdition and anxiety of the world today. We need to continue to call on the name of the Lord after we have been saved, and we will experience various types of deliverance and salvation from anxiety, worries, and any other pains of life. The book of Acts is about the Holy Spirit and how we can be saved, and do great works for God through the power of the Holy Spirit. When we call upon the name of God, the Holy Spirit will work in our hearts to save us from going to hell and deliver us from evil and He will also empower us to do great things for God.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Leviticus 12

Leviticus 12 is a short but intriguing chapter. In this discussion, we will focus on the specific laws, which may seem strange to us today. This chapter describes how when a woman gives birth to a son, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days and must stay at home for 33 days, but when she gives birth to a daughter, she will be ceremonially unclean for two weeks and she must stay at home for 66 days. This discussion will focus on that law and the reason for the differences. (Leviticus 12:1-5). Why does it take twice as long for the woman to be unclean when giving birth to a daughter?

Does the Bible discriminate against women? It may sound this way to the modern ear, but when we take a closer look and understand the culture of the time, we realize that this is not a discrimination against women. When a woman gives birth to a boy, she will be ceremonially unclean for 7 days, but on the 8th day the boy is to be circumcised (NIV, Leviticus 12:3). This represents that the flesh is being dealt with. But the girl will not be circumcised, so it took twice as long being unclean, which means that it would take longer to experience spiritual cleansing and become spiritually mature. Boys also represent a strong part of the people of God; they are willing to accept being circumcised by God, which represents dealing of the cross and becoming a strong people of God. Girls represent a weak part of the people of God. They may not have experienced circumcision and the cross, so they need double grace and additional time to being perfected by God before they could become clean and mature.

This does not mean that girls are inferior to boys. David established a principle that those who went out to the battle and those who stayed with the supplies would both share the spoils. It is not only those who go to battle who benefit from their victory. Those who stayed home also benefited. This reveals that God will raise men, God's strong people to achieve victory in battles. But with regards to God's weaker people, He will also look after them. This is what the Bible means when it says that He will treat the parts that are unpresentable with abundant and complementary love and grace.

Spiritually, each of us is like a woman. We are all Mary. Our spirits are all spiritual wombs, in which the seeds of God's immortal words are sown, and the life of Christ is born in us. But not every pregnant woman’s child can be born easily. There are abortions and premature death. The same is true spiritually. Although some people may hear the gospel, they are not always reborn. There are also others that have been reborn and saved, but are not free from sin and weakness, and have not lived a victorious life; while still others are free from sin, but have not achieved spiritual maturity. Every Christian can achieve spiritual maturity, which is what the man child represents. But many people have not reached spiritual maturity by the end of their journey on earth, so they still need to continue learning in heaven.

On the individual side, the man child represents the maturity of our spiritual life as Christians. But this maturity does not come automatically. It comes at a price. Here, circumcision represents the price we have to pay. Only when we die to ourselves and the world can we reach spiritual maturity. Circumcision is a physical way to give a part of yourself. It symbolizes sacrifice.

The woman can also represent the church. As a woman, the church collectively is predestined to bear a man child. There is a woman in Revelation 12 that may be a representation of the church. The man child born later may be a representation of God's strong people, because this man child will rule all the nations with an iron scepter, and was snatched up to God and to his throne (NIV, Revelation 12:5). The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days (NIV, Revelation 12:6).

I don't know if you agree with the statement of the woman representing the church and the man child representing the victor, but that was the teaching I received in the Local Church Movement. I remember when I was attending meetings at a church in Baltimore, I was often tended in love by a brother and his wife. When my wife and I were infertile and seeking medical treatment, he often helped us through acupuncture, hoping to help us. While doing acupuncture, he also shared some spiritual provisions in order to comfort us. He told us that the first time he heard the explanation of Witness Lee, the leader of the Local Church Movement, about the woman and the man child, he was very encouraged.

This brother described Witness Lee's teaching as follows: Most churches are like women, and the few victors are each a man child. Without a woman, there would not be a man child. Therefore, among the churches, even families and couples, there are people who seem to be the women, nurturing and perfecting man childs; while others are man childs who accept perfection and who reach maturity in the end. Even in a family, unbelievers persecute those who believe, and those who turn away persecute those who love the Lord more. God often arranges an environment in churches and houses to allow us to experience the lessons of the cross. Some people, like Joseph's brothers, were used by God to perfect Joseph. Joseph's brothers were like the women here. They played the role of nurturing and perfecting Joseph. Some people are like Joseph. They are in a position of being persecuted, but in the end they are perfected and have become victorious. Most people in the church are like women, but the few victors are the man childs. Most people, God will use to perfect and mold others. Some, however, God will bring to perfection.

This brother told me that when he heard this teaching, he sighed, and said that he was determined not to just be a person whom God used to perfect others, someone who will learn how to bear the cross and become a spiritually mature person. He said that he hoped to experience the death on the cross to let the life of Christ be fully mature in him.

His words had a great influence on me. God had used my marriage and the difficulties of my wife’s ten years of infertility to give me a lot of trials and training. Many times, I have to die to myself again and again, but I am not willing to die. Sometimes, I asked the Lord, “Why do I have to give in, admit my mistakes and change every time? Why don't you change my wife?” I prayed to the Lord many times. The inspiration that the Lord gave me is like when Peter was asking the Lord Jesus about John. "What about him?” And the Lord's answer to him was "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (NIV, John 21:21-22).

The Lord told me that He wants me to learn the lesson of obedience through this environment. I was unable to obey in the beginning. I could only kneel down and pray before the Lord, asking Him to help me. At that time, Satan often spoke to me, provoking me to quarrel with my wife through the flesh. I experienced a deep internal battle. God overwhelmed me through the situation of marriage and infertility. Deep inside, I refused to be obedient, so I was in a lot of pain. During our ten years of infertility, in addition to being used by God to build my faith in Him, He also used it to deal with my flesh, allowing me to experience death on the cross.

After a long process, with countless prayers and tears, I finally gradually moved towards being obedient to God. I am also grateful for the marriage God had arranged for me. I sincerely realized that all the difficulties I experienced were tailored to me by God, and my wife was just a tool in God's hands. After I had fully obeyed God from my heart through all the situations that He arranged for me, I sincerely thanked my wife and everyone around me. I then experienced a breakthrough in my spiritual life. I am not saying that I have won all my spiritual battles. However, I did experience a great breakthrough.

In 2016, after ten years of marriage, I experienced a miraculous healing from God - He gave us a miraculous baby. Before and after this, the Lord appeared to me many times. Once, he appeared to me in a dream as an eagle with multicolored wings covering almost the entire sky. He told me how the great eagle is perfecting the little eagle. He will also train me personally. On the last day of 2017, I was even taken up to heaven in a dream. The Lord Jesus personally said to me that if I would be obedient, He would greatly use me. There are still many problems in me that God needs to continue to deal with, but I did experience a spiritual breakthrough.

Looking back at this difficult process, I know that it is very difficult for us to give birth to a child whether physically or spiritually. Many people long for spiritual maturity, but not everyone is willing to pay the price. I rarely talk about this experience. I remember that Watchman Nee had said that an apple tree does not need to tell how deep its roots are, as long as it bears a lot of fruit, others will know how deep its roots are. Similarly, a spiritual person does not need to talk about how he experienced the cross. As long as he lives the abundance of life and bears rich fruits, others will know how deep he has been dealt with by the cross.

It is also okay if I choose not to obey. I have my own free will. But then, God's calling for me will be hindered. I remember hearing the testimony of Kathryn Kuhlman, a healing evangelist. She said that when God gave her the healing anointing, He told her that she was not His first choice. Before that, God tried to give this anointing to another man, but that person refused to obey, so God did not give him this anointing. Therefore, as an individual Christian, many people may not be able to give birth to this child. This child may be salvation, or spiritual maturity, or it may be a ministry entrusted to us by God, or obedience to God so that God can use us. Many times, obeying the Lord is a difficult task. I know when I obeyed, I was able to receive from God and grow and mature.

Genesis 3 records that the descendants of the woman would crush the serpent's head, and that women have to suffer through the pain of childbearing. Paul said, “Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.” (NIV, 1Timothy 2:14-15). Christians have many different views with regards to the meaning of “women will be saved through childbearing”. My personal view is that not only can women be saved because they have suffered, but that they can always have children through childbearing, and they may become the woman who bears the “descendant of the woman”. For example, God only promised that Eve's descendants would crush the serpent’s head, but did not promise when this will happen. The descendants of the woman may refer to Christ, because He crushed the serpent's head on the cross. Before the coming of Jesus Christ, every time a man child was born, it may have been Christ. Although Christ was destined to be born in Bethlehem as a Lion of the tribe of Judah, this was revealed later. So perhaps when Eve gave birth to Cain, she might have thought that he was a descendant of that woman. Cain means "get". After giving birth to Cain, Eve said "Jehovah, I have brought forth a man." (NIV, Genesis 4:1). From the meaning of the name and Eve’s words, we can guess that Eve might have thought that Cain was the "descendant of the women" that Jehovah promised. Unfortunately, this was not the case. But this does not mean that the hope brought by each birth of a boy is not true. This hope is true. Christ has already come in the flesh.

The descendants of this woman can also be a victorious man child, as shown in in Revelation 12 because they represent God’s judgment of fallen angels. Revelation 12 recorded that after the man child was brought to God, war had broken out in heaven as recorded in verses 7-9. In the end, the devil and his angels were hurled to the earth. In addition to our hope of the return of the Lord Jesus, the birth of this man child is also the hope of the church.

The most important thing for each of us as Christians is to be spiritually mature on earth and give birth to the man child in ourselves. Unfortunately, many people did not give birth to this spiritual maturity. I often listen to Rick Joyner’s preaching, a prophet in the United States. He often mentioned in his message that the prevalence of abortion in the United States is a natural manifestation of spiritual abortion in the church. Many Christians have buried the calls and gifts that God has given them, and have aborted all the “spiritual children or dreams” that God has given them. When he was thinking about how to deal with the prevalence of abortion in the United States, he heard God say to him, “Your church is also like that”. In his preaching, he reminded Christians not to bury God’s inspiration, dreams, leading and gifts for them so that they could give birth to this spiritual life or spiritual ministry.

A Christian attending the meeting was encouraged by this light. She said: "I feel very hopeful that each of us is Mary spiritually, but the key is whether we can give birth to children and push them out." Many Christians have experienced a spiritual miscarriage as Christ who is the head, did not mature and grow in them. They didn’t grow into maturity with a stature measured by Christ's fullness. This does not mean that God has abandoned them. They will experience God's double grace and mercy. It is like what Paul said that God would treat the parts that are unpresentable with special modesty (1 Corinthians 12:23-24). They are like those who went up with David to chase after the enemies and those who stayed with the supplies. Although they could divide the spoils, David still had to rely on a small number of warriors to chase after the enemy, win, rescue the captives and recover the plunder. For God to fulfill His purpose on earth, He requires a small number of victors to cooperate with Him to reach spiritual maturity.

My testimony sharing ends here. I hope that my testimony and experience can help you better understand the spiritual significance of the story that I was talking about here. Let's look back at Numbers 12:1-8 again. We have already talked about verses 1-5, which is about the difference in days of purification of the woman after giving birth to a boy and a girl. The third verse specifically mentions that the boy is to be circumcised on the eighth day. Verse 6 (NIV) says when the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. The priest shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. (NIV, Leviticus 12:7). If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean (NIV, Leviticus 12:8). The whole chapter ends here.

The same is true when Paul says "women will be saved through childbearing" in 1 Timothy 2. The church, as represented by the woman, must bear a certain number of victors (man child), in order to meet the conditions of the second coming of Jesus. But when the man child is born and when a part of God’s plan has been completed, God will continue to perfect this woman so that she may mature.

Therefore, the circumcision makes the male baby clean, and childbearing makes the woman clean. This is why a woman stays unclean for a longer period of time when she gives birth to a female child.

Xiulan Laiwang of Taiwan mentioned her testimony of heaven in her book "Jehovah Jirah". She said that in the valley outside the paradise, there are some Christians who are being disciplined and studying the Bible and spiritual truths, and some mature people are specifically keeping watch over them and help them (pages 160 -161). She saw her mother-in-law and dad studying the Bible in paradise. In paradise, there is an angel in each family who is teaching them the Bible (page 45). Xiulan Laiwang said that her father and mother-in-law had received salvation when they were already old. They had no chance to study the Bible on earth, so they still have to study the Bible in paradise. She reminded Christians on earth that if they did not study the Bible well on earth, they would still have to make up missed lessons in the future so they need to seize the opportunity on earth. I was also taken to a place where my father-in-law was in a dream (I am not sure if it was paradise or a valley outside the paradise that Xiulan Laiwang mentioned). I saw many people there. An old, Chinese lady sitting at the door even showed me the Large Print Bible she was reading. I believe that my father-in-law did not believe in the Lord during his lifetime, but I believe he did not perish nor was he in the lake of fire. Thank God, they still have the opportunity to continue to study the Bible in after life. I don’t know how to explain this theologically but it was one my spiritual experiences. Perhaps God judged him by his conscience, as Roman 1 suggests.

Heaven is just the beginning, not the end. If some people reach spiritual maturity on earth, they will be used by God in the afterlife to help train many other people who are not spiritually mature. What's more, if we reach spiritual maturity on earth, we can be used by God today to bless many people. Why not? May we all be able to nurture, give birth, push out the "man child" - God's calling, gifts, entrustment, and ministry to us, and more importantly, spiritual maturity.

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The Intercession of the Holy spirit

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 8

Defining the Groaning of the Spirit

Romans 8 is a very familiar chapter for Christians. Many are familiar with verses such as, "For the law of the Spirit of life has set youfree in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death" (ESV, Romans 8:2) and "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (ESV, Romans 8:6). These verses are often quoted by Christians when they are talking about their spiritual experiences. But the focus of our Bible study this time was the meaning of the verse that talks about "the Spirit’s groaning" (8:26).

Let’s take a look at the verses in Romans 8:26-28 first.

8:26 (ESV) Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

8:27 (ESV) And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, becausethe Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

8:28 (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Different Interpretations

What does the groaning of the Holy Spirit mean in these verses? The original Greek is word is στεναγμός (stenagmos), which translates to groaning. It is not controversial if you take it literally, but in terms of spiritual experience, there are different interpretations.

The Local Church Movement’s explanation is closer to the literal translation. The teaching I received in the Local Church Movement said that sometimes, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings when we are struggling in the flesh and cannot overcome a struggle. We can also pray through groanings. We can pray prayers such as, “Oh, God, I can’t overcome this weakness, and there's nothing I can do about it. Please help me. Oh, how I wish I wasn’t like this!”

There was a period during my spiritual journey when I was disappointed with some of my fleshy behaviors, so I often prayed with groanings, asking the Holy Spirit to help me overcome these difficulties. I found it very useful, and God listened to my prayers and helped me overcome these weaknesses.

But when I went to study in the Pentecostal Movement later, the explanation I heard was quite different. One explanation was that the unspeakable groanings here could be applied to praying in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14 - “For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.” (ESV, 1 Corinthians 14:2). So when a believer is praying in tongues, the Holy Spirit will intercede for them with groanings. These charismatic teachers explained that God asked us to intercede for all people (1 Timothy 2:1) and also to pray for the enemy (Matthew 5:44). However, many times we cannot overcome our mind and emotional constraints, so we intercede less for our enemies and the people we don’t know. But when we are praying in tongues, the Holy Spirit can intercede for us with unspeakable groanings, thus taking the role of interceding for all people and those in the body of Christ.

Perspectives from Different Backgrounds

I heard Kenneth E. Hagin, a pastor of the faith movement in the United States, telling the following story many times. The story was about an American missionary to Africa who encountered a tribe that kidnapped a family's daughter under his care. This missionary decided to rescue the child personally. When he got there, he gave the tribal chief a gift, and the tribal chief promised to release the child to him. But when he was on his way back with the child, the tribal chief set up an ambush. The tribal chief wanted to kill the missionary and capture the girl again. In this moment of danger, the missionary suddenly saw the indigenous people who had been attacking him begin to kneel in front of him. It turned out that these indigenous people had seen huge angels protecting the missionary and the girl, which scared them. At the exact same time, this was happening, some Christian friends of the missionary in the United States couldn’t sleep at night. They felt a heavy burden in the spirit to pray, but they didn’t know why or how to pray, so they knelt down and prayed in tongues. They prayed until early morning before the burden was released, and they could go back to sleep. When the missionary returned from Africa, and they talked about these things, they realized that the time these intercessors were called to pray was the exact time the missionary encountered danger in Africa. The Holy Spirit had moved these intercessors to pray for the missionary when he encountered danger, and it miraculously freed him and the child from danger.

Andrew Wommack, a pastor with an American Baptist background, shared a similar experience. When I had just left the Local Church Movement to study the teachings of the Pentecostal Movement, I listened to a lot of his preaching. Because his journey began in the Baptist church, and they are extremely opposed to praying in tongues, how he experienced a breakthrough and started praying in tongues helped me a lot. The teaching of the Local Church Movement is also against speaking in tongues, so I experienced the same breakthrough and started praying in tongues. Andrew Wommack talked about an experience in which his son had a car accident. Before he knew about it, he felt a heavy burden in his spirit to pray, but he did not know why or how to pray. He and his wife began to pray in tongues until the burden of prayer was released. He later learned that they felt burdened to pray at the exact same time that his son had a car accident. Because of their prayers and God's protection, their son was safe and sound, although his car was completely totaled. He also shared another example where a person accidentally fell off a cliff. His relatives felt burdened to pray and didn't know what happened, so they just prayed in tongues. Later, the person who fell off the cliff was also miraculously saved.

When we pray in tongues, we often intercede for others. We may not fully know ourselves, but the Holy Spirit fully knows us. We also may not fully know God's will for us, but the Holy Spirit knows God's will for us. Therefore, when we are praying in tongues, the Holy Spirit often intercedes for us according to God's will for us.

Personal Example of Divine Help

I also have many examples of receiving divine help when I prayed in tongues. One example was the topic for a "history essay" on my recent doctoral dissertation. The topic of my doctoral dissertation is "Comparing the practice of prophecy in the Local Church Movement and the Charismatics.” My general argument is that the practice of prophecy and PSRP (Pray-reading, Study, Recite, Prophesying) in the Local Church Movement is very helpful for believers to create a solid foundation with the Bible. Through this, they can experience transformation by the Word, which is valuable, and the Pentecostal Movement and other churches would benefit from it. Although there are false prophecies that are put into practice in the Pentecostal Movement, there are also many true prophecies. Once these miraculous revelations from God are released, they will greatly encourage the faith of many brothers and sisters. These revelations would also benefit the Local Church Movement and other evangelical churches. One chapter of the doctoral dissertation must be a history essay. I had to write about a character or a movement from 100 years ago that was related to the topic that I’ll be writing in my dissertation. What historical figure or movement from 100 years ago could be related to both the Local Church Movement and the Pentecostal Movement?

When I started, I thought of writing about Hudson Taylor. He was a historical figure that lived over 100 years ago, and he was a missionary to China. It is said that he saw a vision of countless Chinese people lining up to go to hell on the coast of England. This vision wasn’t closely related to the Pentecostal Movement's emphasis on prophetic visions and dreams, and it had nothing to do with the history of the Local Church Movement. My mind was not sharp enough, and I felt slow on the draw. I really couldn’t think of a better person or a suitable topic, so I decided to pray in tongues and ask the Holy Spirit to help me. I went out and prayed in tongues for an hour, and when I came back, I suddenly received inspiration. I started thinking of a comment related to John Nelson Darby that I had read after I left the Local Church Movement. The Holy Spirit often speaks to us by reminding us of things that we have seen. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would remind his disciples what the Lord has said to them (John 14:26).

I had read a comment that had to do with the Brethren Movement led by Darby, which took place around 1820. At that time, manifestations of Pentecostalism happened in the said movement. There were Pentecostal manifestations such as praying in tongues, healing, and prophesying that occurred in some meetings. But because Darby and some leaders believed that gifts belonged only to the apostolic age, they negate the birth of these Pentecostal Movements. Although the Pentecostal Movement was rekindled in the "Holiness Movement" (a denomination influenced by John Wesley) in the United States around 1900, God's will was for the Pentecostal Movement to emerge early in the Brethren Movement. However, because of the suppression of Darby and others, this birth was killed.

The Local Church Movement highly praises Darby and his teaching. But in the teaching I received in the Local Church Movement, I had never heard about this Charismatic manifestation regarding Darby and the brethren. I checked Darby's biography and the history of the Plymouth Brothers, and this manifestation was indeed there.

Therefore, I chose Darby and the Plymouth Movement as the topic of my history essay. I examined how Darby was saved, how he served as a pastor in the Anglican Church, and how he saw the corruption of the Anglican Church. Because of the corruption, he broke ties with institutionalized Christianity and the influence of the world and embarked on a path of pursuing holiness. Under his influence, a large number of wealthy Brethren members donated their property and embarked on the path of willingness to serve God in poverty. This occurred to such an extent that a local theater shut down where the revival took place. The theater owner didn’t even blame them. He instead joined them in their path of devotion to God.

I also thought about how Brother Watchman Nee of the Local Church Movement highly praised Darby's books "Synopsis of The Books of The Bible" and recommended them to Witness Lee. Witness Lee was deeply influenced by Darby and later by Cyrus I. Scofield's correspondence course, which shaped his theology. A story that caused Witness Lee to have great admiration for Darby was about a time when Darby, who was 84 and had never been married, was staying in a small inn alone and prayed, "Lord, I still love you." Witness Lee used Darby as an example to encourage the brothers and sisters in the Local Church Movement to learn from Darby's spirit of loving and sacrificing to the Lord. This story about Darby and Witness Lee’s prayers based on it were all composed as songs, and the poems written by Darby were widely sung in the Local Church Movement. The spirit and the dedication of Darby and the Plymouth Brethren to seek holiness and truth deeply influenced the Local Church Movement.

After looking back through the history of these events, I reviewed the details of the manifestations of the Pentecostal Movement among the Plymouth Brethren. I quoted how Darby believed that the gifts belonged only to the Apostolic Age and not in today’s era, which killed the birth of the Pentecostal Movement. I have no historical evidence to prove that the attitude of the Local Church Movement towards the Pentecostal Movement was influenced by Darby. But for various reasons, the Local Church Movement refuses to have any interaction with the Pentecostal Movement after several encounters with it. One of their main reasons for not wanting to interact is that they believe the Pentecostal Movement overemphasizes pursuing gifts, which they believe can affect Christians' pursuit of a deeper spiritual life.

After submitting my history essay, my DMin (Doctor of Ministry) advisor read it and said that his background was with the Wesleyan Church, and he didn't know that much about Darby's history. Although he believed that John Wesley was more influential and had a greater impact on the later rise of the Pentecostal Movement, he was still impressed with me for linking the Local Church Movement to the Charismatic Movement in my dissertation and found it deeply inspirational. In addition, he said that my history essay was also connected with the arguments of my overall thesis. My argument is that if we can learn to put the prophecies and PSRP of the Local Church Movement into practice, it will help fellow believers pursue holiness and spiritual maturity. In addition, if we can also pursue the prophecies and gifts of the Pentecostal Movement, it will help the church make better use of God's gifts when ministering to people. In the end, holiness and power and the Word and the Spirit will converge. The church will be full of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, bringing greater revival to the church.

The theme and completion of this history essay were completely inspired by the Holy Spirit after I went out and prayed in tongues for an hour because I had no idea what to write about that day. Looking at the few examples above, the Spirit’s groaning being interpreted as prayer in tongues cannot be completely far-fetched.

Situations that Hinder the Holy Spirit’s Leading

During our study, we were inspired by the Holy Spirit in a different aspect, which is also very consistent with my personal spiritual experience. The Holy Spirit lives in us and often inspires and leads us. But there are two situations where the Holy Spirit cannot lead us. The first is when we are not obedient. The Holy Spirit may have inspired us many times, but because of our disobedience, the Holy Spirit has no way to get through to us. Therefore, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf to Jesus and our Heavenly Father with unspeakable groanings, asking the Heavenly Father to arrange the environment and difficulties around us to allow us to learn to obey through the environment.

This secret is revealed in verses 8:27-28 (ESV), "He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Here, the "one who searches the heart” is the Lord or the Father, because the Lord searches all hearts. The Father knows the groanings of the Holy Spirit within us because the Holy Spirit intercedes for us according to God’s will. It is like the Holy Spirit saying to Jesus and the Heavenly Father: "As you can see, I have been moving him to repent, but he never listens. What should we do? Maybe we should arrange some difficulties for him? People just don’t repent if they are not disciplined. It seems that a little discipline is needed for the stubborn people." The Father understands the Holy Spirit, so He arranges environments (that He allows) to lead us into repentance. Many times, people only draw near to God when they need to be saved or to be set free from a certain sin or weakness. This is something common to many Christians. A woman in our Bible study very much agreed with this statement because her own experience also proved that she could not obey when God did not use discipline. It wasn’t until later, when God arranged a difficult environment, that she drew near to God. I also have many experiences similar to these and have experienced God changing the environment around me, so I am very familiar with this subject.

Verse 28 specifically states that all things work together for good for those who love God. God hears the intercession of the Holy Spirit and arranges difficulties in the environment not to harm us, but for our own good (ESV, Hebrews 12:10). When we encounter difficulties, we often doubt God’s love for us. However, Romans 8:28 states that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (ESV, Romans 8:31-39). These verses are closely related to the intercession of the Holy Spirit that was mentioned above.

Now that we have discussed the first situation, which dealt with us not obeying God's inspiration and leading, we can move on to the second. The second situation is that our minds may not understand God's leading and inspiration. I also have many experiences with this. Around 2015, God had been leading me to leave the Local Church Movement to study the Pentecostal Movement in preparation for the convergence in the future. Later the Lord appeared to me in a dream, and He also talked about this convergence. However, my mind at the time couldn't understand God's leading. My Christian experience and theology were completely shaped by the teachings of the Local Church Movement. If I went to the Pentecostal Movement to study, I would be considered an apostate. I was full of fear and uncertainty. And I had not dared to take this step. Therefore, the Holy Spirit interceded for me with unspeakable groanings. The Heavenly Father then arranged an environment for me. My wife was infertile for ten years, and people from the Local Church Movement could not help us solve this problem. Because of this, the Holy Spirit inspired me to look for people in the Pentecostal Movement with the gift of prophecy and the gift of healing to pray for us and help us. Though it was a slow process, I gradually opened my eyes and realized there was a lot of abundance outside the Local Church Movement. I also found that there were many areas in the Pentecostal Movement being stigmatized, and the Pentecostal Movement actually had many truths and true gifts.

When I asked for prayer and help in the Local Church Movement, we did not receive healing. Our various attempts through IVF and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments also failed. In the end, God Himself spoke to me and told us the child’s gender and specific time of birth through prophetic prophecies. Finally, my wife became pregnant, and we received a miracle baby. God had spoken to me and tried to lead me many times, but because I was slow on the draw and unable to break from traditional teachings, I did not understand and couldn't follow His leading. Therefore, the Holy Spirit interceded with groanings to our Heavenly Father to arrange various environments for me. In a way, I could say that He forced me to leave the Local Church Movement to go learn the truths and gifts in the Pentecostal Movement.

From the examples I shared above, and from my personal experiences, you can see that the Holy Spirit sometimes talks with the Father and the Lord Jesus through unspeakable groanings. In verse 27, where it says, (ESV), "he who searches hearts," it is talking about God the Father Himself. When the Father hears the groaning of the Holy Spirit within us, He will arrange environments for us and discipline us. Knowing this, you should understand that if you obey or understand and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, you will have fewer environmental difficulties in your life. Every difficulty is specially permitted by God and the Heavenly Father to help you learn a specific lesson and become spiritually mature. You can never go wrong by listening to God.

I hope these words bless you. I pray that you can obey and understand the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life. If you are facing a certain difficulty, I also pray that you are able to see the will of Heavenly Father for you.

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Victory in Jesus

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 5

Romans 5 continues the discussion of justification by faith, and takes it a step further. This chapter reassures believers that if they were reconciled to God while they were still his enemies, how much more will they be saved by his life! (ESV, Romans 5:10).

In the second half of the chapter, Romans 5 uses the word “reign” in four different contexts. Today, we will discuss the relationship of these four “reigns.”

The first time the word appears is in verse 14: "Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses." (ESV) Verse 17 says, “For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ." (ESV) Both verses are discussing the reign of death.

The second use of the word “reign” is the reference to believers, who have received abundance of grace, who will “reign in life.” (Romans 5:17 ESV)

Reign is also mentioned twice in verse 21: “so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (ESV) In this verse, the sin that reigns in death is contrasted with the grace that reigns through righteousness.

Let’s look at these concepts in detail. First, God tells us that death reigns. The power of death was in the hands of Satan. When Jesus won the victory on the cross, he seized the keys of death and hell.

How and when does death reign? Verse 14 clearly says that death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses. A question remained: did death continue to reign from the time of Moses to the time of Christ? Why doesn’t the verse say that death reigned from the time of Adam to the time when Jesus came?

We know that after Christ’s coming, He reigned in righteousness through “grace.” The reign of grace in these passages refers to the Lord Jesus. Furthermore, believers can reign in life through Jesus Christ. Finally, the passage explains that sin reigned in death. This fact may answer the question we posed. Perhaps death reigned from Adam to Moses, and then sin reigned through death from the time the law was given to the time when the Lord Jesus came. This period is called the Age of Law.

These reigns can be a bit confusing, so let’s look at them in more detail through the lens of four people who reigned.

The Reign of Satan.

The first person who reigned was Satan, who is the embodiment of death. Originally, before the fall of man, Adam reigned in the Garden of Eden. He controlled everything. God instructed him to rule over all the plants and animals in the garden, including the serpent which represented Satan. But the serpent enticed Eve. Adam and Eve violated God’s command by eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the process, they accepted death (which is Satan himself), Adam lost his position of authority, and the world was given over to Satan. During Jesus’ temptation in the desert, Satan mentioned that he had the authority to give the entire world to Jesus if He worshipped him. It appears that Satan did receive the authority to rule the world from Adam. In other words, the first person to reign following Adam’s sin was Satan (death). Romans 5:12 says, “Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." (ESV) Adam’s sin brought in death, which is Satan’s essence. Satan’s reign of death came into the world through Adam’s sin.

When God created man, he breathed his life into the dust of the ground. A living soul was created (Genesis 2:7). When Satan counterfeits the work of God, he combines our weakness with his own evil influence to create a fallen, sinful Adam. This sinful Adam has completely internalized the rule of sin.

Verse 13 continues, "For sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.” (ESV) What does this mean? Let me give an example. My wife suggested that we should not discipline our little daughter before the age of three. Instead, we should let her play and enjoy her childhood. But when she is three years old, we should start to set rules for her. If she makes mistakes, we should discipline her. This is what establishing the law means. God is our Father: the father of Christians, the father of the Israelites, and the father of all mankind. God did not count sins against us before the law was established, because we didn’t know any better. Since Satan tricked Eve, this sin was charged to Satan’s account, not ours.

After Adam sinned, God promised that the offspring of the woman would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). This prophecy refers to Jesus Christ. He came to destroy Satan, the serpent of old. Christ was not only born of a virgin, but he was also born under the law (Galatians 3:24). The Age of Law is no longer included in the Reign of Death. Why?

First, the law sounded Satan's death knell. When I was young, I used to shoot off firecrackers every year at our Chinese New Year celebration. As a very young child, I enjoyed firecrackers, but I was afraid of burning myself. Our next-door neighbor’s fingers were blown off by firecrackers, so I invented a way to protect myself from them. I wrapped a long strip of paper around the firecracker core to serve as a very long wick. I would light the paper and have time to run away before the firecracker exploded. I watched the paper burn slowly until it finally lit the firecracker.

Once the paper was lit, a chain of events had been set in motion that would ultimately and inevitably lead to lighting the firecracker. In the same way, once the law was given, the chain of events had been set in motion to usher in the salvation of Christ. The purpose of the law was to bring us to Christ (Romans 14:4). Although Jesus Christ came long after the law was given, the heavenly plan had already been set in motion. Like the firecracker I ignited as a kid, the death and resurrection of Christ "blasted away" the enemy.

Why do the Chinese light firecrackers during Chinese New Year? Legend says that there’s a ghost called "Nian" that can be driven away by shooting off firecrackers and decorating the sides and top of doors with red strips of paper. From this tradition, some people inferred that ancient Chinese people might have known about the God of Israel and inherited some of the traditions of Israel. Some people say that these red decorations mimic the lamb’s blood that the Israelites painted on the doorposts during Passover.

Although the giving of the law did not immediately bring about change, Satan's death knell had sounded. This may be one reason why Paul said that death reigned from Adam to Moses.

The Reign of Sin and the Law.

After the giving of the law, death no longer reigned. Who reigned after the law was promulgated? The law of God reigned during the Age of Law. Those who wholeheartedly followed the law would gain life.

However, no human was capable of following all the laws. Violating even one law was as serious as violating all of them. James says “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” (ESV, James 2:10). The law provided a way of life if they were followed wholeheartedly. But since people could not follow them all, sin began to reign through death.

First, death reigned through Adam, before the law came. Second, sin reigned in death. After the law was given and before the coming of Christ, sin wielded total control. The direct reign of Satan and death were over, being superseded by the indirect rule of the law and sin.

Sin and the law are related to one another. Romans 5:20 says, "The law came in to increase the trespass." (ESV) Let’s refer back to the example of disciplining children. Only after rules have been made can you be held accountable for breaking them. It’s not that the child made more mistakes, but that her mistakes are now being brought to her attention.

The law sets up the rules. Its function is to expose people’s sins. For example, the Old Testament records that after God gave the law about the Sabbath, a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath and was taken to Moses. Moses asked God what to do. God told Moses to allow the Israelites to stone him (Numbers 15:32-35).

Yes, sin existed before the law was given. People had been rebelling against God since the time of Adam. But after the law was given, people sinned willfully and knowingly against God’s commands. This man was held accountable because he clearly understood and violated God’s law.

The reign of Satan and death are no longer in view here. Instead, sin becomes the subject who rules, by means of death. How is this different from the first point?

Let’s use the example of a drug dealer. At first, the drug trafficker will trick you into trying drugs. The drug dealers reign through death (drugs). But when you get hooked, you are addicted to drugs. There is no longer any need for the drug dealer to ask you to take drugs. You have the life of the drug addict inside yourself. You naturally want to take drugs. At this stage, the drug dealer can go to jail or go into hiding, and you will still have the life of the drugs living inside you. The drug dealer no longer controls you directly; rather, the drug itself controls you. Drug dealers bring drugs. Drugs will take you to drug dealers to buy more drugs. In the same way, sin brings death, and death brings more sin. This cycle continues.

During the reign of death, sin comes from seduction. Satan tried to seduce people into sin, and drug dealers try to seduce you into taking drugs. This temptation takes advantage of your weakness, but if you resist and refuse, the seducer has no power over you. If you refuse to take drugs, drug dealers simply can't do anything with you. Satan tried to tempt the Lord Jesus, but the Lord Jesus did not sin, so he couldn’t do anything about it. Satan (the drug dealer) is powerless apart from our own human weakness and desire to sin.

During the second stage, sin (drug addiction) reigns. Because of your weakness and sin, you have already accepted drug addiction (or the life of sin) into your innermost self. This is why the Bible says that “sin reigns through death”. Your weak, depraved and addicted life is in complete control of you. This life will lead you to look for a drug dealer (death); every time you find a drug dealer to buy drugs, you will sink deeper. Many people take drugs because of their weakness but later became addicted to substances. They even commit murder, theft, and other crimes, turning into evil drug dealers themselves.

What is the role of the law? The law functions as a drug treatment and rehabilitation center. The purpose of the law is to punish and correct. If you cannot get sober, you will be locked up. If you are clean for a certain amount of time, you can return to society. Without strict laws making drug trafficking illegal, it would be impossible to correct these behaviors.

In the same way, God gave the law through Moses so the Israelites would know they could no longer live a life of sin. There would be punishment if they violated the law. The purpose of the law was to help them get rid of their sin of drug addiction.

But the function of the law is limited. Although the law brings life, and God justifies those who keep the law, people often find themselves unable to keep the law. The law of sin and death in our flesh wars against the law of God in our minds (Romans 7:22-23) Often, the flesh wins against the law of God, making us distressed and conflicted people. The third law Paul discovered in Romans 8 was the law of the Spirit of life. This law set him free from the law of sin and death.

In other words, there are three laws inside us. The law of sin and death resides in our fallen flesh. The tendency to serve God’s law resides in our soul, because God created us good. Finally, the law of the Spirit of life resides in our spirit.

The law fights unsuccessfully against the sins of our flesh. Although we want to keep God’s law in our minds, our flesh cannot keep God’s law. Though we try to overcome sin, death reigns through the drug addiction we previously accepted. The law, which was meant to usher us into life, instead becomes a tool for death. But because the flesh is so powerful, we violate the law and are convicted by it, leading us to more death. The law becomes a tool to kill rather than to give life. Paul says, “For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Of course, it is not the law’s problem. It is a problem of the sin (drug addiction) of the flesh.

As a result of this continual fight, we realize that we humans cannot get rid of the influence of sin through our own efforts, even by keeping the law of God. We need a Savior to save us and remove the sin of the flesh. In this way, the law led directly to Christ.

The Reign of Jesus (Grace)

When the Lord Jesus Christ came, He became the Grace from God. He never sinned, and he overcame Satan and sin on the cross. The grace of Jesus Christ reigns through righteousness, in heaven and on earth. Through shedding his blood for us, Jesus satisfied the requirements of God’s righteousness, thus ushering in the reign of God’s righteousness. When we are justified through faith, we also become the righteousness of God through him.

Even after trusting Christ as Savior, many Christians fail to overcome the sins of the flesh. Although Jesus has already provided grace and power to help us overcome the sinful life, many people do not live a victorious life because the flesh is too powerful. These believers lack renewal in their souls.

Though the Lord Jesus has accomplished salvation on our behalf, many people do not believe Him and cannot access his salvation. Similarly, because of unbelief, many Christians are unable to experience the law of the Spirit of life working in their hearts. Although they are saved by faith, many Christians need more faith so they can be changed by the law of the Spirit of Life. The law of the Spirit of life is as powerful as electricity. But unbelief and sins of the flesh are like insulators, rendering this power inoperable.

If we are really justified by faith, we will also live by faith. As we live out our faith, we will accept the law of the Spirit of life that God has prepared for us.

A Christian may go through four stages in their walk with God. First, Satan controls them through death, just like a drug dealer controls his victims through their weakness and sin. Second, individuals are controlled by the life of sin itself, like an addict who is controlled by the addiction itself. Third, Christians try hard to keep the law, hoping to be a good Christian, but find themselves unable to overcome the law of sin and death. This is like an addict trying to break his addiction on his own. Finally, Christians may experience freedom through the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which enables them to overcome the law of sin and death.

Sadly, many Christians live in the first three stages. In order to enter the fourth stage of reigning in life, we must know the following:

1. Satan has been dethroned through Jesus’ work on the cross. The drug dealer is already in prison. He can no longer influence you. The only way he can influence you is through your own flesh. The first reign, the reign of Satan (death), has been defeated.
2. Your flesh and the old man have been crucified with Christ on the cross. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (ESV, Galatians 2:20). The second reign, the power of sin and the flesh, has been defeated as well. As we set our minds on the things of the Spirit, we experience life and peace.
3. The purpose of the law is to usher in the reign of Christ. When Christ came, the law had completed its work. Salvation cannot be achieved through good deeds and human effort. We must rely on the life of God, the lamb of God. An apple falling from a tree will be overcome by the force of gravity, and our attempts at perfection will be overcome by the sins of our flesh. The law tried to help our nature overcome the sin of the flesh, but it ended up condemning us. However, Jesus is like a spacecraft that can help us overcome the law of gravity to bring this apple to the moon. Jesus’ grace reigns in righteousness.

Believers Reign in Life.

Although His grace already reigns through righteousness, we need to choose to allow this grace to live in us. We must allow the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ to move freely in us so we can reign in life. Jesus already won the victory, establishing the law of the Spirit of life inside you when you received him. But you have to allow this powerful new law to rescue you from the power of sin, the law, and the flesh.

Once you received Jesus Christ as your Savior, the drug dealer (Satan) and the drug addiction (the life of sin) was taken care of by Jesus on the cross. The drug treatment center or drug rehabilitation center (law) were proven to have limited efficacy. There is only one way to be rescued: accepting the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ by faith. By doing so, you will be freed from the law of sin and death in the flesh, and from the conviction that inevitably comes when you try to keep the Law on your own in your mind. Once you open your eyes to these spiritual truths, you will experience freedom to reign in Christ.

In summary, Romans 5 continues to discuss victory by faith. If we were justified by faith, much more will we be saved by his life (5:10). May our spiritual eyes be opened and may our faith increase so that we can live out the law of the Spirit, reign in life and overcome sin, the flesh, the world, and the power of Satan.

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Paul’s Letters to the Romans

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 2

Judging Others

The first paragraph (verses 1-16) of Romans 2 discusses Paul’s criticism of self-righteous people. For example, verse 1 says, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things” (NIV). While paragraph 2 (verses 17-29) discusses Paul’s criticism of Jews who boast in the law. For example, verse 17 (NIV) says, “Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God,” but in verse 23 (NIV), Paul also criticized them as “someone who brags in the law but has dishonored God by breaking the law.”

These words sound harsh. How do you think you would feel if you were a believer in Rome, opened Paul’s letter, and only read up to the second chapter? Why did Paul scold the Roman believers in this way? It’s possible Paul is not berating only Roman believers, but others as well. But Paul did not mention any names, so we have no way of knowing. However, in verse 24, Paul quoted the Old Testament and said, “God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you" (NIV). Here is it is clear he is criticizing the Jews. There were many Jews in the early church, and there were also many Jews in the Roman church. So, it would be difficult to say that Paul was not criticizing the church in Rome.

Imagine if person A wrote a letter to person B and criticized person C. It might be because both person A and person B don't like person C. But this type of exchange would be out of character for Paul. There was no need for Paul to write a letter to one person and criticize another. Paul did criticize some people such as Alexander in 2 Timothy 4:14, but he made it clear by mentioning his name. The reason why Paul wrote certain letters to a group of believers was mainly to suggest corrections to some problems these believers were facing. For example, Paul wrote 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, which were aimed at addressing the problems of the Corinthian church he founded.

The Intention of Paul’s Letter

But a man in our Bible study asked, "How could Paul write such a serious and critical letter to the church in Rome if he had never been to Rome before?" I replied that in chapter 16, Paul mentioned that he greeted a dozen people he knew at the Roman church. In Romans 16:3, Paul mentioned Priscilla and Aquila because, as it is recorded in Acts 18, when the Jews were forced to leave Rome, they saw Paul in Corinth. Paul was a tentmaker like they were. After they met, Acts 19 recorded that Paul decided to go and visit Rome. And Romans 16:5 also mentioned that there was a church in Priscilla and Aquila's house. In other words, Priscilla and Aquila were a couple of the leaders of the Roman Church. We don't know how many people there were in the Roman church, but at least some church leaders were familiar with Paul.

In Romans 16:7, it even mentioned that two people had been in prison with Paul. These two people were Andronicus and Junia. Paul said, "They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was" (NIV). This shows that there were apostles in the Roman Church. These apostles were not only in Christ before Paul, but they also had been in prison with Paul and were inmates. So they also had friendships with Paul. Paul may have learned about the Roman church when he was setting up tents with Priscilla, Aquila or when he was with Andronicus and Junia in prison. This could have led him to be so burdened that he wrote 16 chapters of Romans to them. One of the reasons we mentioned in our previous study was the dispute between the Gentiles and Jews in Rome, and even the Jews were forced to leave the city.

As we mentioned last time, during Paul's time, the letters might have been written on parchment. To write so much content was not as convenient as having a computer, email, or paper like we do today. Since it is not very convenient, it must have been a heavy burden.

Disputes Between the Jews and Gentiles

Acts 18:2 says, Because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome, Aquila had brought his wife Priscilla who had recently come from Italy, and Paul went to see them. Historical records prove that the Jews and the Gentiles at that time had a lot of disputes which caused so much turmoil that Claudius ordered the Jews to leave Rome. From these records, we can see the historical background of the Roman church. We can speculate that the conflict between the Jews and the Gentiles was not only outside the church but inside as well. For example, Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 1:22 (NIV), "Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom," demonstrates Paul's observation of this. Paul met Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth. Corinth was also where he wrote the book of Romans and made the decision to visit Rome. This verse may reflect Paul's observation of the Roman Church – Both the Jews and Gentiles had something to brag about. Paul continued in 1 Corinthians 1:23 (NIV), "We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles." These were also some of Paul’s thoughts on the subject.

We believe that the church in Rome, like other early Gentile churches, consisted of Jews and Gentiles. If both Jews and Gentiles were present, it would lead to a lot of conflicting ideas. For example, let’s take a look at the story recorded in Galatians 2. Peter used to eat with the Gentiles, but after certain men from James arrive, he dares not to eat with the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. Thus he pretended. Even Barnabas joined him in his hypocrisy. There was a lot of pressure among the Jewish Christians to follow the rule of circumcision as this was in accordance with the Jewish law. Similarly, we can guess that such difficulties also existed in the Roman church. The Jews hoped that the saved Gentile Christians would be able to accept circumcision or become Christians who also observed the law. It was not easy for the Jews to deal with the Gentiles. Many of them were not subservient to the thoughts of the Jews. Since the Jews could boast about their own law, the Gentiles, especially the Greeks, could also boast about their wisdom and philosophy.

Navigating Cultural Differences

Some of the problems in the church were specific to their culture and setting, while other problems were the type even churches today could experience. I will cite some examples of what I have encountered in the church. I am Chinese, and in the Chinese churches in the United States, there are often people from Taiwan and mainland China. Many people from the mainland believe that Taiwan belongs to China; they advocate unification, while many Christians in Taiwan want independence. But most of the time, when these believers meet together, they don't talk about politics. They only talk about spirituality and how to love and serve the Lord, so they live in peace. But there are always people who don’t follow this rule. Once, I saw a dispute occurring between a person who advocated for unification and a person who advocated for Taiwan’s independence. It ended very unpleasantly. This is an example of a problem in the modern church.

Witness Lee, the leader of the Local Church Movement, placed great emphasis on teaching how to "live out Christ." No matter what the circumstances, one should not live according to one's own culture and religion, but according to the life of Christ within us. I heard a story where Witness Lee was with some American Christians, and they were eating cheese. Witness Lee said he would also eat a slice. An American Christian sister immediately said, "I thought that the Chinese do not eat cheese." Witness Lee immediately replied, "Sister, I am not Chinese." Witness Lee was indeed Chinese from Shandong, China. This story was told by an American Christian brother. He said that this was a great shock to him as he respected Witness Lee very much and believed that Witness Lee was a model of "living out Christ." He was not living by the life of a Chinese, but by the life of Christ within him. The American brother sighed as he couldn't honestly say, "I am not an American" at the time because he felt that he was still living his life based on American culture.

Although the Local Church Movement teaches "living out Christ," there are similar conflicts between members of many American churches and Chinese churches. For example, many Chinese Christians often cook Chinese food when serving meals. Some Americans like Chinese food, so it goes over well. But some Americans do not like Chinese food, so they complain and say things like, " there is too much Chinese food." I have been in the Local Church Movement for 13 years, so I have experienced things like this many times. An American believer told me that one of the biggest problems of the Local Church Movement was it included too much Chinese culture. Because the Local Church Movement originated in China, the founders are Chinese, and many members are also Chinese. Naturally, it would be heavily influenced by Chinese culture. As a Chinese, I certainly don't like to hear this, and I clearly saw that this American Christian was living his life according to American culture. Chinese culture emphasizes collectivism, respect for authority, and respect for the elderly. American culture emphasizes individualism and does not emphasize respect for authority or the elderly, which is reflected in the church.

Unity in Christ

I remember when I was in graduate school, we were taking a course called "Organizational Culture." We had an assignment that required us to observe an organization in order to study the organization's culture. I suggested my group observe our church. Three of my Chinese students, including me, came to our church to observe and write our research paper. Our approach was for each of us to write down our own observations, and through the different observations, we would compare the organization's culture and draw our conclusions.

Half of the people in our church were Chinese, while the other half were American. I was a member of the church, and I represented the internal point of view of the church. The other two members of my group were not believers. I invited them to come to our church, but they were not interested. Therefore, when writing this observation for our class, our perspective was naturally different. I had written the characteristics of the Local Church Movement from the Church's perspective. The church is love and light, and the brothers and sisters are in oneness. The Local Church Movement advocates living out Christ and not living according to culture. So when we sing, we all sing the same song, but each of us sings in our own language. This shows that although we have different cultures, we are all one in Christ.

But their observations were different. They had come to a conclusion that although the church advocates unity in Christ, they still live according to their own culture. The example they cited was when a Chinese church leader came to the dinner table, several of our young Chinese Christians stood up and gave him a seat. They, therefore, concluded that this church was deeply influenced by Chinese authoritarian culture as it is not a common phenomenon for young people to stand up and give seats to the elderly in the United States. So they believed Chinese people in these churches were unconsciously influenced by Asian authoritarian culture. I disagreed with this observation because I believe that it's done out of love and respect for one another. But then another thing occurred that made me rethink my point of view. A retired white believer often attends our meetings. He is 80+ years old already and walks a bit slowly. I once offered him a seat, and he thanked me and said, "That's very kind of you. At my age in the United States, young people think that I'm a hindrance and just want me out of the way. But the young Chinese are not like that." Hearing what he said, I realized that American culture and Chinese culture are indeed very different in dealing with the elderly.

I am not saying this to deny the teaching and practice of "living out Christ" of the Local Church Movement. On the contrary, I think that it is a wonderful concept and it is needed by many churches. I remember one morning in 2008, I went to see a doctor in a hospital in Baltimore. I was singing some Bible verses composed by a man in our church using a familiar Christian melody. I was practicing "live out Christ" while waiting for the doctor. While I was humming the song, I felt very joyful. An African American woman next to me asked if I was a Christian and asked why I was so happy. I said, "I am a Christian. I am practicing according to the teaching of Witness Lee of living out Christ in any case such as while waiting for the doctor.” She told me that she had heard and read Watchman Nee's books, but she had never heard of Witness Lee. After returning home, she started to read Witness Lee's works according to my recommendation. Later, she wrote several times to thank me. She said that she had been in a Pentecostal Church for decades, but she had never heard anyone teaching to "live out Christ."

Living Out Christ

In today's culture, where racial tension is rising in American society, "living out Christ" instead of "living according to culture" and "living according to race" may be a good solution. If every Christian can live according to the life of Christ in us instead of living according to our natural flesh, religion, culture, and race, it can naturally become the answer to all kinds of conflicts in the world. But if all the church members are living according to their race, culture, and not the life of Christ, it is difficult to imagine that the world will have an answer to this problem. In other words, such a serious situation of racial tension in American society is actually a reaction of the situation of the church members who are living according to flesh, culture, religion, and race. Looking at the American church, Christians in the United States are still not doing enough to let Christ's life fill them and reveal His life through them. The church is the soul of our society. If we are not mature in Christ, we will see this reelected in the society we live in.

Of course, there are also positive interactions occurring as well. For example, when we see white Christians and African American Christians kneeling and forgiving each other, it sets a good example. If we can all do this, it will slowly have a positive impact on society. The reason I said the church in the US is not mature in living out Christ is not to criticize or neglect these positive examples. Rather it is my observation that the church needs to grow in Christ, and many Christians in the US should go deeper in the life of Christ. In other words, they need to live out what God tells us through the Bible.

After sharing these personal experiences and observations, we went back to Romans 2 to discuss the problems that the Roman church may have faced and also discuss Paul's burden. My guess is that many Jewish Christians in the Roman church at that time did not live out the life of Christ but lived according to the Jewish religion, law, and tradition. Not only that, but they may have also required some Gentiles to follow their traditions. Many Gentile Christians had not even completely broken free from sin. Therefore, Paul was particularly burdened with writing to the church in Rome to criticize this situation.

Living a Victorious Life In Christ

When you read Romans 1 and 2 again after our analysis, it will make more sense to read it within the context of what was going on at the time. In Romans 1, after praising the Romans' faith and gospel work, Paul began to talk about the wrath of God against the unrighteous (Romans 1:18-32), which describes the various sins of man. For example, idolatry (Romans 1:23), sexual impurity (Romans 1:24), homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27), and at least 21 kinds of unrighteousness (Romans 1:29-32) such as evil and greed. In this situation, it is difficult for anyone to believe that these verses are not talking about the sins of the Gentiles. I‘m sure that you will agree that this is also the picture of today's society.

In Romans 2, it seems that Paul's remarks changed. He began to criticize the Jews. He first criticized the sins of the Gentiles, then the mistakes of the Jews.

Ephesians 5:8 (NIV) says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light". In this verse, Paul said to the believers, "We used to live in the darkness and also in sin, but today we are light in the Lord. We should live a life of light and as children of light." This sentence can also be applied to the Gentile believers in the Roman Church. This must mean there were Gentile believers who although they had been saved, were not living this life of light. These are all foreshadowings. In Romans 7, Paul was distressed. "For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing" (NIV, Romans 7:19). So much that in Romans 7:24 (NIV), he sighed, saying, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?" But in Romans 8, he said, "Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set me free from the law of sin and death." (NIV, Romans 8:2). In other words, what Paul had written in the book of Romans was based on his own experience and how he overcame his flesh and sin. Having freedom in Christ and in the Holy Spirit is to live out the life of Christ. This is what I meant by "living out Christ" earlier.

One of the purposes of Paul’s letters to the Roman Church was to tell them how he was he able to live a victorious life in Christ through the process of overcoming the flesh, religion, and the traditions of the Jews. His goal was to help both the Gentile and Jewish Christians in Rome overcome sin, religion, and unhealthy cultural norms that would hinder them so they could have freedom in Christ. Instead of sharing this profound wisdom from the start, Paul started by sharing the most basic concepts first and slowly built them up. It wasn’t until Romans 8 that he shared the burden on his mind.

Living by the Law

If the sins of the Gentiles weren’t exposed, it would be difficult for them to repent. Similarly, if how the Jews who were living according to the law weren’t exposed, it would be difficult to persuade them to live out the life of Christ. Therefore, after exposing the sins of the Gentiles in Romans 1, Paul began to expose the limitations of the Jews who were living by the law in Romans 2. Paul said that they should not pass judgment on one another or be self-righteous. The Bible says, “God will judge you in the same way you judge others, because you who pass judgment do the same things (NIV, Romans 2:1)”. This indicates there was probably judgment going on between the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers in the Roman Church. Paul went on to say that God would judge the Jews as well as the Gentiles. "There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile" (NIV, Romans 2:9). God does not show favoritism (NIV, Romans 2:11). All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law (NIV, Romans 2:12) For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (NIV, Romans 2:13).

In other words, it isn’t really necessary to live according to the requirements of the law in our daily life. According to the language of the New Testament, we should live out the life of Christ every day to manifest His love and sacrifice for us. The law of the Gentiles, who did not have the law, is their conscience (Romans 2:15). As long as they live according to their conscience, they are keeping the law. This verse is also a timely warning for Jewish Christians who may have felt superior because God gave the law to the Jews. Although the Jews had the law, the Gentiles also had one. God let their conscience act as their law.

In verses 17-20, Paul began to criticize such Jews. He said, “Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth”. Then starting in verse 21 he said, “you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: ‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’” Then Paul talked about circumcision and how the law was not merely an external guide, but a matter of the heart and the Spirit, not just a written code (NIV, Romans 2:25-29), and this concludes the chapter.

Living out Christ Impacts Society

If I were a Jewish Christian in Rome, I might have been offended by Paul’s words! Even yesterday, my wife and I discussed some situations of racial conflict in the United States. I said that many of the participants are Christians. When you belong to a specific race, and you want to talk to other people of another specific race, especially those who are hurt, about living out Christ and not living according to race, culture and religion, they will definitely not listen. They might even get offended. My wife jokingly said, "So God will raise Paul to talk about this issue to the Jews. He was a Jew, and it would be easier for him to talk with other Jews. The Jews at that time would probably have a hard time listening to similar criticism from Gentle apostles." I said it is true that Paul's work seemed to be effective. We did not see the records of negative responses from the Church in Rome or the Jewish believers there. Paul's Gospel of Romans still speaks to us today. I hope sharing this will enlighten the American church in the case of racial conflict. Only when the church lives out Christ can it have a positive impact on society. This may be the reason why Paul had the burden of writing the book of Romans for the Roman church during the conflict between the Jews and Gentiles in Rome. He wanted to share his own experiences with the Romans of how he attained freedom from the law of sin and death and reached freedom in the law of the life of Jesus Christ.

It’s true that racism is one of the giants we are facing in the US today. But we are called to be giant slayers like David. What is the stone that will kill the giant? It is deliverance from the law of sin and death. The church, or individual Christians need deliverance from this law and we have positive examples such as Paul to guide us. Social and political reforms are only a temporary means to subside the problems. The real answer is for the church to live out Christ. This is our ultimate calling.

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Understanding Jehovah’s Commands

Bible Study with Jairus – Leviticus 17

Consuming Blood

Leviticus 17 talks about Jehovah’s command against consuming blood. Our discussion focuses on why God does not allow blood to be consumed. Of course, in addition to health and hygiene considerations, there are also spiritual considerations.

I was contemplating this question while I watched Sid Roth, an American Christian TV host, inviting Michael Brown, who is Jewish and a doctor of theology, to debate with a Jewish rabbi on his show. This man who had his doctorate in Christian studies tried to prove to the rabbi that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. He tried to prove Jesus was sacrificed on the cross once, and He forever satisfied God’s request so we can receive eternal salvation in Him. But the way that this Jewish rabbi understood the Old Testament was different from this man with a doctorate in Christian studies. The Jewish rabbi said that in the Old Testament, Jehovah repeatedly emphasized that one’s own son should not be sacrificed to the idols, and when Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac, Jehovah personally stopped him. This shows that Jehovah was very opposed to the sacrifice of sons. Therefore, he believed that the statement that God has sacrificed his son Jesus Christ was unacceptable. This is not what he believes Jehovah would do.

We certainly did not agree with this Jewish rabbi, but we did have to think about why Jehovah had repeatedly warned the Israelites not to sacrifice their children to Molek, but He had offered His Son as a sacrifice. We also had to consider why Jehovah prohibited anyone from consuming the blood of any creature, but He prepared the blood of His Son for us to consume. In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus clearly stated that “You will eat my flesh and drink my blood” (John 6:54).

Spiritual Significance

Our guess is that it involves not only the Israelites and God but also the idols and the evil spirits attached to them. We can see the sins of the Israelites, but the spiritual forces of evil are invisible and are of the Devil. They often counterfeit God’s work. In other words, they mock the work of God and behind this type of action is a mocking spirit.

For example, God’s eternal purpose is to dwell with mankind and for God and mankind to become united. But before God came to earth in human form, there was a mingling of evil spirits and daughters of men, which produced giants. This story is recorded during Noah’s time. This may be the main reason why God wanted to wipe out the human race at that time. Mankind had been corrupted by mixing with evil spirits. The act of evil spirits becoming flesh stems from the work of a mocking spirit.

In the same way, God also prepared His Son for eternal salvation. Thus the evil spirits also imitated this and tempted the Israelites to offer their children to Molek. This may simply look like idolatry, But the purpose behind it was to mock God’s plans. Therefore, God hated them and prohibited the Israelites from participating in this ritual.

Current Cultural Applications

This is also true when we consider the situation of the church today. For example, everyone discussed that the animals slaughtered in the United States are reportedly killed before their blood is released, so because of this, did everyone unknowingly consume blood? Although the kosher meats sold by the Jewish may have their blood released before they are killed, it is expensive to purchase this type of meat. This type of meat is not mainstream, and not everyone can afford it.

Some Chinese people consume duck blood or duck blood curd etc., when they eat a dish called hotpot. If that’s the case, does it mean that many Chinese people have violated God’s commandments? When you encounter a Chinese believer doing this, what attitude should you have if the two of you talk about it? Should you tell them that what they are doing is prohibited by the law? How can we explain that Leviticus asks people not to consume blood or pork, but now most Christians believe that everything is cleansed by God and everything can be eaten? Why do most Christians now eat pork?

A woman who shared at the beginning of our study specifically mentioned that churches that are more legalistic still believe that blood should never be eaten, but Christian groups who hold more liberal views believe that everything is clean and can be eaten. What do you think of this conflict?

Our attitude is that you have the right to do anything, but not everything is beneficial. First of all, it is not beneficial to our health. Second, In the Old Testament, God did not allow us to consume it, so if it is avoidable, you should not eat it.

But if we treat this as a strict law, we can see that many Americans, even Christians, have unknowingly consumed blood. Many Chinese who were not aware of the gospel have also consumed blood, but we didn’t see any evidence of God getting angry.

Spiritual Implications Behind Consuming Blood

Therefore, the first thing to consider is the situation faced by the Israelites at that time. Perhaps they realized there was a connection between consuming blood and idolatry. This was the intention of the evil spirits behind it to mock God’s work, so they were hated passionately by God. Among the Chinese, there are some common ways that people consume blood that we attribute mostly to ignorance and food issues; they may or may not involve idolatry. Practices in Chinese culture such as sacrificing chickens to a banner and blood alliances may all involve idolatry. If evil spirits are behind something, or if they intend to mock God’s work, this is something that God hates very much. In the Bible, Jehovah has some harsh words concerning these issues.

The mocking spirit is just one aspect of the work of the evil spirits. Another aspect of the work of the evil spirits is the religious spirit. Paul made it clear that some people were unworthy of eating the Lord’s bread and drinking the Lord’s cup, so they were punished. There were even situations where people became sick and died. Instances such as these make some churches very religious when considering the bread. Although I believe partaking of the bread is a serious matter, I have heard some American Christian leaders testify of situations that could be better handled. For instance, many young people in American Christianity, who were not yet baptized, had participated in communion without knowing during a church meeting and they were severely reprimanded and excluded, which lead to them falling away from Christ and leaving the church. In the case of the Corinthian church, there may have been some people who had inappropriate attitudes. What they did would be considered blaspheming the Holy Spirit. They were therefore disciplined by God. But the youth in these American Christian churches did this unknowingly, and they were severely condemned. This was the work of a religious spirit.

I was saved in the Local Church Movement. Later, God led me to an American Charismatic meeting to learn the truths they teach. I observed a phenomenon, which was that many charismatic members had come out of many other American denominations that were more legalistic. They told me that many churches pay too much attention to the rules and regulations, which causes trouble. I personally realized on a deep level that the religious spirit has caused some churches to focus on absolutes, extremes, and dogmatic approaches to God’s law which has brought harm to some believers.

Understanding the Spiritual Depth of God’s Word

We have now analyzed two methods commonly used by the evil spirits here. One is to imitate and mock the work of God. This is a mocking evil spirit. The other is to take God’s laws, words, and teachings to the extreme and destroy His work. This is the work of a religious spirit.

The church needs to make a lot of progress in recognizing and overcoming the works of the evil spirits. Many times, the church may be led around by the nose by the evil spirits. First, the church may not recognize the work of evil spirits. Second, they have no way to overcome them because they were not even aware of their existence. God has given the church power and authority over the evil spirits. We must strive to grow spiritually and discern the gifts of the spirit that are meant to go hand in hand with life. Many churches ignore the teaching of spiritual gifts, evil spirits, and angels, which may be one of the reasons why the church does not grow well in this area. These things are not only meant for the Charismatic church. They are well documented in the Bible and are prepared for all of the children of God. When we read the Bible, we must read not only about the characters in the foreground but also the struggle between God and the evil spirits in the background. Only then can we understand the spiritual depth of God’s Word.

For example, at the beginning of Leviticus 17, it mentions that the Israelites must not kill the sacrifices themselves and that they should not shed blood. If they shed blood, they will be cut off from the people (17:4). Probably because of this rule, both Judaism and Islam have specialized priests that will kill the sacrifices. What is the reason for this? The reason is clearly recorded in verses 5-7. Verse 5 (ESV) says: “This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the Lord.” What is a peace offering? In the peace offering, the blood and fat are given to God, while the meat is given to the priest. Verse 6 (NIV) says: “The priest is to sprinkle the blood against the altar of the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the LORD.” The blood is for atonement, and the burning of fat is to satisfy God. We know that when Noah offered a clean sacrifice after the flood, Jehovah also felt satisfied with the “pleasing aroma.” Why does animal sacrifice satisfy God in these instances?

The answer to this question seems like a mystery. In reference to this, David wrote in Psalm 51 that God was not pleased with the burnt offerings but rather pleased with a “broken spirit, and a broken and contrite heart” (NIV, Psalm 51:17). David also said in Psalm 51:16 (NIV), “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.” So God is not a carnivore, nor a bloodthirsty figure who would be satisfied the moment He smelled the aroma of meat or blood. Rather, God’s satisfaction comes from the worship that people bring through sacrifice. Because although it is the animal sacrifice that satisfies God, the ones who offer the sacrifices are human. In fact, it is human actions (in this case, the act is to offer animal sacrifice) that satisfy God.

God Desires Worship

What God wants is for His people to worship Him. What Satan and the evil spirits are stealing from God is not the sacrifice itself but people’s worship behind the sacrifice. Thus Leviticus 17:7 (NIV) says, “They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting ordinance for them and for the generations to come.” The reason why God stipulated that people couldn’t offer sacrifices outside the tabernacle was not because of the issue of whether the sacrifice was slaughtered in the tabernacle or in the field, but whether the sacrifice was dedicated to God or the idols and the evil spirits. Satan used the idols, such as the goat idols mentioned, to try to steal people’s worship from God. This was the crux of the matter. It was not about the format that was used to worship God. Worshipping God with our hearts is the key. Therefore, when the Lord Jesus came, His way of worshiping God was different from that of the Israelites. For example, when He healed the sick on the Sabbath and ate ears of grain, he was attacked by the Israelites. This was where Satan attacked Jesus through a religious spirit, as I mentioned earlier. Satan often tries to twist the meaning of words. What God cares about is “who do you worship?” but Satan twists the question into “what ways of worship do you use?”. One method that Satan often uses today is to take a legalistic and religious approach to past teachings or commands of God.

In the conversation between the Lord and the Samaritan woman in John 4, the Samaritan woman said, “Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” (NIV, John 4:20). But the Lord Jesus’ answer was, “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (NIV, John 4:21-24).

In other words, the Samaritan woman was talking about the correct way and place to worship, but Jesus was talking about "who are you worshipping?” or “how are you worshipping?". Worshipping in spirit and in truth is not just a method; it’s also about worshipping God (who is the spirit) from our heart. The correct way to worship is the natural unity of "objects of worship/God" and "ways of worship/in spirit and truth or in Jerusalem." I’m not saying that we should trivialize the various ways of worship. The different ways of worship are very important. In the Old Testament, animal sacrifices were indeed ordained by God, and there were many details. We cannot separate the ways of worship from the objects of worship, nor can we exalt the ways of worship over the objects of worship. An example of this in today's church could be habits of over-exalting a certain religion (a form of worship) while ignoring our objects of worship and hurting people who also worship one God using different ways of worship. When the Catholic Church burned the Protestant heretics to death because of their way of worship, were they the same as the Jews persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ?

Forms and Ways of Worship

The enemy has two tricks. The first is to imitate, counterfeit, and steal your worship. This comes from the mocking spirit we mentioned earlier, and the goat idols in this chapter are an example of this. The second is to idolize, use religion, dogma, and legalistic approaches to the ways of worship you value so that you feel when others violate your customary ways of worship, they are violating the God you worship. This is certainly not true.

The same is true for consuming blood. The reason why people can't consume blood is very clear. It is because the life of a creature is in its blood; it is the blood that atones for one’s life (NIV, Leviticus 17:11). It is similar to the relationship between the "ways of worship" and the "objects of worship" we mentioned earlier. The two we are discussing here are "can't consume blood" and "make atonement. " “Can’t consume blood” is the “way of worship.” Of course, we must respect the way of worship set by God. But the "ways of worship" cannot replace or be exalted over the "objects of worship." The key here is to "make atonement" before God. When the Lord Jesus comes, the ways of worship will change, but the objects of worship will not change.

Hebrews 9:12-14 (NIV) says: "He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtainingeternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

Blood is a representation, a form, and a way of worship. In the Old Testament, the way of worship and the object of worship were not the same. But in the New Testament, the way of worship and the object of worship have become one, which is the Lord Jesus Himself. He is our way of worship, because there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus (NIV, 1 Timothy 2:5); He is also our object of worship, because “worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise" (NIV, Revelation 5:12).

Unifying the Form and Content of Worship

Hebrews 10:5-8 (NIV) says,

So when Christ came to Earth, He said, "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.’” First, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law."

When the Jews were opposed to Jesus changing the ways of worship, it was actually Satan who opposed the unity of the ways of worship and objects of worship through a religious spirit. The ways of worship can be seen as a form, and the object of worship can be seen as the content. The form and content need to be unified. But if the form and content cannot be unified, we need to exalt the content, not the form.

Paul said: "When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” (NIV, 1 Corinthians 14:26). The hymn, word of instruction, revelation, tongue, and interpretation mentioned here are all forms of worship. The content and objects of worship are God and Christ Himself. When Christians quarreled about whether to speak in tongues and use other ways of worship, they were completely misguided because they were already deceived by the enemy through the religious spirit, transferring their attention from the content and objects of worship to the "ways of worship." Paul said very clearly at the end of this sentence, "Everything must be done so that the church may be built up," which is the content.

As for consuming blood or not, that also falls under the ways of worship. Paul made it clear in 1 Corinthians 10:23 that we have the right to do anything, but not everything is beneficial; we have the right to do anything, but not everything is constructive (NIV). The Word of God does not say whether we can consume blood or not in the New Testament. But I choose not to consume blood because it violates the form of worship ordained by God in the Old Testament. However, I will not try to impose this conviction on others because it does not conform to the commandment “love your neighbor as yourself” in the New Testament.

I hope we can all see the light and achieve the natural unity of the form and content of worship. Remember not to exalt any form of worship over the object and the content of worship. The method of worship may often change, but the object and content of worship will never change. We must allow some freedom in the way others worship, as long as we worship the one true God. God is great! He created every snowflake to be unique. He is also pleased when people use different methods of worship to worship Him.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Leviticus 13-14

In chapters 13 and 14 God gave Moses detailed instructions on how leprosy should be handled by the priests. I was puzzled reading these chapters wondering why God spent so much time discussing the details of this disease. What spiritual significance do these chapters hold for us today?

Because I was travelling, I did not participate in the Bible reading of Leviticus 13. It was led by another man. I asked him several questions about the following verses. Let’s look at the verses first and follow up with my questions.

13:9 (NIV) “When anyone has a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to the priest.

13:10 (NIV) The priest is to examine them, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white and if there is raw flesh in the swelling,

13:11 (NIV) it is a chronic skin disease and the priest shall pronounce them unclean. He is not to isolate them, because they are already unclean.

13:12 (NIV) "If the disease breaks out all over their skin and, so far as the priest can see, it covers all the skin of the affected person from head to foot,

13:13 (NIV) the priest is to examine them, and if the disease has covered their whole body, he shall pronounce them clean. Since it has all turned white, they are clean.

13:14 (NIV) But whenever raw flesh appears on them, they will be unclean.

13:15 (NIV) When the priest sees the raw flesh, he shall pronounce them unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; they have a defiling disease.

13:16 (NIV) If the raw flesh changes and turns white, they must go to the priest.

13:17 (NIV) The priest is to examine them, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the affected person clean; then they will be clean.”

These verses are very confusing. Looking at verses 1-8, it says if a person has leprosy, he must come to the priest to seek a diagnosis. If it is deeper than the skin, it is leprosy. If it is not deeper than the skin, it needs to be observed for a while. If it spreads in the skin, it is also leprosy.

Here are the questions that I’m not clear about. Why is it when there is quick, raw flesh in the rising, it is an old leprosy and is unclean but he does not need to be isolated (verse 9-11, KJV)? And if the leprosy has covered his whole body, he will be pronounced clean (12-13)? But when the raw flesh grows again, it is unclean (14)? And when the raw flesh turned white, it would become clean again (17)?

This man’s explanation helped me understand a bit. He said that both the disease on the skin and the raw flesh inside represent sin. But the skin represents sins outside the body or sin that is not serious. It does not go deep inside. While the raw flesh represents sin deep inside. In this situation, it is like the people have not given the Holy Spirit preeminence inside of them, so the sins have completely overcome them. We have to confess our sins to receive the salvation work of Jesus through His blood so we can invite the Holy Spirit to come inside of us. Those who received salvation through repentance may have the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in them, but it doesn’t mean that all of their actions are sinless. He felt that if the raw flesh was inside, it would indicate that the Holy Spirit had no status in it as the flesh had been corrupted. Or these types of people have not confessed through repentance. But if there is no raw flesh inside and there are still problems with the skin, it shows that there are still problems on various behaviors outside. For example, a person who already received the Lord and has the Holy Spirit in him may still have some outward sins.

The raw flesh would be comparable to people living in sin but were willing to repent. Repenting is not just a one-time act, but a continuous one throughout life. When a person confesses their sins, they are forgiven and transferred into the kingdom of God’s son. Transformation into a holy life takes time after repentance. In the case of the leprosy, although the person’s skin turned white on the outside, they were not pronounced a leper because the raw flesh (or sin) was repented of. The raw flesh in Leviticus 13:10 refers to old leprosy, which is unclean. The person doesn’t need to be isolated because he was at the beginning of his repentance process. This is what we believe verses 9-13 mean.

But verse 14 says that when his raw flesh appears again, it is an indication that he would deliberately sin again, which is leprosy. But if the raw flesh turns white again, it means that he repented again so he will be pronounced clean.

A man reviewed the causes of leprosy in the Bible. Leprosy mainly came from rebellion against God. Rebellion is a sin and repentance is required. And this process of repentance is the process of a sinner who continuously uses different sacrifices and blood through the outer courtyard to grow spiritually, get closer to God, and enter the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies. In other words, there is sin in him, which is the leprosy represented by the raw flesh. The greatest sin of mankind and Satan is rebellion against God, so both are considered lepers. The Lord’s road of redemption is where the high priest (which is the Lord Jesus) examines us. If we accept Jesus’ road of redemption,, the high priest will decide whether we are clean according to our repentance. If we have repented, it means the raw flesh is gone and we are clean. The example would be a Christian who was just saved before his death. Although his behavior has not manifested the holiness of the Lord, he is still saved and would go to heaven. But this does not mean that God doesn’t want his behavior to change, and for him to put on a white robe to feast with Him. That’s the Lord’s intention. But God knows that it’s a process going from repentance to salvation, and then to be filled and changed by the life of God and live out the righteousness of saints.

I was inspired by this man’s insights. I feel that God is really tender and considerate. Every time the Bible illuminates truths to me as I read, I’m more aware of how loving, tender and considerate God is. He is not the fierce and constantly killing God that people thought in the Old Testament. Instead, I see that He is really a loving Father. Although He chastises us because of our unrighteousness, He also prepares the road of redemption for us. If we have even a little bit of repentance and deeper change is still in progress, He will keep that in mind, and recognize and acknowledge it. He is really a tender and loving Heavenly Father.

Because of what this man shared, I was able to understand these two passages from different angles. There are several situations here, which may or may not be leprosy. For example, Leviticus 13:2 (NIV) says: "When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sonswho is a priest."

Actually, there are certain confusing places here. For example, a rising, scab or bright spot may or may not be leprosy. The priest needs to decide and judge here. On the one hand, the priest is the decider or the judge, which represents God’s righteousness. On the other hand he is a doctor, which represents God’s salvation and love. If you were a priest hastily diagnosing a person who has a rising, scab or bright spot with leprosy, what impact would this have on him and his family?

Looking at the history of Christianity, how many brothers and sisters who love the Lord have been convicted by the church as heretics or even beheaded? Bruno was burned alive because he supported the heliocentric theory. Can this be considered as an example? If Bruno seems controversial, what about the Protestants who advocated the reformation and were burnt to death by the Catholic Church? Or those Anabaptists who were drowned in the river by the Reformists? They were usually charged as rebelling or challenging traditional doctrines and religious authority. These mislabeled cases are similar to the priest hastily declaring a person leprous. Those who misjudged or mislabeled them would think if this "rebellion" is not burned or stopped, the "plague" will be constantly spreading. Isn’t that what the priest's misjudgment was in a spiritual sense?

We won’t even mention the history of Christianity. Let’s just talk about the examples in our actual church life today. If someone accidentally commits a sin and becomes weak, if we push him too hard and condemn him, will he fall? In my church experience, I’ve seen examples of condemning others and letting them fall because of a lack of compassion. Even Paul condemned the man who slept with his stepmother in 1 Corinthians, but said in his second letter to the Corinthians not be too hard on him so Satan doesn’t take advantage of this. He charged the church to forgive that man since he repented.

Let’s look at the four ways God does things.

First of all, God is very detail oriented. He wants to let the priests see that when it is skin-deep, it might not only be a rising, scab or bright spot. Rather, it’s a problem inside. Watchman Nee said that the problems caused by those who overstep one’s authority in the church are far less than the problems caused by those who should but didn’t shoulder responsibility. Many responsible believers, because of their weakness and unwillingness to offend people, don’t dare to come forward when there is a need to point out problems. It’s like when parents don’t point out their children’s mistakes and correct them, it eventually leads to bigger problems.

If we are acting as the priest and should have pointed out leprosy but didn’t because we wanted to be nice, more people would die because of our irresponsibility. The man who led the study works in a large corporation and said that this same principle applies there. If a company has minor problems in management and those in charge don’t initially point it out, it can slowly spread and become a companywide situation that eventually causes it to collapse.

Second, how should we in today’s modern church confront sin with individuals? Is the rising, scab or bright spot truly leprosy? Perhaps a man who was weak and overcome by sin comes to church. Do we immediately call out the sin and shout “leprosy!?” This could bring serious harm to him and his family. If we are wrong, it is a serious matter. If a person is suspected of having leprosy (sin) because there is evidence of a rising, scab or bright spot, this person should be careful not to be around others. This is a time for observation. Seven days is a good amount of time. God encourages us not to condemn someone too quickly. We wait and observe and if it doesn’t spread, it may not be leprosy so the person doesn’t need to be isolated. It could be that this person repented in their heart but the behaviors still look sinful.

Third, in addition to this observation, there is still gradual decrease of changes in these symptoms similar to leprosy. It is a process of change from our inner self to the outer self, or from the innermost circle to the outermost circle. First of all, the raw flesh in leprosy is a manifestation of sin and rebellion inside us. A rising, scab or bright spot is also unclean, but they are at a different level. Some people rebel inside and don’t repent. These people need to be isolated. Otherwise, they will be contagious and cause a lot of harm. Some have repented inside, but the manifestation of their outside behavior requires a period of continuous work of the Holy Spirit to be manifested outside. This person may still have a rising, scab or bright spot in this process and it’s possible that these can grow back in areas affected by leprosy. The verse here clearly tells us that the priest should carefully observe and determine whether it is leprosy or not. If the problem is inside the skin and it spreads, it should be pronounced as leprosy and he needs to be isolated. If the problem is not inside and there is no spread in the skin, then it is not leprosy and he does not need to be isolated. This is very meticulous work. Priests not only need to know the righteousness of God, but also His heart of love. They must show mercy to others.

The church is often divided because church leaders are accused of teaching heresy. I’m not aware of the specific situations in every church but it happens frequently. Division is also prevalent between church groups. I’m sure there are real situations of heresy, but it seems that many are falsely labeled heretics. Falsely accusing others of heresy could be compared to violating the principle that God set up for Moses concerning leprosy. I can use myself as an example. I was part of the Local Church Movement for over ten years and many Christians accused this church of teaching heresy. I can attest to the fact that although not perfect, this church taught me many things that I continue to practice in my walk with the Lord. Although there may be some discrepancies in the teaching, it hasn’t altered my overall positive experience there. In recent years, I’ve been in touch with Christians who attend other Chinese churches. Because they are biased against the Local Church Movement, they have been deprived of the rich lessons I learned there. Even when I was evangelizing Chinese students on campus in the United States, there were people telling them that my church was teaching false doctrine. As Christians no matter what group you are involved with, evangelism is the ultimate goal. The Local Church Movement can also over-react and be harsh in its criticism of other groups.

Fourth, there is gradual shift from inside to outside. The sequence is from the flesh inside, to skin, then clothing (including leather, woven or knitted material, etc.), and last to the house mentioned in Leviticus 14:33-57. This is all a process from the inner to the outer - One is to deal with the sins inside, and the other is to deal with the impact of the sins outside. Jehovah is a very careful God. He knows the difference between them. Between the end of Leviticus 13 and Leviticus 14:33, it inserted the regulations for the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing. This is a redemption solution. There’s a lot of detailed discussion and explanation regarding this part but we did not discuss this in detail at this meeting.

The man who led our study questioned Leviticus 14:47 (NIV) which says: “Anyone who eats or sleeps in the house must wash his clothes.” He said it seemed awkward and didn’t understand what it meant. He quoted the notes of the Recovery Version of the Bible that we are reading: "Sleeping here represents not actively serving in your church’s life, and eating represents only accepting supply." In my opinion, this explanation wasn’t comprehensive. I shared examples of the prophetic dreams that the Lord gave me. In many of the dreams I was eating together with many people in a heavenly place or Paradise. I feel that eating represents actively accepting supplies and sleeping represents rest. To me it is more of a positive thing than a negative, but the man felt that the context based on the footnote denoted a negative take rather than a positive one.

I was inspired by the Holy Spirit as I read Leviticus 14:46 (NIV): “Anyone who goes into the house while it is closed up will be unclean till evening.” The Holy Spirit seemed to highlight the words “closed up.” I believe we can look at this confusion on another level. I presented my view from a different angle with the footnote that the man quoted above. The house was closed up because it was contaminated. Anyone entering the house would naturally also be contaminated regardless if it was from ignorance or disobedience. The Lord teaches us to be shewed and faithful servants. Faithfulness involves loving, following and pursuing the Lord. Faithful people are not necessarily always shrewd. Shrewd people know how to make money by gaining interest or they may have the ability to bring more people into God’s kingdom. A person who loves the Lord but is deceived by the enemy may be regarded as faithful but not shrewd. It isn’t always easy to be a Christian. There are many who are faithful and love the Lord but are deceived by wolves in sheep’s clothing or pulled into heretical cults. The deception may not be entirely their fault but they do have to accept some responsibility in it because they lack discernment. Going back to Leviticus 14:46, the house is clearly closed because of leprosy. Whether a person is ignorant or deceived, even though well intentioned, they still have a responsibility. Isaiah 5:13 (NIV) clearly tells us: “My people will go into exile for lack of understanding.” When Christians are deceived by wrong teaching or doctrine, they still bear certain responsibilities. The “sleeping” and “eating” mentioned in Leviticus 14:47 don’t refer to negative things. The real issue is that they are sleeping ( or resting) and eating (or receiving) in the wrong place without using proper discernment.

This is especially true in China. Many new believers were led by different heretic groups into traps. I’ve seen firsthand how genuine Chinese believers were abducted by a heretic group and get brainwashed. These simple and naïve believers have the best intention to receive from the Lord but they were deceived. Receiving was a positive action but their lack of judgement in how and where they received was the problem.

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Bible Study with Jairus- Romans 11

In chapter 11, Paul focuses on how salvation came to the Gentiles because of the Israelites unbelief. He discussed how God’s salvation would come to the Jews again, and all Israel will be saved when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. A man in our study questioned Romans 11:32, “For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.” Why did consigning us to disobedience instead become God’s mercy?

There are many different beliefs about why the Israelites are consigned to disobedience and what God's plan is for them. There are also many theological controversies about when the full number of Gentiles is and how the Israelites are eventually saved.

One of the controversies is whether the Israelites’ unbelief results from them living under a curse. Matthew 27:24-25 records that Pilate refused to be involved in Jesus’ crucifixion because he did not want the man’s blood on him, so he washed his hands and told the Israelites to take care of it. But the people of Israel answered him, "His blood is on us and on our children!" So Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified.

There has been much controversy over-interpreting the sentence: “His blood is on us and our children.” Some people believe that the tragic fate of the Jews, including the Holocaust during World War II, was brought about by this curse.

In the history of Christianity, some believe that since the Jews crucified Jesus, they should be held accountable for their actions.

In the second century, this trend of thought appeared among Christians. In the 4th century, the famous "St. John Chrysostom" pushed this discourse to a peak. He said that the Jews murdered Jesus and worshipped the devil. You can find his book "Saint John Chrysostom: Eight Homilies Against the Jews” on the Internet, which carried out severe attacks on the Jews. Under his exacerbation, anti-Semitism in Europe began to take root.

Martin Luther, who sparked the Reformation, is also an anti-Semitist. His later work "On the Jews and Their Lies" also expressed serious allegations against the Jews. He encouraged believers to burn down Jewish synagogues and schools, warn people against them, refuse to let Jews own houses among Christians, take away Jewish religious writings, forbidding rabbis from preaching, and offer no protection to Jews on highways. He also wanted to prohibit usury, remove all of the Jew's gold and silver, and set it aside for safekeeping. It was only to be given back to those Jews who truly converted. Young, strong Jews were to be given a flail, ax, spade, and spindle and let them earn their bread in the sweat of their brow.

Generally, Christians do not pay much attention to theology, but theology’s impact on us is very significant. You may unknowingly accept certain theological thinking, believe that it is the truth, and practice it in your life. One day you may find that the erroneous theological thinking you unknowingly accepted may cause you to make some mistakes or be an accomplice of mistakes.

Because of Martin Luther’s anti-Semitism teachings and anti-Semitic thoughts in European history, Hitler of Germany used this kind of thinking to promote anti-Semitism. Except for a few Christian people with great insight who were against Hitler and imprisoned or exiled in Nazi Germany, most German Christians played a tacit and conniving role in Hitler's anti-Semitism. Therefore, in recent years, many theologians have also argued that the mass murder of Jews by the German Nazis is related to erroneous Christian theological teachings. These theologians all reflect that Luther and St. Johns Chrysostom’s arguments about the Jews may be wrong.

If you think that Matthew 27:24-25 is about the Jews being punished by God because they said that the blood shall be on them and on their children, it does not hold water. There are two arguments. The first is that the Lord Jesus prayed on the cross and said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (ESV, Luke 23:34). This shows that the Lord Jesus has already forgiven them and asked Heavenly Father to forgive them. The second argument is that the Bible says that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (ESV, Galatians 3:13). If the Lord has forgiven us and redeemed us from the curse of the law, why didn't He forgive the Jews from the curse? Aren’t the Jews included in this? According to this statement, the Jews were also forgiven and redeemed from the curse. Therefore, the Jews experiencing so much suffering and mass murder does not mean that God is cursing them. It may be that Satan had taken advantage of the erroneous Christian teachings and hatred towards the Jews.

So if God consigning the Jews to disobedience is not His curse to the Jews, then what is it? I cited some examples, including personal examples and national examples, to illustrate this problem.

First, I cited a personal experience and then my friend’s experience. I was the first Christian in our family to be saved. I only got saved and believed in the Lord at the age of 27. I naturally sinned before I believed in the Lord. After I was saved, I lived in two different student dormitories for six consecutive years. Many of the people who lived with me grew up in Christian families. I envied them. They had known the Lord since they were children and hadn’t made any major mistakes in life. They were under God and the churches’ protection. One day we shared our salvation experiences. I told them about my miraculous experience. They were shocked especially knowing that I had survived miraculously with just 300 dollars when I first arrived in the United States. They told me that they envied my experience because I had so much real and vivid experience of God. Although they had been protected since childhood, they lacked experience.

After I was saved, I asked the Lord why He didn’t allow me to be born into a Christian family to know Him from a young age and avoid making so many mistakes and taking so many detours in my life. I didn’t realize until much later that God was calling me to help evangelize China. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and told me about the great revival that would happen in China. This became a burden that burned in my heart. A Korean prophet told me that the Holy Spirit was leading every step of my life. He said that God would use me to teach His truths and preach the Gospel all over China during that great revival. In a prophetic dream, the Lord appeared to me as a big eagle with colorful wings, training a little eagle to fly. I heard Him say, “I will train you like a big eagle trains a little eagle.” If this is true, why did God allow me to experience all I have gone through?

I asked the man who questioned Romans 11:32 at the beginning of our study whether he thought being born into a Christian family or an unbelieving family was more conducive to God’s plan for my life. We both felt that it was God’s wisdom that I was born in an idol-worshipping family. The house I grew up in was built on an abandoned Bodhisattva temple. My family was a lowly peasant family, and I experienced suffering and sin amongst people who didn’t know or believe in God.

Once I was saved, I understood how terrible sin was and how stubborn idols and evil spirits are. Perhaps God is preparing me to deal with all of these things when I preach the Gospel in the future. By experiencing the pain of sin in the world and then being delivered from it through salvation, I realize that there is no darkness in God, and my wholehearted love for Him continues to deepen and mature. I am also more empathetic toward those compatriots who have suffered as I have.

My friend who later lived in this dormitory and slept in the bunk above me had a very different experience. He said that he was born into a Christian family, but because he didn’t have an experiential relationship with the Lord, he went abroad to do business and left the Lord for many years. Later, after retiring, he sold his business and returned to the United States to take care of his mother. He began to go to church with his mother, mainly to accompany her. Over time as he listened to the sermons, his heart became open and alive to God. He started serving full-time in the church, fell madly in love with the Lord, and became a good friend and an encouragement to me.

Looking at the examples above, people's individual experiences reflect God’s wisdom. Whether we were first consigned to disobedience, or when we consigned ourselves to disobedience for a period of time after salvation, it is all God’s wisdom. The purpose is for us to experience some setbacks and to have a deeper understanding of God’s salvation. God's purpose is not to punish or neglect but to train and help us better experience His love and redemptive grace in a more profound way. My personal experience has been like that. The same is true of a country’s experience. I read a story about Hudson Taylor, which left a deep impression on me. He went to China to preach the Gospel. A Chinese man was saved, and he asked Hudson how long the British had known about the Gospel. Hudson told him for hundreds of years. The Chinese man said his father had sought after the truth all of his life, but no one had told him about Jesus or salvation. He blamed Hudson for the fact that the British knew about the Gospel for hundreds of years, yet his father left the world not knowing the truth of the Gospel.

When Paul was preaching the Gospel in Asia Minor, the Holy Spirit did not allow him to go east or north, nor did he allow him to preach in Asia Minor(Acts 16:6). Instead, The Holy Spirit gave him a prophetic vision of Macedonia, letting him go west and evangelize Europe. So, why did God want Paul to evangelize Europe first? If the Holy Spirit led Paul to preach the Gospel from Asia Minor to the east at that time, wouldn’t it be possible for China or Asia to be evangelized? Why did God allow China to stay in the dark so long without preaching the Gospel to the Chinese people, like the father of the Chinese man who went to his grave without the truth?

A viral video circulated on Facebook and other websites showed a group of Chinese people rushing to grab a copy of the Bible being distributed. The people were very excited and emotional over receiving them. Some kissed the Bible while others held it close to their chests. Many Christians were astonished by the video, saying that many Christian families in the United States have multiple Bibles in their homes that are not read or cherished like the Chinese people in the video. In fact, these Bibles are often gathering dust on the bookshelf.

Many prophetic words say that God will significantly use Chinese people to preach the Gospel in the last days. This could be why God has consigned the Chinese people to disobedience for so many years. Actually, this is the great wisdom of God. Because the Chinese people are in the dark experiencing the pain and torture caused by Satan for so long, they will burst into great spiritual power once they know God and are freed from Satan's slavery. As Napoleon said, the Chinese are the sleeping lions of the East. Many people in politics often cite this, but it can also be applied to spirituality. The following statement could be prophetic: the spiritual power that the Chinese bring forth after they are released from the darkness could be phenomenal.

We aren’t saying this because we are Chinese; many western Christians say the same thing. An American woman that I know said that God revealed a lot of things about China to her. She has been praying regularly for China. God told her that the last would be first. Although China is late in coming to the kingdom of God, He will profoundly use China and its people to preach the Gospel through Central Asia, the Middle East, and then to Israel.

When we compare evangelization in Europe and the United States, China lags behind. China has been consigned to disobedience for a longer time, but this doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love the Chinese people. He is sovereign and wise. Every country has a specific call and development time for the kingdom of God, whether Peter called to evangelize the Jews, Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, or Christians evangelizing the Roman Empire, Spain, Portugal, and later, the United Kingdom and the United States. The timeline and calling are God’s, and even if we don’t see Him effectively working in a country, it doesn’t mean he loves them less. In Matthew, chapter 20, Jesus told the parable of the workers in the vineyard. They were all God’s workers, some were sent into the vineyard later than others, but all were paid the same. When I said the last would be first, I wasn’t trying to exalt China. Instead, I tried to illustrate that God’s grace is priceless and His riches, wisdom, and knowledge have incredible depth. We are not competing with one another as to who is first in God’s kingdom because it’s not by our works or effort but by His grace alone that we enter.

Similarly, because the Israelites refused to accept Jesus as their Messiah, God temporarily rejected them, but not to just curse or punish them. Instead, He hoped that they would learn to be obedient to the faith through suffering, thereby having a deeper understanding and experience with Him. The Jews are like Simon the Pharisee in Luke 7 when he condemned the woman, a sinner, who offered the alabaster jar to the Lord. The Lord’s response to him was, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (ESV, Luke 7:47). This is a very profound statement.

When the Jews or we are consigned to disobedience, it is actually God’s mercy that allows us to become like that woman when we know Him and are forgiven one day. Her sins, which were many, are forgiven--for she loved much. God's plan for us in this life is to experience His love and redemption. It will take eternity for us to praise God. If it takes some time on this earth to learn this lesson, it is undoubtedly worth it. If we have been able to express our sincere gratitude and praise to God in all things in this life, it may indicate that we actually know God quite well and have a very subjective experience with Him. This principle applies to the Gentiles and also to the Jews.

Therefore, Paul exclaimed at the end of Romans 11:

11:33 (ESV) “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

11:34 (ESV) “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”

11:35 (ESV) “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”

11:36 (ESV) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Paul really knew God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge! He was full of praise for God's plans for the Israelites! How unsearchable are God’s judgments and how inscrutable His ways! For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. We can only imagine what it will be like for the Jews once their time of discipline and consignment to disobedience is over. They will praise and be grateful for coming into the full knowledge and truth of Jesus Christ. We are bound by time, but God is not. He is beyond time restraint. We must view this from eternity’s perspective. It is not about when we get into the vineyard, but it is about the bountiful grace of God being extended to anyone who enters the vineyard. In a sense, it does not matter that much WHEN you get into the vineyard. People are anxious because their mindset is still on the WHEN.

Sometimes, our loved ones face the same situation, especially in the United States. Many children from Christian families have wandered far away from God, even taking drugs and committing sins. Why does God allow these things to happen? On the one hand, it is their own choice. On the other hand, God consigned them to disobedience for some time to have mercy on them. Don't give up hope. Know the depth of the richness, wisdom, and knowledge of God! May we praise Him; May His mercy come to them when the time is up. Temporary rejection or discipline is not permanent rejection or punishment, but God's wisdom! May we rest in the Lord!

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Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 10

Romans 9 talks about the Israelites being temporarily abandoned by God. The Gentiles—who did not pursue righteousness—were instead justified by faith (Romans 9:30). Meanwhile, the Israelites who were pursuing a law that would lead to righteousness failed to reach that law (Romans 9:31). Why? And what warning does this have for Christians today?

At the beginning of our meeting, a man asked a question about Romans 10:5-8 where it says, "For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, 'Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down) or 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim)." This man’s question was, "Moses words that Paul is quoting are very difficult to articulate and understand. What exactly is Paul talking about?"

First, I shared some of my own Bible reading experiences with this man. When we read a verse in the Bible, we should also pay special attention to the preceding sentence and the following sentence. Usually, the author has his own logic as he writes. The Bible is ancient and translated from other languages, and we sometimes read it with a dull mind and a lack of illumination. We don't often understand the logic behind it. But when you pay attention to the previous and following verses, you will gradually understand what the author is saying.

Second, especially when reading the New Testament, pay close attention to the Old Testament verses the author quotes. You need to go back to the Old Testament to see the background and importance of these quoted verses, so you can understand why the author chose these particular verses out of all the verses in the Old Testament. Remember, the New Testament author's train of thought and the verses he quoted from the Old Testament may express the same meaning. Since he can only quote a few sentences and not the entire Old Testament, it is important to pay attention to the background of the Old Testament verses.

Third, we should pay special attention to the first sentence of each chapter. Although the Bible was not originally divided into chapters, the translators may have received inspiration from the Holy Spirit as they split the Bible into chapters. I feel these chapter divisions have the intention of the Holy Spirit on them. So, figuring out the first verse can help you understand the main point of the entire chapter.

We will apply three principles to answer the question raised by our brother. The first is to pay attention to context. I feel when Paul quoted the words of Moses in verses 5 through 8, it was mainly to illustrate verse 4: where it says, "It turns out that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." To illustrate verse 4, let me give you an example I have used before. When I was young and lighting firecrackers, I always put a piece of paper on the firecrackers because I was afraid to burn myself. I would light the paper, which would light firecrackers' fuse, and then the firecrackers would explode. The law is like that paper, and the people pursuing the law are like lighting the paper, which will eventually bring about an explosion, which in this case would be the coming of Jesus Christ. But if the paper's fire goes out during the burning process, the firecracker will not be ignited. Similarly, the Israelites will be able to find Christ in the process of pursuing the law because the end of the law is Christ. But if they misunderstand the law, they will not be able to find Christ.

In Luke 2, the Holy Spirit revealed to an Israelite named Simeon that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ (Luke 2:26). So when baby Jesus came to the temple, Simeon was able to recognize Him as Jesus Christ. In that same section of Scripture, the prophetess Anna also recognized the baby as Jesus Christ. Later, Peter, the disciple, a Galilean, also recognized Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). All three people were Israelites, and as a result of pursuing the law, they were able to find Christ. This should be the end of all Israelites. But many Israelites fail to recognize that Jesus is Christ. What went wrong?

Choosing Life or Death

To explain this, we need to apply the second principle. Paul's verse is from Deuteronomy 30, where Moses explained God's law to the second generation of Israelites. After telling them about God's law and God's leading for Israel, Moses instructed the Israelites to obey God's commandments and turn to the Lord with all their heart and soul (Deuteronomy 30:10).

Then in Deuteronomy 30:11-14, Moses said, "For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it." Then Moses goes on to say in verse 15, "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil."

If the Israelites obeyed God's commandments, they would be blessed; if they deviated from God's commandments and worshiped idols, they would be cursed. This is connected with the inspiration for Romans 8 and 9. We saw in Romans 8:6 where Paul said, "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." That verse can be applied here to explain this chapter. Paul is saying it is a question of how to choose. When dealing with the law, the Israelites must choose whether to obey God's law or rebel against God and worship idols, to choose between blessings and curses.

The same is true in the New Testament. We need to choose whether we will set our mind on things that are above or things that are on earth as Paul wrote in Colossians 3:2. If we think about spiritual things—things that are above—there is life and peace. But if we set our mind on the flesh, there is death. This is the theme of this passage in Deuteronomy and explains why Paul quoted Moses’ words, both here and in Romans 8.

Confessing that Jesus is Lord

In Romans 10:9-13, Paul continues to talk about verse 8: "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart." Salvation has been accomplished through Jesus Christ, not through our efforts in the flesh to keep the law. As Paul said before, "For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness" (Romans 10:3). As long as we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. In verses 11 through 13 Paul writes, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Could the truth be any clearer than this? Yet, why didn't the Israelites understand it? Why did they pursue the law and not find Christ at the end of the law like Simeon, Anna, and Peter? Is Christ wrong? No. Is the law wrong? No. So what went wrong?

Remove the Veil

This truth is implied in Paul's Old Testament quotation from Deuteronomy 30, where it states that the Israelites disobeyed and rebelled. Paul noted in Colossians 3:5 that they have chosen idols and have "covetousness in their hearts, which is idolatry". Samuel told King Saul that obeying is better than sacrifice and rebellion is equivalent to divination. In 1 Samuel 15:23 he said, "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king." When we have idols in our hearts, it means we have a veil lying over our hearts. Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 3:15-17, "Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." This passage can also be used as an explanation in Romans 10. The Israelites are very near to salvation, because salvation is in their hearts, in their mouths. So as long as their hearts turn to the Lord, the veil will be removed, and they will be able to receive God's salvation. But when a person has a veil in his heart, he will think about his own efforts and say to himself, "How is the hard work of keeping the law justified? Who will go to heaven and earth for me?" This is why Paul quoted Moses' words of heaven and earth.

Actually, there is no need to go to heaven and earth, because Jesus Christ has completed this already. As long as we believe this, we can receive His salvation.

It is a pity that people have veils over their hearts. It's like a piece of paper in a window blocking the light, causing their minds to be darkened. Therefore, it’s not that God didn’t provide salvation for the Israelites, nor is the law wrong. The Israelites had a veil over their hearts, causing them to misread the law allowing themselves to be led in the wrong direction. True obedience to the law will lead you to seek and find Christ because Christ is the end of the law.

Calling on the Name of the Lord

The third principle we mentioned above is to pay attention to the first sentence of each chapter. Romans 10:1 says, "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved." This verse fully reveals the meaning of what Paul is going to say in this chapter. Paul was anxious, and clearly, salvation was near to the Israelites. As long as their hearts turned to the Lord, the veil would be removed. If they confessed with their mouths that Jesus is Lord and believed in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead, they would be saved. Romans 10 says that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But they had a veil over their hearts and could not see the accessibility and wonder of the Lord's salvation.

When I was in the Local Church Movement, the teaching I received was that when you are preaching the gospel, you should pay special attention to calling on the name of the Lord. I have put this into practice many times. I've observed many times that I can tell whether the person is seeking the Lord by noticing whether the person is willing to call on the name of the Lord and whether the person is sincere or just pretending when calling on the name of the Lord. Most who are willing to sincerely call on the name of the Lord to pray will be most likely saved. Later, I discovered that the people who refused to call on the name of the Lord, or pretended to call on the name of the Lord but were just going through the motions, are not likely to get saved, or were not ready to receive salvation at that time.

Then in verses 14-15, Paul said, "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?" Paul revealed the burden of the gospel again. We need to receive burdens and be sent by God to preach the gospel. People will only believe when they hear the Lord's words, and only by believing will they call on the name of the Lord. Only by calling on the name of the Lord will you be saved. Paul specifically quoted the verse in the Old Testament, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" (Romans 10:15). Paul also clearly said that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17).

In verses 16-21, Paul talked about the situation in which the Israelites heard the gospel but refused to obey. In verse 16 he quoted Isaiah, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" Did the Israelites hear these words? Paul said, "But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world" (Romans 10:18). In verse 19 Paul once again quoted Moses, "I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry." He again quoted Isaiah in verses 20 and 21, "I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me." And in 21 quoted, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people."

In other words, the Israelites did hear the gospel. However, we see in verse 16 that they did not obey the gospel. The Israelite’s rebellion was idolatry, and this idol became a veil over their hearts. When they were reading the Old Testament and the Law of Moses, they misunderstood God's law thereby not finding Christ by pursuing the law.

I have used the three principles of Bible reading that I mentioned above to answer the man’s question, which was, "What exactly does Paul mean when he quoted Moses' words of heaven and earth." We should now understand that the verses Paul quoted make sense. We just needed to understand Paul’s thinking. Let me say this again: the Bible is very easy to understand; the difficulty lies in our minds being too complicated. If our minds were like children's and we didn't have a veil, the Bible would light up for us.

When I was done sharing this, the members of our study collectively sighed agreeing that this lined up with their experience. One man said that it’s terrible that we can have a veil over our hearts and not even realize it. This veil makes people think that their way is the only right way. Likewise, Paul had a veil over his heart when he was persecuting and killing God’s people thinking that he was serving God. This is sad, but true.

Examine Your Heart

Do you have a veil over your heart today? Perhaps you do and you aren’t aware of it. Do you have other idols besides God in your heart? Do you love the world? Do you rebel against God in your life? Maybe God has asked you many times to repent of certain things or forgive certain people, but you refuse to obey Him. Do we love our denomination more than we love God Himself and the entire body of Christ?

We need to fast and pray, humble ourselves before God and examine our hearts through prayer to see if we have a veil. If we have a veil, as long as our hearts turn to the Lord, the veil will be removed immediately. If we don’t know whether we have a veil on our hearts, or how to remove it, we can practice calling on the name of the Lord. Because everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. When you call on the name of the Lord over and over again, the Lord will illuminate your heart, allow you see the veil on your own heart, and let you be enlightened. The practice of calling on the name of the Lord is one of the best, simplest, and most effective practices that I learned in the Local Church Movement. It's a pity that many people don't know how beneficial this truth and practice is, and how it deserves to be promoted. Unfortunately, due to busy work schedules, many people who do know this lack sufficient practice and have lost many opportunities to be blessed.

I hope that through the study of this chapter, God can help you see the veil in your heart and remove it. Let’s practice constantly calling on the name of the Lord, asking the Lord for help, so that we can experience miraculous salvation. The most practical and effective practice is to kneel and call on the name of the Lord for more than half an hour before we do anything after we wake up in the morning. By continually calling on the name of the Lord all day long, you will be able to always live in the presence of God.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 6

The subject of Romans 6 is about being united with Christ, including the experience of death and resurrection with Christ (Romans 6:1-5). Paul specifically mentioned that our old man was crucified with Christ. The sinful flesh has already been annulled (Romans 6:6-16), so we should consider ourselves alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). Although many Christians know this truth, they often find that their old man and flesh are still very active in their experience. How do we make sense of this? Paul's explanation in verses 12-23 says that we should offer our bodies to God as instruments for righteousness and not offer them to sin as instruments for unrighteousness (Romans 6:13). In other words, as Paul said in Romans 8, "Setting our mind on the Spirit is life and peace, but setting the mind on the flesh is death." (ESV, Romans 8:6).

How do we better understand Paul's message in Romans 6? During our meeting, we cited a few examples to help our bible study members understand what Paul meant.

First of all, we must know that man is a living soul, and this living soul is the product of the combination of God's Spirit or breath and the body formed by God from dust. Genesis 2:7 (KJB) explains, "The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." The "breath of life" here can be translated as "spirit" or "God's breath." So the soul acts as an intermediary when God's breath and man's body of dust are combined. The soul can contact the material world through the body's senses, and it can also contact the spiritual world through the Spirit in a person. For example, I have had many prophetic dreams since 2015. In these dreams, I will go to heaven and paradise to watch various situations. If this is a real experience, then this should be something that happens in the Spirit. It should be an experience of contacting the spiritual world in the Spirit. But I need my soul and mind's function to remember these dreams and record them in time. Therefore, we can see that the soul helps the Spirit or uses the Spirit to contact the spiritual world.

The power of the soul is great. For example, before Adam's fall, God asked all animals to come to Adam for him to name them (Genesis 2:20). This shows that Adam's knowledge was very extensive. In the Local Church Movement, they often mention that after man's fall, the body of man will fall into the flesh, the soul will fall into selfish self, and the Spirit of man will die. This is a fascinating thought. Here, we only look at this fallen soul. The Lord Jesus said, "For whoever would save his soul-life will lose it, but whoever loses his soul-life for My sake will save it." (Luke 9:24). According to STEPBIBLE.ORG, the "life" indicated in the original text does have the meaning of "soul." There are two souls here; one is the old, fallen soul-life that must be discarded. The other is the renewed soul-life that must be gained.

After man's fall, the body did not immediately die, but the Spirit of man died. The soul of man is continuously dying. At this time, the man's soul-life is no longer the wonderful soul-life that God created. Instead, it is the fallen soul-life that is mixed with the sinful life of Satan. This is the life of the old man mentioned by Paul here in Romans 6.

God created the soul the same way Satan merged his life with man's sin producing sinful flesh. The example I gave in a previous study can still be used to explain this. Satan is like a drug dealer. If a drug dealer comes to sell drugs, and you are not weak or vulnerable, he can't deceive you. Therefore, if a person is tricked into taking drugs and becomes addicted to them, on the one hand, it is the fault of the drug dealer. On the other hand, it is also because of the weakness of the person being deceived. When these two things are combined, it can produce a drug addict. If a drug dealer came to entice you, and you refuse to give in to him, then the drug dealer has no influence over you, nor can he cause you to be an addict. When Satan's deception and the sin of Adam's rebellion are combined, it produced a sinful life, which is the man's fallen soul-life or the life of the old man that Paul mentioned. When the Lord Jesus came to accept Satan's temptation, He did not sin and therefore, did not produce this fallen life. As He said in John 14:30 (ESV), "The evil one has no claim on me."

When I was young, I used to work on a construction site. We mixed limestone and water, which caused a chemical reaction that produced the white plaster we used to renovate houses on the construction site. It was fascinating to watch the chemical reaction of two substances producing a third substance. Similarly, the combination of God's Spirit and man's body produces the soul-life, and the combination of Satan's life and the sin of man produces the fallen old man. How do we get rid of this old man's life? Satan is immortal. He will be tormented forever in the lake of fire. The purpose of Jesus' death on the cross was not to kill Satan but to dethrone him and renounce his work. How is his work renounced? It is by crucifying the old man's life, which is a combination of Satan's life and humans' sins. The old man is crucified by the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, removing human sin once for all. When human sin was removed on the cross, then the old man's life, which is the combination of human sin and Satan, no longer exists; it is dissolved. This is a spiritual truth and reality. Another way to look at it is to liken Satan to the water, human sin as limestone, and white plaster as our old man. Removing the limestone and changing it to another kind of stone that doesn't react to water will not produce the white plaster or old man.

Why do many Christians seem to operate out of their flesh and sin even after they are saved? Why can't they overcome sin? One reason would be cooperating with Satan's lies through their imaginations and living in an illusion of sin. Or perhaps they set their minds on the flesh, which the Bible says is death. Why is it that setting our minds on the flesh is death and cooperating with Satan's lies through our imaginations leads us to live according to the crucified old man?

After I left the Local Church Movement, I started to listen to many Charismatic pastors' sermons on the Internet. One of them is Mel Bond. But an example he cited left a deep impression on me. He said that human imagination is very important. Just as God can create anything, He gives people a similar creative ability. For example, we often say that there is nothing you can't do that can't be done, only things that you haven't thought of. There are often many things that you haven't thought of. If you come up with an idea, you will find that others have already done it. Even the Bible recognizes the importance of imagination. For example, when people were building the Tower of Babel, the Lord said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will be impossible for them." (ESV, Genesis 11:6). The word "propose" here can also mean "imagination." If the people united and plotted evil, even God couldn't stop it. This is why God confused their language.

Mel Bond asked, "How can we have the signs and wonders of the spiritual world, or how do we use prophetic gifts to obtain the word of knowledge and prophetic words?" He said that in addition to prayer, it was mainly through holy imagination. When we focus our imagination on the spiritual world and the presence of God, we will often be miraculously inspired and receive prophetic gifts such as prophetic words and words of knowledge.

He said that many evangelical Christians do not dare to talk about imagination for fear that they will come into contact with evil spirits after the imagination is opened up. This fear is justified, but it's not without a solution. Satan often influences our thinking and imagination through worldly and degenerate images such as TV and movies, filling our imagination full of sinful things all day long, making us prone to sin. Similarly, as Christians, we should sanctify our imagination and always set our minds on God and heavenly things. Only then will the holy imagination open the door of the spiritual world.

This is similar to the Local Church Movement's teaching of exercising the Spirit and setting the mind on the Spirit. In the Local Church Movement, special attention is paid to turning one's mind away from sin and the world through pray-reading the Lord's words, calling on the Lord's name, and other methods of exercising the Spirit. This helps a person set their mind on the Spirit, which brings life and peace. I like to sing a song composed by a brother using Colossians 3:2-4 (ESV) "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." I often sing and read this verse to help me set my mind on the Spirit and things in heaven. I also like to pray 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (ESV), "But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

When our minds are constantly focused on the Spirit and heavenly things, we unconsciously and naturally open up a sacred and holy imagination, thereby entering the kingdom of God's presence and peace. At this time, our actions in life can easily flow from the Spirit and not from the mixed life of the flesh and the fallen soul. The negative experiences happen when we don't actively focus on heavenly things and the presence of God. We live in anxiety and sorrow, ending up controlled by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life John described in 1 John 2:16.

Why? The example cited in Mel Bond's sermon can explain this. Mel Bond said that a man drove a red Ferrari to the church for a meeting one day. During the meeting, text and pictures were displayed on the big screen, showing that a red Ferrari was smashed by a passing truck. When he heard the news, he immediately experienced all kinds of negative emotions, including anger, resentment, pain, anxiety, etc. so much that if he were tested, his body would be hypersecreting hormones. He rushed out to take a look. As expected, a red Ferrari was wrecked. Taking a closer look, it turns out that the crashed Ferrari was precisely the same as his red Ferrari, but his car was still parked in another place and was in perfect condition.

After telling this story, Mel Bond asked the audience, "The man's red Ferrari was not damaged, but he began to think it was. This was a false fact. But I would like to ask because he thought his red Ferrari was damaged, was the feeling of anger, pain, and increased hormone secretion that he produced a real experience?" He said yes. Even though it was a lie that his car was wrecked, the experience in his heart caused by his imagination was completely real.

This is the story that Paul talked about in Romans 6. Our old man died on the cross with Christ. The Lord Jesus, as the spotless lamb, took away the sins of the world. So the old man's life produced by Satan who combined himself and man's sins no longer exists. This is a sacred fact. But if you think it still exists, and you live with it by imagination, you will fall into Satan's tricks, letting it continue to live out sin in you by deceiving you. The world looks as real as how the person in the above example felt the first time he saw the photo and heard the announcement that someone had damaged a red Ferrari.

Satan has no jurisdiction over you once you are saved, but he can still control you if you believe his lies. So in the past, Satan controlled people through their sins, but now Satan controls people through lies. If you believe his lies, you will still live under his control.

If you believe in a lie, you can create a false world based on this lie. If you believe in spiritual truth, such as "justification by faith," "he who believes and is baptized will be saved," you can enter a real spiritual world. Christians who received salvation have this kind of experience. If someone said to you, "you can't do anything," and you believe it, you will find that you really can't do anything. But if you believe that all things are possible with Christ, you can do all things through His power.

This is the importance of imagination. If the word imagination makes you uncomfortable, use the terminology in Romans 8 "setting the mind on the Spirit" and Colossians 3 "setting the mind on things that are above" to express the same meaning. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 say that we who behold the glory of the Lord gradually become the same image as Him. In other words, we are like a mirror. What we look at, reflect on, think, and imagine, we will become.

Bill Johnson, another Charismatic pastor, often says, "You are what you are most aware of." This means what you paid most attention to is what you will become. If you pay more attention to the glory of God and the presence of God in your life, you will slowly live in the scope of God's presence and His glory. If you pay more attention to worldly things, you will become a part of this world. If you continuously pay attention to sinful things, you will sin and become a part of sin.

What Paul said in Romans 6:12-23 is nothing more than this. In verse 13, he said that we must offer our bodies to God as instruments for righteousness, not to sin as instruments for unrighteousness. Verse 14 says that if we offer our bodies to God as instruments for righteousness, sin will have no dominion over us because we are not under the law but under the grace of God. Because we have been set free from our sins and have become slaves of God, the fruit we get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life (ESV, Romans 6:22). These experiences are Paul's way of laying the groundwork of saying, "Setting the mind on the Spirit is life and peace but setting the mind on the flesh is death" in Romans 8.

What kind of life we live today depends entirely on our choice. By the mercies of God, we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice, which is our spiritual worship (ESV, Romans 12:1). Our bodies must be offered to God as instruments of God and righteousness. You can't say you want to pray and worship God while watching worldly TV programs. This type of thinking won't work. You must separate yourself from sin, sinful behavior as well as living habits and present it to God. Second, you have to dedicate your soul and mind to God, or at least your imagination, and you should set your mind on the things above and the Spirit to live a heavenly, victorious Christian life.

Romans 7 begins to talk about the various experiences of a saved person in the flesh. Paul sighed and said, "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." (ESV, Romans 7:19). He even sighed that he was a wretched person (ESV, Romans 7:24). This was a real experience, but it was also a false experience. Why? Your imagination has not been sanctified. You are still living in the deception of the enemy. After you see this spiritual fact clearly and set your mind on the Spirit, you can enter into Paul's experience in Romans 8; you will be set free from the law of sin and death through the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:2).

One of the biggest problems of many Christians today is they set their minds on the flesh. They can live a holy and victorious life, yet they choose to offer their bodies to sin as instruments for unrighteousness or put their imagination or minds on the flesh. Combining this with Satan's deception, they live a sinful or worldly life. However, this life is an illusion. The actual spiritual reality is that Christians have already been crucified with Christ. The life of your old man no longer exists. You only need to sanctify your imagination or set your mind on the Spirit and the things above, and you will be able to be free from all the sins, failures, and weaknesses in your body and live a victorious life!

No matter what lies you believed in the past, such as "I can't do anything," "I am not good at socializing," "I am not good at doing business," "I can't overcome a certain fear," "I can never do that," "No one likes me," and so on, these words have no power in themselves. When you believe and focus on those thoughts, you create a false imagination in your mind and end up living out what you believe. I believed these lies before, but God used His miraculous salvation to bring me into the experience of healing and casting out demons. Then I was able to break countless similar lies. My life has been different from that point on.

Because I lived in a rural area in China when I was young, and my family situation was not that ideal, I believed in a lie, which was, "The reason why I am not successful is that I am the son of a farmer. Success is not in my genes." My life was in bondage because of this thinking. I experienced inner healing in my soul, broke this lie, and broke through the life that I designed for myself because of believing this lie.

Negative words can only affect you if you believe in them. Similarly, positive words can only produce positive results by combining your faith, positive thoughts, and the power of your imagination. I hope this study blesses you.

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Justification by Faith

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 4

Romans 4 continues the theme of justification by faith, which Paul introduced in Romans 1:17: "The righteous shall live by faith." (ESV) Romans 5 builds on the concepts of justification by faith which are discussed in chapter 4. Romans 5 begins, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1 ESV) Clearly, the theme of Romans 4 is “justification by faith.”

Although the chapter tells the story of Abraham and Sarah’s justification by faith, that will not be the focus of today’s discussion. Since Christians are already familiar with Abraham’s story, we will focus our time on the Psalms Paul quotes to uphold justification by faith.

David’s Words of Faith

In Romans 4:5-8, Paul says, “And to the one who does not work but believes inhim who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.’” (ESV)

In this passage, Paul quotes Psalm 32 and Psalm 51. Both Psalms were written by David after God forgave him of his sin with Bathsheba. Psalm 51 focuses on repentance while Psalm 32 focuses on gratitude.

Both David and Paul wrote both under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When Paul and other New Testament authors quote Old Testament authors, they use these Old Testament verses to illuminate New Testament themes. Old Testament truths provide a new angle on New Testament truth.

When New Testament authors quote the Old Testament, there are often some small variations between the Old Testament text and the New Testament quote. For example, Psalm 32:1-2 says: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (ESV) Paul's quotation omits the phrase, "in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

In addition, there are some translation differences between the two quotations. For instance, where the Psalm says “LORD (Jehovah),” most translations say, “the Lord.” Only some versions such as the Darby Bible and ASV still translate it as “LORD (Jehovah).”

The New Testament often uses the Old Testament as a picture that points to a New Testament reality. For example, the Old Testament crossing of the Red Sea is a vivid picture or depiction that helps us understand the New Testament concept of receiving salvation and breaking free from sin. Similarly, David's experience and his emotions in Psalm 32 may be a picture that can help us better understand the truth of "justification by faith."

David’s Repentance.

How does David's experience prove Paul's argument? We know that David was chosen by God while he was a shepherd. David, the youngest of eight siblings, was tending sheep in the wilderness. When Samuel went to the house of David's father, Jesse, to find the person God had appointed to be the next king, David was not present. Only after Samuel had met all seven other sons did he ask Jesse about his eight sons. Jesse admitted that he had one more son, who was out in the wilderness.

It seems that David really has no status in the family. Some theologians have speculated that David may have been a child of Jesse’s mistress or even an illegitimate child, since there was so much discrimination against him in his home. This conjecture makes sense. Whereas most families treasure the last child as the apple of their eye, David’s family didn’t even remember that he existed until Samuel asked if Jesse had another son. Later, when David brought food to his brothers at the battle line, David was ridiculed by his own brothers. Clearly, David was devalued within his own home.

We can’t be sure whether this conjecture is accurate. Either way, we know that David lacked status in his family. However, David went through God’s training in the wilderness. In his own words, the Lord was with him. God gave him opportunities to deepen his trust in God. When a lion or bear threatened the flock, God helped him conquer these wild animals. Later, God anointed him as king. After he rose in power, his morals began to weaken. One evening, he was walking on his palace roof when he saw a married woman bathing down below. After committing adultery with her, David murdered her husband.

After this incident, God sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke him, and he immediately repented (2 Samuel 12). The introduction to Psalm 51 records that after Nathan came to see David, David wrote Psalm 51 for the director of music.

Normally, people’s impression of David is that he is quicker to repent than Saul. When Samuel rebuked Saul for offering an unauthorized sacrifice, Saul only quibbled. He did not admit his mistake. Samuel was very angry, saying that rebellion is equivalent to idolatry and that obedience is better than sacrifice. Samuel prophesied that the Lord would take Saul’s kingdom and give it to the chosen person in His heart.

The book of 2 Samuel tells us that after Nathan reprimanded David, he immediately repented. However, Psalm 32:3-4 records a time of hesitation during which David was reluctant to repent: “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah” (ESV)

David’s reluctance to repent was very painful for him. No matter when this time of hesitation occurred, this passage gives us an important insight into David’s inner feelings. The longer he waited to confess his sins, the more he felt the pressure of God’s hands on his life.

I can relate deeply to David’s experience. When I was studying in London, England, I heard someone mention the gospel. Suddenly, I began to feel uneasy. I realized I was a sinner. I suddenly felt guilty for many things I did not even previously consider to be sins. It was a very painful experience. I didn’t know where to find relief. I would often browse my computer until midnight before I could fall asleep, and I would wake up suddenly during the night. During that time, I often ran to a nearby park at night, where I cried out with a loud voice to the sky and admitted my mistakes and sins. Even though it wasn’t raining, I felt low air pressure, as if a storm were about to come. I felt out of breath.

Later, when I reflected on this experience, I realized that God's hands were weighing heavily on me, not allowing me to get by without repentance. Since then, I have repented regularly. After I was baptized in the United States, I have knelt down on the ground every night to pray for repentance. After coming to the United States, I experienced the joy of the complete forgiveness of sins.

David also experienced this powerful spiritual experience of forgiveness. He said in Psalm 32:5-7, “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah” (ESV)

These verses describe David gradually receiving forgiveness and joy as he repented and confessed his sins. These experiences may seem like nothing special to modern Christians, but for an Old Testament saint like David, the feeling of forgiveness was unprecedented. Similarly, Martin Luther felt like forgiveness and justification by faith were a big breakthrough.

In many Psalms, David would begin writing from his human perspective. Then the Holy Spirit would come upon him, and he would speak directly from God’s point of view. This is the case in Psalm 32:8-11. In these verses, the Spirit of the Lord says through David: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (ESV)

Generational Curses.

David lived a life of purity and loved God’s law. He often boasted about his righteousness and the unrighteousness of others. Yet he committed many violations of God’s commandments with Bathsheba. For example, he broke at least three laws: do not kill, do not bear false witness, and do not commit adultery. David’s sin gave the enemy a great opportunity to discredit David’s God. This defeat was a big blow to God’s reputation.

In American society, many Christians commit sins of adultery. Randy Clark, the founder of Global Awakening and the supervisor of the "Randy Clark Scholars" Doctor of Ministry Program at the United Theological Seminary where I am studying now, admitted his struggle in this area. Though he tried his best to love the Lord, Randy fell into adultery in his younger years. After he his wife betrayed him and sinned against him, he began to be sexually immoral, even to the point of taking drugs. He later mentioned the importance of deliverance ministry in his life. After demons were cast out of Randy, he discovered that his family's ancestors had committed the same sins. It was then that he realized that he was suffering from a generational curse. After he experienced deliverance, he escaped from this curse, defeating the strongholds set up by the evil spirits. His children became godly people, and none of them have repeated this generational mistake. He testified that his children had never kissed anyone except their husband or wife.

Randy Clark comes from a Baptist background, and he attended a liberal seminary, so he didn't believe in deliverance. But his experience proved the effectiveness of deliverance. I completed the course in divine healing and deliverance that he offered at his ministry. During this period, I read many books about deliverance. One of these books suggested that David sinned because of a generational curse that could be traced back to his great-great-grandmother, the prostitute Rahab. Rahab was justified by faith and the whole family was saved when she married Salmon, an Israelite spy, and gave birth to the godly man, Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed, Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David. Boaz was a very pious man. The Bible doesn’t tell us whether Obed and Jesse sinned sexually. However, the deliverance ministry suggests that David sinned as a result of a family curse. Since Rahab was a prostitute, she interacted with many people. Naturally, she brought in many evil spirits. These evil spirits established strongholds in David’s family. Therefore, although David pursued purity throughout his life, he could not overcome the power of these evil spirits. Thus, he eventually failed.

Of course, this does not mean that David himself carries no responsibility for this act. We should not blame his sin completely on the evil spirits. But we do need to acknowledge the existence of evil spirits and generational curses. In Randy’s case, he realized that demons were involved as he saw a pattern of similar sins in his family. But once he was delivered from these demons, the pattern was broken. Randy explains that there is often more to the story than our own personal sins. We need to confess our sins, but we also need to cast the demons out. Fortunately, Christ has delivered us from the curse through his work on the cross, and deliverance ministries seek to apply that deliverance to daily life.

Not only must we believe that God is able to save us, but we must also admit our own incapacity to save ourselves. Even if our own hard work could make us pure, how would we deal with the sins of our ancestors which still flow in our blood? Our sinful nature needs the blood of Christ and his work on the cross to be removed once and for all.

Although David is an Old Testament believer, many of his experiences can be related to common New Testament phenomena. David experienced moral failure, but he has also experienced God's forgiveness and possibly the deliverance from demons or family curses. David’s life was like a roller coaster. After the depths of sin and despair, David experienced the heights of joy and forgiveness. In Psalm 32, he sighed in authentic joy: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (ESV) He experienced the joy of "justification by faith" and the deliverance from family curses and demons.

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Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 3

When we first read Romans 3, we felt that there was some confusion in the logic. For example, Paul asked a question in the first verse: "What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?" (Romans 3:1, NIV). Then he answered this question in the second verse. He said: "Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God." Logically speaking, we would then expect Paul to say: "second or third" later, but we couldn’t find the second or third in chapter 3, nor in chapters 4 or 5. When I searched online, I saw that it's not until Romans 9:4-5 before Paul talked about other advantages of the Jews. So it's not that Paul's logic is unclear. It's just that we don't understand his reasoning, making it difficult to properly interpret this chapter.

Our understanding of the Bible is often influenced by the teaching we receive. Witness Lee, a leader in the Local Church Movement where I was saved, taught that Romans, chapters 9-11 were inserted to teach about the Jews' election. This teaching deeply influenced me, so I didn't see Paul's logic here differently. I'm sure Witness Lee had reasons for teaching this. Paul's question about the advantages of the Jews began in chapter 3, was touched on in chapter 8, and continued in chapter 9. As Paul said in Romans 9:4-5 (ESV), "They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen."

Witness Lee may have talked about the other advantages of the Jews in Romans 9, but I rarely heard anyone talk about this during my thirteen years of attending there. Instead, the statement about Romans 9-11 being inserted to speak about the Jews election left a deep impression on me. So the thought came to me that maybe Romans chapters 3-8 in total were added for that purpose. I am not criticizing others here. I am just discussing how we can learn from our predecessors without limitations.

In addition to praying for God's revelation, it's important to look at and incorporate teaching from other Bible scholars who have gone on before us. There are two parts to the process of studying other people's interpretations of the Bible. One part is to understand the light that others have received; the other part is to unlearn some of the teachings we have received. We often get some of our understanding of the Scriptures from various Bible teachers. Many of these teachings are rooted in our memories and even our souls. On the one hand, these teachings help us to understand the Bible. On the other hand, they sometimes become concepts, preventing us from further understanding the Bible.

When I was in the Local Church Movement, I often encountered Christians from other churches, especially Chinese churches, who condemned the Local Church Movement and Witness Lee of teaching heresy.

I left the Local Church Movement and was led to learn the truths and pursue gifts in the Pentecostal Movement. My understanding of the Bible and some of its truths gradually differed from the teaching of the Local Church Movement, but to this day, I still disagree with the Chinese churches that condemned it. There are many things in this movement worth learning by the body of Christ. I do have a problem with some of the Local Church Movement's teaching. They stay ingrained in their own beliefs and teachings unwilling to grow and learn from other traditions or denominations. Witness Lee's understanding of the Bible in some areas isn't correct. For example, his note on "the word of knowledge," in 1 Corinthians 12 says: "The word of knowledge is the word that imparts a general knowledge of things concerning God and the Lord (8:1-7). The word of knowledge is mainly of our understanding through teaching." (Notes of the Recovery Version). This explains why I didn't understand what the word of knowledge was when I first came into contact with the Pentecostal Movement.

In the Pentecostal Movement, the miraculous message God has given to some pastors is called "the word of knowledge." I heard that Derek Prince mentioned at a healing meeting that his wife felt that God wanted to heal someone's leg. He called this the "word of knowledge." When Prophet Shawn Bolz, who is very gifted in words of knowledge, uses his gift of prophecy, many times he was able to tell the other party's bank account number, birthday, name, social security number, and other information impossible to know. His gift shocks people into believing that God exists, and often they even get saved. I've attended Shawn's meetings several times and witnessed him using words of knowledge.

The Lord Jesus miraculously knew the history of the Samaritan woman's five husbands. He had never seen Zacchaeus but knew his name (Luke 19:5). He saw Nathanael while he was still under the fig tree (John 1:48). In the Pentecostal Movement, these are generally called "words of knowledge." Witness Lee also had this experience. For example, he mentioned that under no prior knowledge, he pointed out that a person stole chalk and drew circles on the floor, causing the person to repent and be saved (Witness Lee: "Life-Study of Romans"), and during a sermon, he miraculously pointed out that a woman allowed her husband to work overtime to buy high-heeled shoes for her, which led to the woman's repentance and salvation (Witness Lee: "The Fullness of God"). He also said in another message that John Sung pointed to a woman and said that she was a mistress under unknown circumstances, causing the woman to repent after being inspired by the Holy Spirit (Witness Lee: "Practice Being One Spirit with the Lord"). According to the Pentecostal Movement, this phenomenon is called the "word of knowledge."

I think that the Pentecostal Movement's interpretation of the "word of knowledge" is correct because, generally speaking, the nine gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12 are miraculous gifts. These miraculous gifts are given by God to help evangelists, prophets, and ordinary Christians influence others to repent and come to Christ. However, Witness Lee believed that the "word of knowledge" came through our understanding and teaching. This differs from the interpretation of the Pentecostal Movement, which believes that the "word of knowledge" does not come from understanding but is a miraculous message from God.

I think that although Witness Lee studied speaking in tongues in the early days, he distanced himself from it and the Pentecostal Movement. He might have lacked the experiences or manifestations of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and did not understand what speaking in tongues meant to us today.

He criticized the Pentecostal Movement for not focusing on the growth of an individual's spiritual life. Although he was correct in this, he misunderstood the gifts of the Holy Spirit due to his lack of spiritual experience. Leaving the Local Church Movement after thirteen years to learn more about the Pentecostal Movement was difficult. It was a painful process to expand my mind to receive the truths that God was teaching me, but it was well worth it. The process of understanding the Bible is similar. We must pray that God will give us revelation, yet still be willing to learn from others who see things differently. I'm grateful for the teaching and training I received in the Local Church Movement. After leaving, I studied a variety of church movements and realize that many of the things I learned in my former church are true Biblical teachings that I highly recommend other believers to search out and glean from. Through my journey of discovery in other churches and ministries, I've examined my views and conflicting thoughts concerning several teachings that I now disagree with in the Local Church Movement.

Each time I lead our Bible study, I go through a process of sorting out the beneficial things I learned from the Local Church Movement and promote them without reservation. I then present the views that I've studied in other churches hoping to influence Christians in the Local Church Movement. I maintain an attitude of gratefulness for what I've learned there while hoping to break through the traditional restrictions that I was taught. This allows the Holy Spirit freedom to lead us to a deeper understanding of God's Word.

This process applies to every Christian group looking to break through the restrictions of their particular denomination. Each of us inherits spiritual wealth as well as restrictions from our spiritual founders. My heart is to help people see that when reading the Bible, we should be open to the Holy Spirit and be willing to learn from our predecessors and the body of Christ. We need to learn to put the teaching to practical use and not allow it to be a hindrance to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

When I read Romans 3 this time, I applied this principle. I tried to incorporate the understanding I learned from my predecessors, and look up to the renewing of the Holy Spirit.

Let's recap our discussion in Romans 1 and 2, which was the historical record of the conflict between Jews and Gentiles in early Rome. This conflict may have been severe enough that Claudius commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. It was after this incident that the Jews from the Roman Church, Priscilla, and Aquila, came to Corinth and met Paul (Acts 18:2). At this point, Paul had the burden to go and visit Rome (Acts 19:21). Paul wrote the book of Romans in Corinth because he wasn't sure if he could go to Jerusalem or reach Rome safely (Romans 1:10). It's possible that this conflict may have been extended to the church - Jewish believers had to live according to the law and even required the Gentiles to obey the law. While the Gentiles boasted of their culture, this induced conflicts. But Paul does not shy away from this. In Romans 2:24 (NIV), he quoted the Old Testament to accuse the Jewish believers, "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of them."

After Paul greeted and praised the faith of the Roman church in chapter 1 verses 1-17, he began to point out the sins of the Gentiles in verses 18-32. Romans, chapter 2, criticized the Jews. Chapter 3 continued this criticism, but its target audience was the Gentiles. Why am I saying this?

The Holy Spirit showed me that the conflict between the Jewish and Gentile believers could have been caused by erroneous Jewish teaching that led the Gentile believers to backslide. Paul tried to correct this teaching by immersing himself in the Gentile's lives and teaching them the truth.

At this point, we could speculate that Paul asked the Gentiles whether they believed the Jews had more advantages. There are some, including the fact that they were entrusted with the words of God. We had to wait until chapter 9 for him to identify other advantages. Paul seemed to act like an elder trying to stop people from arguing with one another. He spoke of the Jew's shortcomings as well as pointed out that they had a purpose in God's kingdom. Chapters 9-11 follow this train of thought as Paul talks about how God elected the Jews and the burden he had for them. From this point of view, we can see that Romans, chapters 9-11, were not inserted as Witness Lee described. It can be traced back to the beginning of chapter 3. Paul interjected his spiritual experiences and the topic of justification by faith between chapters 3-8. He shared his spiritual experiences to help the Gentiles overcome sin and the Jews to overcome the law.

Romans chapter 3 begins with the topic of justification by faith (3:28), and chapter 4 explains Abraham's experience of justification by faith in detail. Romans chapter 5 continues talking about justification by faith but brings in the viewpoint that the law was brought in so that the trespass might increase (Romans 5:20, NIV). Romans chapter 6 explains how our old man is crucified with Christ so that we may now live with Him. In Romans chapter 7, Paul describes being bound by the law of sin, and chapter 8 talks about Christ's resurrection, releasing us from the law of sin and death. Paul combines his own experience plus the truth of justification by faith, and then in chapter 9 continues his thoughts that he began in chapter 3 that the Jews were worthy of the Gentiles appreciation and acceptance. The Gentiles should be grateful that the Jews helped to pass on the Word of God, providing us with the Old Testament. In addition, Romans 9:4-5 (ESV) says, "They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen." This all ties into Paul's previous train of thought.

After Paul finished talking about the Jews, he continued to say in Romans 12 that the people of the Roman Church must "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10, NIV), submit to the authorities (Romans 13:1, NIV), and accept one other (Romans 14:1, NIV). In Chapter 15, Paul specifically mentions that he would bring the Gentile's offering to Jerusalem and bring the blessings of the Gentile churches into Jerusalem. From this, not only can we see Paul's logic, but we can also understand why Paul had to go to Jerusalem. Because of the constant conflict between Jewish believers and Gentile believers at that time, Paul was really burdened. He hoped that they could increase communication and reconcile with each other. This has a lot of spiritual significance for the United States today as the country is currently facing racial conflict.

A man in our study asked why Romans 3:8 (NIV) says, "Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is just!" Previously in verse 5, Paul said, "But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say?" There is no record in the Bible of who slandered Paul for saying "do evil that good may result," but I'm sure Paul had a reason for saying this. Although Paul had not been to Rome before and may not have communicated with the Roman Church, some leaders and believers in this church, including Priscilla and Aquila, etc., communicated with Paul, so he may have indirectly heard the slanderous claims from them.

Paul is talking about justification by faith and not because of our works. Of course, this includes good works or bad works. In Romans 3:10-18, Paul quoted the words of the Old Testament to prove that no one is righteous. In verses 19-20, he said that it is through the law that we become conscious of our sin. Only after becoming aware of our sin, can we gain righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.

Another man asked why verse 31 in chapter 3 (NIV) says, "Do we nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law." I answered him by saying that Paul was still talking about his spiritual experience in preparation for what he would say in chapter 8 about being free from the law of sin and death.

The Local Church Movement taught that the woman in Chapter 7 represents the law, and the dead husband represents the old man. When the old man dies, the new husband will be Christ. The law is not a source of trouble; the old man is.

Whether we are talking about the Old Testament Law or New Testament grace, the requirement is to love God and love others as you love yourself. The problem is when the old man is in control rather than the new man in Christ. Living according to the old man will always bring condemnation. For example, if you are trying to love your wife through the old man and can't do it, you'll be condemned for not loving her. This is how the law works. However, if you are alive in Christ, you can love your wife to the point of even laying down your life. You won't violate the law; instead, you'll perfect and strengthen the requirements of the law, which is to love your neighbor as yourself.

The strength of the Local Church Movement is to teach Christians to experience spiritual growth and the renewal of the soul so that the life of Christ can be fuller in us. This teaching would benefit everyone and is worth learning.

I also shared my spiritual experience. I talked about the hardship of ten years of infertility, the difficulties it caused in our marriage, as well as how to overcome these difficulties and achieve spiritual breakthroughs in faith and prayer. The result was having a miracle baby. My own experience also proves that not only do we have to be saved by faith, but every step of our spiritual breakthrough is also through faith. I shared how, with the help of God, I had step by step internalized into my own spiritual experience (that is ruling my life) what the law had required me from the outside. Initially, my wife asked me from the outside to love and care for her, but I couldn't do it. But with this change, I had slowly developed love and sympathy for my wife inside.

My own experience and what Paul said here are all described in Jeremiah 31:33 (ESV): "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

In other words, the law restricts and rules us from the outside. This is because we are still children, and we need the law as our guardian to discipline us. But its purpose is to bring us to Christ so that we can be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). The law must go from the outside to the inside of our hearts. In the Old Testament, the Jews only had the law outside while the law in the New Testament was to be established in our hearts. But the Jews had a veil over their hearts (2 Corinthians 3:14). Likewise, Christians today can also have a veil over their hearts. God's law, whether it is the Old Testament or the New Testament, is not wrong. It is because people's hearts have a veil, and their hearts are distorted, which led them to distort the law. Here Paul is trying to help the believers remove the veil from their hearts because he knows that when our hearts turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:16).

This statement applies not only to the Jews or Jewish believers in the early church but also to anyone in Christianity today. Is there a veil over our hearts that prevents us from further understanding the richness of God and His Word? Even the biblical knowledge and truths we learn from our Christian tradition can sometimes become veils that prevent us from further understanding God. May God have mercy on us, illuminate us, and help remove all our veils!

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Bible Study with Jairus - Leviticus 16

The man who led our Bible study on Leviticus 16 asked a good question. When the high priest stood before God and used the blood to make atonement, did the Israelites still have sin (verses 14-15)? Clearly, the sprinkling of blood only covered sin temporarily. It didn't take the sin away forever. In the New Testament, our sin was cleansed by the blood of the Lord Jesus. Why do we still sin then? In the Old Testament, Balaam prophesied that Israel was blameless in his sight (Numbers 23:21). The New Testament also says that the church is holy and blameless (Ephesians 5:27). How can we look at the Israelites and ourselves as blameless when we know that the Israelites were full of apostasy and sin, and we in the New Testament church also still sin? How can these two seemingly contradictory truths be explained? This led to a lively discussion. There is a famous Christian song titled: "I'm only a sinner saved by grace." I also mentioned this in a message. A Chinese listener sent a letter telling me that I was wrong. We are no longer sinners; we are saints. I replied to him, saying that this was translated from an English song into Chinese. The English title is: "I was a sinner saved by Grace," so this sentence is correct, but because Chinese has no tenses, naturally, the original meaning cannot be seen. There is nothing wrong with the expression in English.

If you search online, there are a large number of articles proving "You Are Not Just a Sinner Saved by Grace." I haven't read each article entirely, but it's clear that we are no longer sinners after we are saved. Peter says we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and his own special people (1 Peter 2:9). But how do we understand Paul's comment about himself being the chief of sinners?

Let's look at two aspects of truth. First, I agree that when we are saved, we are no longer sinners but saints. Once we are saved, the Bible says we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. His death on the cross provided freedom from sin for us.

We can analyze it from several aspects. 1 John 3:9 (NIV) says, "No one who is born of God will continue to sin." I was saved in the Local Church Movement. We were taught that "born of God" here refers to our spirit. Our spirit is holy and, therefore, cannot sin. But our souls and flesh have not been transformed by the life of God, so we will still sin. Because we are still in the transformation process, our soul or flesh isn't holy, which is why we can still sin. I think this makes a lot of sense.

We are composed of 3 parts: body, soul and spirit. As a believer in Christ, God has drawn a boundary that keeps Satan and sin from touching our born again spirits. Even when we sin through our mind, will, or emotions through jealousy, covetousness, etc., our spirit is protected. The same is true when we sin in our flesh, such as stealing, adultery, etc. Nothing can come against our born again spirit, which is sealed by God. When you are born again, you become one spirit with God (1 Corinthians 6:17). An unbeliever committing the same sins does not have that protection, and his spirit can die.

When we are born again, our spirit is sinless and holy. In Charismatic circles, the saying is: we are a spirit that has a soul and lives in a body. Our true new man, which is the spirit, is saved, yet our unregenerate body is still compelled to sin and taints our soul to some extent. Our spirit remains pure and holy, regardless of the body's sin.

Our body, soul, and spirit can be compared to a gold mine. Gold represents our spirit, our soul is represented by a stone, and our flesh would be like the dirt. If you are an experienced geologist or gold miner, you don't focus on the stone or the dirt all over it. You are only concerned with whether there is gold inside that stone.

Although we are born again, we still struggle with sin and tend to focus on the dirt or sin. It's hard for us to look past the dirt because we feel so bad about our sins. When God looks at us, he only sees the gold. Even though He's aware of our sin, He values us based on our pure born again spirit that was cleansed by Jesus' blood on the cross. He understands that we are in the process of allowing the dirt to be removed so that the gold can shine through the stone. We look at our problems through time, but God looks at them through eternity. His angle is entirely different.

The reason I said that we are no longer sinners but saints and holy people of God's kingdom, is viewed from the perspective of God and eternity. We were chosen before the creation of the world. We know that sin came after Genesis 3. Once we are saved, we have eternal life, and God looks at us from an eternal perspective. Although we may still sin, God knows that there is a process for us to change and be sanctified. This problem will be solved over time.

Let's illustrate this principle with another example. We often look at ourselves or fellow believers and notice shortcomings or sinful behaviors. We observe people at face value, but God looks right through us. He doesn't just see the flesh. His eyes are like an X-ray machine seeing the bones as well. Bones are often used to represent the resurrected life in the Bible, which shows us that God sees the resurrected life inside us.

It's not always easy for us to see from God's perspective. Kris Vallotton, a prophet at Bethel church in California, said: "It takes a genius to discover the greatness of another person, but it doesn't take a genius to find other's shortcomings." Kris testified that since he operated in the gift of prophecy, he often supernaturally knew the sins committed by fellow believers and would share it when he saw them. This caused a lot of hurt within the congregation. He thought he was doing what 1 Corinthians 14:25 says: "And the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you." He also thought he would be recognized as a true prophet this way, yet it had the opposite effect and caused much disagreement in the lives of those around him.

One day, God spoke to him, saying this person's sin is not the secret of his heart. He knows he is sinful. His heart's secret is that he doesn't know the hope to which I called him and the riches of the glorious inheritance that I gave him. My beautiful plans and dreams for his life are the secret of his heart. This word from God had a significant impact on Kris. He began to understand that although God told him the person's sins, it was only for him to diagnose, heal, and understand their circumstances. It was not the real message that the Lord tried to give him. The Lord's wonderful plan is for the prophet to share words of hope and encouragement, not conviction.

In many churches, there are former drug addicts and others whose lives were a mess before they were saved. It's often difficult to see the good in them and encourage them to recognize their identity and status in Christ. They need to be convinced they are no longer sinners but saints of God. When a person repents after falling into sin, it's difficult to break through the past and the nature of sin that still tries to influence their lives. Even though an individual may know in his heart that he isn't perfect, it can be even more challenging to see his own life as beautiful in the midst of his weakness or sin.

It's vital for us to see ourselves as God sees us. We are fully loved, and accepted children of God cleansed completely from all sin. A revelation of this truth will change our lives. Rather than permit us to indulge in sin, it empowers us to overcome all of our weaknesses in the flesh. What makes me say this?

The world we see is not a real-world but a short-term illusion. The Bible says that the world that can be seen is temporary, but the spiritual world that cannot be seen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). Our past sins and weaknesses are not real. They are just an illusion. But what we are in Christ is real. I'm not saying this to deny that you have sinned in the past. Rather the blood of Christ has indeed cleansed you. Though it may seem like our sin, weaknesses, and past memories are real, we are cleansed and forgiven because of what Christ did on the cross. The devil may try to tell you who you aren't, but God wants you to know who you are in Christ.

One day, I was doing a Bible study and fellowshipping with a Chinese student in a restaurant at George Washington University. We discussed Christ's work on the cross, our problem with the old sin nature, and how we should use the blood of Christ to enter into the Holy of Holies without fear. He didn't understand the concept, so I gave him the following example to explain it better. We were sitting beside a glass window at the student cafeteria's outer side, and it was raining hard outside. I compared where we were seated to the tabernacle's outer courtyard, and the dining room in front of us would be the sanctuary. When we go through the dining room door into the kitchen, we enter the Holy of Holies. When we first get saved, it's like being seated in the outer courtyard, and the heavy rain represents our past sin. It seems true in one way but not in another. Why? As we sit in this room, the glass that separates us from the pouring rain is like the cross represented by the brazen altar of the outer courtyard that separates the holy kingdom from the sinful world. Once the blood of Christ saves you through the cross, you are transferred from Satan's kingdom of darkness to God's kingdom of light. You are set free from sin! The heavy rain outside, representing sin, no longer has any power to soak you. This is a spiritual reality. Even though you are very close to the rain and can see it pouring down, it can't touch you. There is no rain or sin in God's kingdom. Although you still see it with your eyes and sense it, no longer does it have power over you.

This doesn't mean you live in denial that you were soaked by the rain in the past and can still see it pouring down through the window. It's real in one sense but illusionary in another. It's real to you because you are sitting next to the window too close to the down pouring rain. Although you aren't getting wet, it feels very real. If I were to tell you that God lives in the Holy of Holies represented by the kitchen where there is no rain, you might not believe it because you can't see it. You are too far away to see it clearly.

You will still get wet if you leave this building. Likewise, you still sin if you do not live a life in union with Christ. But you can live a sin-free life when you make Christ your shelter and hiding place. Paul calls it the habit of sin. He says, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." (Colossians 3:5). Paul meant that we have to put to death these behaviors. But he also said we died with Christ (Galatians 2:20). This seems controversial. How is it possible that you have died already but have put to death these sinful behaviors? There is no controversy here. It is like the locomotive has stopped, but the momentum of its movement is still very powerful. When I say you are a saint and sinless, it is like saying that the locomotive has stopped. Christ has put a stop to this train when He died on the cross. We do not deny that the momentum, habits, or the consequences of your sins or sinful deeds are not there. They are there, and they are powerful. But the way to overcome this powerful habit or momentum is to recognize that the train has stopped.

You think you are still a sinner because you are too close to the outer courtyard. The closer you are to God, the more holy you will be. It may not feel that way because the closer to God we get, the more we realize just how sinful we are. As new believers, it's common to have a "sin consciousness" way of thinking, often dwelling on how not to sin or overthinking our past sin. When we enter the Holy of Holies and get closer to God, we will eventually have a "God-consciousness" that rarely thinks about sin. Instead, you will focus more on God's purpose for your life and will have the ability to overcome sin and the flesh.

In other words, what we focus on the most is what we will become. For example, if we spend most of our time focusing on celebrity gossip, we will become celebrity gossip experts. If we focus on a particular game, we will become an expert in this game. If we focus on sins and weaknesses, we become experts in sins and weaknesses. Doing this often leads us into sin and weakness instead of overcoming it. But when we put our attention on God, we will be transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18). When we focus our attention on God and His victory on the cross, we will behold Him and experience greater transformation.

Remember the example earlier of the cafeteria? I used this example to demonstrate to the student how it works. As I walked into the kitchen, representing the Holy of Holies, I looked back at the heavy rain pouring outside the window. Even though I was close to God, I was still looking backward at the rain representing past sin and weaknesses. Even though I moved forward into the Holy of Holies, looking back makes me susceptible to falling because I'm not focused on the way forward. The student finally understood the problem. Many Christians fail to reach a deeper level of spirituality and victory in their lives because their focus is wrong. Their eyes need to be focused on God's greatness, His goodness, and calling on their lives rather than past sin and weakness.

Although we still need to repent and confess our sins after we are saved, we can't always be focused on how terrible our past was. That focus will only hold us back. If our heart's desire is to pursue God, we need to have an attitude of praise and recognize the victory that Christ provided for us. This type of attitude will bring much spiritual breakthrough.

The book of Hebrews also tells us that we must throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (NIV, Hebrews 12:1). We must fix our eyes on the glory ahead to run well the journey beneath our feet.

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God’s Guidance

Bible Study with Jairus – 1 Corinthians 7

Have you ever been in a situation where you faced a tough decision? How did you deal with the ambiguity and uncertainty? Often, when we don’t know what to do, we search for a dogmatic command from God to eliminate all uncertainty. However, God wants us to get to know him personally and accept his unique guidance in each specific circumstance of our lives.

Today we are going to discover that God’s word provides unchanging principles, as well as specific guidance that helps us navigate the ups and downs of life.

Avoiding Extremes.

In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul continues his discussion of sexual purity (Ch. 6) by focusing on marriage and singleness. Paul emphasizes the importance of loving God from the heart rather than merely conforming to a rule or imitating a standard. No matter our external circumstances, we must respect God from the heart.

Paul explains the dangers of two extremes. On the one hand, immorality is not good, as Paul explained in chapter 6. On the other hand, it is not helpful to completely ban natural desires. In the spiritual experience, we tend towards one of two extremes. Either we indulge the lust of the flesh, or we swing to the opposite extreme of total sexual abstinence. In the Catholic church, we see these two extremes played out. On the one hand, we see the indulgence of clergy in Catholic history, and on the other hand we see the abstinence in the monasteries later in church history.

Paul explained that spirituality does not come merely from imitating another believer’s way of life. Believers in the Corinthian church wanted to imitate Paul’s singleness, perhaps in response to the rampant immorality described in chapter 6. But Paul stated that true spirituality lies in learning to live in the Spirit in any circumstances and in always putting God first. Whether we are married or unmarried, circumcised or uncircumcised, slave or free, God does not require us to change our outward experience. Instead, he wants us to honor Him from the heart. Although Paul is single, he does not want the Corinthian believers to automatically imitate him. Instead, he wants everyone to learn to serve God according to God's guidance.

Paul’s words were aimed towards specific problems in the Corinthian church. Although God's words transcend time and space, we still must not regard Paul's words as laws and dogmas. Throughout the ages, many Christians took Paul's words as dogma, which caused a lot of harm to the church. For example, when Paul talked about the question of whether slaves should be freed, he was not at all supporting slavery. He was emphasizing that true spirituality does not lie in external imitation or in changing the outward environment, but in finding inner freedom and exalting Christ in all circumstances.

No Shortcuts to Spiritual Growth.

Understanding the context in which the biblical authors wrote these words will help us better understand the text. Through the Holy Spirit’s illumination, we can interpret God’s words accurately and avoid misunderstanding. For example, 1 Corinthians 6 discusses the issues of litigation and immorality. How does a discussion of marriage connect to these topics? 1 Corinthians 7:1 gives us a clue: "As for what you wrote, I think it is better for men not to be close to women..."

Theologians believe Paul wrote more than two epistles to the Corinthian church. Some other epistles were lost. The Corinthian church also wrote many letters to Paul, but these epistles were also lost. These verses give a clue to what the Corinthians may have asked Paul in their letters.

We know that some people in the Corinthian church were involved in immorality, but certainly not everyone was. When church problems arise, there are often certain members who are particularly disgusted with what is going on. For example, Boaz did not concur with the prostitution his mother was involved in. Jephthah, the son of another prostitute, was a judge of Israel and dedicated his daughter to keep her virgin for God. Although he swore rashly, it was definitely not accidental (Judges 11). Similarly, some believers in the Corinthian church were uncomfortable with the promiscuity all around them. Like the Catholics who reacted to sexual indulgence by forming monasteries, the Corinthians may have protested against the immorality in the church by making vows of sexual abstinence. They were eager to imitate Paul and learn to stay single. They may have asked Paul if they should stay single and lead a life of total abstinence.

In context, we see that the topic of marriage and singleness in chapter 7 are a continuation of the discussion of immorality in chapter 6. Members of the Corinthian church could not accept the behavior of the promiscuous believers, and they wanted this behavior to be corrected. But since they were spiritually immature, and their spiritual father, Paul, was single, they concluded that being single was a more spiritual way to avoid impurity.

However, Paul tells the church that his singleness was a special gift and calling of God. Without this special gift, believers would not be able to sustain their commitment to abstinence. A believer who is relying on their own sexual abstinence to please God will start to burn with passion and be easily tempted towards immorality.

Paul instructs couples to meet each other’s physical needs in order to avoid temptation (1 Corinthians 7:1-7). He counsels married couples not to sleep in separate rooms, so that Satan does not seduce them. The only exception would be when both partners agree to a short time of dedicated abstinence for the purpose of intense prayer. Paul specifically stated that his words are not commands, but suggestions. Not everyone has the gift of being single like Paul.

In verses 8-9, Paul tells the unmarried and widows that it is best for them to be single like he is. However, if they cannot control their lusts, it is better to marry. In verses 10-16, Paul discusses the topic of divorce. He says it is best that the husband and wife remain together. But if the unbelieving spouse wants to leave, let them leave. Paul’s discussion of divorce continues the conversation about avoiding immorality. Paul specifies that these directions are from the Lord, not merely his own opinion.

Paul continues, “Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.” (vs. 17, ESV). As he responds to the Corinthians’ questions, Paul acknowledges that each person's gifts and callings are different. As we pursue spirituality, we should not simply imitate another believer’s external life choices. At the same time, imitation is an important first step for every young believer. We all start our Christian lives as spiritual babies, imitating people who led us spiritually. Our spiritual parents subtly shaped our spiritual growth, and we imitate them unwittingly. This is understandable. But when our spiritual life has reached a certain stage and it’s time to enter into a deeper and more abundant spiritual life, simply imitating others is not enough. We must strengthen our fellowship with God, understand the gifts and unique calling God has given us, and then personally and subjectively follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we continue to pursue spiritual growth.

I heard a story about a spiritual sister who discipled many other ladies in their spiritual growth. This sister walked very slowly. Many people she discipled began to think that walking slowly was a manifestation of spirituality. They imitated her by deliberately walking slowly. This is not spiritual growth, but just imitation.

Another time, several Christian sisters in Korea read from the Bible that Peter walked on the water. They imitated him to show their faith. But unfortunately, they drowned. Another brother from Taiwan tried to imitate Daniel by entering the lion’s den at the zoo to show his faith. Unfortunately, he was bitten by the lion. An American pastor who saw that Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake but did not die, took a poisonous snake in his hand. Tragically, he was killed by the poisonous snake.

I cannot confirm the authenticity of these stories, but there are countless examples of such imitations. Each of these stories remind me of the Corinthians. Throughout the ages, many Christians have tried to show their faith by imitating Paul, Peter, or other saints. But they only imitated them on the outside. What seems like a shortcut to growth is actually a dead end.

In the next section of the chapter, Paul continues to contrast outward imitation with inward obedience. Paul says that obeying God’s commands matters more than outward circumcision (verse 18). Today, Christians easily accept the fact that circumcision is not required. But for Jewish believers, this assertion was a major betrayal of all they had learned throughout Jewish history. The topic of circumcision led to many disputes between Jewish believers and Gentile believers. However, Paul emphasized that external surgery (circumcision) had no real impact on the heart.

There are no shortcuts to spiritual growth. We must not rely on imitating other believers’ outward choices. Instead, we should get to know God personally and ask him what his will is for our life.

Slavery

In verses 21-22, Paul seems to imply that slaves who were believers should not seek freedom. Paul explains, “Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called. Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.” (BSB) Many believers in history have misused these verses, asserting that Paul was supporting slavery. This opinion comes from a legalistic, dogmatic interpretation of Paul’s words. What Paul meant was that true spirituality does not lie in external behavioral changes. We don’t please God by changing our environment or our identity, but through worshiping God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

God’s Guidance.

In verse 25, Paul shares his opinion about singleness. He seems to encourage individuals to stay single, even encouraging those without wives not to seek wives (verse 27). Verse 38 says, "It is good to ask your virgin daughter to marry, and it is better not to ask her to marry" (verse 38). Paul also said that although widows can remarry, it is best to preserve chastity (verse 39). Paul mentions that though his opinions do not reflect a specific command from the Lord, they are guided by the Spirit of God (verse 40).

Though Paul seems to lean towards the opinion that virgins and widows should not marry, we must look at these words in the overall context of the chapter. Paul's desire is to encourage people to learn how to best serve the Lord in their own environment. For example, he instructed people who are bound to marriage to stay faithful to that commitment (vs. 27). If you are married, you understand that marriage is full of difficulty. Many people are eager to be free from the commitment to each other. Many couples don’t seek a divorce because they want to commit immorality with someone else. They simply are tired of the difficulty of getting along with another person. Corinthian believers may have raised the issue of singleness because they wanted to break free from the bondage of marriage. However, Paul clearly told them that those who are married should stay faithful to that commitment.

Paul said in verse 26, "Because of the current hardship, I think it is best for people to maintain the status quo." The Holy Spirit highlighted the words "the current hardship.” What does Paul mean by this phrase?

Even though the United States is a Christian country, Christians still feel great pressure from the secular world. Similarly, the brand-new Corinthian church faced powerful social pressures toward idolatry, secularization, and immorality. The pressure they faced were even greater than the pressure Americans face in their “Christian” nation.

Corinthian believers experienced pressure from the outside, as well as from the inside. Their own weaknesses caused spiritual problems. Therefore, in their specific situation, Paul advised them to maintain the status quo. Perhaps the " current hardship " referred to the secular pressure faced by the Corinthian church at the time.

When the Lord Jesus was on earth, some Pharisees tested Jesus by asking if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus quoted Genesis 2:24, where God commanded the husband and wife to unite and become one flesh. Jesus explained that in the beginning, divorce was not God’s plan. Because of the hardness of Israelites’ heart, Moses allowed them to divorce their wives (Matthew 19:8).

In this chapter, Jesus explains the difference between the overarching principle established by God, and the unique methods that we deal with problems in special circumstances. Christians often make the mistake of reading about God’s unique ways of dealing with special circumstances, and then applying those solutions as universal principles from God. The words of the Bible are undoubtedly from God’s inspiration, but some words clarify divine nature and overarching principles, while other words clarify God's guidance in a certain situation.

Therefore, we need both Bible teachers and prophets in the church. Bible teachers help us understand God's word, nature and principles. Prophets help us obtain God’s timely words about how to deal with special situations. We must understand the true meaning of God's words in the Spirit, and we must not misinterpret God’s words. We need to understand God's words in light of the linguistic context and target audience at the time. I absolutely believe that the words of the Bible are the breath of God and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. However, when we actually apply it, we also need to pray to God and receive revelation from the Holy Spirit on how to apply it to our lives. For example, Paul’s encouragement towards singleness was specifically related to the "current hardship" they faced in their unique circumstances.

When we use the word of God, we need to avoid dogmatism and legalism. I once heard a parable about a believer who decided to read God’s words and literally obey every word. For example, when he reads about giving alms to others, he gives alms to others. When he reads that he should love his neighbor, he will love his neighbor. He is very dogmatic and stubborn, literally imitating every Bible character he reads about. One day, he read that the Bible says that Judas went out and hanged himself. He did not know what to do. Although this story is a joke, it demonstrates that we should not interpret God’s words mechanically, out of context. We should interpret them in context in accordance with the personal guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

As we interpret God’s word, we must make a distinction between God’s nature and principles, and his specific guidance for special circumstances. For example, Scripture tells us about God’s overarching principle of purity. God is not pleased with sexual immorality. This principle applies to anyone at any time. In the same way, God's principle unites a man and a woman in marriage for life. God’s unchanging character values purity and faithfulness in marriage.

But does this mean that people can never get a divorce? No. The Lord Jesus explained that spouses should not separate unless one partner is unfaithful. If a husband or wife commits the crime of fornication, divorce is permissible. Paul also added that if an unbelieving spouse insists on leaving, believers can get divorced. God provides guidance for these specific situations. Each person's situation is different, so God's guidance for each person is also different.

The same principles apply to the decision to marry or stay single. From Paul’s personal point of view, it is better to remain single. But he explains that this is not an issue of God’s nature and principles, but of specific guidance. God may lead a person to remain a virgin, like he led Paul. He may lead another person to marry, establish a family, and have children. God provides different guidance to different people.

Paul was an apostle and a pioneer of the gospel. If he had a wife or children, it might prevent him from preaching the gospel unhindered. Practical considerations and worry for his family would hinder his gospel ministry. But for a person serving as a pastor in a local church, getting married and having children could be a good thing. Having a family enables the pastor to serve not only brothers in Christ, but also sisters and children. Because of their experience in married life, they can serve everyone.

Living a Life that is Free from Worry

At the end of the chapter, Paul shares some fascinating verses that appear to be contradictory at first glance. Paul says, “What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing; and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away." (BSB)

What is Paul trying to say here? Verse 32 to provides some insight: “I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.” Paul wants us to be free from worry so we can focus on the Lord. Ultimately, Paul is not concerned with whether or not you are married, whether or not you decide to make a purchase, and whether or not you are happy. He is concerned that you are free from worldly worry and care. He wants us to have nothing to worry about so we can worry about the things of the Lord.

Paul’s words provide a powerful word of encouragement to believers today. Many American churches today are full of worries. These worries distract us and keep us away from the Lord. What is the solution? Do we need to swing to the opposite extreme, resign from work, divorce our spouses, stay single, and live in a monastery? No, God wants us to turn our hearts to him in all circumstances.

As we allow the Lord to reign in our daily lives, we will learn to please Him. Rather than imitating other people externally, we must follow God alone according to the specific gift, calling and guidance that God gives us. We must not treat God’s words mechanically and dogmatically, turning them into "laws" for beating people over the head.

I trust these words have been an encouragement to you. God offers you a personal relationship with him and personal guidance in your unique circumstances. Open yourself to his loving guidance today.

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Closeness with God through Prayer

Bible Study with Jairus - Numbers 28

Habits of Gratitude and Prayer

Have you ever been speeding through a parking lot when your car suddenly jolted, bouncing violently up and down? You hit a speed bump. The purpose of speed bumps is to force us to slow down our vehicle and pay attention to our surroundings. In the same way, God has created rhythms and healthy rituals that help his people slow down and focus on him. That’s the message of Numbers 28.

This chapter explains the habit of morning and evening sacrifices, as well as the special offerings during sacred festivals. In the New Testament, believers offer prayers to God instead of sacrifices. Revelation 5:8 says that the elders in heaven were “holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people.” (NIV) In other words, our prayers are the offerings that we present to God each morning and evening.

In addition to daily prayers, we may fast once a week or set aside a few days each month to pray. Having special dedicated times to come close to God allows us to offer more to God and maintain an intimate relationship with Him. Believers are not required to observe Israelite festivals, but they may choose to do so if these festivals help them to slow down and focus on the Lord. I believe that the purpose of festivals is to allow us to slow down and focus on God rather than to obey the laws. This is the goal. When we slow down, still our hearts, and draw near to God in silence, our lives are changed. As we offer our prayers to God, we experience the closeness of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Numbers 28 gives us details about the Israelites’ offerings (vs 2). The people were to offer regular offerings (verses 3-8), a burnt offering every Sabbath (verses 9-10), a burnt offering at the beginning of each month (verses 11-15), burnt offerings for seven days after the Lord’s Passover (verses 16-25), and a burnt offering at the Feast of Weeks (also known as Festival of Harvest and Pentecost). In Numbers 29, the people were to offer a burnt offering at the Feast of Trumpets (verses 1-6), a burnt offering on the Day of Atonement (verses 7-11), and a burnt offering at the Festival of Booths (verses 12-38). These offerings cover all of Israel's festivals throughout the year.

The goal of these offerings is not to cover Israel’s sins, but to offer a pleasing aroma to God. Verse 2 says, “Command the people of Israel and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for my food offerings, my pleasing aroma, you shall be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.’” This verse clearly states that the aroma of these food offerings brought God pleasure, just like he was pleased by the aroma of Noah's offerings (Genesis 8:21). In the Old Testament, the pleasing aroma of burnt offerings is always mentioned.

But in the New Testament, we no longer offer bulls and lambs. Instead, we rely on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Hebrew 13:15 says, “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” This verse clearly states that when we offer our grateful prayers to God through Jesus Christ, they become worthy sacrifices. This kind of praise brings joy to God. Ephesians 5:20 also says, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Psalms 100:4 says, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Thanksgiving allows us to enter the door of God’s tabernacle (the outer court), and praise allows us to enter the inner court (the Holy Place). Thanksgiving is an entrance into the gate, and praise brings us a step further into God's dwelling place. We can enter directly into God's presence when we worship him, as if we were in the Holy of Holies itself. Many people refer to "thanksgiving," "praise," and "worship" as the three steps to enter God's presence.

Every skill we learn requires practice, and practice leads to mastery. Through practice, we develop habits. This is the reason God instituted festivals. At these appointed feasts, God’s people would bring offerings with pleasing aromas. God’s purpose was to assist Israel in developing good habits. The Chinese believe that once you develop a habit, it becomes second nature to you. After we've formed a habit, it will eventually become a part of our lives and personalities. At the end of the day, this habit will determine what kind of life we are going to have. For example, if we have a habit of going to the movies every Sunday but never attend church services, this habit will lead to a worldly lifestyle. However, if we make it a habit to attend church every Sunday, we will develop a more spiritual lifestyle over time.

New believers have formed many worldly habits and are not accustomed to approaching God's presence with thanksgiving, praise, and worship. That is why it is critical to assist these new Christians in developing good spiritual habits.

Thanks to God’s mercy, I was taught good spiritual habits soon after being saved. I was saved in the Local Church Movement, a denomination that places a strong emphasis on spiritual practices. Morning prayers (praying and reading the Bible in the morning) and evening prayers are two of these spiritual practices. They also taught us that Christians should pray three times a day (morning, afternoon, and night) like Daniel. When I first believed in God, I was 27 years old and did not have the habit of praying in the morning. As a result, an older brother called me every morning and prayed with me in the morning. We prayed and read the Bible together. At first, I couldn't get out of bed on time. However, this elderly brother insisted on calling me every morning. If I did not wake up on time, he left voice messages saying that he was praying for me and blessing me. I eventually developed the habit of praying in the morning. This habit does not develop overnight. It takes time to establish these habits, practices, and rhythms of the Christian life.

With the help of the Local Church Movement, I also began a habit of praying at night. In our church, we had a dormitory called “Brothers House.” It was designed specifically for Christian young men. When I lived there, older Christian brothers would frequently visit our dorm, read the Bible with us, and pray with us at night. As a result, we eventually developed the habit of praying at night.

Metaphors and Pictures of Salvation

We often say that the Old Testament is a picture and the New Testament is the reality. The Old Testament stories are pictures of Christians' spiritual experiences in the New Testament. For example, we all know that the image of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea in the Old Testament describes the experience of salvation as we journey from darkness to light.

Similarly, Numbers 28:3-8 expounds on the rules for daily morning and evening offerings. This is a spiritual picture of the morning and evening prayers that I previously mentioned. Every day, two male lambs with no blemishes would be offered to God. One lamb would be offered in the morning, and the other lamb would be offered at twilight. These lambs represent Jesus Christ, our flawless offering. These are the offerings we make in the morning and at night, along with grain offerings and drink offerings.

My Story of Fervent Prayer

Before we go further in the chapter, I want to tell my own story of daily prayers. During the ten years that I was infertile, I prayed diligently and fervently for a child. For many years, I would take a midday walk every day. In my prayers, I offered myself (burnt offering), repented (sin offering), was contrite for my sins (guilt offering), maintained my fellowship with God (peace offering), and experienced growth in my character and experience of salvation (grain offering). For a period of several years, I continued to make various offerings through prayer. After a certain period of prayer, I moved the heart of God.

One day in 2016, I met an English prophet. She told me that she felt God had some words to say to me. She didn't know who I was, but she felt God telling her that I prayed often and offered myself to God, and that my offering was very pure and pleasing to God. Her prophetic words were very comforting to me, reassuring me that prophetic gifts are real. Though I had never told her about my prayers, she was able to reveal my hidden situation. Her words assured me that God heard my prayers. Another Korean prophet stated, “God has given you difficulty in exchange for your prayers. God will answer your prayers when the cup of prayers is full.”

During that time, in addition to praying regularly in the morning and at night, I spent extra time praying during the day. I felt close to God during these prayer times. These moments of prayers felt very sweet. Not only did I feel like I was in God’s presence, but I even felt like I was in the clouds a few times. The feelings of being with God was so real. If I hadn’t had these trials in my life, I wouldn't have had as much time for prayer or as much sweet communication with God in prayer. I wouldn’t have been able to offer God so many offerings with a pleasing aroma that satisfied him. The more time we devote to prayer, the more spiritual offerings we will be able to make. Each offering will emit a pleasing aroma that satisfies God.

Details of the Offerings

Why are there so many special offerings at festivals and on special occasions, when we have offerings every morning and night?

As a morning and evening offering, the Israelites offered two male lambs a year old, a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, and a quarter of a hin of beaten oil, respectively. However, the number of offerings at festivals is much greater. This implies that the time devoted to the offerings (correlating to the time devoted to prayer) for special festivals will be much more. Two male lambs were offered for Sabbath day offerings, and the amount of fine flour was increased to two tenths of an ephah. The change in the amount of wine for the drink offering is not mentioned.

At the beginning of the month, Israelites offered even more sacrificial animals. Two male bulls, one male ram and seven male lambs were offered as a burnt offering at the beginning of each new month. The amount of flour for grain offerings was also increased. For each male bull, three tenths of an ephah of fine flour and half a hin of wine were required. The number of rams was the same as for the Sabbath offering. This offering required two tenths of an ephah of fine flour, and the volume of wine was increased to one third of a hin.

A tenth of an ephah of fine flour and a quarter of a hin of wine were required for each ram. This requirement matches the requirement for the morning and evening offerings. In addition, one male goat was required as a sin offering to the Lord. At the beginning of each month, many more sacrifices were required than on the Sabbath.

The burnt offering after the Passover and the corresponding amount of fine flour are the same as the offerings at the beginning of each month, except that this ceremony lasts for seven days. As a result, the total number of offerings is greater.

Seven days after the Lord’s Passover, the Israelites offered the same sacrifices as they offered at the beginning of the month and the day after Passover.

At the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement, the Israelites offered the same number of sacrificial animals (Chapter 29). However, the number increases for the Festival of Booths. The first day, the Israelites offered thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old. These offerings were offered seven days in a row. The number of male rams and male lambs did not change, but the number of male bulls decreased by one every day. The quantity of male bulls are 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 and 1 respectively.

The number of sacrificial animals increases incrementally. From the daily sacrifices on the one end of the spectrum to the Festival of Booths on the other end, this increasing trend in the number of offerings indicates that the more time we devote to prayer, the more offerings with pleasing aromas are offered to God, bringing God pleasure.

The first time I read this chapter, I didn’t realize that these words conveyed an important insight about today's spiritual experience. Later, I could see that this picture tells us to set aside more time to dedicate specifically to prayer. After receiving this revelation from the Holy Spirit, I noticed that the amount of time I set aside for prayer had been dwindling in recent days. Every day is such a busy day. Although I still pray in the morning and at night, my prayers don’t last as long. As a result, I miss my previous feelings of being close to God. Even as I urge my brothers and sisters to devote more time to prayer, I am also reminding myself to seek God more and more every day.

Should we observe Jewish festivals?

A woman in our study asked a good question: “Many Chinese Christians advocate for the observance of Jewish festivals, but other churches are opposed to this idea. So, should we observe Jewish festivals or not?”

I said, “Based on my observations, most Protestants follow Martin Luther, who was an Anti-Semitic. As a result, he ignored Jewish culture and went to an extreme in his interpretation of Paul’s writing. But in the Charismatic church, some prophets and pastors modified Luther’s belief. For instance, American prophet Kat Kerr testified that she saw Jewish festivals in heaven. Another prophet, Chuck Pierce, even teaches people that the Jewish calendar has implications for prophecy about the timing and wisdom of God’s actions. Thus, he consistently teaches the truth about Jewish festivals. Many of his teachings have been translated into Chinese, and as a result, many Christians from Chinese churches may begin to support Jewish festivals.

But Paul was clear in his words. He said, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17). Paul also said, “The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God” (Romans 14:6). Clearly, Paul teaches that we all have freedom to choose whether we observe or do not observe these feasts. If you choose to observe a particular day, you do so in God's name. But you also have the option of not observing these days. As Christians, we must embrace each other, no matter what our beliefs on this matter. Today, our observance of the feasts is just a shadow of what is to come. Jesus Christ is the reality (Colossians 2:17). The reality is to enjoy freedom and peace in Jesus Christ and to have close communion with God.

A godly man once said, “God’s greatest desire is for us to have fellowship with Him through Jesus Christ.” But how can we have an intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ if we do not pray? How can we know God if we do not prioritize making time for prayer? A brief and fleeting prayer may be a means of communicating with God, but it does not provide a context for closeness and depth. So, whether we’re learning from the increasing numbers of sacrifices in the Old Testament or the various commands to pray in the New Testament, our goal is to have more and more time to speak with God through Christ so that we can present more and more spiritual offerings. The best offerings we can offer God are our prayers. Our prayers and praises produce a lovely aroma that pleases God.

When Chinese Christians celebrate Jewish festivals do they do it only because others do it, or do they do it because they genuinely want to grow closer to God? I have no objections to Christians participating in Jewish festivals, but I hope we can all appreciate that the purpose of festivals is to allow us to take time out of our busy lives to pray and give offerings to God. If we want to observe Jewish festivals so we can devote more time to prayer, why not? If the purpose of observing Jewish festivals is just a ritual or a religion, then we have no basis for observing them.

At the start of Covid-19, I fasted and prayed for a certain amount of time every day at mid-day. These special times of fasting and prayer led to spiritual breakthroughs.

In addition, South Korean minister Yonggi Cho promotes Prayer Mountains, which is the practice of devoting time to being close to God and praying to Him. The practice of Prayer Mountain is taught in many American churches. The author of Heaven Awaits the Brides, Anna Rountree, testified that her church practices Prayer Mountains. If we are unable to go to the mountains to pray, we can always pray in our own closet at home. Let us take time out of our busy lives to come closer to God and make offerings that are acceptable to Him.

Remember that the more time we devote to prayer, the closer our fellowship with God becomes, and the more we can offer a pleasing aroma to God. This is a habit that we must cultivate.

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Bible Study with Jairus – 1 Corinthians 5

Seeing With Spiritual Eyes

We are challenged when reading 1 Corinthians 5 because the Corinthians were arrogant (weak in dealing with the wicked and arrogant towards God) and did not remove the wicked from their midst. Paul’s spirit gathered with them there, and only after Paul judged the wicked in the spirit was the wicked removed. Similarly, today the church is arrogant (weak in dealing with sin and arrogant towards God). The church is accommodating to wicked people and wickedness, so the Spirit of God comes to intervene in order to drive the wicked people and wickedness out. The coronavirus pandemic and the difficulties of this year are all for this purpose. All things work together to drive the wicked people and the wickedness out of the church and other sectors of society so the church can be pure and revival can come.

Arrogance and Compromise in the Church In the study of the last chapter, we noted that Paul mentioned three times that the Corinthians were arrogant (1 Corinthians 4:6, 18, 19). They were arrogant towards each other, shown in how they belittled and despised others (4:6); or thought that Paul would not come to the Corinthian church, so they were arrogant (18-19). But Chapter 5 says that the Corinthians were arrogant and did not remove the wicked who were sexually immoral from the church. How are we to understand this arrogance? Let us look at the example of Eli. When God criticized Eli, he said that Eli had more respect for his son than for God, so God had to discipline him severely. From this story, we can see that to respect people more than we respect God is actually a kind of arrogance. Eli didn’t discipline his son severely -- he accommodated his own son in his flesh. The Corinthian church did not drive out the sinners, but also accommodated sin and the flesh in the church, so in the eyes of God and Paul, they were arrogant.

Don’t we have similar examples in modern churches? In some churches in the United States, in order to be "User Friendly," they dare not criticize sin. The church has gradually compromised with sin and become like Eli and the Corinthian Church in the eyes of God.

Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 4 that some people became arrogant when they thought Paul was not physically going to the Corinthian church. We don't know where Paul was at the time, but it seems that he could not go to the Corinthian church physically. Chapter 5:3-5 (Recovery Version) says: "For I, on my part, though being absent in the body but present in the spirit, have already judged, as if being present, him who has thus done this, in the name of our Lord Jesus, when you and my spirit have been assembled, with the power of our Lord Jesus, to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." This has the same meaning as the ESV. The ESV says "For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." Paul’s spirit and the Corinthians gather. But the Chinese Union Version translation is: "Although my body is not with you, my heart is with you, as if I am personally with you. I have already judged those who do this. My heart is also there, in the name of our Lord Jesus, with the power of our Lord Jesus, to hand over such a person to Satan and corrupt his flesh so that his soul can be saved in the day of Lord Jesus." The translation of the Chinese Union Version does not clearly state that “Paul’s spirit assembles with the Corinthians,” but uses a metaphor by saying his heart was with them.

(A note about translation tools: One of my New Testament professors at United Theological Seminary told me that many theologians believe that the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) is one of the most accurate translations of the original text, so we were required to do all exegetical tasks with this version. Because some students in the seminary did not understand the original Hebrew and the original Greek, she also recommended using STEPBIBLE.ORG. This website has a word-by-word explanation of the original text, which is very convenient for reference when you understand English but do not understand the original text of the Bible. The website has only the English Standard Version, but she said that the accuracy of the translation of the English Standard Version is comparable to that of the New English Revised Version, so it is still beneficial.)

An Out of Body Experience? Let’s focus on verse 5 in the ESV. This experience in which Paul says his spirit is present seems to be an experience like "transformation." We need to study this experience more in order to have a fuller picture of what this chapter is saying. The Bible records the experience of Philip being caught away (Acts 8:30) where Philip's body was raptured, because people later saw Philip elsewhere. But Paul's experience here may only be that he was brought to the gathering of the Corinthian church in the spirit. Many believers in the Charismatic Movement have had such experiences, but many Evangelical brothers and sisters are more cautious about this. I personally have had many such experiences in my dreams. It is like my body did not go to these gatherings, but in my dreams, I attended gatherings of different churches in China. In these gatherings, I not only heard what they said, but also had dialogues and conversations with many people. I have had such experiences often. What is even more strange is that I not only participate in these gatherings, but I also eat and drink with the people in them. From the Biblical example and my personal experience, plus the similar testimonies of many people, I am inclined to believe that this was the experience of Paul being brought to the Corinthian church by God in the Spirit.

Paul mentioned in the fourth chapter that because he could not go to the Corinthian church, some people were arrogant. Perhaps he prayed eagerly to God, and the Spirit of God lifted his spirit to participate in the gathering of the Corinthian Church where he judged the evil man. I personally think that this did not happen in a real and physical meeting, but was something that happened in the spirit. If it was something that happened in a real meeting, Paul would not need to write to the Corinthians and ask them to remove the wicked person from among them.

The world we live in is a material world, which is visible, but we also have a spiritual world. It is invisible, but it is real. Often what happens in the physical realm is a reaction to what happens in the spiritual realm. And since our spiritual man often receives something first, our soul and body may not be able to keep up. But the close connection between the spiritual world and the material world cannot be denied. Our communication and the links between the two may be beyond our imagination, especially when it comes to the spiritual world.

The Importance of Connections We know that even the plants in the forest can transmit information through various methods. Animals can send information to the same species or to enemies through roaring, feces, and so on. If people stay together for a long time, they also pass on information to each other. Some people say that after a couple lives together for a long time, they can transmit hormones to each other. So if a husband and wife sleep in separate rooms, you will find that they become alienated from each other after a long time, which could be the lack of such hormone transmission. In the spiritual world, we may also have a strong connection with the Spirit of God, the spirits of other Christians, and even evil spirits.

I once studied the Deliverance Ministry systematically. In the Deliverance Ministry, there is a concept called the "ungodly soul tie." The concept is that if a believer has some ungodly tie with others, such as extramarital sex, he or she will have ungodly soul ties with others. Although you may not have contact with them on the outside anymore, (as in these things happened before you were married or saved), you may still have ungodly soul ties with them. Therefore, the ungodly soul tie becomes a channel for the evil spirits of the opponent to attack you. In other words, if you have ever had this kind of sexual contact with others, but you have not cut the ungodly soul tie through the work of exorcising evil spirits and praying for repentance, the evil spirits from the other party are free to attack you. The Chinese saying "the lotus root snaps but the fibers don’t break" can describe this picture very well. Although your relationship is broken, the relationship in your soul hasn't broken yet. Therefore, in the Deliverance Ministry, the special teaching is to cut the ungodly soul tie to help Christians be released from the bondage of evil spirits. There is a normal soul tie between husband and wife and family. But once one party in this tie is tainted, it will also bring damage to the other parties. For example, although we do not need to bear the sins committed by our ancestors, the sins committed by our ancestors will bring us a family curse. Therefore, the Deliverance Ministry also specifically teaches breaking your family curse through prayer and repentance for the sins of your ancestors.

In addition, the example of blood is also a good illustration. Our blood circulates in our body, supplying the different parts, even all the way through our limbs. But once a limb is injured, it needs to be disinfected in time so that the wound can heal as soon as possible. If the wound cannot be treated and disinfected in time, the germs will spread to the entire body of the person through the blood. Each of us in the Body of Christ is part of the circulation of the blood of this divine life. If a person commits a sin and does not deal with it, it will bring the sin into the entire blood circulation, thus causing the entire body to be injured or even die. Paul said, “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (1 Corinthians 5:6). He also said, “Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written ’The two will become one flesh.’ But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him "(1 Corinthians 6:16-17). Paul’s words in these two places have the same meaning. When we have a normal tie with God and an ungodly tie with others, we must cut off our ungodly tie with others. Because we have a physical tie with a person, we become one with that person. We are tied to the Lord, and we are also one spirit with the Lord in the Spirit. It really is true that the depths of the links of our flesh, soul, and spirit are beyond our imagination.

The difficulty is that, for many of us, our spiritual eyes are not opened; we cannot see what is happening in the spiritual world. For example, when we often watch movies full of foul language, the foul language will pollute our souls and tie our souls with the evil spirits behind the foul language, thus giving the enemy a chance to attack us. It even gives evil spirits a chance to enter us. I used to have to watch certain videos because of my work as a translator, but these videos had some foul language, which made me very uncomfortable. One time I prayed to God to cleanse my soul. As a result, I had a dream at night and found that my hands were covered in green stool. And I saw that there was a cesspool in front of me. Some people were immersed in it. They were still very satisfied, but I felt very sick. Then the Holy Spirit said to me, the foul language is like green stool. Once it contaminates your soul, it is difficult to clean off, so it is best to stay away from it. This dream made me deeply disturbed, so I stopped accepting these kinds of film translation jobs. Although I got some income through these jobs and supported my work of serving the Lord, in the end, I looked past money and refused to let the foul language contaminate my soul. Because God opened my spiritual eyes, I saw that the foul language and uncleanliness would bring great obstacles to my prayers and spiritual life. I won! The opening of our spiritual eyes to see what is happening in the spiritual world is very important.

Similarly, did Paul's gathering with the Corinthians in the spirit really happen in the material world, like the rapture of Philip? It seems that this is not the case, but something that happened in the spirit. If it happened in the spirit, did the Corinthians feel it? I believe that the Corinthians did not see Paul in the flesh or through the naked eye, but it does not mean that this matter did not happen in the spirit. Many things often happen in the spiritual world, but we don't perceive it. For example, Hebrews 12 says that many saints in glory look down at us from the sky like clouds, but most of us do not see the saints in their glory. This does not mean that it did not happen.

Reassurance for Today Paul's gathering with them in the spirit, as well as his spiritual judgment on the evil man and his epistles, are important reasons that led to the final repentance of the Corinthian church. Why was the Corinthian church unable to drive out the evil man? Because they lived in the flesh, and their leaders also lived in the flesh. They exalted Paul or Apollos, but in fact, they were competing for leadership. These leaders may also have had a certain natural relationship with this sinful man. They could not stand up and remove this wicked person from the church. Therefore, the situation caused Paul to judge the evil man after gathering with them in spirit, and he finally helped the Corinthian church drive him out or chastise him for repentance.

Likewise, the Spirit of God is with us in every meeting today. Even if Paul gathering with the Corinthians in the spirit is still controversial, it is still an indisputable fact that the Spirit of God is with us in our meetings today. But can we all feel and see the spirit? Not necessarily. We also need God to open our spiritual eyes to see.

Through countless dreams, God has told me that a world-wide gospel revival is coming. Before this revival, God must cast out the wicked who are in power in various fields, including politics, economics, and religion; and place those who love God in a godly way in such leadership positions. Only in this way can a political, economic, and religious environment conducive to the spread of the gospel be established. But when we look at it, we see many wicked people in power. In most cases, we are as powerless, unable, or even unwilling to drive them out, just like the Corinthians. But the Spirit of God is gathering with us to judge these wicked people. These wicked people will soon be driven out from all fields, making way for those who love God. Such changes will not only happen in the United States’ democratic society, but also in countries such as China and North Korea that live in a totalitarian society. In my visions, I have even seen a great revival in China where China changed into a democratic country.

The reality we see on the outside is often the opposite of the spiritual reality. But we cannot see the spiritual reality with our eyes; we must see it with our spiritual eyes to see the truth. In this way, we can be full of confidence and hope for God's promise.

Written by Sean Song on 5/13/2021

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Knowing Christ Intimately: The Peace Offering

Bible Study with Jairus – Leviticus 3

Have you ever wished you could develop a more intimate relationship with God?

Leviticus 3 gives us a tangible example of ever-increasing closeness to God. As worshipers offered their sacrifices--smaller lambs and goats and larger cattle--they depicted the experience of growing closer and closer in our relationship to God. Let’s discover how a deeper understanding of the sacrificial animals can enrich our Christian lives today.

The purpose of the peace offering is to allow Man and God to commune and enjoy peace with one another. God enjoys our prayers like a sweet perfume. We enjoy God's presence and gain strength from Him. The Bible tells us that “through Him (Christ) we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” (Ephesians 2:18 ESV).

We each attain access to God through Jesus, but each of us experiences a different depth of communion with God. For example, a person who prays briefly for ten minutes a day has a different level of closeness to God than a person who prays daily for two hours. This difference is represented by the different sacrifices brought by the worshipers. People who pray for two hours remind us of worshipers bringing an ox to God, while people who pray for 10 minutes are like worshipers who are only capable of offering a lamb to God.

Not only do these different sacrifices (bulls, sheep and goats) represent different depths of communion with God, they also remind us of different levels of enjoyment we have in our relationship with God. The deeper our communion with God, the more joy we will bring to God’s heart. The more we commune with God, the more we will gain strength from God. Just as the worshipers feasted on part of their sacrificial meat, we gain spiritual sustenance and strength from our communion with God.

Of course, prayer is just one example of how we grow in our relationship with God. The depth of our communion with God does not solely depend on how long we pray.

Peace Offering is a Communion Between Man and God

When Old Testament priests approached the tabernacle, they first had to enter from the outer court. First, they offered the sin offering and the guilt offering in the outer court. Metaphorically, these sacrifices remind us that we must first deal with our sins and the weaknesses in our temperament.

Next, the Old Testament priests (including Moses and Aaron) experienced the actual presence of God, which reminds us of the peace offering. These holy men met with God in front of the Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place. The high priest sprinkled blood on the Mercy Seat, which was the special golden lid of the Ark of the Covenant. It was the place where the Lord lived and where Moses spoke with God face to face. The Lord spoke to Moses under the gaze of the glorious cherubim. Because of the blood sprinkled on the mercy seat, God overlooked Moses’ sin, allowing Moses to meet God in all his glory. This is a picture of the peace offering.

Hebrews 4:16 tells us that through the precious blood of Jesus, we can draw near to the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Jesus Christ shed His precious blood for our sake. Because of Christ, we can draw near to God without fear. The blood of Jesus Christ has washed away our sins. Now, God only sees the blood of Jesus and not our sins. Since Jesus Christ has washed away our sins, we are able to meet God in His glory through Christ.

The reality of the peace offering is that we have peace with God. Before Christ achieved salvation for mankind, there was no peace between God and man. Before we experience Christ’s salvation, we do not have peace with God. However, when Christ becomes our Savior and when we receive his salvation, we experience peace with God. Furthermore, we can meet with God through Christ.

God and Man Enjoy Peace Offerings Together.

Parts of the peace offering were offered to God as sweet fragrance, and the rest of the meat was reserved for the priests as holy food. Leviticus 3:1-5 says, “If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord. And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall throw the blood against the sides of the altar. And from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as a food offering to the Lord, he shall offer the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails. And the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. Then Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering, which is on the wood on the fire; it is a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

As the sacrifices were burned, they became a pleasing aroma which was offered to God. Leviticus 7 says that part of the sacrificial animal offered as a peace offering was given to God for his joy and enjoyment, and the rest was reserved for the priests to eat. For example, the fat was reserved for God, while the animal’s breast (7:31) and right leg (7:33) was reserved for the priest. The meat from these sacrifices could only be eaten by those who were holy (7:20).

Today, when we approach God with peace offerings, we are made holy through the blood of Christ. Our offering to God not only brings God joy, but it also gives us spiritual nourishment. When we partake of this spiritual food, we will become more powerful and holy, which in turn allows us to have deeper spiritual communion with God.

Every believer experiences peace and communion with God at differing levels. The purpose of the peace offering is to have communion with God. Despite the name, “peace,” the offering represents a conflict in our hearts. If we want to have communion with God, we must get rid of the flesh, sin, and the things of the world that are not in line with God’s disposition. That's what I meant by conflict. The more we have communion with God, the more naturally we want to get rid of these things.

However, every Christian is at a different level of victory over sin, and each is at a different level of communion with God. Each Christian comes to God through Christ, but they offer sacrifices of different sizes and degrees. Some people offer a goat, while some offer a sheep or a cow. Those who sacrifice cattle may choose a smaller cow or a larger, stronger bull.

To help us understand this spiritual truth, I will share some of my experiences when I first became a Christian. I lived in the church’s dormitory for young men. This place was established in order to help young Christians learn to pursue the Lord. It was not a religious house, but there were rules in place that would help us learn spiritual disciplines. For example, girls were not allowed to come to our dormitories. We had to pray day and night and attend several gatherings every week.

The building had two floors and our “Brother's House” was on the second floor. On the first floor wa a meeting place and a small bedroom. In this room lived an older sister in Christ who served younger sisters. At that time there was no "Sister's House" set up for young women, so this older sister lived in our downstairs. For several years, we had to learn to get along with this older sister in Christ.

The older sister wasn’t perfect. Sometimes she would criticize our brothers for not paying attention to neatness. She’d correct some of our shortcomings. If we didn’t pay attention to our hygiene, or if we forgot to put back the chairs after eating, she would remind us.

Some of the brothers didn’t like her and even ignored her. Those of us who were not mature in Christ disliked her critical reminders, even going so far as thinking that she was legalistic.

However, there was a very loving brother who often took care of this older sister as if he were taking care of his own mother. This brother took the time to purchase a papaya during his shopping trip. Then, during one of our group meals, he hid the papaya for the older sister to find. This shows that he had a loving heart. He had believed in the Lord for a long time. His spiritual life was more mature and hence had a deeper communion with God. He also gained strength from God to love others more.

Even though these examples may seem trivial, they show that each of us believers is at a different level of spiritual growth. We have all been saved, so we have all experienced the sin offering and the guilt offering. We can each come before God without fear through the precious blood of Christ. We can commune with him and enjoy the reality of the peace offering.

However, our differing levels of spiritual maturity are demonstrated in our daily lives and experiences. The more we grow spiritually, the more we experience the reality of the sacrifice of Christ, and the greater our experience of his love and presence in our lives. Just like the Israelite worshipers offered different sizes of animals (ewes, rams, male and female goats, cows, bulls), we each experience a different level or manifestation of Christ’s love in our lives.

Christ’s salvation is the same for everyone. However, we each have a different level of knowledge. We each experience Christ’s salvation differently and have different levels of maturity in our daily life in Christ.

Transformed into His Image.

The purpose of the peace offering was communion with God. As we spend time in God’s presence, we are transformed into his image. We gain spiritual food and strength so we can be more like Jesus. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

When we commune with God, we seek His face. As we continue to pray, rest in his presence, and get to know him better through the Spirit, we will be transformed into his glorious image.

Like every Old Testament sacrifice, the peace offering sacrifice points to Jesus Christ. Christ is the atoning sacrifice that pleases God. When we approach him and commune with God, Christ becomes our spiritual food. The Lord Jesus told the disciples, “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” (John 6:55). Jesus also said that He is the bread that came down from heaven (John 6:58). When we partake of this food from heaven, we can gain the strength to love God and love others like the Lord Jesus.

Revival Starts in the Heart.

The reason why I struggled to love that old sister like the other brother did was because I lacked communion with God and the experience of the peace offering. My limited experience with God can be compared to a small offering, like a goat. My brother’s deep communion with God, expressed in deeper love, can be compared to a larger sacrifice, such as a cow.

In the communion with God that we experience through the peace offering, we become more holy. We gain strength to love God and others. Despite all the problems in our lives, when we get close to God and commune with him in prayer, we gradually enter the presence of God and are filled with joy and peace. After praying, we forget the problems we had earlier. The original intent of our prayer was to ask God to help us solve our problems. But after communing with Him in prayer, our problems seem less significant. The things or people that used to disturb us no longer disturb us. After communion with God, we find a way to overcome these disturbances. We discover that prayer brings peace.

Many Christians today do not spend enough time with God in prayer. They lack a time of communion with God. As a result, they cannot get enough spiritual food from God. (Remember, the priests’ food came from the sacrifices they offered.) Without personal time with God, believers cannot become spiritually strong enough to overcome the problems in life. They cannot overcome the interference of the enemy. If every Christian would spend half an hour in prayer and communion with the Lord every morning, they would become spiritually stronger. The church would also become spiritually stronger. Many social problems that are currently disturbing Christians would no longer disturb them.

Many Christians try to solve their problems through other means. Instead of coming to God in prayer, we tackle our struggles on our own. In reality, our problems are an invitation to prayer and communion with God. God allows struggles so we feel the need to enter his presence and gain spiritual strength to overcome these problems.

For example, the political problems faced by American society cannot be solved simply by changing the president. I’ll admit that having a good president will make a big difference, and I will support a godly and loving president. However, the societal problems Americans face are just an outer manifestation of a deeper problem. The real reason society struggles is that the American church has left her first love for God and lacks the time to commune with God and to seek His glorious face.

This problem lies not with the church as a whole, but with each Christian individually. If every individual Christian neglects prayer and communion with God, he or she will be spiritually weak and immature. If the church is composed of young and carnal Christians, the church will naturally become spiritually weak.

Real revival does not happen solely in a large-scale revival gathering. We don’t have to depend on a large revival event or movement brought about by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Real revival starts in the heart of every Christian. We can experience revival every day. A Christian can begin to experience revival by spending half an hour in prayer every morning. When everyone lives a truly revitalized life, the church can experience sustainable spiritual revival. Only with a personal, sustainable spiritual revival will the church be able to overcome the darkness of the world and bring positive changes to society.

In China, the Yellow River flows through the Loess Plateau. Due to a lack of vegetation, heavy rain brings little lasting changes to the plateau. Instead, the rushing water causes continuous erosion of soil and water. The water doesn’t soak into the soil. It all rushes downstream, overflowing the Yellow River and causing floods.

Similarly, great acts of revival in Chinese history can bring very little lasting change to the people who experience it. Because believers lacked the spiritual perfection and edification, the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit brought little lasting change. Most of the effects of the great revival disappeared with the passage of time, leaving little spiritual heritage.

In contrast, although Israel is located deep in the desert, the Israelis use drip irrigation technology to greatly develop their agriculture. In the same way, when every individual Christian experiences revival and undergoes daily transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit, they are experiencing the slow, steady benefits of “spiritual drip irrigation.” Although it looks like there is very little water that actually reaches the plants, the benefits can last for a long time. Eventually, the slow and steady drip of nourishment leads to growth and enrichment of life.

However, these two aspects need to complement each other. We need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to wash out all the accumulated blockages and obstructions in our life. We also need drip irrigation daily to help us continue to grow spiritually.

The peace offering reminds us that Christ has achieved peace between us and God. We can come before God without fear. When we commune with God through Christ, we receive spiritual food and power from God to change into his glorious image. Conversely, if we are saved but lack a daily time of close communion with God, we miss out on the reality of spiritual peace and rest. Our lives will be full of worry, anxiety, and trouble. In reality, a sense of worry and frustration should serve as a reminder that we need to return to God and commune with Him. If we ignore these signals and refuse to turn back to God, our problems will multiply. The church needs to understand the importance of this principle: when we struggle with worries, frustration, and problems, we need to draw near to God. The real solution to every societal and cultural problem is to turn back to God. The church’s problems cannot be addressed unless each individual believer learns how to commune with God through the peace offering.

This truth has two aspects. On the one hand, we have peace with God through Christ. On the other hand, we must strive to enter that rest (Hebrews 4:11). Christ has achieved peace with God for us. However, we must also pray and commune with God every day to enter the rest that God has prepared for us. In this way, we will avoid the unbelief mentioned in Hebrews 4:11. Isaiah 30:15 reads, “Thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But you were unwilling.’”

We need to do our best to enter his rest. We need to be willing to return to our place of safety and solace within the heart of God. Only in God can we find the strength and peace that we need.

Why not start today? Will you spend half an hour in prayer and communion with God each morning? If you persevere in this habit, you will experience God’s peace and transformation.

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Dreams of Heaven and the Underworld

Preface

Is Jesus real? Does God exist? Is the Bible true? Is there really a heaven? Although these are questions people have asked for centuries, they are also relevant questions today because people of every generation continue to ask them.

What is the Truth?

I once heard a story that illustrates this. When Hudson Taylor, a pastor from England, came to China to preach, he met a Chinese man named Ni Yongfa. After hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ, Ni Yongfa became very happy and accepted it. Ni Yongfa asked Hudson Taylor how long people in England have known about Jesus. Taylor replied, “hundreds of years.” At that moment, the Chinese man became upset with Taylor. Holding him accountable, Yongfa said, "My father sought the truth from Buddhism, Taoism, and other religions all his life, but never found it. Thus, he died in regret. You have known about Jesus Christ for hundreds of years and you have only now come to preach it to us?"[1] It is obvious from this story that only few Chinese people had heard about Jesus Christ at that time.

Times are different now. We live in a digital age, an age of information explosion and information overload. Most people around the world can utilize internet search engines like Baidu or Google to find stories about Jesus Christ, God, and the Bible. It is not so much that people have never heard of Jesus Christ, but rather, they do not know whether Christ is a Western myth, religion, or the Truth. The problem nowadays is that people do not know what information is credible and what is false. They are not sure if there really is a God and a heaven.

Throughout the ages, however, a lot of people have reported witnessing heavenly scenes like that which was seen by John in the book of Revelation. Many have recorded their prophetic visions, and some are readily available in book format. The world’s disbelief in Christ is no longer a matter of ignorance to the name of Jesus Christ or the concept of God and heaven; rather, people don’t know what is real and what is not, and they are not willing to blindly follow just anything.

My Encounters

In 2001, I went to the UK to study and there I encountered the gospel. In 2002, I moved to the United States. I was baptized and saved in the Local Church Movement (LCM), and I became a Christian. In 2015, I was introduced to the Pentecostal Movement and the Prophetic Movement. Through these movements, I was filled with the Holy Spirit and God activated a prophetic gifting inside me to the point that I began having dreams of heaven. In my dreams, I often see what appear to be parts of heaven or another world. Not only have I seen Jesus, angels, and evil spirits, but I have also encountered Chinese people who have passed away. In fact, some of the Chinese people in my dreams died without knowing Christ. I know this because some of them were my dead relatives, and I knew that they did not believe in the Lord before their departure.

Some Christians may think my prophetic dreams and visions are not from God. Maybe they are from evil spirits and, therefore, unreliable. It is understandable to think this way. Readers can make their own judgements. I am just being faithful to record what I believe is from the Lord. If one day I feel that these are not from the Lord, I will revoke what I’ve shared. For the time being, I am inviting my readers to judge what I’ve said and pray to the Lord about it. Please know that I am not recording these to conjure up theological controversy. Rather, I wish to record what I saw so that those who don’t know whether the Christian God and heaven are genuine, understand that heaven, Jesus, and the underworld are real.

Heaven and Hades

The title of this article is, “Dreams of Heaven and the Underworld.” In between heaven and hell, I found a grey area that I term an ‘underworld’ for lack of a better word. I’ve seen people living there. I do not know if this is an underworld, a place in the heart of the earth, or another spiritual realm, but I know that this place is not heaven or hell. Some people may call this place an extension or part of Hades. I was taught in my denomination that the Bible says that there are two parts to Hades: Paradise and hell. In Luke 16, the Lord mentions that Lazarus was sent to a place of blessing while the rich man was sent to a place of torment. A great chasm exists between the two.

Where is Hades? Is it under the earth or in another dimension? Could it be in the bowels of the earth? Numbers 16 records that the earth opened its mouth and swallowed Korah and those with him that rebelled against Moses. They went down alive into Sheol. Some conclude from this verse that Sheol (Hebrew) or Hades (Greek) is within the earth. I have no way of knowing. However, I have heard others refer to these places as valleys, and in my prophetic dreams, this seems to be the case. For now, I have chosen to call them the edge or grey area of ​​heaven.

Once, the Holy Spirit took me to a deep valley wherein we traveled for a long time to meet some people. In this extremely deep valley, there were people who claimed to have lived there since the Han Dynasty (206 BCE- 220 CE). Although the Chinese people I met that day were in the darkest valley, I did not see a lake of fire or sulfur anywhere around. In two other trips, I met different Chinese people in varying depths of valleys. People in the shallower valleys had houses and green spaces. They socialized and had gatherings. In the deeper valleys, I saw houses in cold weather and snow.

Some other people who have experienced visiting heavenly realms, such as Lai Wang Xiulan, mention these valleys too. According to Xiulan's book, “Get Closer to God 2,” hell exists in some valleys.[2] Sinful and nominal Christians who live in the valleys are awaiting judgement. After judgement, some of these people go to heaven while some go to hell. These valleys are on the road to hell.[3] Some sinful Christians who live in the valley will return to Paradise after repentance. Xiulan states in her book that the Lord said, “The people in this valley are those who are bitter, who criticize, judge, and disobey the shepherd. They are here to study the Bible in order to know me better. After they learn their lesson, they can return to Paradise.”[4] If these statements are true, then some people do not go to hell immediately. They await their judgment, and or continue to repent.

For centuries, Christians have believed and preached that those who do not believe in the Lord while they are still alive go directly to hell after they depart earth. However, as I mentioned before, I have met relatives in my dreams whom I knew didn't believe in the Lord before dying. I don't know how to explain this theologically. There is no doubt that preaching someone will go to hell if he/she doesn’t accept the Lord will produce a sense of urgency to believe in the Lord; it also gives evangelists their reason to evangelize. But what about the many relatives who have died that we loved so much? Chinese people have a habit of worshiping their dead ancestors, and I do not promote ancestor worship. But the Bible tells us that God has prepared something far beyond what we can ask or think (1 Corinthians 2:9). Perhaps one day when we arrive in another world, we’ll find that someone we never thought of was there to welcome us. Perhaps we will still have a chance to be in contact with our loved ones. Mind you, I know this is a theologically controversial topic.

Let’s consider a few examples. Let’s take the example of Confucius. Where is he now? It is not theologically correct to say that Confucius is in heaven because no one can go to heaven except through faith in Jesus. I assume that Confucius never heard the gospel. But it is also wrong to say that Confucius is definitively in hell. First of all, according to the Bible, Paul says that those who heard the gospel will be judged according to the gospel, and those who have not heard the gospel are judged according to their conscience, because their conscience is their law (Rom. 2:14). If Confucius and others who did not know Christ, lived by their conscience only because they had not heard the gospel, would they be bound to hell? This does not conform to God's righteous nature and to what Paul says. Maybe they are awaiting a final judgement to which after judgment, some people will enter Paradise and others go to the lake of fire.

Now, I can't say with 100% confidence that Confucius is or will be allowed to enter Paradise, but I hope he will be there. Not only do I hope that he is there, but I also hope that Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, and all other famous Chinese poets will be there. I hope that one day I can meet them and discuss ancient Chinese poetry. I once thought that everything apart from Christ was dung, including culture. My current notions have been revised. I believe culture will remain in heaven. On the last day of 2017, when the Lord took me to heaven, believers there sang me a hymn of four meters in Chinese. Perhaps the languages we speak on earth may not be abolished in heaven even though there may be heaven’s language too.

My encounter with my father-in-law is another example I will share. I never met my father-in-law on earth because he died of a cerebral hemorrhage before my wife and I got married. In one of my prophetic dreams, my wife and I were brought to a place where my father-in-law and other people were gathered. My wife was brought inside a building to see her father. I had the opportunity to chat with an old Chinese lady sitting at the door. She showed me a large print edition of the Chinese version of the Bible that she was studying. To my knowledge, my father-in-law did not believe in the Lord before he died, but in my dream, he had the opportunity to study the Bible. The place they were living may be considered the Paradise part of Hades, or a valley on the road to Hades. My wife had misunderstandings with her father before he died and never got the chance to apologize because her father died suddenly. She felt regretful, even indebted. She was worried that her father would go to hell and she would never have the chance to see him. This caused immense pain in her heart. However, after I had this prophetic dream and upon sharing it with her, my wife received great comfort in her soul. The pain in her heart healed.

In one of Xiulan’s testimonies about heaven, she also described how she saw her father and mother-in-law reading the Bible in Paradise. She said that when the Lord took her to visit them, they told her that there’s an angel in every household in Paradise that teaches them the Bible.[5]

My aunt is another example. My fourth aunt died of breast cancer, and I don’t believe she knew the Lord either. In another prophetic dream, I was taken to a small house where she lived. She received me with fruit grown by her house. This piece of fruit looked like a mulberry, but it was as big as a mango. Her house was very small. Beside her house were many other people's houses. They were very similar to the small townhouses in downtown Baltimore, but not so high. The Bible clearly mentions that there are fruit trees and fruit in heaven (Rev. 22:2), but I have seen many times that one can also grow vegetables in heaven. Xiulan also mentions that people can grow vegetables in heaven.[6] American prophetess Kat Kerr even mentions in her book seeing some angels in heaven prepare a house with a garden for an old lady. One angel had specially prepared and tilled a piece of land for her to grow vegetables.[7] This should not be surprising—if one can plant fruit trees so naturally, one can also grow vegetables. Chinese people in the United States especially like to grow vegetables in their backyard. Christians who like to grow vegetables may also continue to grow them after they go to heaven.

I’ve had this experience of meeting my fourth aunt more than once. This reminds me of a testimony I heard from an Australian prophet named Neville Johnson.[8] He mentioned that once he was brought by an angel to a place where he saw some small houses. It felt strange that these were different from the big houses in heaven, so he asked the angel, “What are these houses?” The angel told him that when some people who hadn't heard the gospel passed away, Jesus would appear to them, giving them the opportunity to choose. If they chose Jesus, they would live in these small houses.

Kerr also shared a similar vision. She saw Jesus appearing to those who rejected him during their lifetime, and he asked them if they wanted to know Him now. Almost everyone cried and said “yes.” Jesus told them that He would not be righteous if he did not appear to them to give them a choice since their relatives had faithfully prayed for them and decreed that they would be saved in Jesus’ name. Kerr encourages people to pray and intercede for their family members even though they do not seem to be open to the Gospel. She states that people will be surprised that many relatives made it to heaven although they thought they did not make it.[9]

I recall praying for some of my family members to receive salvation, and I especially prayed for my fourth aunt after I found out she was sick. I guess people like my fourth aunt are awaiting judgement or already in the peripheral of Paradise as Neville Johnson mentioned. Whether they will have the opportunity to continue to know God and become God’s children, and have bigger houses in heaven in the future, I have no way of knowing. I personally hope that these people will have the opportunity to know God and to mature spiritually. Maybe even Li Bai, Du Fu, and other famous Chinese poets are also in similar places learning about God. If you are equipped with the Word of God, maybe it will be you that God uses to teach them in this intermittent time. There are many gatherings and activities happening in the valleys, even people preaching. Or, if you become co-rulers to rule with Christ, you may have five or ten cities to rule (Luke 19:17-18). Why isn’t it possible for you to rule cities in different realms instead of earth? Considering the total number of cities on earth right now compared with the total numbers of Christians throughout the earth, there is definitely not enough cities for everyone to rule 5 or 10 cities.

Only A Shadow

There are also countless means of transportation in heaven, which may be something you haven’t thought of. I have seen carriages in heaven (the Bible records the chariot of fire and the horses of fire that took Elijah away). I have also seen trains and even transportation that uses trains and horses together. Maybe these surprise you, but don't forget that even Jesus is expected to return riding on a white horse. Many people also doubt that there will be animals in heaven. If there are no animals, where did the Lord get the white horse? We cannot spiritualize all biblical records. Some of the things recorded are things the prophets actually saw in heaven. We should remember that the Bible tells us that things on earth are only shadows of things in heaven (Heb. 8:5). If there are no real things in heaven, how can things on earth be shadowed? There are buildings, animals, plants, trains in heaven, and even coal, as I once saw. All the beautiful things on earth can all be found in heaven. It’s as if heaven is a version 2.0 of everything we see on earth.

In another dream, the Holy Spirit drove me in a car type vehicle to a place in heaven where I saw a lion and a horse resting leisurely on a hillside. People were swimming there. Suddenly God came to visit, and simultaneously, there was a rainbow and rain. Kerr says only from the Father comes the rainbow.[10] In another prophetic dream, the Holy Spirit drove me and a Christian couple who attended our Bible study, to heaven. He showed us the house of his wife in heaven. The house was huge. The vines and wall had grown together as one. There was a music box on the wall beside the front door. You could open the music box and music would play automatically. The lady had a great passion for music. After listening to my testimony, she was very encouraged that God had installed a music box on the wall of her house in heaven so that she could play music at any time. The wife said she had a dream at the same time as me, and she saw the Lord. But since she thought she might have been dying, she cried out to the Lord and woke up. Perhaps this was not just a dream and we had traveled there together.

The Necessity for Dreams and Visions

The Bible tells us that we are sitting together with Christ in the Spirit, but this is something that many people don’t understand. They have never experienced sitting together with Jesus on the throne. My understanding is that if God did not allow prophetic visions and dreams to be known and experienced by the soul, we may not have a way of perceiving what we are experiencing in the Spirit during the moments we are taken in the Spirit somewhere.

I live in the United States. I have been to Orlando, Florida, and I have visited Disneyland. Many people have never been there. If I say there is a city in Florida called Orlando, and that there is a Disneyland in Orlando, you might believe it, right? Why do many people believe this place exists without having been there? It is because many other people have been there and have testified to its existence. If, however, only a few people had been there and testified, it may be more difficult for everyone to believe that Disneyland exists. My experiences include meetings and conversations with Jesus Christ; conversations with angels and activities together; the appearance of saints who have passed away; houses and buildings in heaven; children in heaven; attacks by evil spirits; spiritual warfare; and the deceased's location, especially dead Chinese people. Unfortunately, I lost some details of my prophetic dreams due to blurred memories. Sometimes I dreamt of being in one place for a long time and participating in many activities there, but I only recalled a few of the dream’s details upon waking. The records you see are not complete pictures, but they are bits and pieces like bricks and tiles of an archaeological discovery. My limited comprehension also leaves room for inaccuracies. In the end, my goal is not to describe exactly what heaven looks like, but to surprise many people who have thought that heaven is not real.

Nowadays, there are more people testifying that they have been to heaven. God has revealed heavenly scenes to many people in recent decades, and these people have recorded them. Countless videos will appear if you search for testimonies of heaven on video sharing sites like YouTube. I know that many Koreans and Chinese people have similar testimonies. They are very encouraging to read. I believe if everyone shares their encounters with heaven, it may draw a larger witness to the gospel. There are a lot of travel guides available online. Don't simply trust all the guides you read because they are not always reliable. My heavenly travels may not be completely reliable, but I share them to encourage and challenge you to test what is good. As the Bible says, “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything” (ESV, 1 Thess. 5:20-21). Use this article for your reference, for brainstorming use, and not for theological debate with other Christians.

Although you still may not be sure if God, heaven, and Jesus Christ are real, I carry the conviction that they are because I have seen Jesus Christ. He has appeared to me many times. I know there is another world outside this world. It is even more beautiful knowing that there is a heaven waiting for people. The Local Church Movement (LCM) to which I was a part, spiritualized heaven into a concept of a "spiritual new Jerusalem." They teach that there is a spiritual place where God and man dwell together, but they do not believe there is a material aspect to heaven. This is inconsistent with my prophetic dreams and many other people’s testimonies.[11] My dreams have freed me from many beliefs I accepted while partaking in the LCM. Although the LCM teaches this way to discourage some believers’ overly material pursuit of heaven, they are excessively denying the material side of heaven.

Heaven, Version 2.0

On the last day of 2017, a mysterious person brought me to heaven wherein we traveled for a long time. After arriving, this mysterious female took me behind a piece of glass in a building. There I saw people going up to heaven as though they were taking an elevator. I initially did not perceive that the lady guiding me was a disguise for the person of Jesus. On other occasions, Jesus has also appeared to me as an old Chinese lady. After I realized who I was with, the lady’s appearance changed to Jesus, and I even saw a cherub flying towards me. Surely, I was in the presence of the Lord. I was shocked—there is glass in heaven! Perhaps Paul had already known this. He said, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (ESV, 1 Cor. 13:12). Some theologians say that the word “mirror” represents some kind of glass-like object.

Kerr mentions in an interview that heaven is round and a very big planet far away from the earth; the size of heaven is bigger than our galaxy. She specifically says that heaven is round and not flat as many people may think.[12] If her statement is true, heaven is indeed a version 2.0 of the earth, or better! Many good things that we enjoy on earth today will be found in heaven including our pets, according to Kerr.

Of course, we don't know whether material in heaven is the same as material on earth. That is, the Lord was able to walk through walls after he was resurrected, but he could also eat fish when it was given to him by the disciples. Jesus’ state of being was obviously altered because it is recorded that the disciples were initially startled when they saw him because they thought He was a spirit or a ghost. It was then that the Lord said to them, “Do you have any fish?” The Lord proved he was not only of spiritual essence, but that he could still consume material things as they did. We may not be able to explain how Jesus’ resurrected body maintained both aspects of carnality and spirituality, but perhaps this is part of the mystery of heaven 2.0.

When these prophetic dreams happened, I was in my bed sleeping, Although I was asleep, my spirit was brought to these various places by the Holy Spirit. While I am not certain if I was having an out-of-body experience, they point to a reality that we cannot perceive or see without spiritual eyes. I hope that you will continue to take these dreams seriously as I do. I hope that you will be open to the possibilities that may exist beyond us while also not neglecting to acknowledge that everything in creation exists because of God and it is all for His glory. Heaven may be different from what you have imagined!

There is a phrase that says, “Poverty limits our imagination.” If our imagination is limited, it will make us poor, not only materially, but spiritually. Perhaps if more people knew that heaven existed, their life’s endeavors would be largely rewritten. Even for Christians who vaguely believe in a heaven, maybe they will be awakened to believe with fervor in the greater things to come. Once we are sure that heaven is real and there are many lessons to be learned there, we will not waste so much time on earthly things. Interestingly, the first thing that many people in heaven regret is wasting their opportunities to learn to serve the Lord and love God and others while on earth. They deeply regret seeing that others are closer to God. Although there is no jealousy in heaven, people may still feel regret for not having seized their opportunities.

Some people say that the more you learn to love and serve the Lord on earth and are filled with God’s light, the closer you are to Him in heaven and the closer you live to Him in the heavenly realm. On the contrary, the less holy you are, the farther you will be from God. In the end, the farthest you’ll be is probably hell. I hope these dreams provoke you and cause you to draw closer to Christ now.

[1] http://production.lifejiezou.com/node.php?nid=15279

[2] Only available in Chinese. Title translation is mine. Page 27.

[3] 130.

[4] Lai Wang Xiulan, Jehovah-jireh, 160.

[5] Lai Wang Xiulan, Jehovah-jireh, 45.

[6] Lai Wang Xiulan, Through Eyes of Faith, 142. Only available in Chinese.

[7] Kat Kerr, Revealing Heaven II, 62.

[8] From Neville Johnson’s sermon on Youtube. No link available.

[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Het_gU1nYCI

[10] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Het_gU1nYCI

[11] Website for Contending for the Faith: https://cftfc.com/?s=%E5%A4%A9%E5%A0%82. The website is in Chinese.

[12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Het_gU1nYCI

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Springtime for North Korea

by Sean Song

Three years ago on June 12, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un historically met in Singapore, and it attracted immense attention from the world. Their summit meeting was the first in history, and Trump became later known for being the first sitting U.S. president to have entered North Korea during his second meeting with Kim. Their meetings gave people hope that the relationship between the US and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) could normalize, and that a solution for denuclearization and peace may be a likely future. Perhaps it could even give way for the Gospel to enter North Korea. Now, three years later, these events seem to be forgotten. People no longer pay attention to North Korea because of COVID and other domestic political matters occurring in the USA. Yet, I have learned that the Lord is always working behind the scenes even when it seems He is not.

On the day before Trump and Kim met in Singapore, I was taken by the Lord in a dream to the future embassy of North Korea that stood in the USA. It was a prophetic encounter. I have never shared this publicly until now. I feel it is time to revisit this prophetic dream. I believe it shows God’s heart for the future relationship of these two countries. God plans to do marvelous things with North Korea—things that will bring awe to the world as they see the saving power of Jesus Christ. My impression from the dream was also one that inferred a cleansing and defrosting process to both remove evil and warm the relationship between the DPRK and the U.S. God loves the world and its inhabitants, and if it’s deliverance that is needed to bring North Korea to himself, then let it be. Just as revival will come to China, I believe a massive revival will also come to North Korea with evidence of drastic changes to their country.

The Future Embassy of North Korea in D.C.

This dream occurred on the early morning of June 11, 2018 EST. As I have said before, the Lord often appears to me in disguised forms, such as in this dream. This time, He appeared as my old friend Eric who was a member of a church I formerly attended. For the sake of this article, I will refer to this character as the “mysterious person.” In this dream, this mysterious person took me to the future embassy of North Korea in Washington D.C. Before I could enter, I noticed its position. It sat adjacent to the embassy of South Korea. There was just a simple wall-like fence separating them.

The weather outside was hot that day being that we were in D.C. and it was almost summer. However, when I approached North Korea’s embassy, my attention was drawn to the fact that the weather there was like winter. The inside part of their entrance was made artificially cold through air conditioners. I suddenly heard someone tell me that they keep the place as winter through this air conditioner setup. I then saw ice on the window near the air conditioner, but it was starting to melt. Water was dripping on the ground. Then the same person said to me, “Spring is coming as the tension between these two countries has been eased.”

Before I could enter, the mysterious person and I were led to a hotel to stay. Shortly after we arrived, a North Korean man in a North Korean military uniform approached us. He greeted us and apologized for being late. He seemed to be a diplomat from North Korea. He explained that he would take us to do some sightseeing in D.C. Then the mysterious person who brought me there told me that this man’s wife worked in the South Korean embassy. He suggested we visit her first. He called her Lily. I immediately agreed to visit Lily first because I felt it was more important to do this than sightsee. Soon after, I was brought into the North Korean embassy and I no longer saw the mysterious person nor the North Korean man again. Although I was told we would visit the lady in the South Korean embassy, I did not end up there. As I saw in the first scene, however, these two embassies were located very close together.

Suddenly, there I was in the cafeteria of the North Korean embassy. For a bit, I watched what they were eating. Some North Korean ladies were chatting, and I saw a big bowl of porridge on the table. Watching this scene, I became excited in the dream because I had never been to North Korea in real life. I could not help but think that I should take some pictures to send to my friends and family in China to let them know what I was experiencing and what a significant change had taken place in North Korea!

Afterward, I saw many Americans enter the embassy. They were both male and female. I even saw an African American man walk in and he was speaking fluently in Chinese with others. There are other scenes in the dream but I will omit them as they may not be proper to share.

Current Prophetic Situation in North Korea

There are several parts to this dream. First, this dream clearly tells of the possibilities that exist for a normalization of relationship between the US and North Korea. It also speaks of the reunification of the two Koreas in the future. This is especially shown by the two future embassies adjacent to one another in D.C. It is also implicated by the fact that the North Korean military man’s wife worked in the South Korean embassy. This shows peace among government officials with regard to both countries. Their reunification is also implicated by the invitation and intention of visiting the wife in the South Korean embassy and being taken into the North Korean embassy instead.

A strong impression was also left on me regarding the freezing condition of the North Korean embassy. This freezing was manmade. Their building was purposely set up as winter with the use of air conditioners. However, as I was told in the dream, spring had arrived and a “defreezing” is now taking place. I do not think it’s ironic that this prophetic word was released to me on the day before Trump and Kim Jong Un signed an agreement to move forward with pursuing a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and establish peaceful relations with one another henceforth.

Yet, just as a car windshield needs some time to defrost in the winter, it will take some time to defreeze from the freezing North Korean conditions they themselves have created. The good news is that it has already begun. This means the Lord is working in the hearts of the North Korean people, among the leaders and authorities in the government. The North Korean military man who came to us and apologized for being late can serve as indication that God is working to shift relations among those in authority. Since the Lord did not reveal to me any more details regarding this shift, I don’t want to make too many speculations related to military coups. I do feel, however, that we can approach God with an open heart to pray that He does whatever will bring him the most glory. What brings greater glory to God? Removing a dictator, or turning his heart toward the Gospel? I am certainly praying that Kim Jong Un’s heart is turned to Christ that it may be said of him, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” (Proverbs 21:1 NRSV)

Additionally, the bowl of porridge may represent the economic situation that is also subject to change. Porridge in Asian and other cultures represents the scarcity of food and economic hardship. When you are extremely poor, you only eat porridge and nothing else. The fact that I only saw porridge on the table represents the current economic conditions. The Lord knows the hardships the North Korean people are experiencing and this is why God is turning the political situation around. God's heart is always with the poor. God wishes to bring both the Gospel and prosperity to North Korea.

Springtime Is Here

If you recall, I was told by the mysterious person to visit a lady named Lily in the South Korean embassy. I never made it there and was taken to the North Korean embassy instead. It’s possible she was among the ladies in the cafeteria who were eating and having a good time. Most likely, however, is that Lily prophetically represents the arrival of the springtime season since lilies are flowers that appear in the springtime. That is, springtime is indeed arriving. The worldwide Body of Christ has been praying for the saints of North Korea, and when we consider the suffering of the Church there, I feel the Lord encouraging us to continue in supplication. A future unification of both Koreas can be something saints intercede for, and the ending of a cold, winter season is at hand. God has heard the prayers of the saints in North Korea and those who pray for them. The manifestations of the springtime are soon to appear!

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Bible Study with Jairus - Colossians

We are striving to speed read several volumes of the Bible every month. The main consideration is to help some brothers and sisters who aren’t able to read further when they reach Exodus in the Old Testament, and Romans in the New Testament. This will help those new ones to have a rough understanding on the contents of some books in the Bible. We started to speed read the Old Testament, from the first book up to the Book of Ruth. Meanwhile, we have done the opposite in the New Testament. We began to speed read from the Book of Revelation up to Colossians. Although it’s just a passing glance, it might help some of our brothers and sisters who have never read the Bible from cover to cover.

This time, the inspiration that I got after speed reading Colossians is how Paul dealt with carnal Christians in the church at Colossae. Originally, we arranged a speed reading of 3 letters: the letters to the Colossians, and First and Second Thessalonians. But because of the rich content of Colossians (one meeting will take up most of the time), we will have one Bible study session on both First and Second Thessalonians later.

I had an inspiration after I read Colossians and First and Second Thessalonians. In Colossians, it was dealing more with carnality in the church. While in First and Second Thessalonians, it was dealing more with Christians who are easily deceived in church. As Paul mentioned in Colossians, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (NIV, Colossians, 3:2), and advised Christians in the church at Colossae to forgive each other. In First and Second Thessalonians, it talks a lot about the lessons of the Antichrist which led people to be deceived.

What does this mean? Even when people are long time church goers, we find that many Christians may actually possess the knowledge and truths of the Bible, but when something really happens, they still can’t overcome their own flesh. For example, we know that God isn’t happy with the divisions in the church and hopes that all of us can get along with each other, but when something happens, we will still form sects and factions. This is a common situation in churches today.

Another situation we find in today’s church is people who don’t have much biblical knowledge and haven’t meditated on the truths of the Bible. They may not have strong fleshly desires but they are easily led astray by wrong teachings leading to greater losses. Both of these situations are ubiquitous in the church.

Today, let's talk about Colossians. First of all, we have to clarify that there are fleshly or other problems in the church at Colossae but it isn’t entirely a bad thing. For example, in the church at Corinth, there were also a lot of problems that existed. Thus, Paul wrote two letters to them, revealing many truths about Christ.

There’s background information behind every letter. Similarly, Colossians has a special background. Paul wrote four letters in prison - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. There’s very important historical background behind these letters. I asked a Christian who attended our Bible study, to imagine that he was Paul, he was in prison, he only had a little time left and the conditions were poor, but he has to say something important right from his heart to write these letters. Of course, after writing the letters, it has a lasting significance, letting the churches benefit from them for thousands of years after. But often, there is a latent cause in writing them initially. For example, when I mentioned the chaos in the church at Corinth, including the man who had married the stepmother, it leaves Paul with no choice but to write a long letter to them.

What is the background of Colossians here? There are many things in the Bible that are not accounted for, but it doesn’t mean that they didn’t happen.

I shared a story I personally heard. Soon after I received salvation, a brother told me of a situation that had happened in the church. There was a man who had been in the church for a long time and his car was accidentally hit by a newcomer causing minor damage. This man insisted on filing an insurance claim to let the newcomer compensate. Someone tried to persuade him to give a little grace to this newcomer, let him compensate just a little money, but the man refused. Naturally, in the end, the newcomer stumbled. The person, who told me the story, said that the man whose car had minor damage didn’t have enough grace. He lacked real Christian love. He regarded his own car as more important than the newcomer’s stumbling.

Of course here in the United States when we encounter such things, there is no reason not to file an insurance claim. The point that the person telling the story was trying to make is that we should look less at the circumstance and have more grace toward the person to avoid having them stumble.

I don’t know whether a situation like this is a common occurrence in the church, but as far as my own experience is concerned, there are indeed many similar situations. On the one hand, we are Christians. On the other hand, we are human beings. Humans have fleshly desires. When we talk about the love of Christ, we may speak clearly and logically, but when our interests are involved, the flesh often speaks louder than the spirit and we lose.

After sharing this story in the meeting, I asked everyone “Is there a similar situation in the church at Colossae that Paul is concerned about?” As stated in Colossians 1:7, the church in Colossae was taught by Epaphras, and he also reported the situation of the church to Paul and others. Is there a possibility that after Epaphras told Paul about the grace of God to the Colossian church, he also told Paul about the situation in which some brothers and sisters become competitive, irreconcilable and unforgiving when they are in the flesh? And that these brethren are actually those whom Paul knew, even loved, or personally brought to be saved or trained? Is it possible that the two parties are both loved by Paul, but are incompatible, leading Paul to worry in prison and to write a letter to the Colossians to mediate them? Both are Paul's love, so Paul can't blame one, and hold the other in high regard. He must be very careful in dealing with this subtle situation.

If these situations are possible, if you were Paul, how would you deal with it? We don't know if Paul was facing these things, but we know that in the life of the contemporary church, we often have to face these situations.

We assume that this may be the background behind Paul's writing. Let's see how Paul's letters respond to this situation. Suppose the parties involved are all Paul’s acquaintance, and the two people are still arguing, it will be difficult for Paul to directly judge who is right and who is wrong. And judging right or wrong may not be a good choice because the dispute between right and wrong is often in the realm of the mind, the flesh, or the soul. What Paul needs to do is to help the members of the two factions to break carnal, and spiritual strongholds, enter the mind of Christ in the heavenly, and look at these problems from the eyes and perspective of God. When they can look at these problems from a Heavenly perspective, they can escape from earthly, carnal, and spiritual strongholds and they will be able to forgive, tolerate, and mutually compromise in love.

If you were Paul, how would you start writing this letter? Of course, he wouldn’t begin by blaming the two brothers. Instead, he avoided direct accusation. He started from a very high place - Heaven. Paul’s slant at the beginning of Colossae is very high. Paul began by praising the believers of Colossae, saying he heard the praise of the Colossian believers from Epaphras, which he mentioned in 1:4: "because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people." (NIV)

After praising the Colossian believers, Paul switched the thread of conversation to directly mentioning the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

12 Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified youto share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (NIV)

Then Paul used this opportunity to say that, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:15). He added, “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:22). From here, we can speculate that what Paul means is we have eliminated all strife on the cross of Christ.

Paul then uses his experience again to testify that, “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:24).

Paul mentioned how he was called to complete God’s Word. He revealed the mystery hidden by God over the ages - Christ is our hope of glory. Paul has struggled and worked hard for this. He wants us to maturely dedicate our life to God.

In this chapter, Paul seems to be saying good things. It appears that he doesn’t have any criticism. But in the second chapter, Paul slowly began to raise the obscure issue of the Colossians. Of course, when Paul ended the letter, he never forgot to give encouragement and comfort to the audience of his letters. Some people call this type of writing a "sandwich". This kind of writing is very common in the Bible. For example, Jesus’ seven letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation are also in the format of a “sandwich." It praised the faithfulness of each church in the beginning. After which, it criticized the church in the middle. In the end, there were words of encouragement and promise again.

Let's take a look at how Paul began to put "meat" in this "sandwich" from the second chapter (we will use meat as a metaphor for Paul's criticism).

In verse 2:4, Paul said that, “ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.” (NIV)

This sentence implies that in the church of Colossae, some people will use flowery words to deceive the Christians in Colossae.

2:8 says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ”. (NIV)

This sentence has implicit meaning. In the church in Colossae, there are those who will use philosophy and empty deception according to human teachings rather on Christ, leading the Christians in Colossae astray.

Thus, in the second chapter, Paul especially revealed many of the mysteries of Christ in these two negative situations.

Then at the beginning of third chapter, Paul immediately encouraged the Christians in Colossae to set their minds on things above and not on earthly things (NIV, Colossians: 3:2). Chapters 3:1-4 are some of my favorite verses:

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory”. (NIV)

Paul becomes more and more straightforward in here.

3:5 says, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (NIV)

3:8 says, “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” (NIV)

3:9 says, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” (NIV)

3: 12-15 also say,

“12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (NIV)

I shared my experience and said that when I was starting to learn to serve, I was with a brother who was a little older than me. We had a dispute when we once served together in the Church. Our Elders in the church did not criticize us, but they let us sing Colossians 3:12-15. So at this bible study, my wife and I sang these same verses again to the tune of a hymn.

Why is Paul particularly emphasizing here that as God's chosen people, we must have compassion, kindness, humbleness, gentleness, patience, and even if there is a discord between people, we must always bear and forgive each other as the Lord forgive us? It is not enough to just forgive, but we must also have love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect unity.

So although these are just speculations, perhaps things such as carnality and strife among people really happened in the church in Colossae. Ultimately, the reason why such things happen is due to the fact that their life is not mature enough to let the life of Christ rule their lives.

So Paul said in 3:16-17 (NIV),

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

In chapter 4, Paul has hardly any criticism. Instead, he began to comfort, encourage and greet.

4:2 says,

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (NIV)

4:6 says,

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (NIV)

In conclusion, Paul ended the four short chapters of Colossae with a lot of greetings.

Although our sharing is of a speed reading nature, or a passing glance, we can see that many of the verses in Colossians are written with a delicate touch. Let’s pray and try to fathom the implications of these verses. This will be beneficial to our Christian life because it especially helps us to grow up into Christ, overcome the flesh, and even enter and preserve Christian unity.

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Bible Study with Jairus - Galatians

This evening we are going to quickly go through several chapters of Galatians. This morning when I attended an American Evangelical Community Church, the pastor used a term called SBNR which means spiritual but not religious. This pastor was criticizing people who don’t participate in church activities and are not willing to have any commitment. He stated that there were Christians in the United States adopting this slogan. These people are dissatisfied with the church as an institution and use the slogan as an excuse for laziness. He said that admittedly, there’s nothing wrong with being SBNR, but it shouldn’t be an excuse for laziness. They refuse to pursue spiritual growth and be built together with others. He said that God’s intention for Christians is to love and interact with each other in a community so that we can learn and edify each other.

When I got home and opened Facebook I saw one of my teachers, a Charismatic pastor at the Randy Clark Scholars, a Doctor of Ministry program at the United Theological Seminary, preaching through live streaming. He was talking about the same topic, that Christians should be rooted in the community and grow more in one’s spiritual life through interacting with each other. We shouldn’t use avoiding religion and pursuing spirituality as an excuse to escape building each other up.

Then I felt inspired by the Holy Spirit about the message I will be sharing tonight. Today, the Holy Spirit seems to have a theme - the issue of abusing grace and the relationship between grace and the law. Since we were already planning to study Galatians which deals with the law, we will explore this topic tonight.

I heard that there was a dispute in China over the propagation of the so called “Grace Gospel.” A pastor in Singapore prefers to impart truth by teaching God’s grace and therefore was labeled as the “Grace Gospel.” I read an article in a charismatic magazine by an American pastor who believed that this pastor in Singapore overemphasized God’s grace and neglected God’s discipline which in turn caused people to abuse God’s grace. These two pastors agreed to meet and discuss the topic in the Lord’s love. I even saw pictures of the meeting. As a result of this meeting even the American pastor was criticized by those who opposed the “Grace Gospel. Apparently many people in the United States disagree with that teaching.

When I used to have my own audio program on the Chinese online platform, some of the audience in China often interacted with me. One of them was a follower of this so-called Grace Gospel. He chatted with me and asked me how I felt about the Grace Gospel. I know that he wanted me to affirm this teaching, but to be honest, I don’t know much about the Grace Gospel in China or why people criticize it so I couldn’t support him. He and I didn’t have any further communication after that.

I still hold this point of view. I don’t make any comments on the so-called “Grace Gospel” because my understanding is limited. But I have heard that many churches have split because of their attitude towards the “Grace Gospel. There are also a lot of disputes on the Internet. The purpose of my analysis here is not to judge other believers. Rather, I will talk about my understanding of grace and the law from a general perspective.

I think this topic is directly related to the contents of Galatians.

I came into contact with some people who had background in some traditional American Christian churches. They told me that they don’t like the legalism in the church. An American Christian lady told me that she was from a very legalistic church. When she came to the small Charismatic church, she said that she had absolutely never felt the freedom and release like this before. She described a variety of legalistic situations in her original church which really surprised me.

I met another American Christian man on the train. He asked if we could use instruments at our church. I said of course we can. He told me that his church doesn’t allow any instruments. They believe that instruments are all from Satan.

I also heard from a preacher that there was a teenager (who grew up in the church but wasn’t baptized yet) who accidentally ate the bread of the church’s Sunday worship without realizing it, and was reprimanded, causing the teenager to stumble.

I just cited a few examples as there are too many examples of legalism in the church. I suppose that there are a variety of these experiences. For example, some churches don’t allow women to wear makeup or jewelry, which may cause people to stumble. Some parents force their teenagers to go to church and when they are 18, they leave the church for good not even having experienced God. The list goes on.

Legalism really exists in churches. There are usually three outcomes of legalism. The first result is to stumble, which I’ve already said above.

The second outcome is people who develop a sense of pretense and hypocrisy. On the surface, they don’t violate the rules and regulations, but they don't really embrace them in their heart. This is the case with Peter in Galatians 2:12 where it says: for before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but after they arrived, he pretended not to eat with the Gentiles. Even Barnabas was led astray. In the end, Paul stood and reprimanded Peter. In the modern church, in the face of the overflow of legalism, many people are like this. They don’t violate the law; they oppress themselves and they pretend. Why? Because of fear. Fear made Peter pretentious because eating with the Gentiles may not have been accepted by the people of Jerusalem and he still had to go back to Jerusalem. If they accused him in the meeting, it would be very shameful for Peter. I mentioned in our study that fear is the main tool of the religious spirit to control people. Everything that is done out of fear is usually not from the Lord, but from Satan. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline (NIV, 2 Timothy 1:7).

For example, the teenager that I mentioned who had not experienced the Lord in a subjective way in the church may have two attitudes. He may be the type that refuses to go to church saying he’d rather be an unbeliever than a hypocrite. On the other hand, he could pretend to go along with everything to please his parents and live the opposite when they aren’t looking.