The Strait and Narrow

Archive for the ‘Kingdom of God’ Category

CHAPTER 1

Looking ever more closely to the writtings of Joel it would appear that Joel is expressing the devouring of the land including the trees (men)to where there is only stubble in the vineyard (Israel)which is left from the army of locust, palmerworm, cankerworm and caterpiller (false prophets & teachers).

 The land laid a waste land, but God said a day of drought will come and dry up the rivers of waters (truth) and fire will devour the pastures of the wilderness and all the trees of the field. That they should gather the asssembly together and cry unto the Lord.

CHAPTER 2

This chapter seems to continue with that thought and say that day of the Lord is nigh at hand. A fire will come and devour before them and behind them. Given that fire is a way of purification and in verse 5 it descibes the army that is to come upon them shall devour the stubble that which was left by the Locust.

Neither this army of God is shall fall upon the sword (word of God) shall be wounded. For they shall be a people set in battle array. The Lord calls the people of Israel to turn again their hearts unto him and that he would show great mercy and be anger, but only if they call for an assembly to repent and be sancified.

That then will God be jealous for his land and pity for his people, if they return to him that he would restore the days of the locust and send corn, wine and oil that you shall be sancified. That God would remove the northren army and bring you back into your land and pour out the former and latter rain in the first month of the season.(Holy Spirit) Thus restoring the years that the locust hath eaten, my great army that God has sent unto them. Thus the army of God is the harvest of the earth that wheat and barley in one seasonal month.

CHAPTER 3

Is a continuation of those days in which God would restore Judah and Jersualem in gathering those that are scatter among the nations. It speaks of precaliming war among the nations that all men might draw near, even the farmer is called into battle beating his plowshares into swords to sow in the field no more, but to being the harvest. Put in the sickle for the havest is ripe. In that day the mounatin shall drop down with new wine and the hills shall flow with milk and a fountain out of the house of the Lord.

Seems to me that each chapter continues the same thoughts and descibes the same events which would be that the land was first laid waste by false prophets and teachers causing the people to sin. God would have them to call for a general assemby and repent and be sancified. In chapter 2 it relates in a way of an invasion by the army of God that will make clean and puriftied thereby clearing the land of stubble and weeds, leaving the ground as clean as possible for the tillage tools.

This leaves me to ask can we assume that the army of God (2:11) is an pagan nation that can’t be wounded? Clearly this speaks of the army of God that speads the words of God as if it was ‘fire’ and as a ’sword’ to make ready the land for it planting and harvesting of souls.

Metaphor’s

• Hunger: Man shall not live by bread alone(Matthew 4:4), I am the Bread of Life(John 6:35), Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6).

• Thirsty: Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6), But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again (John 4:14)

• Stranger: Go ye to the loss sheep of Israel (Matthew 10:6) Go ye to the highways and hedges and compel to come in, that my house maybe filled (Luke 14:23)

• Naked: Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame (Rev.16:15),…white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed and the shame of they nakedness do not appear(Rev.3:18)

• Sick: They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick (Matthew 9:12)

• Prison: But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.(Gal.3:22), Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.(Gal.3:23)

So there no reason to read these deeds as being literally filled as good deeds, but that we should undertsand them as spreading of the seeds of God, I mean spreading the good news of Christ to the losted.

What would be the connection if any in the use of the KJV Strong’s H4430 matches the Hebrew מלך (melek (Aramaic)) “Royal” to how the same word “melek” is used as “King”.?

Daniel 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings [melek] that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings [melek].

Daniel 6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal [melek] statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king [melek], he shall be cast into the den of lions.

In this instance ‘royal’ is the only place that melek is translated rather than king. Could this be important in how we are to understand or even interpert these ten horns which where translated as ten kings. Where the word melek was used and interperated as king or kings rather that royal.

As you can see the subject in Daniel 6 and verse 7 is of those people that where given to high places among the governing of that kingdom. These came together and consulted among themselves to establish a decree or a royal statute. Given the indication of their kingly [royal] positions. Even among these where the three Hebrews boys that where set over the province of Babylon. Chapter 3 tells us that ‘all of the rulers of the province” were gather together at this assembly.

So one way we might translate melek in Daniel 7:24 is as a ruler of the province, governors, counsellors, or presidents rather than king. If this be the case in there were ten so called kings out of that kingdom. Notice Daniel 7:24 spoke of ‘that kingdom’ showing that these ten had not their own kingdom, but rather was out of that kingdom. If we then correlate how Daniel 8 speaks of some of the stars and host of heaven being casted down to the ground this might give us some insight into these ten kingly persons. There made be a correlation with the three Hebrew boys becasue of their high place within the kingdom. We might be able to draw some parallels from them as to the three kings subdued. It may well be expressing the royal preisthood as being kings of which three was subdued.

So instead of thinking that there are ten kings which come out of this kingdom and which have no kingdom of themselves. That make my point even stronger for why call them a king when they have no kingdom.

Daniel seems to indicate that these are royalty rather than kingship. As the list of thoses that assembled together as presidents, governors, princes, counsellors and captains all was considered to be royalty.

But lets look even closer at how this is delivered. These ten ‘melek’ horns shall arise and another little horn shall arise after them and shall be different that the first horns while the little horn shall subdue three of the first horns.

Here and in other places Daniel used ‘prince’ as to indicate one of power in waiting of the kingship. (Dan. 3:2, 3:27, 6:7, 9:6, 9:25-26, 10:13, 10:20, &11:22) In these there are a couple that I would bring to our attention and they are Daniel 9:6 where Daniel mention of that they people didn’t hearkened unto the prophets which spake unto thy name to our kings and princes and our fathers…

Daniel 9:6 KJV Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

This indicate that Daniel is speaking of the kings of Israel and those that await it as princes the other one is in Daniel 11:22 where Daniel mentions that the vile person in verse 21 would come into the kingdom and come like a flood and shall break them and the prince of the covenant.

Daniel 11:22 KJV And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

Here again Daniel is referring to the royal priesthood of Isreal that Antiochus IV casted down and set up them whom he chose to set over the kingdom as high priest. Onias III the legitimate high priest was murdered so that one would take his place.

So the connection I would place is how Daniel spoke of the three Hebrew boys as rulers over the provinces and was counted among those that was among the royalty of the kingdom. This would place the thought that Daniel may have been indicating that the ten kings where more of ten princes that where in waiting of that kingdom.

This seems to be in line with the priest that are in the royal priesthood as princes. For the priest color are given to denote royalty the color purple. And we know that Antiochus did in fact subdue [ bring under control by physical force ] the priest and high priest of Israel.

So in the analogy of the Harvest of the seed’s of men, we have the very first bundle of ripen fruit of the field. Which is those that have been sealed by the Holy Spirit as described as the 144,000

Revelation 7:1-17
2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:

Which is told to the Ephesians that they of the first century was sealed after they believed and that they were the first in Chirst.

Ephesians 1:12,13
12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

Continuing with the harvest of the First Fruits we are again told of the 144,000 as virgins which have not been defiled by the woman “Whore” of chapter 17. They are found without fault and not deceit is found in their mouth. These are an select group just as the analogy of the First Fruits indicate, they are the first to receive salvation and sealed with the Spirit.

In chapter 7 again we can fine that John is asked who was these and where did they come from, John didn’t know, so the angel told them that these are those that came out of great tribulation. These are an select group of the First Fruits redeemed to God from the earth.

So then when we read chapter 14 concerning these 144,000 as an virgin
described as the bride. These are called the first fruits, then notice that Babylon the woman that these remain without fault has fallen that great city is fallen and the smoke of that city ascendeth up for ever. Then John looked, and behold the Whole Harvest of the seed of men those that have become ripe of the earth.

Revelation 14:14-16
14And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
16And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

Then another Harvest of the earth.

 18And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

Another term that is used to describe those First Fruits as those first in Christ is depicted as the First Resurrection spoken in Revelation 20:4

Revelation 20:4,5
 4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection

One can see here that those martyred for refusing to receive the mark or worship the beast would be refered to as the First to be redeemed or resurrected. These are an select group that came out of the great tribulation having been the first to receive salvation as the first fruits of the harvest.

But then later in the season [thousand years] when all of the seeds of men become ripe then they also like the first fruits of the same harvest will live again but after the thousand years reign of the first fruits.

Do that make sence?

I know this topic of First fruits has been discussed many times before, but I feel that many still may over look this aspect of the reference to the gathering of the faithful (Harvest). Revelation 14:1-5

In the vision under consideration the 144,000 are said to “follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.” They are given the great privilege of following Christ throughout all eternity because they chose to follow Him on earth, even in the face of persecution and death. This high honor is evidently not accorded all the redeemed, not all the redeemed will learn the song that they would be singing.

The 144,000 are declared to be “the first fruits unto God and the Lamb,” or “the first to be reaped for God and the Lamb.” The language indicates that this special company have been “selected” or “gathered” from “among” others for a special purpose, and are the first fruits of the harvest. The first fruits of the harvest are that part of it which matures first, and are always only a small part of the whole. The first fruits must be distinguished from the reaping of the harvest. The 144,000 are declared to be “the first fruits,” not the reaping of the full harvest.

Among the ancient Israelites the first fruits were the choice fruits of the harvest that first come to maturity, and these were carefully selected, marked gathered, and dedicated to a sacred purpose. The 144,000 are therefore selected from among other saints and dedicated for the special service of “God and the Lamb,” not only in this world, but also in the world to come. This seems to imply that the 144,000 do not represent the whole company of the Elect, but a specially sanctified number from among them. This seems to mean that the 144,000 represent not the whole, but only a portion of the great harvest to come, not only the first installment, but those marked by high spiritual service to God and the Lamb.

The offering of ‘first fruits’ under the Jewish law, in which the first portion of the harvest was dedicated to God, in token that the whole belonged to Him, and was recognized as His. Hence it always implies that something of the same kind will follow it , and in this sense it is often used in the New Testament. If ‘the first fruits is holy, so is the lump.’ . . . In like manner the mention of the hundred and forty and four thousand as ‘first fruits’ suggests the thought of something to follow.