Mishpatim

      The Book of Ezekiel opens with an accounting of the day on which "the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel (hazak - strengthen, repair, prevail, courage, encourage, make strong, make bold, be resolute) the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar (kebar - length of space, continuance of time, long ago, formerly, now, already); and the hand of the LORD was upon him there." (Ezek. 1:3). On this day, Ezekiel said, "the heavens were opened and I saw visions (mar'a/mar'e/ra'a - a vision as a mode of revelation, mirror, looking glass/appearance, sight, vision, phenomenon, spectacle, countenance, form, visage, pattern/to see, look at, perceive, consider, foresee, seer, discern, be visible, to be caused to see) of God." (v. 1). Last week we read about the direct and powerful encounters in scripture that several had with God which changed their lives. Here is another of those encounters.

     Ezekiel's vision begins with a whirlwind cloud coming out of the north "with a raging fire engulfing it." (v. 4). Within this whirlwind of burning cloud, Ezekiel sees four angelic creatures, with each of the creatures having four wings and four faces, and "they went wherever the Spirit wanted to go..." (v. 12). The appearance of the (angelic) creatures "was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning." (v. 13). Ezekiel went on to give a very specific description of what he further saw. Eventually he said that above these creatures was the firmament (raqia - extended surface, expanse, vault of heaven supporting waters above, visible arch of the sky, the heavenly ocean to which the stars are fixed). Ezekiel's vision continues to advance upward, seeing above the firmament to the likeness of a throne, and on the throne " was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it (v.  26). From His waist up, the man's appearance was the color of amber "with the appearance of fire all around within it", and a voice like the sound of many waters. From the Man's waist down, "...the appearance of (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in Greek as Jesus was referring to Himself: Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) fire with brightness all around." (v. 27). The brightness that Ezekiel saw around and within this Man was like the appearance of a rainbow: "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD." (v. 28). The likenesses of both the throne and the Man seen by Ezekiel are very similar to descriptions of Jesus Christ in Rev. 1:13-16 and Rev. 4:3. 

     This awesome and glorious vision changed Ezekiel's life. He received his prophetic calling at that time, and the Word of the LORD for the children of Israel (Ezek. 2:2), who, at this time, along with Ezekiel, were in the middle of their seventy-year captivity by the conquering Babylonians/Chaldeans. They were captives in a foreign land far from their home, as their own land lay in the destruction of war. The Word of the LORD that God had for captive Israel was a Word for a rebellious people who had transgressed against God, whom God described as "impudent" and "stubborn". (v. 3-5). Evidently, their traumatic captivity had not broken through to them, and the LORD very much wanted to break through to them (and perhaps to us). They also had true prophets like Jeremiah telling them that unless they repented, they would fall to Babylon, be taken into captivity. However, the people of Jerusalem chose to believe the more appealing prophecies that promised them victory. After all, would God ever turn away from His people, His city, His temple? Yes, He would, although He would never forget His covenant with them.

     The passage from Ezekiel Chapter 1 above is part of this week's Sabbath reading portion titled Mishpatim, meaning "Judgments/Ordinances". In its way, it is a sad commentary regarding the character of God's people, while, at the same time, it gives us a wonderful view of the character of God. The title comes from the first verse in Ex. 21: "Now these are the judgments (mispat/sapat - judgment, justice, ordinance, manner, right, cause, measure/to judge, govern, vindicate, punish, defend, condemn) which you shall set before them...". In these times, I found that the reading portions for this week brought a very important lesson to me. 

     This Sabbath reading portion includes Ex. 21 through 24. The LORD had just spoken (not yet written on tablets) the Ten Commandments from the mountain top. The LORD then began to speak of the justice to be shown to slaves and servants, and to victims of violence and kidnapping. The LORD demanded that foreigners and the poor were not to be mistreated and were to receive the same uncorrupted justice as others. The children of Israel agreed: "So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, 'All the words which the LORD has said we will do." (Ex. 24:3). An altar was constructed, and sacrifices made by the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) young men. After Moses wrote all of the LORD's judgments in a Book (of the Covenant). he sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices on the altar, on the Book, and also on the people, saying, "This is (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to these words." (v. 8). This aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega blood (of Christ) is the same blood that became the New Covenant through Messiah/Christ (see 1 Cor. 11:23-26). These mishpatim judgments that had been spoken by God became a blood-sealed covenant between God and His people, the Israelites.

     We can see the heart of the LORD reflected in His mishpatim judgments concerning the weak, the abused and the vulnerable. As we look at another portion from this Sabbath, we will see that the people of God did not keep this covenant of justice.  During the siege of Babylon against the city of Jerusalem (Jer. 34:1), the prophet Jeremiah had delivered the prophetic Word of the LORD to the king of Judah, Zedekiah, telling him that he would not escape from the king of Babylon, but neither would the king be killed by the sword (Jer. 34:2-5). The king had received this mercy from the LORD because: "...King Zedekiah had made a covenant with (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them: that every man should set free his (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) male and (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) female slave...that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage." (v. 8-9). The princes and the people obeyed "that no one should keep them in bondage anymore" and let their (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) slaves go. However, the princes and the people who had entered into this covenant of liberation changed their minds, "...and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection (kabas - subject, subdue, force, keep under, bring into bondage, violate, tread down, conquer, trample under foot) as male and female slaves." (v. 11). The LORD was not pleased and gave this prophetic Word to Jeremiah to deliver to the people: "...you turned around and profaned (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My name, and every one of you brought back (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) his male and (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) female slaves, whom you had set at liberty...and brought them back into subjection to be your...slaves. Therefore...Behold, I proclaim liberty to you', says the LORD - 'to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth...I will give them into the hands of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life..." (v. 16-17, 20). Although God had assured His people that, even in the face of captivity, He would not forget His covenant (of mercy) with them (Jer. 33:25-26), they had immediately forgotten the covenant of liberty that they had established in the Spirit of God's mishpatim judgments. While they were facing enslavement themselves from a brutal enemy, they refused to show mercy and justice in their own hearts while enslaving others, even their own brethren.

     As we see above, although we believe that we can discern the evil in other men's hearts, we often are unable to discern the same evil in our own hearts. Jesus shocked the religious leaders of His day when He told them what lives in the heart (not just some hearts), though a man looks righteous on the outside: "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man..." (Mt. 15:18-20). Ezekiel prophesied that the LORD would give us new hearts (Ezek. 36:26-27), and John wrote that if we confess our sins to the LORD, He will forgive them and cleanse us (1 Jn. 1:9). This is why Jesus came for us all - so that we did not have to remain dead in our sins, as slaves to sin, but could live in Him.

     It is good to keep these things in mind when we read from the prophet Amos, in another of this week's Sabbath readings. Amos wrote the Word of the LORD to His people concerning the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which went into captivity approximately 150 years before the Southern Kingdom of Judah did: "...shall surely go into captivity...Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, with no one to quench it in Bethel (meaning "House of God") - You who turn justice (mispat/mishpatim - see above) into wormwood (la ana - bitterness, to curse, poisonous, accursed, hemlock), and lay righteousness to rest (yanah - leave, withhold, withdraw, abandon, be quiet) in the earth!" (Amos 5:4-7). The LORD accused His people of treading down the poor, taking bribes to afflict the just, and diverting the poor from justice. He urged them to "Seek good and not evil, that you may live; So the LORD of hosts will be with you, as you have spoken. Hate evil, love good; Establish justice (mispat/mishpatim - see above) in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph." (v. 14-15). According to this verse, while God's people were transgressing the mishpatim judgments in this manner, they were saying, "The LORD is with us"! The LORD promised them that there was coming "the day of the LORD" (which they desired to see!) when they would be wailing in the streets.  In the same spirit, do we also look for the Day of the LORD to come, and the wicked to be judged, not realizing that the judgment begins in Bethel - in the house of the LORD? When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the first thing He did was to sternly establish mishpatim justice in the Temple, the House of God, the place of His Name (Mt. 21:12-14). 

     The prophet Malachi also wrote the Word of the LORD to His people: "And I will come near you for judgment (mispat/mishpatim - see above); I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit/oppress (asaq - press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, obtain deceitfully, be crushed, drink up; to strive, contend, quarrel) wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien/sojourner/foreigner - Because they do not fear Me,' says the LORD of hosts." (Mal. 3:5). 

     The Spirit that causes us to walk in these mishpatim judgments of the LORD (see Ezek. 36:27) is beautiful, and the LORD desires His people to walk in this beauty: "He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justly (mispat/mishpatim - see above), to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Mic. 6:8). 

     If you would like to know more about the mishpatim justice of God, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You have called me to walk in Your mishpatim justice towards others. Your Son, our Savior, walked in it, and established it. Heal me Lord, of any spiritual blindness that would prevent me from walking in Your Word by the Spirit of God. Help me to understand Your high and perfect standard of justice that reflects Your goodness and holiness, and the needed mercy that You have provided for me in the blood of Jesus. Let me be transformed by both. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

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This week's sabbath reading is titled Mishpatim, meaning judgments or ordinances from Exodus chapters 21 through 24, but a look at the Hebrew meaning of the word tells us much more. Mishpat and its root sapat mean "judgment, ordinance, lawful, execution of judgment", as we would expect. However, it also means "manner, cause, worthy, fashion, custom, discretion, measure, as well as justice, right, rectitude as attributes of God and man. It means to condemn and punish the guilty at the same time as it means to plead a cause, defend, and deliver, especially regarding the poor and oppressed. We will see in these chapters that the LORD is establishing principles and a character for His people that prallel and converge with His own character and image. These are not just a set of arbitrary, outdated, rules with which to burden man, as some may think, but these mishpatim are for the establishment of an image on earth consisting of God in, and with, His people. When God created man, He created them, male and female, in His/Our own image (Gen. 1:26-28). This primary truth from the beginning has not changed throughout scripture. We will also see from two of the prophets in this sabbath reading, the connection of the formation of this image in His people with the idea of exodus, a Greek-Latin word meaning "the way or road out of", which is the name, and theme of this second book of scripture. The realization of these things in this sabbath reading was very inspiring for me, and I hope it will be for you also. We can see how these commandments in these chapters from Exodus reflect the character of God. Exodus 22:1-9 speaks about how the thief shall be required to restore what has been stolen, from double up to five times the item stolen. The LORD is the foremost Restorer of things lost or stolen: "And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before...Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning..." (Job 42:10, 12). The LORD promised to restore Israel: "The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied..." (Joel 2:24-26). The LORD warned His people in this week's sabbath reading not to mistreat a stranger (foreigner), a widow or the fatherless, or He will hear their cries to Him, and His wrath will be poured out upon His people (Ex. 22:21-24). Protecting the stranger, the widow, and the fatherless are part of the LORD's character: "Sing to God, sing praises to His name...a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation...The LORD watches over strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow..."" (Ps. 68:4-5, Ps. 146:9, see also Deut. 10:17-18). The LORD commanded His people not to charge interest or keep security, such as keeping a man's covering garment as security, in making loans to their brethren (Ex. 22:25-27). It is the character of the LORD to give without the expectation of repayment: "What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me?" (Ps. 116:12). Jesus, in expressing the image of divinity, said: "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also...Give to him who asks you and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." (Mt. 5:40, 42). In Ex. 23:1, 6-8 from our sabbath reading, the commandment is given to God's people not to circulate a false report, and not to be an unrighteous or false witness. The LORD speaks in scripture of the absolute reliability of His true report (Isa. 53:1), and the value of His true witness regarding His Son, Jesus (Jn. 5:37). The truth of God, or His judgments, and of His witness can also be found in Ps. 119:160, 2 Sam. 7:28, Ps. 19:9, and Rom. 3:3-4 to give just a few additional examples. The LORD wants those who belong to Him to keep truth in justice, because God is truth, as is His justice. In Ex. 23:8, God commands His people not to take bribes in the same way that He does not take bribes (2 Chron. 19:7, Deut. 10:17). God's people are not to show partiality against the poor in justice (Ex. 23:3, 6), just as God does not show partiality: "For the LORD your God is God of gods and LORD of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe." (Deut. 10:17, see also Rom. 2:11). God's people are not to participate in an injustice against someone because he is an enemy (Ex. 23:4-5). In describing the divine character, Jesus said: "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just, and the unjust." (Mt. 5:44-45). In another commandment the LORD says: "...do not kill the innocent and righteous..." (Ex. 23:7). This is one of the things that God hates (Prov. 6:16-19). Judgment would come to Israel because their hands were covered with innocent blood (Isa. 59:3, Ezek. 22-27). God does not shed innocent blood - He avenges it (see Rev. 6:9-11, Ps. 106:37-42). In these chapters from Exodus in this week's sabbath portion, God commanded that controversies in justice be brought before the judges to be decided (see Ex. 22:8-9). The Hebrew word used here for "judges" is elohim, which is the very name of God, Himself. God is teaching His people His Word and principles to conform them to His own image and name. We know this in the New Testament as Paul wrote that the church was to grow into "a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Eph. 4:13), and again he wrote that we have been predestined by the Father "to be conformed to the image of His Son...these He also glorified." (Rom. 8:29-30). In another place in scripture God tells His people: "Be ye holy as I am holy" (Lev. 19:1-2, 1 Thess. 4:6-7, 1 Pet. 1:15-16), and "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Mt. 5:48). We don't change ourselves into this same holy and perfect image, however. The Word of God changes us (see Rom. 12:1-2). We learn from this sabbath's reading that there is another necessary element to being conformed to, and united with, God and His likeness. Previously in our scripture reading, only Moses could be enveloped in the presence of God, thereby becoming the intermediary between God and His people. In Exodus 24, an amazing event occurred: "So Moses came and told all the people the words of the LORD and all the judgments (mishpatim- see above). And all the people answered with one voice and said, 'All the words which the LORD has said we will do.' And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins (agan/nagan - basin, cup, goblet, bowl (as pounded out hollow), a laver, a trough for washing/to pound, to strike strings of an instrument, to thrum or beat a tune with the fingers), and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, 'All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.' And Moses took the blood and sprinkled (zaraq - sprinkle, scatter, here and there) it on the people, and said, 'This is the blood of the covenant (see Lk. 22:14-20, which also refers to the presence of the cup, the twelve apostles, and the meal) which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.' Then Moses (meaning drawn out of the water, rescued, pull out) went up, also Aaron (meaning light bringer), Nadab (meaning willingly offered, offer freely, offer self, volunteer), and Abihu (meaning "he is my father"), and seventy (see Lk. 10:1) of the elders (zaqen - ancient) of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone (see Ezek. 1:25-28), and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel, He did not lay His hand. So they saw God and they ate and drank." (Ex. 24:3-11). They saw God. Scripture doesn't say that they saw the glory of God on the mountain, but that they saw God. How is this possible? The New Testament reveals this mystery, and gives us the other necessary component to the image of God joined with man: "And of His (Christ's) fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." (Jn. 1:16-18). In another place Jesus said: "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father." (Jn. 6:45-46). In a third place, it is recorded: "Jesus said to him (Thomas), 'I am the way, 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; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." And Philip said to Him, 'Lord, show us the Father, snd it is sufficient for us.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father?" (Jn. 14:6-9). In Exodus 24, the sprinkling from the basin of the sacrificial blood of the covenant upon the people, manifested the presence of the Messiah, Jesus, who said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." There are just too many parallels to the revelations found in the New Testament in this mysterious account in Ex. 24 to be ignored. An additional point of interest regarding these verses from Ex. 24 above is that an aleph-tav is connected to the name of God, Elohim, as it was written in Hebrew: "So they saw Elohim-aleph tav..." (v. 11). Jesus specifically referred to Himself as Aleph=Tav, which are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, when He called Himself "the Alpha and Omega (translated into the Greek), the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" in Revelation. From this sabbath's reading, two prophets prophesied of the removal from His people of the exodus provided by God as they broke the same mishpatim, or judgments, as those that were delivered to His people in Ex. 22 and 23, which they declared they would do. They broke from His Word, and His justice, which is established from His own character and Person. They broke their oneness with His image or likeness, so they broke with His exodus, ("the way or road out of"). Jeremiah wrote that King Zedekiah and all of the people had made a covenant to set at liberty all of the Hebrew brethren who had been kept as slaves, and they let them go (Jer. 34:8-10). Then they changed their minds and brought all of the former Hebrew slaves back into slavery (v. 11). Through Jeremiah, the LORD condemned them for breaking the words given to them through Moses (v. 12-16). So the LORD promised that He would give liberty to those things that would come to bring destruction to His people: the sword, pestilence, famine, and conquering (v. 17). The prophet Amose wrote the Word of the LORD against His people as they broke the mishpatim given by Moses in this week's sabbath portion: they trod down the poor with taxes, they afflicted the just and took bribes (Amos 5:10-13). Their empty sacrifices would not deliver them, because they would not be accepted by God (v. 21-23). Destruction, wailing and very deep darkness would come upon them (v. 16-20). In His people, the LORD expects to see Himself, as He said: "But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream", as He told His people: "Seek Me (davas - seek, search, follow in pursuit or search) and live...Seek the LORD and live..." (v. 4, 6). His mishpatim are not to burden or constrict us, but to develop us into His image, as He determined for us from the beginning. If you would like to learn more about being conformed to God's image, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You gave us Your mishpatim, Your judgments and ordinances, as one of the ways for me to be conformed to Your image. You gave me the blood of Your Son as a willing sacrifice so that I may see God. Conform me to the image of Your dear Son by His blood, and wash me with the water of Your Word (Eph. 5:26, and 1 Jn. 5:6). By Your Holy Spirit, let Your Word be written in my heart, so that I may be changed, and let Your exodus, "the way out of", be manifested in my life. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Hakal-HaShem

 

This is part 2 of the discussion that we began in the last entry. In the previous post, we looked at the house of God, built by the Son of David, Jesus, which is a house, or temple, for the Father's name, Hakal HaShem. It is a place of miraculous, delivering, restoring, overcoming prayer for all nations. We are that living house, built out of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Jn. 2:18-22). This spiritual and living house, which we are, is built after the same prophetic pattern of the natural temple built by David's son, King Solomon (1 Kings 8). We should understand what scripture has said about that house, as we become built into the spiritual house after the pattern, so please read the previous entry. Jesus has great, even violent zeal for this house built from His blood and body (Mt. 21, Mk. 11, Lk. 19, Jn. 2). This living house worships God in Spirit and in Truth. This place for the Father's name, both in the earth, in the Spirit, and as we will see, in heaven, will become the focal point in the showdown between the holiness of God, and the eternal evil of Satan.
Both a natural temple, the spiritual temple, and the heavenly temple of the name of God, have important roles in the End Times, leading up to the return of Christ. We are living in that time, and we must become aware of our vital, spiritual role.
The Apostle Paul described the events that must take place before the day of Christ's return, and our gathering together to Him:
"Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin (lawlessness) is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God....And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders..."   2 Thess. 2:3-9 (excerpt)
The goal of the one we know as the Antichrist, empowered by Satan, is to inhabit the physical temple of God, as God. Although sometimes we don't recognize the importance of the place of God's name, the Antichrist evidently will know and understand it, and desire it above all things. He reflects Satan's covetous desire in this (Isa. 14:12-15). This spirit of lawlessness is already at work in the earth (2 Thess. 2:7), as we can also plainly see as we look at the events of today. "Lawlessness" describes our times perfectly.
Those who are deceived by the antichrist succumb to that condition because they have chosen to turn away from the truth of God: "...because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (v. 10).
We may say that though the antichrist may seat himself in the earthly temple of God yet to be built, he will not be able to inhabit us, the living, spiritual temple of Christ. Actually, Jesus warns that the spiritual temple is in danger as well:
"Then if anyone says to you, "Look, here is the Christ!", or "There!" do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect (eklektos: picked out, chosen by God to obtain salvation; choose out for one's self as Christ chose the disciples). See, I have told you before hand."  
                                                                                                      Mt. 24:23-25
As we, the chosen for salvation, turn further and further from the truth of God, as we are currently doing, we become very vulnerable to all spiritual lies and deceptions, and particularly this deception. Yes, it is very possible that the antichrist may try to inhabit even this living temple of God's name. If he cannot inhabit it by our permission, he is not averse to inhabiting it by force. We must be prepared against that. Paul exhorts the church in 2 Thess. 2 to "stand fast" and hold to what we have been taught (v. 13-15). If we doubt the elect's vulnerability, we can see it in the pitiful question that Jesus asked: "Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" Lk. 18:8
The Book of Revelation, chapter 13, describes the antichrist as a "beast" (dangerous, venomous, wild animal, preparing destruction, and hunting for men as prey). Also said of the beast:
"Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme (speaking evil, slanderous, railing, abusively) His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven." v.6
He is allowed to make war on the saints, and to overcome them. Authority is given to him over every tribe, tongue and nation (v. 7).
What is the living tabernacle of God, the place of His name, to be doing in all this? I can tell you that the heavenly tabernacle is singing to the Lamb, Jesus, and declaring with all of their might:
"You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth...Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"  Rev. 5:9-12
This is what the heavenly temple of God is saying. This is to be our song and declaration as God's spiritual temple, as well. Like the heavenly temple, this living spiritual temple within us is the place where the Lamb of God is enthroned. Within this spiritual temple, miraculous intercessory prayer takes place, by which the Father sends the answer of all-powerful deliverance.
After the proclamation in the heavenly temple, all creation, every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea, also begins to proclaim the eternal rulership of Christ. And the judgment seals begin to be opened by Him.
As the persecution of the people of God becomes intense, as they are being chased down to be devoured (Rev. 12), again, we see the worship and praise in the heavenly temple calling forth the destruction of those who destroy the earth (Rev. 11:16-18). And then intercession of the temple of God:
"Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail."
                                                                                                            Rev. 11:19
God's people are miraculously delivered from the flood of destruction (Rev. 12:14-16).
Are we getting a picture of the enormous importance of the temple of God in all of these events?
Before the destruction of the beast, and the bloody system of wealth called Babylon, that sits upon him, the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the wrath of God, the seven last plagues that complete the wrath of God, are released. Yes, these angels are released by the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb (Saved Israel and the Church together) that come froth out of the temple of God (Rev. 15:1-4).
"And after these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened....The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed."  Rev. 15:5, 8
The innermost Holy of Holies of the temple of God is opened to be seen by all.
Can we see the importance of our role as the living, spiritual temple, the place for God's name, hakal HaShem, built by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, cleansed by His zeal for His Father's name, the place where the Lamb of God is enthroned, the place filled with His Spirit and with His glory, with the Father's power of prayer, especially for the very days in which we live now, and will soon see? Can we understand how important it is for us to "stand fast" in the truth that we have been taught, as Paul instructed us to do? A great deal depends upon it.
This topic is huge, but alas, my space here is not! I have learned much in this sturdy, and I hope I have been able to share some of it with you in these last two posts.

Our Father has a living temple, on earth, in heaven, in us, built by His Son. AMEN!

"Bow Down and Worship Him"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ks05wY8m0s

"Worthy Is The Lamb"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAplJ0_jDFc

"I Bowed on My Knees"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc2xGXONv4I