"Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man."
This is undoubtedly a parable to prove wisdom which is heavenly is far superior to carnal wisdom. If the ungodly world has ignored him it merely proves the point St Paul makes here."Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?/For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."(1 Co.1:20-21,30). Jesus of God has become wisdom. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom," The world as foolish as it come loves show, so come a reality TV showman whose catchphrase,"You are fired' entertained the nation to give him the keys and the grand seal of the office. He messed up so badly that 81 million fired him in 2020. He wants the office back and his base is all fired up again! This is carnal wisdom, brethren, devilish and sensual. " For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." (Jas.3:18)
On the otherhand the poor wiseman represents the hardworking middle class American who wants to make a honest living while the ideological divide stoked by the lawmakers stymies him. To the grand prize of salvation, wisdom from above, which is free is up for grabs are these movers and shakers interested? Oh no.
No one remembers Jesus Christ who set an example as the word become flesh, when but how do they fight tooth and nail to push their Southern Agenda of Wall Street carnage over the unsuspecting investors? It is thus a Chase bank glitch in TikTok where people got free money by depositing their checks. It is such razzmatazz that they assume is wisdom. For them everyday they are out to prove their wisdom so you may be sure we shall never be remebered that we opted for redemption of our bodies than our wallets.
In v.6 "Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment." The Holy Spirit is referring to the foundations in the preceding verse. Foundations of the earth as with a garment refers to the Law of the Spirit, so it shall abide forever. The fulness of God whether expressed as foundation or as light, "Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain" is the Son who is the express image of his person. Garment of righteousness enfold two worlds alike, the unseen and the world made to appear, and it is Person specific.
Seven as a command number refers to the Law of the Spirit. This Law shall judge the beast with seven heads. In order to indicate it he has ten horns; so has the red dragon. By the same token we can explain the Ancient of days as the Word. (The Word was God). "Seven foundations as with seven days refer to the Law, the Ancient of days. It is thus the Spirit gives him a fiery throne in Dan.7 and a voice."and his voice as the sound of many waters."(Re.1:15) The word of God reaches the deep so 'at thy rebuke' the water obey. So laws of nature take orders from the Law of the Spirit. "the waters stood above the mountains./At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away." Voice and thunders that St John referred reach them so "that they turn not again to cover the earth."(v.9) Instead of coming back from where they come, " They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them./Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over."(vv.8-9)
His mercies cover the earth. " He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works."
"Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth./The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works."
The Law or the Word upholds the natural world as well as the world of the Spirit. In the former after a careful reading of this psalm one will agree the Psalm gives a thumbnail sketch of the Law working with the air, earth and life forms (plants and animals). How oxygen moves through each of these regions and make free oxygen available one could apply to the everlasting covenant. God "who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain" creates a template through atmosphere, biosphere and lithosphere so the word upholds the laws of nature. In short the Law of the Spirit declares the glory of God. The world made to appear by the word of God where the working of the oxygen cycle is but one example. Several such cycles make use of elements so one may say with the Psalmist," O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." (v.24)
God made all things beautiful and several geologic and hydrologic processes require time yet what disrupts them? Law of sin working with the ungodly want quick returns and immediate satisfaction, which like the three ribs in the vision, "Arise devour much flesh'.(Dan.7:5)
"Who (God) laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever." In the manner mining and land development are rapidly accelerating this natural "salt cycle." we can understand the rage of the heathen, "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?"(Ps.2:2) They are unwitting tools in the proxy war against 'the Anointed One, "his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;/Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power."
MotherMac_reply to Gregflo:So glad to know you believe in the bible. May God keep your faith strong and your spirit forever seeking wisdom and knowledge to the saving of our souls. Amen.
I would suggest a good place to start is Jesus's Sermon in Matthews 5th chapter.
The "Beatitudes" introduces a reader to many aspects of the results of trusting God as we follow JESUS his son.
These scriptures will lead you into other teachings of Jesus.
II Timothy 5:15___Study to show thyself approved unto God. A workman that needeth not be ashamed but rightly dividing the word of truth.
Generations after generations would have passed before these mountain ranges become noticed. What directed the weathering process? The Law of the Spirit built upon 'the beams and pillars' which we may compare as a net, a word-wide web.The entire kingdom of God runs true, upholding the worlds by the word of his power. On the other hand accumulated transgressions of the sons of perdition have created the world under law of sin. Rational man not knowing the Scripture and the power of God confuse one for the other.
"What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?"
David's doubts are not God's doubts. Being overwhelmed by circumstances man cries out in panic as this psalm conveys. "Shall dust praise thee?" But faithfulness of God is from everlasting to to everlasting. Moses, the servant of God instructs us,"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." (Ps.90:2). He who formed Moses and David are far above what they may observe according to their time and place, He has set truth in their hearts and it is blessedness of the Law. And the key to is this is to believe in the Son whom he sent. "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end."(Ec.3:11) This world is outside the circumstances and what is seen. The Law of the Spirit and it states:"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."(Re.14:13)
This blessedness is guaranteed for man in his Son. Faithfulness of God shall being to pass. It is thus the Law has the heirs of light perfected the work of God,"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."( John 6:29).How man makes sense of his world is not what he may observe from his senses. The ground that he stands on is neither stolid but on continental plates constantly interacting with one another.'Mountains formwhere two continental plates collide. Since both plates have a similar thickness and weight, neither one will sink under the other. Instead, they crumple and fold until the rocks are forced up to form a mountain range. As the plates continue to collide, mountains will get taller and taller.'
"The mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns."
Seven is a command number which allows the Spirit to express the Law working anywhere within the Kingdom of God to indicate those who are subject to the Word or the Law so we are talking in terms of God a Spirit. The beast that goes to perdition, regardless of humber that may arise, have those who have given their hearts, as the ten kings, "These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.:(17:12-13) The Law clearly states where he goes to. "and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world," Similarly "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."(17:8;13:8) The number seven explains the Law works not on the basis of heaven or the earth, up down or across but according to written word, which is the Word made flesh. This book of life is associated with the tree of life and also is Person specific: Prince of life.
After our likeness the Word presents the mountain which is the Mountain of God; so also the rock of offence. Nevertheless the fullness of God is in Jesus Christ who is shown as the Ancient of days- the Ancient of Seven days .
The everlasting covenant is in seven days as seven heads full of blasphemies are assigned to the beast. His power, seat and authority comes from Satan. By the same token any man blessed under the covenant whether in body or dead in faith are associated with the prince of life and the book of life."Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:/(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"(2 Co.5:6-7). How do consider ourselves? "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life
" So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness:"
The woman is being borne on the waters. Nevertheless it is wilderness." And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." This wilderness is what we see even in our present times. In the preceding chapter we are seeing the effect of seven vials taking its toll, which is insidious decrement in the quality of life, physicallt as well as spiritually. Our weird climate is but one example. The Law of sin working through wicked and adulterous generations of men must show through the troubled sea and their culture wars. One may peddle outright lies and yet are swallowed by many with no questions asked. Blame it on the way we degraded the soil with forever chemicals. "Decades of research have linked things like air, water and soil quality to various measures of physical well-being. But much less is known about how the environment changes our brain. Now, a research team at the Keck School of Medicine of USC is pooling thousands of brain scans to better understand how aspects of our physical space - including air pollution, noise and green space - alter brain structure, influence our behaviour and impact our risk for various developmental, neurodegenerative and psychiatric problems." The Word is clear: "And be sure your sin will find you out." The war in heaven and one third of stars being cast, ("And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth",-Re.12:3) shall affect the waters. This chain reaction goes laterally as well as sequentially so man with his sins unconfessed stand in judgment. On the other hand those who are called justified and glorified are in heavenly places. According to the Law of gradation sons of perdition along with the beast are part of the outer darkness. "Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High."(Dan.7:22)
"When they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is"
In continuation with the Mystery, Nation of Israel is the mystery, sins of Babylon are the sins of Israel, vice versa. So the seven mountains that characterise the beast impact on her as well. The beast has a pelt which is of scarlet colour, "and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns." It references the quote,"though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."(Is.1:18)."And the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool."(Dan.7:9). The Spirit supplies the contrast, with the Ancient of days who has the books opened and judgment was set. Conclusion is she is heading to her destruction. " And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition."(v.11)
"and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."
The beast referred here is the same as the one mentioned in Re.11:7 "The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them." He is associated with the martyrdom of the two witnesses, representing saints whose blood has been shed since Abel till the very end. They are also called prophets,(11:10) Prophecy was until John."The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it."( Luke 16:16). So we may these saints were mentioned specifically as an umbrella for all those who died for righteousness. Jesus says, "Behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:/That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar./Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." (Matt.23:34-36). He lays charge for their death on the doorstep of the nation. "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." (v.6) These witnesses are connected with the Word which went out of the mouth of God. By Law of Gradation they are graded, notwithstanding the successive generations from Adam onwards against the generation of Jesus Christ. On the other hand the beast arising out of the bottomless pit of from the sea(13:1) whether scarlet coloured or as the one mentioned in 13:1 are all sons of perdition whose power is derived from Satan.
Nation of Israel is the mystery, sins of Babylon are the sins of Israel, vice versa.
Here the angel who guides Apostle John is a fellow-servant, "into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns." (17:3) What is the mystery? The four beasts that figured in the vision of Daniel were all judged. "they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time."(Dan.7:12) What we see now is Israel rejected by God. Mystery places Israel 'as one of us'. " Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations./All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?" (Is.14:9-10) "(Jerusalem) the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified." Spiritually Jerusalem on the earth is on the same footing as Babylon. "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast./These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast./These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them." (Re.17:12-14)
"And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise." This number is determined in heaven which is established by the red dragon, "and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads."(Re.13:2) . This horn is an usurper that replaces three other kings before him so his overreach covers the whole world. "And shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.. Out of the fourth beast issues world wide web but it is only a tool for Satan to wield his stranglehold. 'King' is a label for leader of men, who runs his authority on the earth, and is of flesh and blood.
"I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me." Daniel reports what one of the bystanders in the court of the Ancient of days divulged. Those who attend the Law seated on the fiery throne is well appraised of the matter and sworn to secrecy. So Daniel shall be told only what he need to know. This we shall understand from the short colloquy, "And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?/And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end."(12:8-9)
Coming back to the ten horns, the real power comes, "and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." The Number Ten connects with the Law so the Decalogue is a digest of the Law, which Jesus further reduced to two. "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matt.22:40 Without the first the second was useless. In short the command number has put the nation of Israel under judgment. Their works without the first placed them as servants to sin. In Re.ch.17 we read "And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns."
The first beast set out to be a theocratic nation and as Patriarch Jacob inspired by God refers to Israel as lion, Judah was foreknown as a lion's whelp, Jesus being qualified as the Lion of Judah. He was the Son of man with a man's heart given to him. In rejecting him the nation showed as Jesus rightly castigates the nation as children of the devil, the father of lies. In driving out does the unclean disappear ? Oh no. It is thus with other two beasts. The third beast signifies mercantile spirit and nations seeking wealth from faraway places."he beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it." Colonialism/ imperialism casts its net far and wide so north south west east alike come under its sway. Is world empire meant to raise the quality of life of natives? So have the nations in imposing as master became servants to sin. The beast "which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl" are the four ideologies created by socio-economic forces stirring up cultural and national divides.
The fourth beast is soul-less high tech. "dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it;" This shall give nations 'horns' which refer to the wherewithal to tread over the subjects with impunity. The little horn is a world leader who shall dazzle his subjects, "And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed./And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,/And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles"(Re.11:13-14)
"And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh."
The Word in order to indicate the bear as distinct from the land 'like to a bear' instructs us to keep in mind that it is not the animal itself but certain characteristics of the animal is applied to man and a nation, having similar propensities. It can live on anything, carrion, nuts, berries fish and what not. So nations that can turn a dollar from any thing, by exploiting natural resources or man fit the label. The three ribs in the mouth of it, are the real driver so glory of wealth, of power and of religion carry an insatiable hunger for more. This addiction is imposed from elsewhere and so the war in heaven is crucial to understand where it comes from.
There was war in heaven and Satan loses his place. Michael is one name. So driven out the unclean spirit become prince of the air. He presents before God. "And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."( Job 1:7) All the four beasts mentioned are under the same spiritual uncleanness. "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none./Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished./Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. "(Matt.12:43-45)
These four beasts mentioned in this chapter gives degradation of nations through the passage of time which stand in comparison with the king's dream in Dan.2. They arise out of the earth which has a generic name , Outer darkness to distinguish the troubled sea is distinct from the seas sanctified by God. "And the gathering together of the waters called he Seas."
"And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another./The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it."(vv.3-4)
"Lion"-Ge.49:9 "Judah is a lion's whelp." "Eagle"-Ex.19:4 "and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." Plucking of wings refer to the abolition of twin kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Made to stand as a man and a heart which was not right before God reveals their corruption."As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time."(7:12) In their degradation they are just like other nations and it refers to the present Israel. " Instead of outer darkness they are more or less same as other two beasts arising out of the earth.
"These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth."
"Arise out of the earth" is set down by the Spirit as quite distinct from the seas. "And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good."(Ge.1:10) God affixed his name, consequently it is good. This naming sanctifies the creation. Holy is his name. In Re.12 we read the term 'inhabiters of the sea'.
The sea is meant for marine life which is good. This sea we are considering is tainted by unclean spiritual elements: inhabiters of the sea has become corrupted as the old world became corrupted. "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."(Re.12:12) We have from the quote,"But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." Since the covering cherub was found with iniquity he was cast down and it is what the vision of John alluded to. "woe to the king of Tyrus we covered in Ez.28. In the night vision of Daniel (7:2) the four wind's striving upon the great sea refers to the specific event. For this reason the Spirit sets the beast in Re.13:1, "and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy." He is a demagogue, arising out of a wicked milieu. In short we are setting two worlds, parallel worlds. The Spirit introduced the Ancient of days in vv.9-10 in order to lead us to the latter days." I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;/Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom."(vv.21-22)
The sea represents the ungodly nations, arising out of the earth. Outer darkness it is called.
Hello Tdianne. Just to give you two further portions of Scripture to add to brother S. Spencer's reply, please look at Luke 23:42,43 and Luke 16:19-31. The first speaks about the criminal hanging next to Jesus on the Cross, who turned to Jesus for salvation. And Jesus' Word of assurance to him was that upon his death he would join Jesus in Heaven. The criminal's body would lie in a grave or be burned, but his spirit would return to God & an eternity in Heaven because of his faith.
And in Luke 16, Jesus gives a real account of what takes place in the after life, prior to His death on the Cross to pay for our sins. Both the rich man & the beggar Lazarus had died and both ended up in Hell, one in a place of eternal suffering & the other in a place of comfort & rest. Both were very much conscious of their surroundings, their pain & the reason for being where they were sent; with the plea by the rich man to have his five brothers alerted to this awful destiny, that they might repent before it was too late.
So both these accounts, even by the witness of Jesus Himself, shows us that our bodies might lie in the grave, or even not exist over the passage of time, but the real you (your spirit) which was once clothed in an ageing deteriorating body, moves instantly to a destiny appointed by God. If one is 'absent in the body' (i.e. our spirit has left they body), then that spirit, if saved through Jesus' shed Blood, goes immediately into the Lord's Presence. And that is why the Apostle Paul was assured in his spirit that the transition from death to his presence with the Lord was instantaneous ( 2 Corinthians 5:6-8). And he also told the Philippian believers ( Philippians 1:21-24) that he longed to be with Christ, but his work on Earth had not finished & also his care of the Church. But he was ready to go at any time the Lord called him, so even persecution & resulting death would mean an early entrance into Heaven. A great joy for him - and should be for us who believe.
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
The body goes into the grave waiting to be ressurected.
If you are a Christian it goes the way Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, WHILST WE ARE AT HOME IN THE BODY, WE ARE ABSENT FROM THE LORD:
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
You will need to read the whole Bible for yourself so that your knowledge and understanding is based upon what you have learned for yourself . That's the only way to ' know ' the answer to this and all other questions pertaining to God and to Jesus and our relationship with Them .
There are very many scriptures throughout the old and new testaments that will answer this question for you . I personally feel that 1st Thessalonians , chapter 4 , verses 16 and 17 are extremely clear on this subject .
As far as my studies and understanding go , we Christians will sleep in the ground after death and only be resurrected to be with Christ , when he returns to earth . This of course will seem like no time at all to us as we will be unaware of anything in between the moment of our physical death , unto the moment when we are resurrected , it will seem to us to be a matter of seconds , though in fact it could be very many years in between the two events .
There are different understandings of this and the difference is based on whether one believes souls are immortal. My understanding is the immortal soul belief came from Greek philosophy, Platonism. This was blended into the Church along with the definition of death meaning separation, the separation of the soul from the body.
My understanding from scripture every part of us is mortal and when we die, we sleep in the dust/grave Job 14:12-14, Job 17:13-16.
When is a corn plant absent from its seed, it is when it springs forth from its grave of the earth. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 We are sown, we sleep in the grave, Daniel 12:2Acts 13:36 and until resurrection which there are two, Revelation 20:4-10 and Revelation 20:11-15.
We are sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 We as mortal beings do not put on immortality until we are resurrected being freed from this body of corruption into a glorified body, then we will be present with the Lord, 1 Thessalonians 2:19.
May others give their understanding for you to study for yours.
God sent his Son as the true Light to the world and the Word had set his ministry according as the scripture may be fulfilled. "Recovering of sight to the blind" ( Luke 4:18) was one among them. Before him stood the blind. "When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man's eyes." (John9:6) Like chaff what is dust? Insignificant is it not? But Jesus told his disciples,"And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."(Matt.10:16). Whosoever and the dust of the house or the city and intrinsically bound. In geology dust is the result of the weathering process, but no matter, it represent the ungodly society of men. Similarly what is a shoe lace? Abraham would not even receive a shoe latchet,"And that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich." Wealth of the king of Sodom was of Satan who in according him pomp and privileges, made him a servant to sin. Abraham in trusting God for his blessings placed himself under the Law of the Spirit. The same Law governing the everlasting covenant made him observe a life of separation. The disciples were to shake off the dust of their feet for a witness.
Jesus spat on the ground, a sign even as his blood is, that his life was on the line. Death and resurrection would come later. By the same token we have the miry clay mentioned in the king's dream. "And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay."(Dan.2:43) Iron is the brute force, a quality of the beast and other sons of perdition..("But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces,". Imposter churches are covenant breakers to compromise with Satan. They are servants to sin for praise of men. They shall be smashed and thrown to winds as was in the king's dream.
For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.(v.9)
Meaning of this verse is simple: the house of Israel is like as corn is sifted. Similar as God, touching his vineyard,- he looked that it should bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. He asks,"What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?"(Is.5:1-4)Corn is blighted and mildewed since among all nations where they went they were corrupted all the more. Sifting for corn is a vain exercise. Not a corn shall be found. They have become like chaff, mentioned in the Book of Daniel,"and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them."(Dan.2:35)
V.8 however hints of a remnant, " Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord." They were among those called predestined, justified and glorified. Why? God or rather the Law of the Spirit saw them as such. Before the Law the word has set space and time as zero. It explains Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today and forever" (He.13:8) If God is for them they are called for Zion, above and not for the earth.
In v.11 we read of it, "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old" Notice the expression 'in that day' and it refers to heavenly Jerusalem, New Jerusalem to be precise. "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old." Joel also refers 3:17 "So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain."
"Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man."
This is undoubtedly a parable to prove wisdom which is heavenly is far superior to carnal wisdom. If the ungodly world has ignored him it merely proves the point St Paul makes here."Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?/For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."(1 Co.1:20-21,30). Jesus of God has become wisdom. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom," The world as foolish as it come loves show, so come a reality TV showman whose catchphrase,"You are fired' entertained the nation to give him the keys and the grand seal of the office. He messed up so badly that 81 million fired him in 2020. He wants the office back and his base is all fired up again! This is carnal wisdom, brethren, devilish and sensual. " For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." (Jas.3:18)
On the otherhand the poor wiseman represents the hardworking middle class American who wants to make a honest living while the ideological divide stoked by the lawmakers stymies him. To the grand prize of salvation, wisdom from above, which is free is up for grabs are these movers and shakers interested? Oh no.
No one remembers Jesus Christ who set an example as the word become flesh, when but how do they fight tooth and nail to push their Southern Agenda of Wall Street carnage over the unsuspecting investors? It is thus a Chase bank glitch in TikTok where people got free money by depositing their checks. It is such razzmatazz that they assume is wisdom. For them everyday they are out to prove their wisdom so you may be sure we shall never be remebered that we opted for redemption of our bodies than our wallets.
In v.6 "Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment." The Holy Spirit is referring to the foundations in the preceding verse. Foundations of the earth as with a garment refers to the Law of the Spirit, so it shall abide forever. The fulness of God whether expressed as foundation or as light, "Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain" is the Son who is the express image of his person. Garment of righteousness enfold two worlds alike, the unseen and the world made to appear, and it is Person specific.
Seven as a command number refers to the Law of the Spirit. This Law shall judge the beast with seven heads. In order to indicate it he has ten horns; so has the red dragon. By the same token we can explain the Ancient of days as the Word. (The Word was God). "Seven foundations as with seven days refer to the Law, the Ancient of days. It is thus the Spirit gives him a fiery throne in Dan.7 and a voice."and his voice as the sound of many waters."(Re.1:15) The word of God reaches the deep so 'at thy rebuke' the water obey. So laws of nature take orders from the Law of the Spirit. "the waters stood above the mountains./At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away." Voice and thunders that St John referred reach them so "that they turn not again to cover the earth."(v.9) Instead of coming back from where they come, " They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them./Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over."(vv.8-9)
His mercies cover the earth. " He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works."
"Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth./The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works."
The Law or the Word upholds the natural world as well as the world of the Spirit. In the former after a careful reading of this psalm one will agree the Psalm gives a thumbnail sketch of the Law working with the air, earth and life forms (plants and animals). How oxygen moves through each of these regions and make free oxygen available one could apply to the everlasting covenant. God "who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain" creates a template through atmosphere, biosphere and lithosphere so the word upholds the laws of nature. In short the Law of the Spirit declares the glory of God. The world made to appear by the word of God where the working of the oxygen cycle is but one example. Several such cycles make use of elements so one may say with the Psalmist," O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." (v.24)
God made all things beautiful and several geologic and hydrologic processes require time yet what disrupts them? Law of sin working with the ungodly want quick returns and immediate satisfaction, which like the three ribs in the vision, "Arise devour much flesh'.(Dan.7:5)
"Who (God) laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever." In the manner mining and land development are rapidly accelerating this natural "salt cycle." we can understand the rage of the heathen, "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?"(Ps.2:2) They are unwitting tools in the proxy war against 'the Anointed One, "his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;/Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power."
Come Lord Jesus
I would suggest a good place to start is Jesus's Sermon in Matthews 5th chapter.
The "Beatitudes" introduces a reader to many aspects of the results of trusting God as we follow JESUS his son.
These scriptures will lead you into other teachings of Jesus.
II Timothy 5:15___Study to show thyself approved unto God. A workman that needeth not be ashamed but rightly dividing the word of truth.
Keep praying
Generations after generations would have passed before these mountain ranges become noticed. What directed the weathering process? The Law of the Spirit built upon 'the beams and pillars' which we may compare as a net, a word-wide web.The entire kingdom of God runs true, upholding the worlds by the word of his power. On the other hand accumulated transgressions of the sons of perdition have created the world under law of sin. Rational man not knowing the Scripture and the power of God confuse one for the other.
"What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?"
David's doubts are not God's doubts. Being overwhelmed by circumstances man cries out in panic as this psalm conveys. "Shall dust praise thee?" But faithfulness of God is from everlasting to to everlasting. Moses, the servant of God instructs us,"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." (Ps.90:2). He who formed Moses and David are far above what they may observe according to their time and place, He has set truth in their hearts and it is blessedness of the Law. And the key to is this is to believe in the Son whom he sent. "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end."(Ec.3:11) This world is outside the circumstances and what is seen. The Law of the Spirit and it states:"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."(Re.14:13)
This blessedness is guaranteed for man in his Son. Faithfulness of God shall being to pass. It is thus the Law has the heirs of light perfected the work of God,"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."( John 6:29).How man makes sense of his world is not what he may observe from his senses. The ground that he stands on is neither stolid but on continental plates constantly interacting with one another.'Mountains formwhere two continental plates collide. Since both plates have a similar thickness and weight, neither one will sink under the other. Instead, they crumple and fold until the rocks are forced up to form a mountain range. As the plates continue to collide, mountains will get taller and taller.'
"The mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns."
Seven is a command number which allows the Spirit to express the Law working anywhere within the Kingdom of God to indicate those who are subject to the Word or the Law so we are talking in terms of God a Spirit. The beast that goes to perdition, regardless of humber that may arise, have those who have given their hearts, as the ten kings, "These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.:(17:12-13) The Law clearly states where he goes to. "and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world," Similarly "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."(17:8;13:8) The number seven explains the Law works not on the basis of heaven or the earth, up down or across but according to written word, which is the Word made flesh. This book of life is associated with the tree of life and also is Person specific: Prince of life.
After our likeness the Word presents the mountain which is the Mountain of God; so also the rock of offence. Nevertheless the fullness of God is in Jesus Christ who is shown as the Ancient of days- the Ancient of Seven days .
The everlasting covenant is in seven days as seven heads full of blasphemies are assigned to the beast. His power, seat and authority comes from Satan. By the same token any man blessed under the covenant whether in body or dead in faith are associated with the prince of life and the book of life."Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:/(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"(2 Co.5:6-7). How do consider ourselves? "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life
" So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness:"
The woman is being borne on the waters. Nevertheless it is wilderness." And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." This wilderness is what we see even in our present times. In the preceding chapter we are seeing the effect of seven vials taking its toll, which is insidious decrement in the quality of life, physicallt as well as spiritually. Our weird climate is but one example. The Law of sin working through wicked and adulterous generations of men must show through the troubled sea and their culture wars. One may peddle outright lies and yet are swallowed by many with no questions asked. Blame it on the way we degraded the soil with forever chemicals. "Decades of research have linked things like air, water and soil quality to various measures of physical well-being. But much less is known about how the environment changes our brain. Now, a research team at the Keck School of Medicine of USC is pooling thousands of brain scans to better understand how aspects of our physical space - including air pollution, noise and green space - alter brain structure, influence our behaviour and impact our risk for various developmental, neurodegenerative and psychiatric problems." The Word is clear: "And be sure your sin will find you out." The war in heaven and one third of stars being cast, ("And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth",-Re.12:3) shall affect the waters. This chain reaction goes laterally as well as sequentially so man with his sins unconfessed stand in judgment. On the other hand those who are called justified and glorified are in heavenly places. According to the Law of gradation sons of perdition along with the beast are part of the outer darkness. "Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High."(Dan.7:22)
"When they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is"
In continuation with the Mystery, Nation of Israel is the mystery, sins of Babylon are the sins of Israel, vice versa. So the seven mountains that characterise the beast impact on her as well. The beast has a pelt which is of scarlet colour, "and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns." It references the quote,"though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."(Is.1:18)."And the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool."(Dan.7:9). The Spirit supplies the contrast, with the Ancient of days who has the books opened and judgment was set. Conclusion is she is heading to her destruction. " And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition."(v.11)
Just want to again thank those who have prayed for baby Rose. She is over RSV now and thriving. Only needed Tylenol when she was feeling really sick.
Her Dad, my son, now has it and is pretty reactive to it, coughing like croup, congested, and feeling ill. But hopefully on the mend.
"and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."
The beast referred here is the same as the one mentioned in Re.11:7 "The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them." He is associated with the martyrdom of the two witnesses, representing saints whose blood has been shed since Abel till the very end. They are also called prophets,(11:10) Prophecy was until John."The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it."( Luke 16:16). So we may these saints were mentioned specifically as an umbrella for all those who died for righteousness. Jesus says, "Behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:/That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar./Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." (Matt.23:34-36). He lays charge for their death on the doorstep of the nation. "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." (v.6) These witnesses are connected with the Word which went out of the mouth of God. By Law of Gradation they are graded, notwithstanding the successive generations from Adam onwards against the generation of Jesus Christ. On the other hand the beast arising out of the bottomless pit of from the sea(13:1) whether scarlet coloured or as the one mentioned in 13:1 are all sons of perdition whose power is derived from Satan.
Nation of Israel is the mystery, sins of Babylon are the sins of Israel, vice versa.
Here the angel who guides Apostle John is a fellow-servant, "into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns." (17:3) What is the mystery? The four beasts that figured in the vision of Daniel were all judged. "they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time."(Dan.7:12) What we see now is Israel rejected by God. Mystery places Israel 'as one of us'. " Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations./All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?" (Is.14:9-10) "(Jerusalem) the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified." Spiritually Jerusalem on the earth is on the same footing as Babylon. "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast./These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast./These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them." (Re.17:12-14)
"And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise." This number is determined in heaven which is established by the red dragon, "and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads."(Re.13:2) . This horn is an usurper that replaces three other kings before him so his overreach covers the whole world. "And shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.. Out of the fourth beast issues world wide web but it is only a tool for Satan to wield his stranglehold. 'King' is a label for leader of men, who runs his authority on the earth, and is of flesh and blood.
"I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me." Daniel reports what one of the bystanders in the court of the Ancient of days divulged. Those who attend the Law seated on the fiery throne is well appraised of the matter and sworn to secrecy. So Daniel shall be told only what he need to know. This we shall understand from the short colloquy, "And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?/And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end."(12:8-9)
Coming back to the ten horns, the real power comes, "and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." The Number Ten connects with the Law so the Decalogue is a digest of the Law, which Jesus further reduced to two. "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matt.22:40 Without the first the second was useless. In short the command number has put the nation of Israel under judgment. Their works without the first placed them as servants to sin. In Re.ch.17 we read "And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns."
"The first was like a lion,"-v.4
The first beast set out to be a theocratic nation and as Patriarch Jacob inspired by God refers to Israel as lion, Judah was foreknown as a lion's whelp, Jesus being qualified as the Lion of Judah. He was the Son of man with a man's heart given to him. In rejecting him the nation showed as Jesus rightly castigates the nation as children of the devil, the father of lies. In driving out does the unclean disappear ? Oh no. It is thus with other two beasts. The third beast signifies mercantile spirit and nations seeking wealth from faraway places."he beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it." Colonialism/ imperialism casts its net far and wide so north south west east alike come under its sway. Is world empire meant to raise the quality of life of natives? So have the nations in imposing as master became servants to sin. The beast "which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl" are the four ideologies created by socio-economic forces stirring up cultural and national divides.
The fourth beast is soul-less high tech. "dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it;" This shall give nations 'horns' which refer to the wherewithal to tread over the subjects with impunity. The little horn is a world leader who shall dazzle his subjects, "And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed./And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,/And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles"(Re.11:13-14)
"And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh."
The Word in order to indicate the bear as distinct from the land 'like to a bear' instructs us to keep in mind that it is not the animal itself but certain characteristics of the animal is applied to man and a nation, having similar propensities. It can live on anything, carrion, nuts, berries fish and what not. So nations that can turn a dollar from any thing, by exploiting natural resources or man fit the label. The three ribs in the mouth of it, are the real driver so glory of wealth, of power and of religion carry an insatiable hunger for more. This addiction is imposed from elsewhere and so the war in heaven is crucial to understand where it comes from.
There was war in heaven and Satan loses his place. Michael is one name. So driven out the unclean spirit become prince of the air. He presents before God. "And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."( Job 1:7) All the four beasts mentioned are under the same spiritual uncleanness. "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none./Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished./Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. "(Matt.12:43-45)
These four beasts mentioned in this chapter gives degradation of nations through the passage of time which stand in comparison with the king's dream in Dan.2. They arise out of the earth which has a generic name , Outer darkness to distinguish the troubled sea is distinct from the seas sanctified by God. "And the gathering together of the waters called he Seas."
"And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another./The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it."(vv.3-4)
"Lion"-Ge.49:9 "Judah is a lion's whelp." "Eagle"-Ex.19:4 "and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." Plucking of wings refer to the abolition of twin kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Made to stand as a man and a heart which was not right before God reveals their corruption."As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time."(7:12) In their degradation they are just like other nations and it refers to the present Israel. " Instead of outer darkness they are more or less same as other two beasts arising out of the earth.
"These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth."
"Arise out of the earth" is set down by the Spirit as quite distinct from the seas. "And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good."(Ge.1:10) God affixed his name, consequently it is good. This naming sanctifies the creation. Holy is his name. In Re.12 we read the term 'inhabiters of the sea'.
The sea is meant for marine life which is good. This sea we are considering is tainted by unclean spiritual elements: inhabiters of the sea has become corrupted as the old world became corrupted. "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."(Re.12:12) We have from the quote,"But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." Since the covering cherub was found with iniquity he was cast down and it is what the vision of John alluded to. "woe to the king of Tyrus we covered in Ez.28. In the night vision of Daniel (7:2) the four wind's striving upon the great sea refers to the specific event. For this reason the Spirit sets the beast in Re.13:1, "and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy." He is a demagogue, arising out of a wicked milieu. In short we are setting two worlds, parallel worlds. The Spirit introduced the Ancient of days in vv.9-10 in order to lead us to the latter days." I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;/Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom."(vv.21-22)
The sea represents the ungodly nations, arising out of the earth. Outer darkness it is called.
And in Luke 16, Jesus gives a real account of what takes place in the after life, prior to His death on the Cross to pay for our sins. Both the rich man & the beggar Lazarus had died and both ended up in Hell, one in a place of eternal suffering & the other in a place of comfort & rest. Both were very much conscious of their surroundings, their pain & the reason for being where they were sent; with the plea by the rich man to have his five brothers alerted to this awful destiny, that they might repent before it was too late.
So both these accounts, even by the witness of Jesus Himself, shows us that our bodies might lie in the grave, or even not exist over the passage of time, but the real you (your spirit) which was once clothed in an ageing deteriorating body, moves instantly to a destiny appointed by God. If one is 'absent in the body' (i.e. our spirit has left they body), then that spirit, if saved through Jesus' shed Blood, goes immediately into the Lord's Presence. And that is why the Apostle Paul was assured in his spirit that the transition from death to his presence with the Lord was instantaneous ( 2 Corinthians 5:6-8). And he also told the Philippian believers ( Philippians 1:21-24) that he longed to be with Christ, but his work on Earth had not finished & also his care of the Church. But he was ready to go at any time the Lord called him, so even persecution & resulting death would mean an early entrance into Heaven. A great joy for him - and should be for us who believe.
The spirit never dies.
Ecclesiastes 12:7reads
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
The body goes into the grave waiting to be ressurected.
If you are a Christian it goes the way Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, WHILST WE ARE AT HOME IN THE BODY, WE ARE ABSENT FROM THE LORD:
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Notice there is no mention of grave here!
God bless.
I will pray for Addie.
There are very many scriptures throughout the old and new testaments that will answer this question for you . I personally feel that 1st Thessalonians , chapter 4 , verses 16 and 17 are extremely clear on this subject .
As far as my studies and understanding go , we Christians will sleep in the ground after death and only be resurrected to be with Christ , when he returns to earth . This of course will seem like no time at all to us as we will be unaware of anything in between the moment of our physical death , unto the moment when we are resurrected , it will seem to us to be a matter of seconds , though in fact it could be very many years in between the two events .
There are different understandings of this and the difference is based on whether one believes souls are immortal. My understanding is the immortal soul belief came from Greek philosophy, Platonism. This was blended into the Church along with the definition of death meaning separation, the separation of the soul from the body.
My understanding from scripture every part of us is mortal and when we die, we sleep in the dust/grave Job 14:12-14, Job 17:13-16.
When is a corn plant absent from its seed, it is when it springs forth from its grave of the earth. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 We are sown, we sleep in the grave, Daniel 12:2 Acts 13:36 and until resurrection which there are two, Revelation 20:4-10 and Revelation 20:11-15.
We are sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 We as mortal beings do not put on immortality until we are resurrected being freed from this body of corruption into a glorified body, then we will be present with the Lord, 1 Thessalonians 2:19.
May others give their understanding for you to study for yours.
God bless,
RLW
God sent his Son as the true Light to the world and the Word had set his ministry according as the scripture may be fulfilled. "Recovering of sight to the blind" ( Luke 4:18) was one among them. Before him stood the blind. "When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man's eyes." (John9:6) Like chaff what is dust? Insignificant is it not? But Jesus told his disciples,"And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."(Matt.10:16). Whosoever and the dust of the house or the city and intrinsically bound. In geology dust is the result of the weathering process, but no matter, it represent the ungodly society of men. Similarly what is a shoe lace? Abraham would not even receive a shoe latchet,"And that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich." Wealth of the king of Sodom was of Satan who in according him pomp and privileges, made him a servant to sin. Abraham in trusting God for his blessings placed himself under the Law of the Spirit. The same Law governing the everlasting covenant made him observe a life of separation. The disciples were to shake off the dust of their feet for a witness.
Jesus spat on the ground, a sign even as his blood is, that his life was on the line. Death and resurrection would come later. By the same token we have the miry clay mentioned in the king's dream. "And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay."(Dan.2:43) Iron is the brute force, a quality of the beast and other sons of perdition..("But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces,". Imposter churches are covenant breakers to compromise with Satan. They are servants to sin for praise of men. They shall be smashed and thrown to winds as was in the king's dream.
For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.(v.9)
Meaning of this verse is simple: the house of Israel is like as corn is sifted. Similar as God, touching his vineyard,- he looked that it should bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. He asks,"What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?"(Is.5:1-4)Corn is blighted and mildewed since among all nations where they went they were corrupted all the more. Sifting for corn is a vain exercise. Not a corn shall be found. They have become like chaff, mentioned in the Book of Daniel,"and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them."(Dan.2:35)
V.8 however hints of a remnant, " Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord." They were among those called predestined, justified and glorified. Why? God or rather the Law of the Spirit saw them as such. Before the Law the word has set space and time as zero. It explains Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today and forever" (He.13:8) If God is for them they are called for Zion, above and not for the earth.
In v.11 we read of it, "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old" Notice the expression 'in that day' and it refers to heavenly Jerusalem, New Jerusalem to be precise. "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old." Joel also refers 3:17 "So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain."