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“Be Blameless and Harmless” in the Great Tribulation | Philippians 2:15

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This morning the ‘still, small voice’ of the Holy Spirit spoke to me concerning how we will overcome our spiritual adversaries in the coming Great Tribulation. He said, “blameless and harmless,” reminding me of Philippians 2:15.

“Do all things without murmurings and questionings: that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain. Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all: and in the same manner do ye also joy, and rejoice with me.” (Philippians 2:14-18 ASV)

As you can see, the apostle Paul associates being ‘blameless and harmless’ with the “day of Christ,” which is coming soon. He also associates it with being offered-up as a sacrifice, which I’ll discuss below.

Blameless and Harmless

Blameless

Why must we be blameless?

Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but it’s against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)

Therefore, our enemy is not evil people. It’s not the government, or liberals, the deep state, or the Chinese, etc.

Our enemy is the Devil, that ancient serpent, “The Accuser” and the evil spirits (principalities and powers) who follow him. According to Revelation 12:10b, The Accuser is even now accusing us continually before God in heaven.

But, when we are blameless, The Accuser and his evil followers will have nothing to accuse us of, and therefore they’ll have no right to remain in heaven. The blamelessness of YHWH’s witnesses (martus, martyrs) will cause our enemies to ‘lose their place‘ in heaven. Michael and his angels will then cast them out of heaven and down onto the earth.

So, there are two reasons why our blamelessness is important to complete God’s plan of salvation:

  1. Blamelessness testifies to our successful transformation from sinner to saint. It glorifies God because of His successful work of forgiveness and grace in our life. As long as we abide in carnality and sin, the Holy Spirit’s transformational work of sanctification isn’t complete.
  2. Our sacrificial offering (Psalm 110:3) must be pure, without blemish or defect.

(I realize these topics may will generate more questions, but the answers are well beyond the scope of this short article. For the background theology behind what I hinted at here, read the free PDF booklet, The Overcomers’ Treasure Map.)

Is it Possible to be Blameless?

Some will ask “Is it possible for us to be blameless?” Many religious people say ‘nobody is perfect,’ and ‘everybody sins every day.’ But these sayings aren’t true. They’re the enemy’s lies.

Instead, concerning the possibility of attaining perfection, the apostle Paul had the attitude we should have:

“I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view.” (Philippians 3:10-15 BSB)

Be Perfect; Press On to Take Hold; Strain Toward What’s Ahead…

God’s plan of salvation makes it possible for us to attain perfection and sinlessness. It’s not only possible, but YHWH expects us to press into blamelessness, as these verses prove:

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:7-8 BSB)

You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed. (1 Thessalonians 2:10 BSB)

…so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13 BSB)

 …in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight. (2 Peter 3:13-14 BSB)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. (Ephesians 1:3-4 BSB)

Harmless

Speaking of Jesus, our High Priest in heaven, the Book of Hebrews states:

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens. (Hebrews 7:26 NKJV)

Harmless: Without Any Desire to Hurt or Harm

‘Harmless’ in Hebrews 7:26 comes from the Greek word akakos. As you can see below, Akakos means someone who is innocent, without any desire to hurt or harm.

Strong’s Reference

Harmlessness Isn’t Weakness

As He was dying for our sins Jesus prayed,

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

During His earthly ministry Jesus exemplified harmlessness. But that doesn’t mean He was weak in any way… The same Jesus who gently welcomed the children frequently scolded His disciples. The same Jesus who touched the leper and healed him whipped the moneychangers as He overturned their tables in the temple.

Being harmless doesn’t mean we’re always happy, smiling and positive. It means our intentions are always pure toward another person’s benefit. It means we only want other peoples’ welfare, regardless of how they hurt or wrong us.

Being harmless is how we fulfill these commands:

I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. (Proverbs 25:21)

Bless those who persecute you. Pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:28)

Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people. (1 Thessalonians 5:15)

Overcomers are Blameless and Harmless

The 144,000 Overcomers

“The end-time harvest of the earth, for which God has been patiently waiting since the First Eon, is a holy people who overcome sin through His Spirit living within them. According to Revelation 14.4, the firstfruits of the coming end-time harvest will be 144,000 morally flawless disciples of the Lamb, with 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. They’ll completely fulfill all the requirements of God’s law by growing daily into the fulness of the stature of Christ.” (The Overcomers’ Treasure Map, pg 93)

The 144,000 are blameless and harmless. They’re overcomers, who overcome Satan, the world system, and their own carnal desires. The apostle John saw them on the heavenly Mount Zion with the Lamb–their resurrected Messiah. About the 144,000 John wrote,

“They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.” (Revelation 14:4-5 BSB)

Conclusion

We’re living in the end of the age. The fulfillment of end-time prophecies is imminent, including:

  • The Great Tribulation
  • The manifestation of the sons of God
  • The end of the Serpent’s reign over the earth
  • The destruction of all nations (Daniel 2:44)
  • The first resurrection of saints
  • God’s final harvest of souls
  • The Messianic kingdom for 1000 years
  • The final judgement of all mankind

How can you be on the right side of these end-time events? Be blameless and harmless, and follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

The Lord’s Prayer | How Did Jesus Pray? Line-By-Line Meaning Explained

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Jesus taught His disciples ‘the Lord’s Prayer,’ but what does each element of the prayer really means? How did Jesus pray the Lord’s Prayer?

For more than 50 years I confess that I mechanically prayed the Lord’s Prayer without really understanding it. Then, in early 2019 the Spirit of God led me to dig into the details of the Lord’s Prayer and uncover its deeper meaning. So, after hundreds of hours of Biblical research, prayer, and revelation from the Holy Spirit, here are the original 5 topical sections of the Lord’s Prayer. The remainder of this article will dig deeper into their meaning.

  1. Father, Yahovah, hallowed be Your name.
  2. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on the earth as it is in heaven.
  3. Give us this day our daily bread.
  4. Forgive us our debts as we forgive all our debtors.
  5. And bring us not into trials, but rescue us from an evil heart of unbelief.

For reference purposes, the Lord’s Prayer is found in two places: Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 1 | “Father, Yahovah, Hallowed Be Your Name”

Father

If you are a believer in Jesus, then Yahovah (YHWH) became your Father when you repented of sin and believed in Jesus. Following your sincere repentance and faith, YHWH miraculously birthed new spiritual life in your heart and you literally became His child, a new creation, a different person.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah is begotten of God.

1 John 5:1

Begotten of God

What does ‘begotten of God’ mean?

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

We don’t use the words beget, begat, or begotten very much today. As you can see below, the Greek word translated ‘begotten’ literally means to procreate a descendant and produce an offspring.

Biblehub reference

So, YHWH literally becomes every true Christian’s Father. We become members of His personal family; we share His spiritual DNA. Therefore, when we pray to the Father we’re confessing two things:

  1. He is my Father and I am His child; I have His DNA in the new spirit He quickened within me.
    • I’m no longer a mere man (1 Cor 3:3).
    • Christians are a different species from unregenerate people; they’re members of a new creation (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15).
  2. My sibling believers are those who also have God’s spiritual DNA; those who’ve had their spirits quickened within them. Therefore, God is ‘our Father.’

In Heaven

Our Father is in heaven. What does this mean? Is God’s abode a physical place, far beyond the constellations? Or is it in another dimension that exists invisibly alongside the physical space-time dimension we live in? A good argument can be made for both of these views.

But years ago, God revealed this to me—God isn’t far away (across the universe) in heaven. Just the opposite! He is closer to us than we are to ourselves. He is closer to you than the breath in your lungs.

God is constructing an eternal temple, built with ‘living stones.’ This spiritual temple is God’s dwelling place forever.

As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:4-5

So, when I pray to the Father I don’t add the words ‘in heaven,’ which makes it seem like He is somewhere far away. He is not far away. Instead, I’m prompted to intentionally quiet my natural thoughts and focus my attention toward the Holy Spirit of God who dwells in my spirit, my innermost heart.

Yahovah

Scripture tells God’s people to call on His name, extol His name, make His name known, etc.  It’s respectful and worshipful to address YHWH by His name, so when I pray I begin by personally addressing Him, saying “Father, Yahovah.”

The next line of the Lord’s Prayer is “hallowed be Thy name.” How can I pray this if I haven’t said His name?

The Father’s Name

What is the Father’s name? There are two reasons why most people don’t know it.

  1. Unfortunately, for thousands of years God’s people avoided saying the name of God, supposedly out of respect. Because of this, Bible translators even changed ‘YHWH’ to ‘LORD’ in most English Bible translations.
  2. In addition, Satan’s world system actively pressures people not to acknowledge the true God, or to pronounce God’s name. 
Call Upon His Name

But YHWH tells us to call on His name, extol His name, make His name known, etc.  For a few examples, see: Joel 2:32, 1 Chronicles 16:8, Isaiah 12:4, Psalm 105:1, Romans 10:13, and Acts 2:21.

But Don’t Speak the Names of False gods

In contrast, YHWH explicitly commands us not to speak the names of false gods…

You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.

(Exodus 23:13)

God commands us not to say the names of false gods because that would legitimize them. But over the centuries Satan has deceived God’s people by preventing them from speaking God’s name, even though YHWH encourages us to call on His name.

Pronunciation

Many people avoid pronouncing God’s name for fear of mispronouncing it, but if your heart is sincere and reverent it’s not important to pronounce God’s exactly correctly. God looks at your heart; He is not judging your pronunciation.

That said, based on compelling evidence from Jewish Hebrew scholar Nehemiah Gordon I believe the most-likely pronunciation for YHWH is “Yahovah.” Here are URLs to three videos for anyone who’d like to investigate this further, or to hear how a Hebrew scholar pronounces Yahovah.

Yahweh vs. YHVH: The Name of God – Q&A with Michael Rood & Nehemia Gordon

The Origins of Yahweh

God’s name is not Yahweh – Proof from Jewish Rabbis

Hallowed Be Your Name

To ‘hallow’ something means to treat it as holy and pure, separate from common things.

After I address YHWH saying, “Father, Yahovah,” I pray “Hallowed be Your name” to reinforce my recognition that I am entering the presence of Almighty God, the creator and sustainer of all things, and the holy Judge over every creature eternally.

In 1973 the Holy Spirit gave me a glimpse of God’s love. I experienced God’s love as so deep and powerful that I felt like I was drowning in an ocean of love. It was overwhelming. I had to ask the Spirit to reduce the experience because I felt like I the glory was too much for my flesh and it would have killed me. In the Spirit I ‘saw’ the Son in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18), surrounded by the Father’s infinite love, and I realized that that’s where I was too, since my life is now ‘in Christ.’ I flashback to this experience when I pray “hallowed be Thy name.” He is infinitely holy and pure and loving. I’ve experienced that even a glimpse of His glory is too much for us fleshly creatures.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 2 | Your Kingdom Come; Your Will Be Done. As In Heaven, So On The Earth

The Lord’s Prayer is first and foremost a kingdom prayer. In this part of the Lord’s Prayer, we’re first praying for YHWH to perfect His kingdom in heaven by throwing the Devil and his angels out, and then to extend the Messiah’s authority over all the earth, until all of heaven and every nation on earth submits to God’s throne and willingly aligns with His will.

When we pray ‘Your kingdom come Your will be done, as in heaven so on the earth” we’re engaging in spiritual warfare. We’re using our Adamic authority to exercise dominion over the earth. The goal is for all the earth to conform to God’s will, in peace, righteousness, and prosperity.

For more information about this spiritual warfare, read Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven and Spiritual Warfare for God’s End-Time Overcomers.

From the Book of Revelation we know that we won’t see God’s kingdom come onto the earth until after Armageddon. Then, Jesus will oversee YHWH’s kingdom on the earth for 1000 years. Here’s my Prediction of Life in the Next Millennium.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 3 | Give Us Today Our Daily Bread

Sometimes we forget that Jesus didn’t emerge from His mother’s womb as a fully-developed and mature man. Just like us, He grew from infancy, to childhood, adolescence, and finally manhood.

About this developing and maturing process the Bible says,

Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Luke 2:52

Our Daily Bread is Living Bread

The Bible is the logos, the written word of God. It is static and permanent, a constant reference for anyone to read.

In contrast, the rhema is God’s spoken word. It is the voice of the living God speaking to us today, to teach us, direct us, or command us about a specific topic in our life right now.

Biblehub reference

As He grew and matured Jesus learned the logos perfectly, and He also demonstrated His total dependence on YHWH’s rhema.

See and Hear God’s Rhema

In the Gospel of John (chapter 5) Jesus revealed that He both saw and heard YHWH’s rhema in His daily life. Without this rhema, Jesus said He could do nothing.

Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.

John 5:19-21

I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 5:30

If Jesus could do nothing without the rhema direction from His Father, how much more do we need to seek the Father’s rhema in everything we do.

God wants us to ask for and depend on Him to provide whatever physical, mental, and spiritual ‘bread’ we need to accomplish His will through our lives today. 

The Bread of Life

Physical and mental bread are important, but spiritual bread gives us eternal life. The rhema of YHWH is this daily bread.

Bread of Empowerment

Our daily bread is not only to keep us alive and well, but it’s our empowerment to complete our mission of advancing God’s kingdom.

Just as we depend on God for life itself, He depends on us to bear His fruit on the earth.

For more information about ‘our daily bread’ read Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread and Christian Passover.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 4 | Forgive Us Our Debts As We Forgive All Our Debtors

True Christianity requires a supernatural transformation of our human spirit. Otherwise, it’s impossible for us to forgive our debtors as much as God requires us to.

The Lord’s Prayer (and many other Bible verses) teach that if you don’t forgive everyone of everything, then God won’t forgive you. 

According to Why “Forgive Us Our Debts As We Forgive Our Debtors?” there are three reasons why our ability to forgive is so important to God:

  1. Our ability to forgive others is evidence to God of our true repentance
  2. Our ability to forgive others is evidence to mankind of a transformed life with supernatural quality
  3. Our ability to forgive others is evidence to celestial principalities and powers of God’s victory through Christ in us.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 5 | Bring Us Not Into Trials, But Rescue Us From An Evil Heart of Unbelief

If you’re like me you’ve prayed ‘Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil’ for a long time without understanding what Jesus meant in this part of the Lord’s Prayer. For example, the traditional words ‘Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil’ often brought these questions into my mind:

  • It always sounded to me like I needed to ask God not to lead me into circumstances where He knows I’d be weak and tempted to sin.
    • But, as a loving heavenly Father, wouldn’t it be against His nature to lead me into sinful temptation?
  • What evil was I asking God to deliver me from?
  • Some translations (NASB, KJV, YLT) say, ‘deliver us from evil’ and other translations (NIV, NLT, BSB) say, ‘deliver us from the evil one.’ What is the correct translation of this phrase?

After detailed study of this verse I believe Jesus’ original teaching conveyed this meaning: “Bring us not into trials, but rescue us from an evil heart of unbelief.” The reasons for this wording, as well as the answers to the questions above, are all explained in detail in Lead Us Not Into Temptation But Deliver Us From Evil.

Amen

Finally, when we say “amen” in the Lord’s Prayer it’s in the same context as the ancient Hebrews, who meant two things by the word ‘amen:’

  1. Whatever has been said is true and in alignment with God’s will.
  2. God made man the ruler over all the earth in Genesis 1:28. Therefore, just as God spoke the heavens and the earth into existence, may God manifest my words into reality. Let them be done on the earth.

“Amen,” replied Benaiah son of Jehoiada. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it.

(1 Kings 1:36)

In Conclusion

The Lord’s Prayer is a kingdom prayer. Now that you understand how Jesus taught His disciples to pray–with the goal of advancing God’s kingdom on the earth–you can pray the Lord’s Prayer as (I believe) it’s meant to be prayed.

What Do You Think?

Did this article answer all your questions on this topic? Please leave a comment below and tell me:

  • Were you satisfied by the information in this article?
  • Or, did it leave you wanting more?

Related Questions and Answers

Q: What about the traditional end of the Lord’s Prayer in the Gospel of Matthew, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever?”

A: Most authoritative ancient manuscripts don’t include the traditional end of the Lord’s Prayer, which is why modern translations omit it from Matthew’s gospel, except perhaps to mention it in a footnote. In Luke’s gospel there isn’t even a footnote.

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness

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During more than 45 years as a disciple of Jesus I’ve often meditated on (and tested) Jesus’ simple statement in Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” What things was He referring to? In this post I’ll explain exactly what Jesus meant, and provide some true personal stories that demonstrate how and why God did and didn’t provide them in my life.

So, what did Jesus mean when He said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you?” According to Jesus, if your single-minded focus is to advance God’s kingdom in heaven, then you should never worry about earthly things—your heavenly Father will be faithful to provide all the things you need to sustain your life on the earth.

This article will be an easy-to-understand exposition of Matthew 6:19-34, including real-life personal examples. When you finish reading it you’ll understand exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

Jesus begins by challenging His listeners to examine their affections and priorities in life. What do they value the most?

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

Do Not Lay-up Treasures on Earth

Every earthly treasure is vulnerable to decay, loss, theft and inflation.

Worse yet, what good are earthly treasures when you die? We all came into this world naked, and that’s how we’ll leave it. You and I will leave all our earthly riches behind when our spirits leave our bodies.

Do Lay-up Treasures in Heaven

Unlike earthly treasures, heavenly treasures are permanent and safe.

If your treasures are in heaven, your heart will be focused on heavenly things. You’ll ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God’ on the earth.

How to lay up treasures in heaven?

Remember what Jesus said to the rich young ruler:

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

Luke 12:33

Seek ye First the Kingdom of God — The Early Jerusalem Church’s Example

Just after Jesus was resurrected and the Holy Spirit filled thousands of disciples in the first Church in Jerusalem, they literally sold their properties and donated the money to the poor. As a result, everyone’s needs were met and the congregation enjoyed rich spiritual fellowship…

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need. With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart.

Acts 2:42-46

Up to today this was the high point in the church’s spiritual life, and it’s been going downhill since then. But, the good news is that God destines His end-time overcomers to surpass the early church’s level of spiritual life, fellowship and power.

My ‘Living by Faith’ Experiment

Examples of ‘Living by Faith’

John Taylor baptizing Honduran disciples of Jesus

In the summer of 1976 I was an unemployed, newlywed Bible college student in Lakeland, Florida. I’d read about how Hudson Taylor, George Mueller, and Watchman Nee relied totally on God for their income.

I’d also become friends with John Taylor, a missionary who still serves in Honduras today. John is a living example of someone who ‘lives by faith’. What do I mean by that? To me, ‘living by faith’ means they never ask for money or communicate their needs to any people. They rely totally on God through prayer for all their needs.

My Failed ‘Living by Faith’ Experiment

So, in 1976 I decided to put this ‘live by faith’ method to the test. I told my new wife what I believed and informed her that, instead of getting a job, I would devote myself to prayer, Bible study, and any ministry God led me to do. In return, I ‘believed’ that God would provide our rent, grocery money, and any other needs through prayer. She was skeptical, but supportive.

The experiment lasted two months. Then, after our (borrowed) car ran out of gas one night we decided we could find and redeem glass cola bottles to buy enough gasoline to get us back to our apartment.

Then, after procuring some gas to get the engine started, I removed the air filter and poured an ounce of gasoline down into the carburetor (this was before electronic fuel injection). The engine backfired and the carburetor caught on fire. Fearing it would explode, my wife screamed at me frantically to get away from it, but I ignored her and soon beat the fire out with a wool blanket. Then she started crying, and I knew she couldn’t take much more. I started looking for a job the next day.

Lessons Learned

From this experience I learned a couple good lessons:

  1. God can and will provide money and other resources to support a person’s needs, but only when His leading prompts them to depend on this method of supply. It was presumptuous of me to expect Him to supply my needs without Him leading me to do so.
  2. Honest work that enables me to support my family is a gift and a blessing. Since then I’ve worked as a laborer, dishwasher, cook, janitor, warehouse-man, landscaper, military officer, cyber-security consultant, and IT project manager. My experiment of ‘living by faith’ wasn’t a failure. It taught me to be thankful for all of these jobs, no matter how humble.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven Now?

I’m not advocating that you sell everything you own today and give all your money to the poor. As in the lesson I learned from my ‘living by faith’ experiment, such an action (without God’s leading) is presumptuous. Today’s Church is carnal and fragmented, and the early Jerusalem Church’s example doesn’t exist today.

However, within my lifetime I believe God will restore the early Jerusalem Church’s example. At the end of this age the Holy Spirit will guide sincere disciples of Jesus to return to this radical level of practical spirituality and fellowship as the living Body of Christ.

Then, it will be time for us to sell everything, give to the poor, and lay up treasures in heaven. The only question will be, “Will you serve God or will you serve mammon?”

The definition of Mammon is – material wealth or possessions especially as having a debasing influence.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Seek ye First the Kingdom of God | No One C Two Masters

The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Matthew 6:22-24

Jesus challenges us to ask, “What are we focused on?” If your treasures are in heaven, your heart will be full of light, oriented toward the things of heaven. But if your priorities and affections are earthly, your heart will be full of darkness, and oriented toward carnal, earthly things.

To serve God we must be single-minded. No one can serve two masters. We will either serve God or mammon, but we cannot serve both.

God’s Cure for Anxiety | Seek ye First the Kingdom of God

Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?”

Matthew 6:25

If you fix eyes on God’s heavenly kingdom, you won’t need to worry about your physical needs. If you’re concentrating on advancing His kingdom, God will make sure your physical needs are met.

Don’t Worry About Eating

Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Matthew 6:26

Think about it. As long as the billions of birds, fish, and animals function according to their place in creation, God provides food for them all. As humans, our rank is at the top of creation, even above angels. God literally made us in His own image.

Don’t Worry About Your Lifespan

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Matthew 6:27

King David wrote, “My times are in Your hands.” (Psalm 31:15) We can establish a healthy lifestyle and avoid taking unnecessary risks, but after we’ve done these things we have absolutely no control over how long we’ll live in our body. It’s up to God.

Our physical, bodily lifespan is in God’s hands. But as long as we’re focusing on God’s kingdom as our first priority, God will make sure we physically live long enough to fulfill our God-given mission on earth.

Don’t Worry About Clothing

Mosaic Wall Mural in Jerusalem

And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Matthew 6:28-30

Clothing was Both Apparel and Shelter

In Israel 2000 years ago a man’s clothing served more functions than it does today.

The Bible required all Jewish men to travel to Jerusalem three times each year for the feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. It’s about 100 miles (160 km) from Galilee to Jerusalem, and men walked the entire distance in 5-10 days, sleeping on the ground at night, using their outer robe (or mantle) for their bedding and blanket.

So, in addition to covering the body for modesty and warmth, a man’s clothing was his raincoat, tent, and sleeping bag. Without sufficient clothing a person would die of exposure.

Rich men often wore an ornate outer robe (some were made of silk). This was a sign to others that they didn’t need to condescend to sleeping on the ground.

No Spiritual Value in Beautiful Adornment

In contrast, what Jesus said about John the Baptist, who wore a camel’s hair robe with a leather belt:

What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces…
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Matthew 11:8, 11

Jesus Himself “hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.”

Isaiah 53:2

Finally, my father once gave me this advice about the clothes I had to wear to church as a boy. “As long as your clothes are clean and the holes are patched, don’t be ashamed of what you’re wearing.”

Don’t Worry Like An Orphaned Pagan | You Have a Heavenly Father | He Will Provide

Do Not Worry!

Notice in the next verse that Jesus didn’t gently say “You don’t have to worry.”

Instead, as a direct result of the things He has said since verse 19 above, He emphatically commands us “DO NOT worry.”

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek ye first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:31-33

Jesus says, “therefore STOP WORRYING!” Stop acting like a pagan unbeliever who:

  • Rejects God’s sacrifice for sin
  • Lives in willful ignorance, sin, and rebellion against God
  • Has no desire for holiness, and no right to approach God
  • Cannot call God ‘my Father’

Instead of Worrying – Seek ye First the Kingdom of God

Your heavenly Father (and creator and sustainer) knows everything you need, even before and in more detail than you do.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7

So, instead of worrying about food, drink, clothing, or the length of your life, “Seek ye first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all those things shall be added unto you!”

God’s promise is if you are seeking His spiritual kingdom and His righteousness, then your heavenly Father will provide everything you need to sustain you in this physical world.

My Alaskan Journey of Miracles

Juneau Alaska

A few years after my ‘Living by Faith’ experiment, we had migrated from Florida, to Ohio, to Juneau, Alaska–the most beautiful capital city in America (in my opinion).

Juneau Alaska

Then, after about a year in Juneau, I lost my good-paying job. I found work at minimum wage as a dishwasher, and later in a furniture warehouse. We moved into what people now call a ‘tiny house.’ In January 1978 our daughter was born and I didn’t have medical insurance to cover the expenses. As much as I loved Juneau, I knew something had to change in our financial situation and that meant I’d have to look elsewhere.

Pilot Training

Air Cavalry Scout Pilot

I piloted US Army helicopters pilot in the Vietnam war. When I returned to America I got an FAA commercial helicopter pilot’s license. After the war the helicopter pilot market was flooded with veterans with more experience than I had, so I couldn’t get a helicopter flying job.

As an alternative to helicopters, I wanted to become an Alaska bush pilot. However, I wasn’t an airplane pilot.

So, to become a bush pilot my first step was to attend a civilian flight school in Anchorage to get my commercial airplane pilot’s license.

Alaska Bush Plane

My veteran’s educational benefits would cover most of the cost for the training, but not my travel, room & board in Anchorage, or my wife and baby’s expenses in Juneau while I was gone. Fortunately, my mother-in-law was living in the tiny house with us and she found a job in the hospital cafeteria, so she volunteered to cover their expenses in Juneau.

Anchorage to Palmer, then Back to Anchorage in 1 Day–By Faith

I had just-enough money to get a plane ticket for the 575-mile airline flight from Juneau to Anchorage. I didn’t know anyone in Anchorage, but the Church I attended in Juneau had some congregations in various places; one of which was in Palmer Alaska, 43 miles North of Anchorage.

After buying my one-way plane ticket I had about $50 remaining. We prayed and asked for God’s help. Then I boarded the plane with only a small backpack and flew to Anchorage in the autumn of 1978. Strangely, I wasn’t apprehensive; I had the peace of God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7
Arrived in Anchorage Alaska by Noon. Started Walking to Palmer

I arrived before noon and started walking. With about 40 miles to cover, I ‘stuck out my thumb’ and hitch-hiked North out of the city of Anchorage toward Palmer. I didn’t have an exact address for my destination–a communal farm near Palmer–but I trusted that someone in that area would know where it was. (Remember, this was many years before the world had cellphones and the internet.)

I remember one driver who picked me up. He was in his late 20s, with the rough hands of someone who worked hard doing physical labor, maybe a homesteader. He seemed hostile when I talked about God, and he thought I was crazy for what I was doing. But he gave me some good general directions to my farm destination before he let me out of his pickup. God bless him.

In Palmer Alaska

I got to the farm in the mid-afternoon and introduced myself. We had many common friends, so that authenticated me as one of their brethren from Juneau. When they asked what my plans were, I told them I planned to attend flight training at Merrill Field in Anchorage, 40 miles away.

I was ecstatic to learn that they’d just started an outreach near Merrill Field, with 5 guys who rented a house within walking distance of the airport. The guys were working for another brother in Anchorage who owned a ServiceMaster janitorial business, cleaning office buildings at night. To make everything perfect, one of the brothers from Palmer was driving into Anchorage shortly afterward and would take me to the house where the 5 guys were staying.

Back to Anchorage

I arrived back in Anchorage in time for supper.

God Provided All My Needs

I was able to stay in that house near the airport, sharing the rent and expenses with 5 guys while working in the janitorial business at night and getting my FAA airplane commercial and instrument licenses during the day.

Looking back on it, I know God miraculously provided for me, from the time I left Juneau until I ‘got back on my feet’ financially again. As I achieved my goals I never missed a meal or lacked a warm place to sleep.

Shortly after finishing flight training my family joined me in Anchorage where we continued to slowly prosper. Our son was born there in 1979. By then I had a good-paying job with medical insurance coverage.

Do Not Be Anxious About Tomorrow, but Seek ye First the Kingdom of God

Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:34

Finally, don’t worry about God’s provision for tomorrow either. If you’re walking in God’s will, and seeking His kingdom and righteousness first in your life, God’s provision will be there when you need it.

In Conclusion | Seek ye First the Kingdom of God

Through a detailed exposition of Matthew 6:19-34, illustrated with examples from personal experience, I’ve demonstrated that if you ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God’ and His righteousness as your first priority in life, then you should never worry about:

  • Whether you’ll have enough to eat
  • The length of your life
  • Whether you’ll have adequate clothing and shelter
  • Tomorrow’s provision.

If you ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’, then you can absolutely rely and depend on Him to take care of your physical needs on the earth.

What Do You Think?

Did this article answer all your questions on this topic? Please leave a comment below and tell me:

  • Are you satisfied by the information in this article?
  • Or, did it leave you wanting more?

Related Questions and Answers

Presumption versus Faith

Q: Why didn’t God miraculously provide during my ‘Living by Faith’ experiment in Florida, but He did miraculously provide during my Alaska Journey of Miracles? What was the difference?

A: In the ‘Living by Faith’ experiment I was presumptuous–I had the ability to work and God hadn’t told me to live by faith, so He wasn’t obliged to provide what I could earn myself. But, in my trip to Anchorage I wasn’t presumptuous. I was desperately trying to do what I sincerely thought was the best way to support my family, and God blessed my effort by directing my steps and providing the resources that enabled me to achieve and prosper.

Why is it important to seek God’s righteousness?

Q: Matthew 6:33 says ‘Seek ye first His kingdom and His righteousness…” What does it mean to seek God’s righteousness and why is that important?

A: This is a big topic, but I’ll try to answer it succinctly… Only the righteous can enter the kingdom of God, which is where God’s presence dwells.

God encourages to receive the righteousness of Jesus as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8) by repenting of your sins and believing in His sacrifice for your sins (John 3:16). Then, you’ll be ‘begotten-again’ as a spiritual child of God (1 Peter 1:23) and your soul will slowly grow in righteousness, day-by-day like Samson’s hair, by cooperating with God’s Holy Spirit within you (Romans 12:2). This process of transformation will continue until you receive your glorified, sin-proof body.

Until then, we all must continue to pursue this transformation into Jesus’ likeness, or we will slip back into carnality and compromise with the world.

Q: Is your wife still with you after all you put her through?
A: Yes, my wife is still with me, and yes, she’s a real trooper! God blessed me ‘big-time’ with her!

The Kingdom of Heaven Suffers Violence | Matthew 11:12 | Luke 16:16

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For decades I’ve struggled to understand what Jesus meant in Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16, where He said ‘the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,’ and I finally learned what it means. If you’ve also wondered what Jesus really meant in these verses, this article is for you.

So, what did Jesus mean when He said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force?” After detailed study, I believe a more accurate translation could say, ‘From the days of John the Baptist until now men are forcefully pressing-into the kingdom of heaven, and eager men pursue it, grab hold of it, and forcefully claim it.’

For years I thought the verse “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force” meant something negative. Like me, have you pondered how the Devil could possibly use violent men to abuse the kingdom of God? Now I know that’s the exact opposite of what Jesus really meant, as I’ll prove below.

The kingdom of God suffers violence: John the Baptist

Matthew places our subject verse “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence” between some fantastic verses about John the Baptist.

Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 11:11-15

John was the greatest man who ever lived – Until God’s kingdom came to earth

Jesus praised John the Baptist, saying John was the greatest man that ever lived in the 4000 years since Adam. Think about it…John the Baptist was greater than Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and all the prophets!

And yet, beginning with the proclamation of God’s kingdom coming onto the earth, Jesus said every person in the Kingdom of heaven–even the weakest and most humble of them–are greater than John and all the ancient patriarchs. How can this be?

The kingdom of God is a new humanity

Members of God’s kingdom are greater because they’re no longer ‘mere men;’ they are reborn–they’re a new creation. Members of God’s kingdom are begotten-again of God’s Spirit. They are ‘born again’ as a new kind of human. They literally become a child of Almighty God. Here are 3 verses attesting to this fact:

for you have been begotten again, not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:23

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, except anyone be begotten from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3

For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

1 Corinthians 3:3

Luke’s version of our main subject verse agrees.

The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

Luke 16:16

John’s ministry marked a turning point in the evolution of God’s plan for mankind. Until John and Jesus began proclaiming that God’s kingdom had arrived on the earth, the law and the prophets were the highest form of God’s revelation to man. But then, John and Jesus proclaimed that God’s kingdom had come, eclipsing the law and the prophets as the highest manifestation of God’s revelation to mankind.

With reference to the kingdom of God, what is John the Baptist’s significance? John’s role was to announce the coming King, Israel’s Messiah, the royal Son of David, and to smooth the way for this King’s arrival. His primary message was,

Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.

Matthew 3:2

The kingdom of God suffers violence: Elijah

Jesus said John the Baptist fulfilled Malachi’s prophecy that Elijah the prophet would come before the Day of the Lord.

Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.

Malachi 4:5-6

Jesus came in history, but He is also coming again in our future. In the same way, many believe there will be a double fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy. That is, John fulfilled the prophecy 2000 years ago, but Elijah will also come again in the end time as one of the Two Witnesses in Revelation chapter 11.

And so now, in the 21st century, when Jewish and Messianic Christian families celebrate the annual Passover dinner, they always set a place at the table for Elijah in anticipation of his promised return.

The proclamation of God’s kingdom signaled the turning point in God’s plan for mankind

Why is the proclamation of the kingdom of God the turning point in mankind’s history? How is the world different before and after this event?

For about 4000 years, from Adam until Jesus, not even one person lived a sinless life. All had sinned and therefore all were under the power of the lord of this world system, the Devil.

the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

1 John 5:19

But then, Jesus lived a sinless life as defined by God through the Hebrew Bible, also know as ‘the law and the prophets.’ Even before His death on the cross, as a sinless man He claimed the right to exercise dominion over creation, according to God’s blessing to our first ancestors in Genesis chapter one:

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”

Genesis 1:28

Jesus displaced the Devil as Lord of mankind

Therefore, when John and Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God, they proclaimed (to both men and angels) that Jesus displaced the Devil as the lord of this world. Jesus restored mankind’s original authority over creation. God finally had a man who could begin the restoration of God’s intent for creation–that all creatures would live in obedience and fellowship with their Creator.

The good news of the kingdom of God

The good news of the kingdom of God is that, through Jesus, the Devil’s authority has been overpowered. Jesus authenticated His kingdom message by binding the Devil and plundering the Devil’s kingdom during His earthly ministry. He healed people, walked on water, raised the dead, cast-out demons…

Jesus said,

If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Matthew 12:28-29

What is the kingdom of God?

So, through faith in Jesus we can now enter the kingdom of God, but what is this kingdom?

Answering the question “What is the kingdom of God” would become a whole book in itself. So for now, here’s a brief summary definition.

Definition of the kingdom of God

Today, the kingdom of God includes all people reconciled to God through faith in Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice; people who honor His authority in their daily lives. It also includes spirits (angels, etc.) who are not in rebellion against God.

At the end of this age, God will institute the Millennial Reign of Jesus over all nations.

For sinners, the initial door into God’s kingdom is repentance. The path from there is discipleship, in cooperation with God’s Holy Spirit. This cooperation continues until we’re complete and mature, with the character and righteousness of Jesus.

The kingdom of heaven suffers violence? This doesn’t make sense.

Forcefully pressing into the kingdom

How can the kingdom of heaven suffer violence? It just doesn’t make sense. One big problem is that it contradicts Jesus’ victory and current position at the right hand of God. For example, this verse says that after His victory on the cross Jesus openly humiliated all of His spiritual enemies.

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:15

The ‘Gates of Hades’ shall not withstand the Ekklesia’s advance

God’s kingdom is not under violent attack. No! We’re not on the defensive.

On the contrary, the disciples of Messiah Jesus are advancing the kingdom of God against the enemy. Jesus said their gates shall not withstand our advance.

The historical ‘Gates of Hades’

What are these enemy’s gates that shall not withstand our advance?

Caesarea Philippi was the ‘home’ of the pagan god Pan on Mount Hermon. It’s in the far Northern part of Israel, bordering Syria. This is ‘the gates of Hades,’ where pagans offered human sacrifices by throwing them into a huge, deep cave.

Caesarea Philippi exhibit – the ‘Gates of Hades’

Jesus intentionally chose this pagan spiritual stronghold at Caesarea Philippi to ‘poke the Devil in the eye.’ This is where He proclaimed:

I will build my ekklesia (called-out ones) and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against her.

Matthew 16:18

What Jesus really meant in Matthew 11:12 | the kingdom of heaven suffers violence

In the beginning of this article I said we should understand Matthew 11:12 as saying:

“men are forcefully pressing-into the kingdom of heaven, and eager men pursue it, grab hold of it, and forcefully claim it.”

Let’s dissect this sentence to learn why this is the correct meaning, and how the common translations are not only misleading, but harmful.

As you can see in the example below, the Greek word biazatai is ‘suffers violence’ in many translations. However, in Luke 16:16 biazatai is ‘forcing his way into’ or ‘pressing into.’ This is the correct meaning instead of ‘suffers violence.’

https://biblehub.com/greek/biazetai_971.htm

‘Violent men take it by force’

The root for biazatai “suffer violence” is biazo. In the example below you can see this term is positive in the only two places where the Bible uses this word: Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16.

https://biblehub.com/greek/971.htm

Eager men pursue the kingdom of God

‘Violent men’ is the Greek word biastes, which (as you can see below) means ‘one who is eager in pursuit’ or ‘positive assertiveness… of the believer living in faith.’

So, according to the ‘word studies’ at the bottom of the snapshot below, it’s reasonable to replace “the violent man taking the kingdom of God by force” with “an eager Christian believer who is positively ‘fired up’ to pursue the kingdom of God.”

This is a much-different (and much better) understanding than I had when I looked at it from a negative perspective–i.e., violent men abusing the kingdom.

https://biblehub.com/greek/973.htm

‘The kingdom of God suffers violence’ means we must seize it!

‘Harpazousin’ the kingdom of God

The final Greek word to shine light on the meaning of Matthew 11:12 is harpazousin, a variant of the root word harpazo.

Bible students will instantly recognize harpazo as the same Greek word the Bible uses for the ‘rapture‘ or catching-away of the saints.

As you can see below, harpazo means to seize or snatch-up using an open, public display of force. In combination with the words we’ve already discussed above, the context of harpazo in Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16 means to decisively grab onto, hold, and eagerly claim the kingdom of God.

https://biblehub.com/greek/726.htm

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been perfected, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

The kingdom of God suffers violence — Conclusions

1. Based on the information presented above, here’s how we should read Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16:

From the days of John the Baptist until now men are forcefully pressing-into (biazetai) the kingdom of heaven, and eager men (biastai) pursue it, grab hold of it, and forcefully claim it (harpazousin).

2. ‘The kingdom of heaven suffers violence’ is a bad translation. It presents a negative, defensive perspective, as if the Devil’s forces assailed God’s kingdom. The opposite is true.

3. The correct interpretation teaches us that we cannot enter God’s kingdom passively. We must actively eagerly press into it, pursue it, grab onto it, and claim it with both hands.

What Do You Think?

Did this article answer all your questions on this topic? Please leave a comment below and tell me:

  • Did the information in this article satisfy you?
  • Or, did it leave you wanting more?

Related Questions

Q: Almost all Bible translations present Matthew 11:12 from a negative perspective, as if the kingdom of heaven is being attacked by violent men. How can they all be wrong?

A: You’re correct in saying that almost all translations use the negative perspective of Mt 11:12. Some exceptions are God’s Word Translation and the Jubilee Bible 2000. I explained my rationale for the positive perspective of Mt 11:12 in the article above. Snapshots show the Greek word meanings. A positive interpretation fits much better into the overall context of the Bible as a whole.

Q: How can I press-into the kingdom of heaven, pursue it, grab hold of it, and forcefully claim it?

A: Here’s a short answer:

  1. Repent of your sins and receive forgiveness through faith in Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice for your sins. Receive new life from God as a result. (Romans chapters 1-6)
  2. Walk in discipleship, which means daily obedience to and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8)
  3. Be proactive to study and meditate on the kingdom of God. Today’s ministers (almost universally) neglect God’s kingdom in their teaching.
  4. Serve and fellowship with fellow disciples of Jesus.

Measure the Temple of God and the Altar | Revelation 11:1

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Why did God tell the apostle John to measure the temple and the altar, and to count the number of worshipers there? The key is in the words temple and altar.

Image from Preceptbiblestudy.wordpress .com

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there. But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.”

Revelation 11:1-2

So, why did God tell the apostle John to ‘measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers?’ To understand why, you must dig deeper into the words temple and altar.

The ‘temple’ (Greek, naos) only includes the ‘Holy Place’ and the ‘Most Holy Place.’ God told John to count the worshipers because when the full number of ‘living stones’ is attained, God’s Naos in heaven will be complete. These living stones are God’s kingdom of priests who worship at the spiritual ‘altar of incense’ within the Naos–the holy place within our heart.

Continue reading for a complete explanation of these concepts.

Measure the Temple of God, the Naos

What is Included in the Naos?

In the diagram below, the Naos of God only includes the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. (The Holy of Holies is also called the “Most Holy Place.”)

God said the Outer Court is not included in the temple, the Naos of God.

Spiritual Application

Spiritually, you can think of the Outer Court as your body; your heart is the Holy Place; and your spirit is the Holy of Holies, where God wants to dwell.

Most Christians Choose to Remain in the Outer Court

Most professing Christians in the world think they are placating God through their busyness in many religious activities in the Outer Court. They convince themselves that God must be pleased with them because they sacrifice so much for Him. Their sacrifices are real, but they’re on the brazen altar in the Outer Court.

They want salvation, but they don’t want God to change them. They don’t allow God’s Spirit permission to confront their carnality by writing His words on their heart.

this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Jeremiah 31:33

Every believer must make this choice–stay carnal or follow the Lamb into holiness. Our carnal, selfish nature doesn’t want to change, and most people submit to their carnal nature’s dominance in their life. As a result, they do outwardly-religious activities, but unless they crucify their carnal nature they cannot become a priest and enter the Naos.

The Holy of Holies

The Holy of Holies is the innermost sanctum, the place where God wants to dwell–in your spirit.

God’s Glory Filled the Temple

Whenever Israel completed building a tabernacle or temple, (according to the pattern of God’s heavenly temple that God revealed to Moses), the Spirit of God filled that tabernacle or temple with His glorious presence. Here’s an example:

And Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and he hung the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:33-35

Chapters 5 to 7 in the book of Second Chronicles details the exact same pattern on a much grander scale when Solomon dedicated ancient Israel’s most beautiful temple and God filled it with glory.

“And Count the Number of Worshipers There”

God told John to “measure the temple and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.“

Today, God’s temple is built with ‘living stones.’ When this living temple is complete God will fill it with His glory in an event called “the manifestation of the sons of God.” This is why God told John to “measure the Naos and the Altar, and count the number of worshipers there.”

The Holy Place

A Kingdom of Priests

Ancient Israel included millions of people but God only allowed priests to go inside the ‘Holy Place’ of the Naos. The people of Israel could bring their sacrifices to the Outer Court and they could participate with the priests in making sacrificial offerings on the Bronze Altar. But non-priests couldn’t enter the Naos. In Israel’s tabernacle and temple, only the sons of Aaron could perform priestly duties in the Naos.

However, God’s desire (and His original plan) was always for all of Israel to be a holy kingdom of priests.

And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.

Exodus 19:6

In the living temple God is building today, YHWH will see this desire fulfilled. YHWH’s living stones will be a kingdom of priests.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.

Revelation 5:10

Three Items In the Holy Place

The Holy Place within the Naos is where God gave priests illumination and bread. The Holy Place is also where priests continually burned incense that wafted over into God’s presence in the Holy of Holies.

Priests saw three furniture items in the Holy Place: the Golden Menorah or Candlestick, the Golden Table of Showbread, and the Golden Altar of Incense.

Notice that every piece of furniture in the Holy Place is made of gold. This symbolizes the requirement for holiness and godliness in God’s presence.

Menorah
The Golden Menorah

The Menorah’s 7 lamps continually provided light inside the Holy Place.

Today, the Holy Spirit gives the light of spiritual revelation within our hearts.

The Golden Table of Showbread

According to the verses below, on every Sabbath the priests placed 12 loaves of fresh leavened bread onto the Golden Table of Showbread. They also placed pure frankincense near the loaves. Later, they ate the previous week’s 12 loaves.

You are also to take fine flour and bake twelve loaves using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf and set them in two rows—six per row—on the table of pure gold before the LORD. And you are to place pure frankincense near each row so that it may serve as a memorial portion for the bread, an offering made by fire to the LORD. Every Sabbath day the bread is to be set out before the LORD on behalf of the Israelites as a permanent covenant. It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in a holy place; for it is to him a most holy part of the offerings made by fire to the LORD—his portion forever.”

Leviticus 24:5-9
Meaning of the Table of Showbread?
Table of Showbread
from ChurchLeaders.com

Exactly what the showbread represents is a mystery. Even the famous Jewish rabbi Maimonides confessed, “I do not know the object of the table with the bread upon it continually. And up to this day I have not been able to assign any reason to this commandment.”

I believe the 12 loaves represent the 12 tribes of Israel, and the bread represents Yeshua. He is the living Word of God, the bread of life, the Living Manna who came down from heaven (John 6:32-51).

Frankincense on the table of Showbread?

As I’ll show in the next section, frankincense represents the prayers of the saints, ‘an offering made by fire’ on the Golden Altar of Incense. I believe God commanded the priests to place it on the Table of Showbread for two reasons:

  • To show the relationship between prayer and the bread of God’s word:
    • God said to “place pure frankincense near each row, so that it may serve as a memorial portion for the bread.” So, for our prayers to be effective we must hear God’s voice, His rhema.
  • Practicality:
    • The Table of Showbread was the only surface available in the Holy Place to lay the frankincense for the Altar of Incense.
Today’s Application

Only the priests (Aaron and his sons) who ministered in the Naos could eat this bread. In the same way, only those who minister within the Naos of their heart today receive the living manna of God’s living Word.

Measure the Golden Altar of Incense

God told John to measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.

In the diagram below, the Golden Altar of Incense was the closest a priest could get to the physical presence of YHWH, who dwelt in the Holy of Holies. A thick curtain, or veil, prevented priests in the Holy Place from seeing anything inside the Holy of Holies.

When the priests burned incense on the Golden Altar, the smoke wafted into the God’s presence behind the veil. In the same way, our fiery prayers rise up to YHWH whom we cannot see.

Golden Altar of Incense
from templestudy.com
The Golden Altar of Incense Represents Fervent Prayers

These two passages in Revelation prove the correlation between the Golden Altar and our prayers:

When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 5:8

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer along with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incense together with the prayers of the saints rose up before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder, and rumblings, and flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

Revelation 8:1-6

Access to God Opened

Finally, in the diagram below, notice the words in the upper-left where it says “The Veil (taken away in Christ).”

The thick veil (that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies) no longer hides YHWH’s presence from us. This is because YHWH tore the veil in two (from top to bottom) at the moment when Jesus died for our sins.

The New and Living Way Into God’s Presence

As a result, as priests of YHWH we’re no longer limited to ministry in the Holy Place like the sons of Aaron. We can now confidently enter God’s presence by a new and living way:

Therefore, brothers, having confidence for entering the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He dedicated for us through the veil that is His flesh, and having a great priest over the house of God, we should draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts having been sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our body having been washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:19-22

Therefore, since God opened the veil that separated them into two spaces, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies are now one room. Spiritually, this means when YHWH’s kingdom of priests enter the Naos (in their hearts), they enter God’s presence.

Ordination to Enter God’s Presence

Before a priest enters the Naos he must undergo an ordination ceremony (Leviticus 8).

In the ordination ceremony Moses put a sacrificed ram’s blood on the priests’ right earlobe, right thumb, and right big toe. This symbolized a covenant of consecration regarding the priest’s whole life: his hearing, his works, and his daily walk. Paul wrote,

Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Romans 12:1-2

In like manner, before you can enter the spiritual Naos in your heart you must wholeheartedly commit your hearing, works, and daily walk to YHWH. This is required to become ordained as a living stone in YHWH’s Naos.

Doing religious things doesn’t earn any credit with God. Rather, His living word judges every thought and intention in your heart:

The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

The Courtyard Outside the Temple

God told John,

Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there. But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.

Revelation 11:2

The courtyard outside the Naos (‘the Outer Court’) includes the bronze Altar of sacrifice and the bronze Laver of sanctification. The bronze Altar and Laver are symbols that represent the initial steps of our salvation. Our consciousness of sin requires sacrifice and sanctification before a person can enter YHWH’s sacred space–the Naos.

But, unfortunately most professing Christians choose to remain in the Outer Court rather than making the priesthood’s ordination commitment of their hearing, their works, and their daily walk. That is, they choose to remain carnal, molded by the thinking of this world rather than becoming a living stone in God’s Naos.

Deceive Even the Elect?

Who are the elect? The elect are disciples who follow the Lamb wholeheartedly, in the Naos of their hearts.

For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

Mark 13:22

Jesus warned that ‘false Christs’ will powerfully deceive almost everyone. Unfortunately I believe this deception will include those carnal believers who choose to remain in an ‘outer court’ relationship with YHWH.

Conclusion

Measure The Temple of God and the Altar

God told the apostle John to measure the Temple (Naos) of God and the Golden Altar of Incense and count the number of worshipers there.

In the Old Testament the Naos included the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, but it excluded the Outer Court.

Today God is building His temple with ‘living stones.’ When this living temple is complete, God will fill it with His glory in an event called “the manifestation of the sons of God.”

A Kingdom of Priests

Today God is building a kingdom of priests, who commune with YHWH at the spiritual ‘Altar of Incense’ within the Naos–the Holy Place within their heart. The Veil in the Naos is opened; we can directly commune with YHWH, ‘face to face’ within our spirit–our Holy of Holies.

The Outer Court

Unfortunately most professing Christians choose to remain in the Outer Court (of carnality) rather than making the ‘priesthood ordination’ commitment of their hearing, their works, and their daily walk.

Since the Outer Court is not part of the Naos, people who choose to remain in an Outer Court relationship with God decline the opportunity to be ‘living stones’ in God’s Naos. As a result, Jesus warned that false Christs will deceive them and the nations will trample them during the 42-month ‘Great Tribulation.’