Refusing The Command To Draw Near (Esther 1:1-12)
The king commanded the seven eunuchs who served in his presence to deliver his message to Queen Vashti to come before him “in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. ”She refused to come at his command to enter his presence. The king became very angry and his wrath burned within him. (See Bible study called The Return Of Jesus Christ.)
Matthew 22:2-7- The unwilling slaves. See Genesis 24 for a picture of the willing bride, Rebekah. (See the Bible study The Search For The Willing Bride.)
2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son.
3 "And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come.
4 "Again he sent out other slaves saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast."'
5 "But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business,
6 and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them.
7 "But the king was enraged and sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire.
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Ephesians 4:30-5:7- Tampering with the seal.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;
2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints;
4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7 Thereforedo not be partakers with them;
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Isaiah 1:1-4- The rebellion of God's children whom He raised.
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; for the LORD speaks, "Sons I have reared and brought up, but they have revolted against me.
3 "An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master's manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand."
4 Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away from Him.
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Isaiah 3:8- Falling away from the faith (see 2 Thess. 2:3).
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their actions are against the LORD, to rebel against His glorious presence.
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Titus 1:16
16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless [see the Worthless Men Bible study] for any good deed.
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Isaiah 30:1-15- Israel is a picture for those who are obstinate today. Sudden destruction will come upon them.
1 "Woe to the obstinate children," declares the LORD, "to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin;
2 who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge. [See Psalm 91]
3 But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame, Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace.
4 Though they have officials in Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
5 everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them, who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace."
6 An oracle concerning the animals of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions and lionesses, of adders and darting snakes, the envoys carry their riches on donkeys' backs, their treasures on the humps of camels, to that unprofitable nation,
7 to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. Therefore I call her Rahab the Do-Nothing.
8 Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.
9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.
10 They say to the seers, "See no more visions!" and to the prophets, "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. [The word of the false prophets; “Peace, Peace”.]
11 Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!"
12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says: "Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit,
13 this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly [see 1 Thess. 5:3], in an instant.
14 It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern."
15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.
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Zephaniah 3:1-2
1 Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the tyrannical city!
2 She heeded no voice; she accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the LORD; she did not draw near to her God.
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Psalm 45:10-11
10 Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house [as Rebekah did in Genesis 24];
11 Then the King will desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.
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Song of Solomon 2:14
14 "O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret place of the steep pathway, let me see your form, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your form is lovely."
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“Wise Guys” In The Kingdom (Esther 1:13-14)
Esther 1:13-14- The king speaking to the wise men who understood the times. (See 1 Chron. 12:32 below.)
They knew law and justice. (Familiar with God's laws and His righteous judgments, wisdom.)
They were close to him. (Intimate communion.)
They had access to the king’s presence. (They saw the king face to face, not everyone did!)
They sat in the first place in the kingdom. (A position of rank within the kingdom.)
1 Chronicles 12:1,32- Men of discernment and wisdom.
1 Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still restricted because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in war.
32 And of the sons of Issachar, men who understood [“to know, to recognize”]the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command.
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The Problem At Hand(Esther 1:15-18)
Esther 1:15-18- If the queen’s actions were allowed, it would cause others in the kingdom to despise their husbands in the same way. There would be much contempt (disrespect) and anger (wrath or strife).
Ezekiel 16:9-15,30,38- Unfaithful Jerusalem judged by the Lord for her spiritual harlotry.
9 "'I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you.
10 I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.
11 I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck,
12 and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.
13 So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.
14 And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.
15 "'But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his.
30 "'How weak-willed you are, declares the Sovereign LORD, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute!
38 I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring upon you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger.
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Numbers 16:1-5- The rebellion of Korah against Moses and Aaron. The Lord's righteous judgment stopped them, giving others the proper fear or respect of the Lord.
1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action,
2 and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown.
3 And they assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"
4 When Moses heard this, he fell on his face;
5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, "Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself.”
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The Verdict (Esther 1:19-22): God's “Replacement Theology”
The Queen Losing Her Position Of Glory In The Kingdom.
Esther 1:19- The decision was made “that Vashti should come no more into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she." Her rejection of the king's rule over her life cost her throne! She was in turn rejected and cast out of the presence of the king. So will all those who refuse to draw near to King Jesus when He summons us to come near, as he now is at the end of this age in order to display us as His glorious bride to the world.
Isaiah 14:12-14- An “I” problem.
12 "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations!
13 "But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north.
14 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'
15 "Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.
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Isaiah 47:8-11- The DEADLY false security of those who continue in wickedness, professing to be secure in Christ. “I am” is God's name, as He says in the chapter right before this, Isaiah 46:8-9. (See the Bible study Widowmakers.)
8 "Now, then, hear this, you sensual one [see Rev. 18:6-8 below], who dwells securely, who says in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one besides me. I shall not sit as a widow, nor shall I know loss of children.'
9 "But these two things shall come on you suddenly [see 1 Thess. 5:3below] in one day: loss of children and widowhood [see Ezekiel 22:25]. They shall come on you in full measure in spite of your many sorceries, in spite of the great power of your spells.
10 "And you felt secure in your wickedness and said, 'No one sees me,' Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have deluded you; for you have said in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one besides me.'
11 "But evil will come on you which you will not know how to charm away; and disaster will fall on you for which you cannot atone, and destruction about which you do not know will come on you suddenly.
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1 Thessalonians 5:3- Paul speaks of SUDDEN destruction coming upon those who have a false sense of security.
3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
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2 Thessalonians 2:8-12- God sends a deluding (a wandering, a straying from the truth, roaming here and there- The way of Cain in Jude 11) influence to those who will not listen, but continue in wickedness without repentance.
8 And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;
9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false,
12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
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Ezekiel 28:1-10- The judgment of those who walked in arrogance against God. They wanted to be in charge, like Korah, rejecting His leadership over them.
1 The word of the LORD came again to me saying,
2 "Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Because your heart is lifted up and you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas'; yet you are a man and not God, although you make your heart like the heart of God--
10 'You will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken!' declares the Lord GOD!"'"
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Zephaniah 2:13-3:2 – This passage describes the devastation of those who exalt themselves as God. They do not listen to the Lord and will not draw near to Him when called.
13 And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and He will make Nineveh a desolation, parched like the wilderness.
14 And flocks will lie down in her midst, all beasts which range in herds; both the pelican and the hedgehog will lodge in the tops of her pillars; birds will sing in the window, desolation will be on the threshold; for He has laid bare the cedar work.
15 This is the exultant city which dwells securely, who says in her heart, "I am, and there is no one besides me." How she has become a desolation, a resting place for beasts! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and wave his hand in contempt.
1 Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the tyrannical city!
2 She heeded no voice; she accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the LORD; she did not draw near to her God.
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Jeremiah 13:15-18- The “beautiful crown” removed.
15 Listen and give heed, do not be haughty, for the LORD has spoken.
16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before He brings darkness and before your feet stumble On the dusky mountains, and while you are hoping for light He makes it into deep darkness, and turns it into gloom.
17 But if you will not listen to it, My soul will sob in secret for such pride; and my eyes will bitterly weep and flow down with tears, because the flock of the LORD has been taken captive.
18 Say to the king and the queen mother, "Take a lowly seat, for your beautiful crown has come down from your head."
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Lamentations 5:16- A part of Jeremiah's lament after Israel was led into captivity and Jerusalem laid waste by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. They had been warned for many years, but would not listen... are we?
16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!
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Daniel 5:18-23- Daniel's interpretation of the hand writing on the wall at Belshazzar's feast.
18 "O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.
19 "And because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations, and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed, and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated, and whomever he wished he humbled.
20 "But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him.
21 "He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind, and that He sets over it whomever He wishes.
22 "Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this,
23 but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and your ways, you have not glorified.
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Obadiah 1:1-4
1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom-- We have heard a report from the LORD, and an envoy has been sent among the nations saying, "Arise and let us go against her for battle"--
2 "Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you are greatly despised.
3 "The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in the loftiness of your dwelling place, who say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to earth?'
4 "Though you build high like the eagle, though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down," declares the LORD.
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Psalm 89:38-45- The defiling of the crown and the mantle of shame.
38 But you have rejected, you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one.
39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust.
40 You have broken through all his walls and reduced his strongholds to ruins.
41 All who pass by have plundered him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have turned back the edge of his sword and have not supported him in battle.
44 You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame. Selah
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Revelation 18:6-8- The judgment of “Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Of The Abominations Of The Earth.” It is a double portion of judgment!
6 "Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.
7 "To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.'
8 "For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.
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Satan’s Doctrine Of Eternal Security:
Satan’s temptation to Jesusin Luke 4:9-12- “Go ahead, cast yourself down from this high position in God’s temple. Assume on the goodness of God to catch you in spite of your willful rebellion against Him. Commit a presumptuous sin (see Psalm 19:13). His angels will protect you from dying in your fall from this lofty position. Put God to the test. Your under grace, you can continue in willful sin and God will cover you. You can practice sin and it will never affect your salvation.” (See Hebrews 10:26-27)
Jesus response in Luke 4:12- “You shall not force a test on the Lord your God.”(Deut. 6:16) There is a right doctrine of eternal security. The popular doctrine of today is really Satan’s doctrine of Luke 4:12. There is no fear of sin and God’s impartial judgments (1 Peter 1:14-19). Psalm 91 is conditional; If you make the Most High your dwelling…then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. (v. 9-10, NIV)
Hebrews 10:26-31- If you have turned to Jesus and received the knowledge of salvation which can ONLY come from the Spirit of God, and then turn back to walk in continuous sin, you will be condemned with the rest of the world (see 1 Cor. 11:32). This is “the sin which leads to death”. You are sinning against the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart. If that isn't bad enough, your state of judgment is then worse than what it would have been if you had never been given salvation knowledge. Your last state has become worse than the first state you were in!
26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge His people."
31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
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2 Peter 2:20-22 - Your judgment actually becomes WORSE then an unbeliever if having understood by revelation knowledge from the Spirit, you then turn back to practicing wickedness!
20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse [5501] for them than the first.
21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A dog returns to its own vomit," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire."
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5501 cheiron (khi'-rone)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
irregular comparative of 2556; from an obsolete equivalent cheres (of uncertain derivation); more evil or aggravated (physically, mentally or morally)
Luke 12:47-48- God help us who know!
47 "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive many lashes,
48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required;
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Acts 1:23-26- Judas, one who was “counted among us, and received his portion in this ministry”, is replaced by Matthias after his betrayal of Jesus.
23 And they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said, "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two Thou hast chosen
25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place."
26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
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The Proper Fear Of The Lord Is Produced Through The Righteous Judgments Of God
Esther 1:20-22
20 "And when the king's edict which he shall make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small."
21 And this word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed.
22 So he sent letters to all the king's provinces, to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people.
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Isaiah 26:9-10- The righteous judgments of the Lord and their results. (See the Bible study Urim And Thummim.)
9 At night my soul longs for Thee, indeed, my spirit within me seeks Thee diligently; for when the earth experiences Thy judgments the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10 Though the wicked is shown favor [“grace” in NIV], He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, and does not perceive the majesty of the LORD.
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The Lord Remembers Both Good And Bad
Esther 2:1
1 After these things when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her.
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Revelation 16:19
19 And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.
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Revelation 18:4-5- Babylon's judgment.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues;
5 for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
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The New Queen, Esther, Is Raised Up For Such A Time As This(Esther 2:1-20)
Esther, The Bride Of Christ In Type- She represents those in the Body of Christ who are more careful to keep themselves pure than others. They have put on the wedding clothes of fine linen, which represents their righteous acts, in preparation of the wedding feast (see Rev. 19:7-9). They are those who are “dressed in readiness”, have a watchful heart, and are looking for the return of the Heavenly Bridegroom with great anticipation. Those who have been placed in charge by the King to gather them will, after finding them, bring them to the place where they will go through a further cleansing process by the Holy Spirit before they are ushered into the presence of the King!
The Gathering Of The Virgins
Esther 2:2-4- Virgins represent those who are pure in heart before the Lord.
2 Then the king's attendants, who served him, said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
3 "And let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather [“to assemble, collect”] every beautiful young virgin to Susa the capital, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who was in charge [8104] of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them. [KJV-..”let their things for purification be given them.”]
4 "Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti." And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.
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shamar [8104] - "to keep, tend, watch over, retain." This verb occurs in most Semitic languages (biblical Aramaic attests only a noun formed from this verb). Biblical Hebrew attests it about 470 times and in every period.
Shamar means "to keep" in the sense of "tending" and taking care of. So God put Adam "into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" <Gen. 2:15>-- the first occurrence. In <2 Kings 22:14> Harhas is called "keeper of the wardrobe" (the priest's garments). Satan was directed "to keep," or "to tend" (so as not to allow it to be destroyed) Job's life: "Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life" <Job 2:6>. In this same sense God is described as the keeper of Israel <Ps. 121:4>.
The word also means "to keep" in the sense of "watching over" or giving attention to. David, ironically chiding Abner for not protecting Saul, says: "Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king?" <1 Sam. 26:15>. In extended application this emphasis comes to mean "to watch, observe": "And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli [was watching] her mouth" <1 Sam. 1:12>. Another extended use of the verb related to this emphasis appears in covenantal contexts. In such cases "keep" means "to watch over" in the sense of seeing that one observes the covenant, keeping one to a covenant. God says of Abraham: "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment..." <Gen. 18:19>. As God had said earlier, "Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations" <Gen. 17:9>. When used in close connection with another verb, shamar can signify carefully or watchfully doing that action: "And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?" <Num. 23:12>. Not only does shamar signify watching, but it signifies doing it as a watchman in the sense of fulfilling a responsibility: "And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city..." <Judges 1:24>.
In a third group of passages this verb means "to keep" in the sense of saving or "retaining." When Jacob told his family about his dream, "his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying" <Gen. 37:11>; he "retained" it mentally. Joseph tells Pharaoh to appoint overseers to gather food: "And let them... lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities" <Gen. 41:35>; let them not give it out but see that it is "retained" in storage.
In three passages shamar seems to have the same meaning as the Akkadian root, "to revere." So the psalmist says: "I have hated them that regard [revere] lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord" <Ps. 31:6>.
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
The Gathering Together (See the Bible study The Third Day Gathering.)
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4- The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him.
1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together [“a complete collection”] to Him,
2 that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. [See Ezek. 28:2above; ...you are a man and not God, although you make your heart like the heart of God...]
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Matthew 23:37- Jerusalem missing the first gathering together of the virgins (see Esther 2:19).
37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
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Jeremiah 8:7- Even the birds know when they are supposed to move on to another place, but the children of Israel did not recognize their appointed spiritual time to move. (See the Bible study The Signal.)
7 Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons [“appointed sign or signal, the place of meeting”], and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration [their coming]. But my people do not know the requirements of the LORD.
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Genesis 1:9-10- The third day gathering of creation.
9 Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good.
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Revelation 17:15- The scriptures refer to people as “waters”.
15 And he said to me, "The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
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This gathering of waters, or people to “one place” is necessary for the dry ground to appear. The dry ground represents a place for the Lord’s people to cross over to the other side!
Exodus 14:13-16- Moses using the authority of God given to him to divide the waters (people) and go through their midst to the other side.
13 But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.
14 "The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."
15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.
16 "And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.
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2 Kings 2:8-14- The mantle (garment, or glory), or spiritual authority of Elijah used to part the waters and cross over. A “double portion” is then given to Elisha.
8 And Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 Now it came about when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."
10 And he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."
11 Then it came about as they were going along and talking, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters and said, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
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John 17:19-23- Jesus giving us His glory, or garment, that makes us to be one. As we come together as “one”, we will then be perfected, entering into the fullness of God so that “the world may know” that the Father sent the Son for them, and that He loves them.
19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
20 "I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;
21 that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.
22 "And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one;
23 I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.
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Isaiah 66:18
18 "For I know their works and their thoughts; the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory.
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Genesis 24:15-16- Rebekah was another picture of the future bride of Christ who was “gathered” by the trusted servant. She was a virgin who was willing to leave all and go to her bridegroom (Genesis 24:58). (See the Bible study called The Search For The Willing Bride.)
15 And it came about before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder.
16 And the girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar, and came up.
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The Presentation Of The Bride(Esther 2:5-16)
Adam's bride, Eve, was taken from his side in a rough form. She was then shaped by the hands of God into what He wanted her to be. Afterwards, in her new state, she was presented back to him. This is what happens to those called out from the rest of the Body of Christ, the second Adam. They are prepared by a process of purification (sanctification) to enter the King's presence as His chosen Bride! They have favor above the other virgins in the Body. They will be higher in rank within the coming Kingdom of God. Because of their humble and contrite spirits, the Holy Spirit has been able to conform them more than others in the Body to the image of their Lord. The perfectly fashioned, many-membered helper will then reign and rule with their Heavenly Bridegroom, the King of Kings, in the age to come.
Genesis 2:18-24- Adam's bride is fashioned from his side (see the Bible study Eve; The Life Giving Bride).
18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.
20 And the man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. [Adam must have observed this himself as he was naming all the other animals, noticing that they all had mates, but he had none.]
21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place.
22 And the LORD God fashioned [“to build, rebuild, establish”] into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
23 And the man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man."
24 For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
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Deuteronomy 6:20-23- God's people coming out of “the house of bondage” to be brought into His presence!
20 "When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What do the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments mean which the LORD our God commanded you?'
21 then you shall say to your son, 'We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt; and the LORD brought us from Egypt with a mighty hand.
22 'Moreover, the LORD showed great and distressing signs and wonders before our eyes against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household;
23 and He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.'
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Many in the church today do not understand why they are being called out. Coming out of the institutional church myself, I believe I have some understanding in this matter. We are not being called out in order to necessarily start something new, but rather to be pulled out of a system that has strayed from the truth and become leavened with “the yeast of the Pharisees” (i.e. false teaching, hypocrisy; Matthew 16:5-12, Luke 12:1). It is the Lord that has initiated His “new thing” to make His people ready for His return (Isaiah 42:9, 43:19, 48:6, 62:2, 65:17; Jer. 31:22; 1 Cor. 5:6-8; Heb. 9:10, Rev. 21:4-5).
The worship in many American churches has shifted from the worship of Jesus to the worship of their system, steeped in their own ways rather than God’s (Isaiah 55:8-9). Denominational devotion often times overrules devotion to Christ. Some, having become dissatisfied with the bondage of dead religion and useless rituals, have been led by the Holy Spirit to look elsewhere for any signs of life. In so doing they are being led to the Truth who will enlighten their eyes to the way in, behind the veil.
Once out, there are those who become bitter, like the waters of Marah the children of Israel could not drink in Exodus, chapter 15. This can be due to the way they came out of the religious system that they did not fit into. Instead of looking forward, moving on in Christ to greater things, they look back and allow a root of bitterness to spring up. It was the Lord who brought them out of a system in which it was impossible for them to be perfected, moving into the next great phase of His redemptive plan for mankind. Perfection will never come through that which seeks its own glory, but only through following Jesus who perfectly joins our hearts together with His by His Holy Spirit. He takes us out in order to bring us in... INTO HIMSELF! First, though, we must be made ready through the final outpouring of His Spirit at the end of this age, lest we die in His presence (Hosea 6:1-3).
Psalm 121:1-8- As He did with the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt, the Lord is guarding this great migration of His people.
1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.
8 The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.
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Numbers 27:15-23- Moses commissioned Joshua, who is a type of Jesus, to lead the people of God, bringing them into their promised land, the promised inheritance of the Lord. There are those in every generation who have been entrusted with the responsibility of guiding the sheep of their Master to the appointed place of the Lord. Jesus has transferred His authority to these leaders who have the somber call to lead and feed the sheep.
Notice that Moses asked the Lord to appoint, or choose for Himself a man over the congregation who would lead the people when he was gone. The Lord then chose Joshua, “a man in whom is the Spirit,” whom Moses was to lay hands on in front of everyone. In so doing Moses was imparting/transferring the Lord’s authority that was on him to Joshua. This is the order of God for “ordaining” men in His church. The problem with many of today’s ordination ceremonies is that men choose for themselves those whom they desire to give their authority to, an authority that originates from themselves instead of God. It was never meant to be this way.
15 Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying,
16 "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,
17 who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd."
18 So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;
19 and have him stand before Eleazar [“God has helped”] the priest and before all the congregation; and commission [6680- “to command, to commission, to charge, to appoint, to ordain”] him in their sight.
20 "And you shall put some of your authority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him.
21 "Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD [see the Bible study Urim And Thummim]. At his command they shall go out and at his command they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation."
22 And Moses did just as the LORD commanded him; and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation.
23 Then he laid his hands on him [the transferring of authority] and commissioned [6680] him, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.
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Exodus 15:17
17 "Thou wilt bring them and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, the place, O LORD, which Thou hast made for Thy dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established.
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Abraham's Call To Come Out
Hebrews 11:8-10
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;
10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
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Genesis 12:1-4- Abraham was not shown where to go. Faith came from hearing the word of the Lord. It was brought to completion as he did what God said (James 2:21-22).
1 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
4 So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
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The Select Bride (The Select From The Selected)
The Levites were taken from the 12 tribes of Israel. (See Numbers 3:11-13.)
From Gideon's army of 10,000, only 300 were selected by God. (See Judges 7:1-8.)
Jesus called 12 apostles, but only 3, Peter, James and John were chosen to see His transfiguration. (See Matthew 17:1-2, Mark 9:1-2, v.2- “After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him...")
Matthew 22:14
14 "For many are called [2822], but few are chosen [1588]."
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2822 kletos (klay-tos')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from the same as 2821; invited, i.e. appointed, or (specifically) a saint:
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
called, invited (to a banquet)
a) invited (by God in the proclamation of the Gospel) to obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom through Christ
b) called to (the discharge of) some office, divinely selected and appointed
1588 eklektos (ek-lek-tos')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from 1586; select; by implication, favorite:
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
picked out, chosen, chosen by God,
1) to obtain salvation through Christ;
Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God
2) the Messiah is called "elect", as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable
3) choice, select, that is, the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians
Song of Solomon 6:8-10- The Bridegrooms (Jesus’) description of His pure, united Bride that has been brought to completion, perfection in Him (i.e. the fullness; see the Bible studies The Fullness Of Him and Be Perfect).
8 "There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number;
9 But my dove, my perfect [8552- “perfect, complete, finished, sound”] one [259- “properly, united; one, first, certain”], is unique: she is her mother's only [259] daughter; she is the pure [1249- “beloved, pure, empty, clean, clear”] child of the one who bore her [KJV-”…she is the choice one...” NIV/NKJ-”...the favorite one...]. The maidens saw her and called her blessed, the queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,
10 'Who is this that grows like the dawn, as beautiful as the full moon, as pure as the sun, as awesome [366- “terrible, dreadful, awe-inspiring”] as an army with banners?'
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Psalm 65:4
4 How blessed is the one whom Thou dost choose [977- “to examine, to choose, elect, decide for, to be selected”], and bring near to Thee, to dwell in Thy courts [2691- “a yard, court, enclosure, a settled abode, a village, a town”]. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, Thy holy temple.
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Coming Out Of His Body
Genesis 15:1-4- God's promise to Abram.
1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great."
2 And Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what wilt Thou give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"
3 And Abram said, "Since Thou hast given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir."
4 Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who shall come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."
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2 Samuel 7:12-13- God's promise to David.
12 "When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
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Genesis 25:21-23- God's promise to Isaac.
21 And Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is so, why then am I this way?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.
23 And the LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb; and two peoples shall be separated from your body; and one people shall be stronger than the other; and the older shall serve the younger."
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The Days Of Our Beautification MUST Be Completed BEFORE Going In To The King's Presence
Esther 2:12- There is a process of beautification called sanctification that must occur within us, by the Holy Spirit, before we are allowed into the presence of King Jesus. IT IS A PROCESS. We must submit to the process of God through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit or we CANNOT ENTER IN! If you wait too long, you won't find Him in a day.
Notice that it was Queen Vashti’s refusal to enter the king’s presence at his command that launched the search for her replacement. The younger was ushered in because of the older one’s rebellion. This is what’s happening right now in our generation. The older Christians who have been with King Jesus have been in rebellion against Him for years and are therefore being replaced with a new generation of young people who will enter in. This also occurred in the wilderness journey of the Israelites. When the older generation rebelled against the leading of the Lord (i.e. lordship), God destroyed them and raised up a new generation to enter into the Promised Land, along with the faithful ones, Joshua and Caleb (see the Bible study The Sons Of Jephunneh).
12 Now when the turn of each young lady [5291- “used of any young woman”] came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations [1881- “a decree, a law, an edict, a rule”] for the women-- for the days [3117- “day, time, moment”] of their beautification [4795- “scraping, rubbing; the harems bodily rubbings”] were completed [4390- “to fill, to be full, to accomplish, to complete”] as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women--
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2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 – Paul declares that salvation comes to those He calls “through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” This is another example of the process of inner “beautification” that every believer must go through so as to be made ready to enter the King’s presence.
13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen [138- “to take for oneself, to choose, prefer”] you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification [38- “consecration, purification, holiness’] by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
14 And it was for this He called [2564- “to call aloud, to invite one, to call by name”] you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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1 Peter 1:1-2 – Peter speaks of the chosen’s sanctifying work of the Spirit which is His beautification process.
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen
2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying [38] work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: may grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.
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Numbers 33:50-56- The law of possessing the land. The 7 stronger nations the Israelites were told to have no mercy with as they took the land, but to completely destroy, represent areas within each of our hearts that we must not compromise with, but work together with the Holy Spirit in putting to death. If we do not get rid of them, they will constantly hinder our growth and walk with Christ.
50 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying,
51 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their high places;
53 and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it.
54 'And you shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the larger you shall give more inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.
55 'But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land in which you live. [See Joshua 23:13, 2 Cor. 12:7, and Judges 2:3.]
56 'And it shall come about that as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you.'"
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Joshua 23:9-13- Joshua reminds and warns the people before his death of their need to “take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God.”
9 "For the LORD has driven out great and strong nations from before you; and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.
10 "One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you.
11 "So take diligent heed [8104- “to guard, to keep, to protect”] to yourselves to love the LORD your God.
12 "For if you ever go back and cling [1692- “to stick, to stay close, to follow closely, to join to”] to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you,
13 know with certainty that the LORD your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.
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Ezra 9:10-13- Ezra's prayer of confession to God concerning the sins of His people in intermingling with the peoples of the nations they had gone into.
10 "But now, O our God, what can we say after this? For we have disregarded the commands
11 you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: 'The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other.
12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.'
13 "What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt,and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this. [See the Bible study The Escaped Remnant.]
(NIV)
Judges 2:1-3
1 Now the angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, 'I will never break My covenant with you,
2 and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.' But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done?
3 "Therefore I also said, 'I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.'"
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2 Corinthians 12:7- Paul speaking of when he was “caught up into Paradise”.
7 And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me-- to keep me from exalting myself!
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The Purpose Of Sanctification; The Bride Presented Back To Himself
Ephesians 5:25-27- The Lord takes the initiative in cleansing His bride to present her back to Himself!
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;
26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.
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Isaiah 62:1-7
1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her salvation like a torch that is burning.
2 And the nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD will designate.
3 You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; but you will be called, "My delight is in her," and your land, "Married"; for the LORD delights in you, and to Him your land will be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
6 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;
7 And give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
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Esther 4:14-16- Queen Esther was used to bring about a great deliverance of God’s people. She put her life on the line to save them by entering the king’s presence.
Whenever God calls you into His presence and you resist His call, you run the risk of ending up as Queen Vashti. You also could be cast out of your high position never to be summoned again! There is a sifting taking place today in the church. God is calling His servants into His presence. Those who obey and consecrate themselves will be the chosen ones, among the chosen, that will be used to bring about a glorious end time deliverance of God’s people, just like Esther was!
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