Matthew 7:21-27 – See the note below.
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts [4160- “to make or do”] on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house [3614- “a house, a dwelling, an abode, household (Matthew 12:25, Phil. 4:22)”] on the rock.
25 "And the rain fell, and the floods [4215- “a river, stream, torrent”; NIV- “…the rivers flooded”] came, and the winds blew and slammed [4363] against that house; and yet it did not fall [4098- see def. in verse 27], for it had been founded on the rock. [See Exodus 33:18-23.]
26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act [4160] on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. [See Matthew 25:1-13; the parable of the ten virgins]
27 "The rain fell, and the floods [4215] came, and the winds blew and slammed [4363] against that house; and it fell — and great was its fall [4098- “to fall, used of descent from a higher place to a lower, to fall from a state of uprightness (1 Cor. 10:12)”]."
NASU
NT:4363 prospipto (pros-pip'-to)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:4314 and NT:4098; to fall towards, i.e. (gently) prostrate oneself (in supplication or homage), or (violently) to rush upon (in storm) [See the Bible study Contrary Winds.]
KJV - beat upon, fall (down) at (before).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to fall toward, fall upon
1. to fall forward, to fall down, prostrate oneself before, in homage or supplication: with the dative of a
person, at one's feet (Mark 3:11)
2. to rush upon, beat against (Matthew 7:25)
At the end of this age in the final harvest of souls, the “early and latter rains” of God will fall together in a torrential downpour that will cause a flood-like result, thereby testing/proving everyone’s foundation that they have built their lives upon (see the article The Latter Rain). No one on the entire face of the earth will escape this final outpouring of God. We will be either swept away in the judgment of God, or be snatched away in His final deliverance of His faithful servants. (See the section To Snatch Away Or Not To Snatch Away in the Bible study Elul; The Season Of Preparation And The 40 Days Of Favor. Also see the Bible study The Dominion Mandate.)
In Joshua 3:15 the Bible says the Jordan River overflows all its banks during the time of harvest. This is a picture, in type, of the final outpouring of the Lord during the final harvest on earth of people.
Within the Scriptures, those who act on God’s words are used to save themselves and their families, or “households” (see [3614] definition below). This occurred with a jailer and his household (Acts 16:29-34), Lot and his family (Genesis 19:15-29), Noah and his (married) family (Genesis 7:13-16), and Lydia and her household (Acts 16:14-15). (See Proverbs 31:27.) Your righteous covering also becomes their protective covering.
In Leviticus 16 the Lord gave specific instructions regarding the law of atonement. Verse 11 states that Aaron was told to offer the bull of the sin offering for himself “and make atonement for himself and his household.” The Hebrew for “atonement” is kaphar (kaw-far' [3722]). It’s defined as “to cover, to purge, to make an atonement, to atone for sin, to make reconciliation, to cover over with pitch.” Like the last definition, it’s interesting that the same word is used in Genesis 6:14 in God’s instructions to Noah for building the ark; “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover [kaphar] it inside and out with pitch [possibly for future preservation, as a witness].” Like the offering of Aaron, the act of obedience that would provide the covering for Noah would also be for the preserving of his household.
In a warning to Judah the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah;
“Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, O scoffers, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have made a pact. The overwhelming [7857- “to gush, overflow, to engulf, to wash or rinse off, to be swept away”] scourge [7752- “to lash, whip”] will not reach us when it passes by, for we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed [5641- “to hide (by covering), conceal, shelter”] ourselves with deception.’ Therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed [Matthew 7:21-27]. He who believes in it will not be disturbed [2363- “to make haste, to hurry, to act quickly”]. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level; then hail will sweep away [3261- “to sweep away, to sweep together”] the refuge of lies and the waters will overflow the secret place. Your covenant with death will be canceled [kaphar], and your pact with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, then you become its trampling place [to be tread down, underfoot]. As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night, and it will be sheer terror to understand what it means.’”
(Isaiah 28:14-19/NASU)
The Lord said that the scoffers who ruled the people in Jerusalem had a false sense of security. Their covering was founded in falsehood and deception.
The following passage is from the Bible study The Dominion Mandate;
One day while teaching His disciples, Jesus referred to this “bedrock” statement of faith [Matthew 16:16]. He said;
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them [i.e. “does them”], may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed [4363- “to strike against, to violently rush upon (in storm), to beat against”] against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded [2311- “to lay the foundation”] on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell — and great was its fall.”
(Matthew 7:24-27/NASU)
At the end of this age we will experience a great storm, the perfect(ing) storm that will test everyone’s faith. It will be the storm that perfects the body of Christ and destroys the wicked, revealing the foundation that each of us has built upon; whether that be Christ or the shifting sand of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Tempestuous (“stormy, turbulent, violent”) winds will be allowed to beat against us, proving what, and whom, we have built upon. (See Deuteronomy 2:26-31 below for more on “tempestuous,” one of the definitions for king Sihon’s name.) This is the cause of the great falling away from the faith Paul mentions in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2.
While teaching about His return, Jesus warned His followers regarding what was coming at the end of this age and the dire need for being watchful so as to not be overcome in that severe moment of testing. He said;
“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength [2729] to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
(Luke 21:34-36/NASU)
Notice that the same Greek word interpreted as “overcome” in Matthew 16:17-19 is interpreted in English in this passage as “strength.” So we can see through this that in order to have the strength necessary to withstand the final storm of this age and be known as an overcomer is to have a foundation built upon, and deeply rooted in, Christ. This is why in these final moments before the storm we must run to the only sure place of refuge, examining ourselves to see where we stand. Every other foundation besides Jesus Christ is built upon the sands of false security and will tragically fall (away from Christ)… “and great was its fall” (Matthew 7:27).
(This passage is from the Bible study The Dominion Mandate.)
Acts 2:1-4 – At Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples, a “violent rushing wind” came from heaven, sent by God. This one, though, had a totally different effect on God’s people than that which comes from the devil. Those who remained by faith in the place (i.e. the “house”) designated by the Lord were filled with the Holy Spirit. He rested upon those who were resting/remaining in Him. Another outpouring, the “best wine” in John 2, will precede the second coming of Christ at the end of this age. Again, it will fill those who have heard the cry of the Holy Spirit to His people to purify themselves in anticipation of this heralded event. Out of them will pour rivers of living water (John 7:37-39, Ezekiel 47:9).
1 When the day of Pentecost had come [4845- “to fill completely, to complete entirely, be fulfilled”], they were all together [3674- “at the same place or time, together”] in one place.
2 And suddenly [869- “unawares, unexpectedly”] there came from heaven a noise like a violent [972- “violent, forcible”]rushing [5342] wind, and it filled [4137- “to make full, to complete, to perfect”] the whole house where they were sitting [2521- “to sit down; i.e. figuratively, to remain, reside”].
3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested [2523- “to sit down; fig., to settle (hover, dwell)”] on each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
NASU
NT:5342 phero (fer'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primary verb (for which other and apparently not cognate ones are used in certain tenses only; namely, oio (oy'-o); and enegko (en-eng'-ko); to "bear" or carry (in a very wide application, literally and figuratively, as follows):
KJV - be, bear, bring (forth), carry, come, let her drive, be driven, endure, go on, lay, lead, move, reach, rushing, uphold.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to bear,
1. to carry
a. to carry some burden (Luke 23:26)
b. to move by bearing
c. according to a less frequent use to bear up, i. e. uphold (Hebrews 1:3)
2. to bear i. e. endure (Romans 9:22)
3. to bring, bring to, bring forward
a. properly: tina (Acts 5:16)
b. to move to, apply (John 20:27)
c. to bring by announcing (2 John 10)
d. to bear i. e. bring forth, produce
a. properly:
b. to bring forward in speech: profeeteia (2 Peter 1:21)
e. to lead, conduct (John 21:18)
The Deluge Of The Early And Latter Rains
Joshua 3:14-17 – In the final harvest of souls on earth, at the end of this age, the early and latter rains will flow, creating a deluge that will sweep away the enemies of God (see Isaiah 28:14-19 above in the note for Matthew 7:21-27), as well as bring to maturity His remnant (see the article The Latter Rain).
14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people,
15 and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped [2881- “to dip, to dip into, to immerse”] in the edge [7097- “end, border, edge, extremity, a mouth”] of the water (for the Jordan overflows [4390- “to fill, fulfill, overflow, accomplish, to be satisfied”] all its banks all the days of harvest), [7097 “can signify a “temporal end,” such as the “end of a period of time.” It can also indicate the “last” or the “least in importance.” Look at the verses in Numbers 2:2, 31 about the tribe of Dan setting out “last by their standards.” When used with “day” or “years” it may signify either “a point at the end of time” or “a period of the end time.” (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)]
16 the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. [OT:6891 – Zarthan or Zaretan = “their distress” – a place in the Jordan Valley where the river parted for Israel to pass over for the conquest of Canaan; an unknown site (Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)]
17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood [5975- “to stand, to remain, to endure, take one’s stand”] firm [3559- “to be stable, to be established, be readied, be prepared”] on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.
NASU
The following passage is from the article The Latter Rain;
“Throughout different passages, the Bible refers to the early and latter rains (also referred to as the autumn and spring rains). These two critical seasons of rain were essential for maturing Israel’s crops. Whether or not they would come in their appointed season, though, would be dependent upon their obedience. On the contrary, disobedience would result in the rain being withheld.
The early rain, or the autumn shower, is the rain which falls in Palestine from late October until early December. The latter rain, or the spring rain, are the March and April rains which bring the crops to maturity. Both outpourings from heaven are necessary in order to make the crops healthy, ready for harvest. I see in these rains a picture of faith being brought to completion in the Body of Christ on earth.
Like the crops of Israel, the final ingathering of the harvest of souls is dependent upon the final outpouring. The final outpouring is dependent upon the obedience of God’s faithful servants who hear and do what the Spirit is saying in these last days. Because the end of this age draws near, we can be confident in prayer that it is time for God to send rain from heaven.
The Lord warned Israel before going into the Promised land, “And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.” (Deuteronomy 11:13-15~ NKJ) This was a conditional promise from God. In order for the life-giving rains to fall, Israel would have to obediently serve God with all their heart and soul. Spiritually speaking, the same conditions apply today…”
Isaiah 59:18-19 – A Christian who entered the race (i.e. turned to Christ), but then chose to turn away from God and not repent becomes an enemy of His (James 4:4). The Hebrew for “enemy” is tsar (tsar). It’s defined as “narrow, tight, distress, an adversary, a foe, an enemy, an oppressor.” Their deeds are that of their own choosing, of an arrogant rebel. They did not choose to let the Lord rule over their actions (see the Bible study Lordship). This is not a once in a while action, but rather a continual apostasy (i.e. forsaking) against His lordship over them (Jeremiah 8:5). There seems to be a major discrepancy between versions as far as the interpretation of this passage.
18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due.
19 From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along.
NIV
Isaiah 59:18-19
18 According to their deeds, so He will repay, Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; to the coastlands He will make recompense.
19 So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun, for He [6862] will come like a rushing stream [5104- “river, stream, canal, current”] which the wind of the Lord drives [5127].
NASU
Isaiah 59:18-19
18 According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay.
19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy [6862]comes in like a flood [5104], the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard [5127] against him. [Check out Isaiah 62:10 about lifting up a standard over the peoples…]
NKJV [the KJV is very similar]
OT:6862 tsar (tsar); or tsar (tsawr)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from OT:6887; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in OT:6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):
KJV - adversary, afflicted (-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe, narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1) narrow, tight
2) straits, distress
3) a adversary, a foe, an enemy, an oppressor
4) a hard pebble, flint
tsar [OT:6862] – “adversary; enemy; foe.” This noun occurs 70 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, mainly in the Psalms (26 times) and Lamentations (9 times). The first use of the noun is in Genesis 14:20: “And blessed be the Most High God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.”
Tsar is a general designation for “enemy.” The “enemy” may be a nation (2 Samuel 24:13) or, more rarely, the “opponent” of an individual (cf. Gen. 14:20; Psalm 3:1). The Lord may also be the “enemy” of His sinful people as His judgment comes upon them (cf. Deut. 32:41-43). Hence, the Book of Lamentations describes God as an “adversary” of His people: “He hath bent his bow like an enemy [‘oyeb]: he stood with his right hand as an adversary [tsar], and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire" (Lam. 2:4).
The word tsar has several synonyms: ‘oyeb, “enemy” (cf. Lam. 2:5); sone’, “hater” (Psalm 44:7); rodep, “persecutor” (Psalm 119:157); ‘arits, “tyrant; oppressor” (Job 6:23).
In the Septuagint, tsar is generally translated by echthros (“enemy”). The KJV gives these translations: “enemy; adversary; foe.”
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
OT:5127 nuwc (noos)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver):
KJV - abate, away, be displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing), put to flight, hide, lift up a standard.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to flee, to escape
a) (Qal)
1) to flee
2) to escape
3) to take flight, to depart, to disappear
4) to fly (to the attack) on horseback
b) (Polel) to drive at
c) (Hithpolel) to take flight
d) (Hiphil)
1) to put to flight
2) to drive hastily
3) to cause to disappear, to hide
nuc [OT:5127] – “to flee, escape, take flight, depart.” This term is found primarily in biblical Hebrew, where it occurs some 160 times. Nuc occurs for the first time in Genesis 14:10, where it is used twice to describe the “fleeing” of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. Nuc is the common word for “fleeing” from an enemy or danger (Genesis 39:12; Numbers 16:34; Joshua 10:6). The word is also used to describe “escape,” as in Jeremiah 46:6 and Amos 9:1. In a figurative use, the word describes the “disappearance” of physical strength (Deuteronomy 34:7), the “fleeing” of evening shadows (Song 2:17), and the “fleeing away” of sorrow (Isaiah 35:10).
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Isaiah 63:7-10 – Isaiah writes about the Lord’s people becoming His enemies after saving them (see Hebrews 10:26-31).
7 I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has granted them according to His compassion and according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.
8 For He said, "Surely, they are My people, Sons who will not deal falsely." So He became their Savior.
9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them…
18 Your holy people possessed Your sanctuary for a little while, Our adversaries have trodden it down.
19 We have become like those over whom You have never ruled, like those who were not called by Your name.
NASU
Revelation 12:15-17
15 And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth [4750] after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away [4216- “river-borne (i.e. overwhelmed by a stream), carried away by a stream”] with the flood [4215- see def.in Matthew 7:25 above].
16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened [455- “to open up; a door or gate”] its mouth [4750] and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth [4750]. [See Numbers 16:32 when the earth opened up and swallowed people in the rebellion of Korah.]
17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
NASU
NT:4750 stoma (stom'-a)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
probably strengthened from a presumed derivative of the base of NT:5114; the mouth (as if a gash in the face); by implication, language (and its relations); figuratively, an opening (in the earth); specifically, the front or edge (of a weapon):
KJV - edge, face, mouth.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
the mouth
1. properly, the mouth as a part of the body: of man (John 19:29)
2. the edge of the sword
Hebrews 2:14-15 – The power of death that the devil has (represented by the Jordan River flowing down to the Dead Sea) will be cut off. Paul says in Romans 5:12 that “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” (NIV) It is through the power of Christ that we will cross over at the end of this age alive. The waters that lead to death will be cut off because, like Israel, it is the appointed time for us to cross over.
14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless [2673- “to render idle, unemployed, inactive, inoperative, put an end to, to cause to cease”] him who had the power [2904- “force, strength, power, might, dominion”] of death, that is, the devil,
15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
NASU
Matthew 24:37-42 – There is much to say about this passage, but the bottom line is the last day deluge will, as the days of Noah, cleanse mankind from all wickedness. (For much more on this see the Bible study Noah; A Sign Of The End.)
37 "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
38 "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
39 and they did not understand until the flood [2627- “inundation, deluge” (2 Peter 3:6)] came and took them all away [142]; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
40 "Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken [3880] and one will be left.
41 "Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken [3880] and one will be left.
42 "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
NASU
NT:142 airo (ah'-ee-ro)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primary root; to lift up; by implication, to take up or away; figuratively, to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind), specially, to sail away (i.e. weigh anchor); by Hebraism [compare OT:5375] to expiate sin:
KJV - away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put away, remove, take (away, up).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to raise up
a. to raise from the ground, take up
b. to raise upward, elevate, lift up
c. to draw up
2. to take upon oneself and carry what has been raised, to bear
3. to bear away what has been raised, carry off
a. to move from its place
b. to take off or away what is attached to anything
c. to remove
NT:3880 paralambano (par-al-am-ban'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:3844 and NT:2983; to receive near, i.e. associate with oneself (in any familiar or intimate act or relation); by analogy, to assume an office; figuratively, to learn:
KJV - receive, take (unto, with).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to take to (compare para, IV. 1), to take with oneself, to join to oneself: tina, an associate, a
companion (Matthew 17:1)
2. to receive something transmitted
a. properly: an office to be discharged (Colossians 4:17)
b. to receive with the mind (1 Corinthians 11:23)
Snatched Away/Caught Up In God’s Judgment
From the following verses we see that there are two cases of being snatched away in the judgment of God. The first is that of God snatching away His faithful servants before He pours out His wrath on earth. The second are those who are not gathered together to be with Him, but instead find themselves caught up in the horrific judgments of God in the final tribulation on earth, with no escape. All of mankind who is alive on earth will find themselves in one or the other. (Again, see the section To Snatch Away Or Not To Snatch Away in the Bible study Elul; The Season Of Preparation And The 40 Days Of Favor.)
Genesis 19:15-17 – This Scripture is when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God. The Hebrew for “swept away”is defined as “to sweep or snatch away, to catch up, to destroy, to consume.” See the sections The Escaped Remnant andThose Who Will Not Escape in the Bible study The Nephilim And The End Of All Flesh.
15 When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away [5595] in the punishment [5771- “perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity”] of the city." [See 2 Peter 3:14-18 below.]
16 But he hesitated [4102- “to linger, to tarry, to wait, to delay”]. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion [2551- “mercy, pity, compassion”] of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.
17 When they had brought them outside, one said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away [5595]."
NASU
OT:5595 caphah (saw-faw')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; properly, to scrape (literally, to shave; but usually figuratively) together (i.e. to accumulate or increase) or away (i.e. to scatter, remove, or ruin; intransitively, to perish):
KJV - add, augment, consume, destroy, heap, join, perish, put.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to sweep or snatch away, to catch up, to destroy, to consume
a) (Qal)
1) to be snatched away
2) to sweep away, to snatch away
b) (Niphal)
1) to be swept away, to be destroyed
2) to be caught up, to be captured
c) (Hiphil) to catch up, to gather
Genesis 18:23-25 – Abraham has been informed at this point of God’s plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their extreme wickedness. In his bargaining with God, he says that God will not sweep away the righteous with the wicked when He judges because He deals justly. He does not treat them the same.
23 Abraham came near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away [5595] the righteous with the wicked?
24 "Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away [5595] and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?
25 "Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?"
NASU
Numbers 16:23-26 – See the note below.
23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
24 "Speak to the congregation, saying, 'Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.'"
25 Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him,
26 and he spoke to the congregation, saying, "Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch [5060- “to touch, strike, reach, smite”] nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away [5595] in all their sin."
NASU
To touch something of someone else is to be a part of them, to be connected with them in one sense or another. Per the Hebrew for “touch,” figuratively speaking, it’s used in the sense of emotional involvement. What Moses was saying to the other Israelites was that if you do not separate yourselves from these men and what they are doing, either through your actions or in mutual agreement, then you will also be caught up in their judgment. This was a similar warning from God given to John.
In Revelation, chapter 18, regarding the necessity of separation from Babylon the harlot, John states that he heard a voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” (Rev. 18:4-5/NASU) By definition of the Greek, to “participate in” is “to become a partaker together with others, to share in, or to have fellowship with a thing.” By joining in the sin of others, without repentance, we will be condemned along with them when the Lord judges all wickedness at the end of this age (1 Corinthians 11:32).
In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul said;
“Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. ‘Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,’ says the Lord. ‘AND DO NOT TOUCH [680- “to attach oneself to, to fasten to, make adhere to”] WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,’ Says the Lord Almighty. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”(2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1/NASU)
When Paul writes, “And do not touch what is unclean,” he is actually quoting Isaiah 52:11 which says, “Depart, depart, go out from there, touch [5060] nothing unclean; go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels [3627- “vessel, receptacle, something prepared”] of the Lord.” From this we can see that purity among those who carry the vessels of the Lord, like the consecrated priests who carried the vessel of the ark of the covenant when Israel crossed over, is crucial. The Hebrew for “vessels” is “used of receptacles of various kinds used for storing and transporting” (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words).
The Lord said to the prophet Haggai;
“If a man carries holy meat in the fold [3671- “an edge or extremity, a wing (see Mal. 4:2), a border, a corner”] of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?” And the priests answered, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.” Then Haggai said, “So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,” declares the Lord, “and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.”
(Haggai 2:12-14/NASU)
It’s interesting that we cannot transfer holiness, but we can transfer uncleanness. I believe that what I’m seeing is that I cannot give you my oil, so to speak, like the wise virgins to the foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). You have to receive your own through Christ. But I can cover someone because of their nearness to me, protecting them from the wrath of God as did Noah, Lot, etc.
1 Samuel 12:24-25 – Samuel is warning Israel regarding how to act towards their king, Saul. They wanted him to be king over them instead of God.
24 "Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
25 "But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away [5595]."
NASU
2 Peter 3:14-18
14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,
16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away [4879] by the error of unprincipled men and fall [1601] from your own steadfastness [4740], [NIV; “…and fall from your secure position.”]
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
NASU
NT:4879 sunapago (soon-ap-ag'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:4862 and NT:520; to take off together, i.e. transport with (seduce, passively, yield):
KJV - carry (lead) away with, condescend.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to lead away with or together (2 Peter 3:17)
NT:1601 ekpipto (ek-pip'-to)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:1537 and NT:4098; to drop away; specially, be driven out of one's course; figuratively, to lose, become inefficient:
KJV - be cast, fail, fall (away, off), take none effect.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to fall out of, to fall down from
1. properly (Acts 12:7)
absolutely (Mark 13:25)
2. metaphorically,
a. to fall from a thing, to lose it (Galatians 5:4)
b. absolutely, to perish; to fail (1 Corinthians 13:8)
NT:4740 sterigmos (stay-rig-mos')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:4741 [see below]; stability (figuratively):
KJV - steadfastness.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
firm condition, steadfastness: of mind (2 Peter 3:17)
NT:4741 sterizo (stay-rid'-zo)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from a presumed derivative of NT:2476 (like NT:4731); to set fast, i.e. (literally) to turn resolutely in a certain direction, or (figuratively) to confirm:
KJV - fix, (e-) stablish, steadfastly set, strengthen.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
a. to make stable, place firmly, set fast, fix (Luke 16:26)
b. to strengthen, make firm
Psalm 73:16-20
16 When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight
17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.
18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away [8552- “to be complete, be finished, to cone to an end, to cease, to be consumed”] by sudden terrors [1091- “terror, destruction, a calamity, a dreadful event”]!
20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form.
NASU
Jeremiah 22:21-22 – In this passage the Lord is rebuking the leaders of Israel because they have forsaken Him and His commands, exalting themselves instead. What about the leaders of our nation, and the church in particular? He declares to them, and I believe as an example to us today, that He will sweep away their shepherds, causing them to be ashamed and humiliated. They had a false sense of security while living in rebellion against His lordship over them (see the Bible studies Lordship and Lord And Savior). In like manner, many of our shepherds will also be humiliated in the storm of the Lord that is about to be unleashed on this nation, and the world. The Lord will then raise up His unknown David’s who, having been trained in obscurity, will shepherd His flock with His authority.
21 "I spoke to you in your prosperity [7962- “security (false or genuine), quietness, ease, prosperity”]; But you said, 'I will not listen!' This has been your practice from your youth, that you have not obeyed My voice.
22 "The wind will sweep away [7462- “to shepherd, to pasture, to graze, to feed”] all your shepherds [7462], and your lovers will go into captivity; then you will surely be ashamed and humiliated because of all your wickedness.
NASU
Isaiah 28:15-19
15 Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have made a pact. The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by, for we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception."
16 Therefore thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.
17 "I will make justice the measuring line And righteousness the level; Then hail will sweep away [3261- “to sweep, to sweep away, to sweep together”] the refuge of lies and the waters will overflow the secret place.
18 "Your covenant with death will be canceled, and your pact with Sheol will not stand; When the overwhelming scourge passes through, then you become its trampling place.
19 "As often as it passes through, it will seize you; For morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night, and it will be sheer terror to understand what it means."
NASU
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