(This study is from the Bible study Tongues.)
1 Corinthians 13:8-13 – Paul declares that tongues will cease, as well as prophecy and knowledge, when “the perfect comes.” What then is the perfect? The differences within the body of Christ regarding what is the truth have resulted in major divisions among us. For more insights see the note below.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
9 For we know in part [3313] and we prophesy in part [3313];
10 but when the perfect [5046] comes, the partial [3313] will be done away [2673].
11 When I was a child [3516- “not speaking, an infant, immature, childish, untaught, unskilled”], I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away [2673] with childish things [3516].
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part [3313], but then I will know fully [1921]just as I also have been fully [1921] known.
13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
NASU
NT:3313 meros (mer'-os)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from an obsolete but more primary form of meiromai (to get as a section or allotment); a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application):
KJV - behalf, course, coast, craft, particular (+-ly), part (+-ly), piece, portion, respect, side, some sort (-what).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
a part
1. a part due or assigned to one (Rev. 22:19)
2. one of the constituent parts of a whole
a. universally: in a context where the whole and its parts are distinguished (Luke 11:36)
b. any particular (1 Peter 4:16)
NT:5046 teleios (tel'-i-os)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:5056; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with NT:3588) completeness [see Psalm 37:11 below, def. for shalom – “peace, completeness, welfare, health”]
KJV - of full age, man, perfect.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
properly, brought to its end, finished; lacking nothing necessary to completeness; perfect: ergon (James 1:4)
NT:2673 katargeo (kat-arg-eh'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:2596 and NT:691; to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively:
KJV - abolish, cease, cumber, deliver, destroy, do away, become (make) of no (none, without) effect, fail, loose, bring (come) to nought, put away (down), vanish away, make void.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to render idle, unemployed, inactive, inoperative (Luke 13:7)
2. to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish: ti (1 Cor. 6:13; 13:11)
NT:1921 epiginosko (ep-ig-in-oce'-ko)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:1909 and NT:1097; to know upon some mark, i.e. recognize; by implication, to become fully acquainted with, to acknowledge:
KJV - (ac-, have, take) know (-ledge, well), perceive.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly; to know accurately, know well
(1 Corinthians 13:12)
2. universally, to know
a. to recognize (Matthew 14:35)
b. to know equivalent to to perceive: ti (Luke 5:22)
c. to know i. e. to find out, ascertain: namely, auto (Acts 9:30)
d. to know i. e. to understand (Acts 25:10)
Some in the church use this passage to back their belief that tongues has ceased, that it is not for today. The key phrase in this is “but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.” The answer would seem to be in defining what “the perfect” is. Is it referring to when Jesus, the only perfect One came to our world in human form? Or is it, as some teach, when the apostolic era ended, meaning the original twelve apostles all died? Or is it something else? Let’s take a look.
The Greek for it is teleios (tel'-i-os). It’s defined as “complete, completeness; properly, brought to its end, finished; lacking nothing necessary to completeness; perfect.” I think the answer is found through other verses in the New Testament that use this same Greek word.
Psalm 37:8-11 – In this psalm of David, he contrasts the difference between the righteous and the wicked. In verse 11 and he says “the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” (NAS) Prosperity, I believe, is a terrible interpretation. The Hebrew for it is shalom (shaw-lome') which is more commonly interpreted as “peace.” It’s defined as “peace, quiet, safety, completeness [1 Cor. 13:10], welfare, health, soundness.” So from this we see that abundant peace is connected with completeness in Christ, of faith coming to completion/perfection (James 2:22).
8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
9 For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
10 Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
11 But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity [7965].
NASU
Psalm 37:11
11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace [7965].
NIV
Psalm 37:11
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace [7965].
KJV
OT:7965 shalowm (shaw-lome'); or shalom (shaw-lome')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from OT:7999 [“to be in a covenant of peace, to be safe, to complete, to finish”]; safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace:
KJV - do, familiar, fare, favour, friend, great, (good) health, (X perfect, such as be at) peace (-able, -ably), prosper (-ity, -ous), rest, safe (-ty), salute, welfare, (X all is, be) well, wholly.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
a) completeness (in number)
b) safety, soundness (in body)
c) welfare, health, prosperity
d) peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment
e) peace, friendship
1) used of human relationships
2) with God especially in covenant relationship
f) peace (from war)
g) peace (as adjective)
Psalm 122:6-9 – I could have looked at any one of the many verses that have “peace” in them, but the Lord led me to this passage right after Psalm 37:8-11. It had to do with the Hebrew definition for “prosper” (NASU)/“secure” (NIV). Between the two passages and their definitions I see, again, that the shalom of God is connected with “the perfect” or “completeness” in Christ, of entering into His rest (see Hebrews, chapters 3 and 4). The peace of Jerusalem (“City of Peace”/ “a foundation of peace”/ “foundation of Shalem (God of peace)”/“founded peaceful”/”teaching of peace”), its being brought to complete rest, will usher in the millennium, the great age (1,000 years) of peace. Peace on earth will finally occur when Christ, the Prince of Peace, returns and the devil is bound.
6 Pray for the peace [7965] of Jerusalem: "May they prosper [7951] who love you.
7 "May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces."
8 For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, "May peace be within you."
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.
NASU
Psalm 122:6-9
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels."
8 For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you."
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.
NIV
OT:7951 shalah (shaw-law'); or shalav (Job 3:26) (shaw-lav')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to be tranquil, i.e. secure or successful:
KJV - be happy, prosper, be in safety.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to be at rest, to prosper, to be quiet, to be at ease (Qal)
1) to be or to have quiet
2) to be at ease, to prosper
Daniel 9:20-27 – See the note below.
20 Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God,
21 while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. [See the insights near the end of this study from the Bible study The Morning And Evening Sacrifice.]
22 He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding.
23 "At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.
24 "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish [3607- “to restrict, to restrain, to withhold, to shut up, to keep back, to finish”] the transgression, to make an end [2856- “to seal up, to lock up, to be stopped”] of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up [2856] vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.
25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.
26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary [this was fulfilled by the Romans in 70 A.D.]. And its end will come with a flood [see Matthew 24:37-41]; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
27 "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."
NASU
While Daniel was praying, confessing the sin of his people against the Lord which had resulted in their enslavement by the Babylonians (i.e. land of the Chaldeans), the angel Gabriel appeared to him to give him insight with understanding. Gabriel then shared with him the seventy weeks decreed by God for the end of this age to be completed, including the “sealing up” (i.e. stopping) of vision and prophecy. This is another confirmation that prophecy, and therefore tongues, will not cease until the coming of the Lord.
The fulfillment of the seventy weeks involves the fullness (“that which has been completed, the fullness of time”) of the Jewish people (Romans 11:11-36), Jerusalem, and the Messiah. According to Paul in Romans, chapter eleven, the completion/fullness of the Jews will occur after the completion/fullness of the Gentiles. So to be praying for the peace of Jerusalem is to be praying for the culmination of the end of this age when all of this prophecy given to Daniel will have been fulfilled at the coming of the Lord. The completion of the number of the Gentiles will then give way to the completion of the number of Jews, thereby bringing to completion this age, ushering in the rule of Christ over this world from Jerusalem. (See the Bible study The Fullness Of Him. Especially look at the note for Matthew 9:16-17 below in which Jesus taught about the necessity of a new “patch” and a new “wineskin”, without which we will never come to completion in Him.)
The final “week,” a 7 year period known as the tribulation (i.e. the day of the Lord) is yet to come, even right around the corner. It appears that the first 3-1/2 years will be somewhat peaceful, but the last the most horrific the world has ever experienced. It will be a time when God’s wrath will be poured out, destroying all wickedness. (For more insight on who will and will not be protected during this time, in particular among God’s people, see the Bible study Elul; The Season Of Preparation And 40 Days Of Favor.)
(The following passage is from the Bible study Noah; A Sign Of The End.)
Genesis 6:8-9 – Noah represents the final group of Believers who hear and do what God says, bringing to completion the Body of Christ. He is a picture, in type, of the final group of Believers who will hear and do what the Spirit is saying to them right before judgment comes to the world. He represents the faithful Bride of Christ who will be eternally joined to her Bridegroom.
8 But Noah found [“to attain, find, or acquire”] favor [“grace” in the KJV] in the eyes of the Lord. [See Exodus 33:12-17 where Moses also found favor with God, as well as the Bible study Have Grace.]
9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless [8549] in his time; Noah walked with God.
NASU
OT:8549 tamiym (taw-meem')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from OT:8552; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth:
KJV - without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright (-ly), whole.
(Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
complete, whole, entire, sound
a) complete, whole, entire
b) whole, sound, healthful
c) complete, entire (used of time)
d) sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity
e) what is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact (neuter adjective/substantive)
Hebrews 2:10-11
10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect [5048] through suffering [3804].
11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.
NIV
NT:5048 teleioo (tel-i-o'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:5046; to complete, i.e. (literally) accomplish, or (figuratively) consummate (in character):
KJV - consecrate, finish, fulfil, make) perfect.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to carry through completely; to accomplish, finish, bring to an end (Acts 20:24)
2. to complete (perfect), i. e. add what is yet lacking in order to render a thing full:
3. to bring to the end (goal) proposed: ouden (Hebrews 7:19)
4. to accomplish, i. e., bring to a close or fulfillment by event (John 19:28)
NT:3804 pathema (path'-ay-mah)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from a presumed derivative of NT:3806; something undergone, i.e. hardship or pain; subjectively, an emotion or influence:
KJV - affection, affliction, motion, suffering.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. that which one suffers or has suffered
a. externally, a suffering, misfortune, calamity, evil, affliction: plural (Romans 8:18)
b. of an inward state, an affection, passion (Galatians 5:24)
2. equivalent to an enduring, undergoing, suffering (Hebrews 2:9)
James 2:21-22 – James declares that Abraham was justified by works. Within James 2:14-26 which explains faith and works, he uses the phrase “justified by works” three times. In Romans 3:28 Paul declares that we are justified by faith apart from works of the law. The seemingly contradictory statements become clear when given the understanding of the two different types of works described in the New Testament. For greater clarity of which works we are discussing, because the Bible describes two different types of works, one led by the flesh called “works of law” and one by the Spirit called “works of faith,” see the Bible study called Works and the accompanying book Works And Salvation. Only works of faith that are led by the Spirit can save/deliver/complete/perfect us in Christ. Also, see the article The Perfect Result which is in my book The Resurrected Bride on p.61-67.
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected [5048];
NASU
2 Chronicles 8:16 – See the note below.
16 All Solomon's work [4399- “occupation, work, business”] was carried out [3559- “to be firm, to be stable, to be established, to be prepared, to be ready”], from the day the foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid until its completion [3615- “to accomplish, to finish, to be complete”]. So the temple of the Lord was finished [8003].
NIV
OT:8003 shalem (shaw-lame')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from OT:7999; complete (literally or figuratively); especially friendly:
KJV - full, just, made ready, peaceable, perfect (-ed), quiet, Shalem [by mistake for a name], whole.
(Brown Driver, Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
complete, safe, peaceful, perfect, whole, full, at peace
a) complete
1) full, perfect
2) finished
b) safe, unharmed
c) peace (used of a covenant of peace, mind); perfect, complete (used of a covenant-keeping relation)
From the day that Christ, our foundational corner stone (1 Cor. 3:9-11, Eph. 2:20) set at Calvary, until the completion at the end of this age of His temple in the Spirit, we too must “work” together with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 6:1; see the Bible study Emmanuel; God With Us) per His order revealed to us in the Scriptures. It is through our doing the Divine mishpat (mish-pawt'), the ordinance of God (1 Chronicles 15:13) that we will be built up in Him (Eph. 4:12), established in the covenant (Genesis 6:18). “Established” is one of the definitions for the Hebrew of “carried out”. It was in the carrying out of the work given him by the Lord that Solomon’s temple was established. Every other way is a cursed work of man’s hands, of man’s will that will result in the destruction of the temple within. Built on a faulty foundation (i.e. “sand” in Matthew 7:26) it/we will not stand in the final storm of God’s wrath on earth (i.e. the day of the Lord; see Philippians 1:6 below).
In a parallel passage to Matthew 7:26 regarding builders and foundations, Luke refers to the man who built his house on sand as the one who built his house on “the ground without any foundation” (Luke 6:49/NASU). This is the “cursed ground” declared by God to Adam for his disobedience (Genesis 3:17). It is the cursed work of man’s hands that has infiltrated the church. It is a cursed place without any foundational truths in Christ that many in the church have built their life upon. As Luke continued in verse 6 he declared, “…and the torrent [“flood”] burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin [4485- “something torn, a fall, a fracture, breach, what has been broken or rent asunder”] of that house was great.” (NASU; see the Bible study Noah; A Sign Of The End) This is why Paul warns Christians to be careful how we build on the foundation which is Christ. He says;
“Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.”
(1 Corinthians 3:12-13/NASU)
The “day” Paul refers to is “the day of the Lord” (see the note for Philippians 1:6 below), the day of God’s judgment on earth against all that is wicked. It’s the time when it will be manifested how each of us built upon the foundation. (For more on the foundation see the note for Acts 16:22-26 in the section 2020; The Year Of A Great Shaking in the Bible study 2020 The Dawning Of The Light.)
We, His body, are now His temple, the place of His intended eternal dwelling. The corporate building project in the Spirit is nearing the appointed time of its completion. To fight against His will (i.e. the spirit of anti-christ) is to fight against His building up of His body, as well as our receiving of His promise (Hebrews 10:36). As James stated above, our perfection, the completion and fulfillment of our faith in Christ and the temple of His body is “a result of the works.”Like Noah, it is our works done by faith that will complete this vessel of deliverance for all who would enter in. The decree of Jesus on the cross was “It is finished!” The victory has been secured. We must now look to Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith” who will, along with His obedient servants, bring this age to an end and the devil’s ensuing binding for one thousand years (Revelation 20:2).
The foundation is the beginning, but not the end (Luke 6:46-49, 1 Cor. 3:12-15). Our faith in Christ, the building of His temple within us (John 2:19-21), can only be brought to completion/perfection by the Spirit. But as revealed, we have a part in this. Our obedience to what we hear, our being a doer of the will of God and not just a hearer of it (James 1:22-25), is what will bring to completion the work of the Holy Spirit within us. It’s the doers of the law that will be justified (Romans 2:13).
Again, for greater clarity of which works we are discussing, because the Bible describes two different types of works, one led by the flesh called “works of law” and one by the Spirit called “works of faith,” see the Bible study called Worksand the accompanying book Works And Salvation. Only works of faith that are led by the Spirit can save/deliver/complete/perfect us in Christ.
You begin to understand why the devil has deceptively said certain gifts are not for today. God has said that they are for the completion of His temple. The devil, therefore, must divert us from the truth in order to keep from being bound.
Paul gave us clear instructions as to how this building project will be accomplished. He said;
“It was he [Jesus Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
(Ephesians 4:11-16/NIV)
One of the definitions in Hebrew interpreted in English as “finished” in 2 Chronicles 8:16 is “whole.” In my Bible study Wholly Illumined, No Dark Part I said the following;
“The Bible declares [from the note on Luke 11:33-36] that when He comes His body will finally be a perfected body of believers that is full of light, with no dark part in it, wholly illumined as when the lamp illumines you with its rays. Darkness in the Body will be removed by the angels (Math. 13:41)…
[From the note on Matthew 3:7-12] “To cleanse His body of followers, Jesus is going to “clear His threshing floor” by removing “out of His kingdom” the parts of His body that are considered chaff (“all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness” in Matthew 13:41), which means they will not repent, cutting them off from Himself (see the Bible study Cut Off). They are the faithless/unfaithful followers, the dark parts that must be removed so as to have His body of faithful followers filled with His light and glory at the end of this age (see the Bible study Cultivate Faithfulness).
The Greek for “clear” is diakatharizo (dee-ak-ath-ar-id'-zo) which means “to cleanse perfectly, to cleanse thoroughly.” This is the final perfecting of the body of Christ at the end of this age. The Lord will accomplish His cleansing/purging of His body through the fire of the last days. As with the three Hebrew children in Daniel who were cast into the fire for not bowing to an idolatrous image, they will come forth shining, having the dross of their fallen natures completely removed (Daniel 3). They were “delivered” in the fire by God because they “put their trust in Him” (Daniel 3:28). So will we (see Psalm 78:22).
From this we see that in order for the temple of the Lord to be completed/perfected, wholly illumined with His glory, the “dark parts” must be removed.
Hebrews 12:1-2 – Jesus is “the author and perfecter of our faith.” The Greek for “perfecter” is teleiotes (tel-i-o-tace'). It’s defined as “a completer, i.e. consummater.” Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says; “a perfecter: one who has in his own person raised faith to its perfection and so set before us the highest example of faith (Hebrews 12:2). The word occurs nowhere else.” (See the Bible study Alpha And Omega.)
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter [5051] of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
NIV
NT:5051 teleiotes (tel-i-o-tace')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:5048; a completer, i.e. consummater:
KJV - finisher.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
a perfecter: one who has in his own person raised faith to its perfection and so set before us the highest example of faith (Hebrews 12:2). The word occurs nowhere else.
Philippians 1:6 – See the note below.
6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect [2005] it until [891- or “up to”]the day of Christ Jesus.
NASU
Philippians 1:6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion [2005] until [891] the day of Christ Jesus.
NIV
NT:2005 epiteleo (ep-ee-tel-eh'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:1909 and NT:5055; to fulfill further (or completely), i.e. execute; by implication, to terminate, undergo:
KJV - accomplish, do, finish, (make) (perfect), perform (X -ance).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to bring to an end, accomplish, perfect, execute, complete: substantively, to epitelesai (2 Cor. 8:11)
2. to appoint to, impose upon (1 Peter 5:9)
NT:891 achri (akh'-ree); or achris (akh'-rece)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
akin to NT:206 (through the idea of a terminus); (of time) until or (of place) up to:
KJV - as far as, for, in (-to), till, (even, un-) to, until, while. Compare NT:3360.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
even to; until, to the time that
1. as a preposition it takes the genitive
a. of place (Acts 11:5)
b. of time (Luke 4:13)
c. of manner and degree (Acts 22:4)
d. joined to the relative hou (Acts 7:18)
2. achris without hou has the force of a simple conjunction, until, to the time that: followed by
subjunctive aorist, Luke 21:24
Paul declares that the “good work” the Lord began within us will be brought to completion/made perfect on the day of the Lord (see Joel 2:1-2, Isaiah 13:6-16). Something else that stood out to me was the definition for achri (akh'-ree), interpreted in this version as “until.” It’s defined as “even to; until, to the time that; (of time) until or (of place) up to.” What I believe is being revealed to me is that the good work brought to perfection within us is an individual and a corporate thing, finalized at the end of this age. Individuals made perfect through death, and those made perfect on earth at Christ’ return, who are faithful and have been made ready through obedience will be built up into the permanent dwelling of the Lord (see 1 John 3:2-3 for the faithful servants of the Lord at His coming who become like Christ, and why). By doing what the Spirit is saying to the church at the end of this age, the temple of His body will be brought to completion. The last portion to be joined together with Christ will be the Jewish believers.
The writer of Hebrews, in chapter eleven, writes about this. After describing the great faith of those who have gone before us, he says;
“And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect [5048- see definition in Hebrews 2:10-11 above].”
(Hebrews 11:39-40/NASU)
The Greek for “gained approval” is martureo (mar-too-reh'-o) [3140] which means “to be a witness, to bear witness, to testify.” It’s also defined as “to be well testified of, to have a good report.” This same Greek word is used at the very beginning of this chapter which, by the way, is referred to by some as “The Hall Of Faith”;
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval [3140].”
(Hebrews 11:1-2/NASU)
It was by faith that these men obtained a good report/were well testified of by the Lord (see the Bible study Good Report Bad Report). They heard from God and then manifested their belief/ faithfulness by what they did. This was the testimony of God regarding Noah. The Bible says, “Noah was a righteous [6662- “just, lawful, righteous”] man, blameless in his time. Noah walked with God.” (Genesis 6:9; see the Bible study Noah; A Sign Of The End) To be “blameless” is to be “perfect, complete, whole, entire, sound, full, without spot or blemish.” For his faithfulness in building the ark, Noah received a good report from the Lord. So will we who are alive and remain faithful to the Lord at His coming. Noah, whose name means “rest,” represents the pure and spotless Bride of Christ. They are the servants of the Lord who have entered His rest. Not all Christians will be the rest-ful Bride. Some will be defined as the rest-lessservants. The faithful believers are resting from their works and are instead doing the works of Christ Jesus they were created for (Ephesians 2:10).
The writer of Hebrews continues in chapter eleven, saying;
“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony [3140] that he was righteous, God testifying [3140] about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness [3140] that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God [see the Bible study Well Pleased]. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
(Hebrews 11:4-6/NASU)
So we see that Enoch did not see death because, like Jesus (Matthew 3:17), the Father was well pleased with him (see notes for Hebrews 11:5-6 below). To please God is by definition of the Greek, “to gratify entirely, to be well-pleasing.” Only those who act by faith, doing what God says which is the context of this entire great chapter, can be declared “well-pleasing” in His sight. This was the Father’s testimony/good report of Jesus. God rewards those who “carefully and diligently seek after” Him (see the NIV for this passage), investigating and searching out His will and way so as to then do, not just hear, what He desires (this is true faith). He rewards those who crave after Him. Paul said to the church in Ephesus, “…you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light… trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:8-10/NASU) The reward is “the reward of the inheritance,” the promised inheritance of eternal life from the Lord (Colossians 3:24).
Song Of Solomon 6:8-10 – Solomon describes the perfect, complete, united Bride of Christ. She is the “exceedingly great army” of the last days (Ezekiel 37:1-10).
8 "There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number;
9 But my dove, my perfect [8535] one [259- “united, one, first”], is unique: She is her mother's only [259] daughter; She is the pure [1249] child of the one who bore her. 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 [8259- “to overlook, to look down or out, to overhang”] like the dawn, as beautiful as the full moon, as pure [1249] as the sun, as awesome [366- “frightful, terrible, dreadful”] as an army with banners?'
NASU
Song Of Solomon 6:9
9 My dove, my perfect one, is the only one, the only one of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her. The daughters saw her and called her blessed, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
NKJV
OT:8535 tam (tawm)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from OT:8552; complete; usually (morally) pious; specifically, gentle, dear:
KJV - coupled together, perfect, plain, undefiled, upright.
(Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
perfect, complete
a) complete, perfect; one who lacks nothing in physical strength, beauty, etc.
b) sound, wholesome; an ordinary, quiet sort of person
c) complete, morally innocent, having integrity; one who is morally and ethically pure
OT:1249 bar (bar)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from OT:1305 (in its various senses); beloved; also pure, empty:
KJV - choice, clean, clear, pure.
(Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1) pure, clear, sincere
2) clean, empty
as an adverb:
3) purely
Matthew 9:16-17- In this passage, Jesus taught us about the need for a new garment, without which the fullness/completion in Him cannot occur. The old garment/wineskin of religion led by the flesh must be separated from completely in order to completely finish this age. In my opinion, “patch” is a terrible interpretation that completely hides the truth of this verse. (See the Bible study A Strange Nature which describes a wedding dress dream a friend of ours had.)
Also, the “preserving” of the wine and the wineskins are related to being “remembered” by the Lord. (See the portion entitled Being Remembered By The Lord in the Bible study The Fullness Of Him.)
16 "But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch [4138] pulls away [142- “to raise up, elevate, to move from its place, to take off or away what is attached to anything”] from the garment [2440- “the cloak or mantle”], and a worse tear [4978] results.
17 "Nor do men put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out, and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved [4933- “to remember, to keep within oneself, to keep in mind a thing lest it be forgotten”]."
(NAS)
Matthew 9:16-17- In my opinion, the King James Version interpretation of (4138) describes the Greek better in this case.
16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up [4138] taketh [142] from the garment [2440], and the rent [4978] is made worse.
17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved [4933].
(KJV)
NT:4138 pleroma (play'-ro-mah)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:4137; repletion or completion, i.e. (subjectively) what fills (as contents, supplement, copiousness, multitude), or (objectively) what is filled (as container, performance, period):
KJV - which is put in to fill up, piece that filled up, fulfilling, full, fullness.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. etymologically it has a passive sense, that which is (or has been) filled
2. that which fills or with which a thing is filled:
3. fullness, abundance (John 1:16)
4. equivalent to pleeroosis (Romans 13:10)
4978 schisma (skhis'-mah)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:4977 [in John 21:11 as “torn”]; a split or gap ("schism"), literally or figuratively:
KJV - division, rent, schism.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
a cleft, rent
a. properly, a rent (Matthew 9:16)
b. metaphorically, a division, dissension (John 7:43)
Within these verses I hear the Lord saying that He cannot bring His fullness, His completeness, His “all within all” into the old, outer garment of the defiled religious system that the church in America has currently cloaked itself with (see the Bible studies The Inner Tunic And The Outer Garment and A Strange Nature). The tear in the garment represents the multiple divisions among us (see Network 153 Partnership Vison). It is worn out, broken, and defiled. By pouring out the Holy Spirit within this old garment, the divisions among us would become even worse.
The Lord would also be going against His own word. God’s instructions to Moses in Deuteronomy 22:9 were as follows; “Do not plant two kinds [“a mixture”] of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled.” (See Isaiah 5:1-7) There needs to be a new, undefiled vineyard for the final entering of His fullness. He is bringing this forth, this very day, for His Name’s sake (Ezekiel 20:7-8, 14, 18, 22, 44; see the Bible study Two Seeds).
Because of spiritual blindness caused by stubborn hearts, most will reject the “new thing” in Christ as not being from Him, in particular the current leadership of the church in America. As it was in Noah’s day, the rampant wickedness, within and without the church, must be dealt with first in order for the new order in Christ to come forth (see the Bible studies Noah; A Sign Of The End, and The Nephilim And The End Of All Flesh).
The pure order under the lordship of the Head, who is Jesus Christ, is the only way for His Body to come to completion. It is only through repentance that the lies of the devil are exposed and the knowledge of the truth can be received.
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