HE ‘WOOS’ AND ‘WINS’ BY HIS ‘LIVING’ WORD!

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Posted by Julie Edensor on 16 July 2016 | Comments

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A life of stripping, 
A life of pain, 
Don’t spare the needle! 
It’s for my gain!   

The Bride must have HER garments fair, 
Woven by Him, for HER to wear.     

That Golden Thread, 
His Divinity,
Must become a part of ME, 
Taken deeply by HIS hand, 
Every piercing, every strand......... 
‘Painful! Painful!  is her cry, 
Only the needle has the eye,

Knows the reason. sees HER stray,
His invitation, ‘Come away! Away!’ 
To the land of Beulah, The Glory Land! 
No longer desolate, lost, forsaken! 
Married to HIM, the Bride is taken!    

I am the King’s daughter, 
All glorious within,
Washed from my filth, my shame, my sin!! 
Anointed for burial! I had to be! 
Reduced to ashes, great parts of me!!!     

Oh! How I struggled, writhed in great pain, 
How could this be for my gain?!
‘The GAIN is Mine,’ He says to me,
Each painful needle, sets you free, 
I leave MY TREASURE, My Gold all through,
‘My Work’ He says ‘FOR YOU! FOR YOU!’ 

Written by Julie Edensor

HE ‘WOOS’ AND ‘WINS’ BY HIS ‘LIVING’ WORD - WOOING, WINNING, BUILDING!     

DEUTERONOMY 33 ‐ This chapter is all about the origin of all blessing in the ‘movements’ of God in love. CHRIST JESUS IS ALWAYS MOVING IN OUR DIRECTION, HE STANDS IN OUR WAY. HE SITS WHERE WE WILL BE GOING TO MAKE US AN OFFER OF HIMSELF!  HALLELUJAH!    

The result is SECURITY AND HAPPINESS, to an ‘upright’ people who know HIM as their God. HALLELUJAH!    

Deuteronomy 33 is not about ‘movements’ in redeeming delivering power, as seen in Egypt by the Red Sea, but it records the ‘movements’ in regard to a redeemed and delivered people with whom God has established a covenant. 

Deuteronomy 33 v 3 – “Indeed, HE loves the people, ALL the holy ones are IN THY HAND, and they followed in Thy steps; EVERYONE RECEIVES OF MY WORD.”  The Hebrew word here for ‘word’ here is ‘Dabbarah’ meaning ‘precepts’ and ‘words’, it is from the root word ‘Dabar’ – ‘to promise’, ‘command’, ‘exhort’, ‘to be spoken’, ‘TO BE WOOED’.   

Moses wrote these precious words after his own ‘wooing’ had taken place in the desert. The desert is the only place to learn that our strength is in HIM.  After 40 (number of temptation, trial, probation, tribulation) years a common bush began to shine with the glory of deity and from its heart of fire the Lord spoke! Exodus 3 v 1/4... Israel’s Messiah was in the ‘burning bush’ BUT HE WAS NOT CONSUMED!

In Song of Solomon 8 v 5 – the spouse is seen as coming up – but now she is a burden to be borne.  CHRIST’S WOOS HIS BRIDE IN THE WILDERNESS, in the ‘fire of affliction’...  Her ‘burden bearer’ is the ONE who cannot be consumed in our desert, our wilderness, our place of trial! There is always ONE who cannot be consumed in our wilderness, our rejection, our preparation.

We never find out who God is until we meet HIM in the wilderness – Moses (Israel’s Deliverer) declares later in Deuteronomy 33 v 16 “And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness,  And the favour of Him who dwelt in the bush...” – all of blessing come from Him who dwells in the bush. 

The Hebrew word for ‘favour’ is ‘ratsown’ = ‘delight’, ‘goodwill’, ‘pleasure’, ‘kindness’. It is the concrete reaction of a SUPERIOR to an INFERIOR, particularly GOD.

The burning bush is a type of the Church, its burning, it’s almost ‘being consumed’, it’s affliction.  In its weak obscure contemptible state.  It does not have anything to ‘dazzle’ the eye of man, the eye of the senses.  His Bride is commonly found in ‘homes’ rather than ‘palaces’ .... found in prisons and dungeons...

Hebrews 11 v 33/38 “...shut the mouths of lions, quenched the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty on war, put foreign armies to flight.  Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mocking and scourging, yes, also chains and imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated men (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.”

The Church throughout the ages has been persecuted by fire, but not consumed. Why is she not ‘consumed’?  In the midst of a hating world the Keeper of Israel does not sleep (Psalm 122 v 4) – instead of the ‘fiery trials’ consuming her they serve her, they refine her and add to her glory – the ‘burning bush’ was only brightened by the flame!  We have to turn aside from our ‘natural’ conditions to see the glory of His Divine facility in the ‘thorny bush’ that is not consumed!

CHRIST IS OUR ‘BURNING BUSH’ THAT COULD NOT BE CONSUMED AND HE IS IN OUR CITY......John 10 v 22/23 – Christ in Jerusalem in winter!  “It was winter and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.”  Christ is walking in HIS TEMPLE in the ‘winter’, the barrenness, the time of no ‘fruit bearing’ in our personal lives!  Hallelujah!

CHRIST WAS NEVER AFRAID TO APPEAR IN PUBLIC!  The City, indeed awaited Him!  CHRIST PUT HIMSELF IN PEOPLE’S WAY! The sinful woman at the well would be confronted with HIS request, she would then leave her ‘water pot’ and become HIS living ‘vessel’ of ‘life giving’ water! John 4 v 28.  CHRIST’S QUESTION WAS AND STILL IS “HAVE YOU GOT ANYTHING TO SAY TO ME?”

As we receive His precious ‘LIVING’ words our heart begins to change and our ‘REASONING’ begins TO DESIRE GOD’S HEART AND ‘REASONING’S FOR US! The definition of the word ‘woo’ is ‘TO ENDEAVOUR TO GAIN OR WIN SOME ONES AFFECTIONS! 

Proverbs 1 v 5 “A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of UNDERSTANDING will acquire WISE COUNSEL.”  

There is inside of each one of us a God given ‘storehouse’ IN CHRIST, a place awaiting the bringing in of HIS treasure... HIS treasure will make a difference in every area of our lives. There is only ONE WAY to amass HIS TREASURE...    There is a ‘DIVINELY APPOINTED’ way of bringing us to the      PERFECTION OF THE KNOWLEDGE, which will be stored in our ‘storehouses’ for a time of need.

2 Timothy 3 v 16/17 “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE ADEQUATE, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.”

The Greek word for ‘adequate’ is ‘artios’ meaning ‘FRESH’,‘COMPLETE’, ‘PERFECT’,‘COMPLETELY QUALIFIED’.  It is also linked to the word ‘holokleros’ meaning ‘all the parts of which are complete, whole, what they are supposed to be so that they might serve their DESTINED PURPOSE! That which retains ALL WHICH WAS ALLOTTED TO IT AT FIRST, WANTING NOTHINGFOR ITS COMPLETENESS, BODILY, MENTAL AND MORAL ENTIRENESS.

It expressed the perfection of man before the fall (1 Thess 5 v 23, James 1 v 4).  The ‘holokleros’ is one who has persevered, or who, having once lost has now regained his completeness. 

 In the ‘holokeros’ no grace which ought to be in a Christian man is deficient! The position of ‘completeness’ involves every area of our lives, Romans 12 v 1/2 – “I urge you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and  holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is  your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”   

The Greek word used here for ‘renewing’ is ‘metamorphoo’ – it is the same word used of Jesus’        transfiguration on the Mount (Matt 17 v 2, Mark 9 v 2).  It describes the miracle of transformation from an earthly form into a supernatural which is denoted by the radiance of the garments, also the countenance, suggesting what the bodies of the righteous may be like in the new age (1 Corinthians 15 v 51, 2 Corinthians 3 v 18) it carries the idea of transformation by an invisible process in Christians which takes place or begins to take place already during their life in this age.


In Proverbs 30 v 21/23 we read:

 “Under three things the earth quakes, and under four, it cannot bear up

 1.  Under a slave when he becomes king 

 2.  A fool when he is satisfied with food 

 3.  Under an ‘unloved’ woman when she gets a husband 

 4.  A maidservant who supplants her mistress  

 
The word ‘unloved’ in the Hebrew is ‘SANE’ meaning ‘to hate (personally), ‘to hate people’ ‘to hate violently’ ‘to be odious’ ‘to be untrustworthy’ ‘an enemy’.  This Hebrew word is used 145 times in the Old Testament ranging from INTENSE HATRED to SIMPLE OPPOSITION OF PERSONS, THINGS, IDEAS, WORDS, INANIMATE OBJECTS.

‘SANE’ expressed the ‘ill will’ and ‘aversion’ between a husband and wife.  It is the desire to have no contact or relationship with another... it is the OPPOSITE OF LOVE. LOVE UNITES AND HATE SEPARATES!  So the ‘unloved’ woman who had a ‘husband’ was one of the four things that the earth cannot bear up under... being ‘unloved’ or feeling ‘unloved’ in a marriage is one of the ‘burdens’ upon THIS earth!    

When Eve was brought to Adam it was a divinely determined relationship with which nothing was to    interfere.  Eve did not need sanctifying or purifying...she was already ‘artios’ – she was already complete and whole.  Since the fall we have been born with a ‘sinful’ nature and only by receiving CHRIST’S life which was given for us to be restored, can we now be brought to wholeness and           completion.

We read “Husbands love your wives, just as CHRIST also loved the Church and gave HIMSELF for her, that HE might sanctify her, having cleansed her BY THE WASHING OF WATER WITH THE WORD, that HE might present to HIMSELF the church, in all her glory, having not spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but she should be blameless.”  Ephesians 5 v 24/27.   

How the church, the ‘assembly’ is subjected to CHRIST should be learned in the Church and then worked out in our relationships! The work and Word of God effects in the saints THAT WHICH IS ATTRACTIVE TO THE LORD. In Christ, by His Holy Spirit Revealing God’s Word we begin to know and feel the intimacy and reality of the love of Christ...

We have truly been ‘wooed’ and God’s order in our lives rules and directs our role as a true ‘daughter of Zion’ and HIS ‘Bride‐to be’.

We now take joy in being governed by His wisdom and truth in both our ‘natural’ and ‘supernatural’ marriage.  Adam was the most perfect man that ever stood upon the earth, and Eve was the most perfect woman... they were both the workmanship of God!  Genesis 2 v 7, 21/25.

HE BUILT HER! Genesis 2 v 22 “And the LORD GOD fashioned (built) into a woman the rib (beam) which he had taken from the man, and brought her to the man,”. The word ‘rib’ in Hebrew means ‘plank, timber, beam – especially of floor or ceiling timber.  This is the word used for ‘beam; in 1 Kings 7 v 3 speaking of King Solomon (type of Christ) building the House of Lebanon.  “And it was               covered with CEDAR above upon the ‘beams’... how vital the construction of the ‘woman’, the ‘Bride’ and how her life is vital to the structure of God’s building.  SHE IS PART OF HIS BUILDING, PART OF HIS TREASURE.  Christ has more honour than the House Hebrews 11 v 10 – if something of God is built into the soul, it is to ABIDE and FORM part of the City of “which God is the builder and constructor.”   Jude speaks of building ourselves up in our most holy faith – referring to the end of the time! 

2 Chronicles 8 v 1/18 – a time for building.  The activities of King Solomon included the fortification of certain cities...  Building characterised the dominion of Solomon.  God is said to have built all things (Hebrews 3 v 4), and CHRIST has built the house. Today in 2016 men are ‘building’ too, but sadly, their ‘building’ is on the principle of casting away CHRIST as worthless. BUILDING SUPPOSES A PLAN AND CAREFULLY SELECTED MATERIAL.  

The saints are God’s building.  God is building into souls something that is going to remain in the City which HE is building.  “. that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to establish you.”  Romans 1 v 11.

The Canaanites represent those who need to be subjected under Solomon, so they have tribute service imposed upon them. In our own lives it is a matter of our contrary wills needing to be subdued and the power of Christ triumphing over everything that is adverse, as seen in Saul of Tarsus who was a blasphemer and a persecutor.  “A necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings” (1 Corinthians 9 v 16).  Paul longed to impart some spiritual gift to the saints.  

King Solomon here is seen as a great builder ... today it is Christ who is the Great builder and still building (Matthew 16 v 18/19). “Unless Jehovah builds the house, in vain do its builders labour in it.” Psalm 127 v 1. All building supposes a plan using carefully ‘chosen’ material.  Just as the Bride‐to‐be in Christ has been carefully chosen!   Cities are brought in here to show that wherever Solomon’s (type of Christ) dominion the building of cities was going on. A very important feature is that building should go on in all localities where Solomon’s dominion is owned. Where there is ‘building’ Satan is busy pulling down, Acts 9 v 31 ‐ “So the Church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it continued to increase.”  ‘Building’, is passing on and communicating HIS divine thoughts to one another “Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things.” Galatians 6 v 6.    

What is ‘BUIL’T into my own soul, whether good or little, is of great value, because GOD can use it in HIS ‘building’ operations and the thing is to make it as available as it can. Timothy had to entrust to faithful men what he had HEARD OF THE APOSTLE.  Every bit of ‘spiritual substance’ is to be passed on.  It is to be kept moving.

IN 1 Chronicles 26 v 27 we read “Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD.”  When God has proved Himself mighty on our behalf and given us deliverance from our enemy, healing in our sickness and other glorious answers to prayer we are to testify to the Body of Christ Our Saviours glorious victory for us in our situations!  See Revelation 12 v 11.  

Paul says his ministry of the ministry of the Word of God, of the mystery, is ALREADY A COMPLETED THING; but the ‘working out’ is a different thing. The bars, gates and walls show how necessary divine principles are for the SECURITY of things; they are vital to the building. See Deuteronomy 8 v 9 after the wonderful description of the seven divine fruits description the thought turns to iron and copper, this brings in the thought of locks and bolts to secure what they had received.  This was a type of keeping their treasure safe in their storehouses! The cities suggest a type –  they have ‘storehouses’ to accumulate food and resources available for a future time of need... a supply in a time of FAMINE that can be fallen back upon.  

JOSEPH AND HIS STOREHOUSE IN A TIME OF FAMINE.  

The beautiful company of the LORD JESUS CHRIST coming alongside His bereft disciples on the

Emmaus Road – HE spoke “concerning the Law of Moses and prophets and Psalms.”  Luke 24 v 44.  HE opened their understanding and gave them the key of HIS ‘storehouse’ in a time of need.

 2 Chronicles 8 v 7/10 – under Solomon’s rule the most unlikely material is used.  And in Christ’s

 building an insolent and overbearing Saul was subdued!  CHRIST conscripted him, necessity was laid upon him to speak.  Acts 9 v 1/31, 26 v 12/18.  

Interestingly in 2 Chronicles 8 v 11 we read of the introduction of the daughter of Pharaoh –  this is

the only mention of Pharaoh’s daughter in Chronicles.  King Solomon married her in the beginning of his reign.  Her removal to the house that Solomon built taking her out of the House of David results in the worship in the house was then carried on in a perfect way. In type she represents those who are brought into the fruit of Christ’s victorious power who have no personal title through promises made on God’s part.  At the appointed times all was done and all David, the man of God had commanded was carried out (verse 14). There was no departure from the commandment of the King, SO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD WAS PERFECTED –  this foreshadows a perfect obedience and worship which the earth will see when the true King has come. Then, as in Solomon’s day, the King’s commandment will be the absolute rule for everything (verse 10).

It was not a spiritual act to bring an Egyptian princess into the city of David.  Did Solomon enter into
marriage with her when there was not much value in his heart regarding the Ark of the Covenant?  

He appears now to think quite differently about the suitability of Pharaoh’s daughter being in King

David’s City. THERE WAS GAIN IN HIS SPIRITUAL ADJUSTMENT!

The daughter of Egypt was unlikely to have entered much into the life of Solomon or the things

connected with him.  IT IS NOT SAFE GROUND UNTIL THE ARK HAS GOT ITS RIGHT AND FIRST PLACE!  Solomon received an increased sense of the holiness of the ark and of the places to which it had come and the presence of an Egyptian princess in the city of David was anomalous.  She had been there provisionally until Solomon “had ended building his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about” 1 Kings 3 v 1. 

The house of David was not her place neither was the City of David nor did she appreciate the holiness of the ark. Once the wife is put out of the House of David, the order of the assembly ... the service of offering and the service of song now go on.  

IN THE NEXT SECTION VERSES 11/18 –  EVERY DETAIL OF IT IS CARRIED OUT ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT OF DAVID... it took a year for the whole course to be gone through. We carry on our service to God every week in our ‘assemblies’.  “As the duty of every day required” is stressed more than once (Numbers 28 and 29) Jehovah calls HIS people to bring HIS bread and HIS offering.

The feast of ‘unleavened bread’ – the state in which the Supper is eaten. 

The ‘feast of weeks’ is ‘firstfruits’ as they bring two ‘wave loaves’ as being the matured exercised of

Christ being known as risen and crowned by power of the Holy Spirit.

The ‘tabernacles’, is the full appreciation of Christ Jesus as glorified. It is always to be available, day

by day... “My bread for My offerings” as though HE fed upon it and looked to HIS people to supply HIM with bread. 

Psalm 72 v 15 – “All the day shall be blessed.” In verse 14 David is called “the man of God” as in Nehemiah 12 v 24. In verse 15 – ‘treasures’ = past ministry, past conflicts. the Church, the assembly is the ‘storehouse’ where a vast amount has been accumulated for the pleasure of God.  

A sister in the Lord sent me this message while I was preparing this message: Re: Hi sweetheart, I got this Word from God today. I've posted it as well, but I know this Word is to YOU, my darling:  
"I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord." (Isaiah 45:3) Not many knows what these words means, but I know you do, so I don't have to explain”.   

...."riches stored in secret places" I just LOVE that expression!!! HALLELUJAH!! The ‘darkness’ that

 shuts the world out does but reveal to us ‘heavenly things’!  Now when the sun (Son) was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him!  It was the day that the ‘covenant’ of SEED (Genesis 15 v 4) was given to the man in darkness!  Genesis 15 v 12.

IT IS THE WEALTH OF GOD – HERE WE SEE THE GENTILE WORLD AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER.    God has been pleased to place great ‘spiritual’ wealth amongst the gentiles...  the wealth of the nations –  Colossians 2 v 2 “In which are hid ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE.”    It is all connected with service of King Solomon (type of Christ).

More has come in from the Gentile’s than God ever got from the Jew. THERE IS A GREAT STORE

 OF GOLD FOUND IN EDOM – as in store in the gentile world... always God’s intention to have great ‘spiritual’ wealth among the gentiles.... HERE COMES THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. she comes up with great wealth....  she was needed to complete HIS divine thought, that there was not only found one in Solomon that could build the house and carry on the service and bring all to completion, BUT THERE IS A ‘WOMAN’ FOUND WHO CAN APPRECIATE IT ALL....  SHE CAN ESTIMATE IT

 ALL IN REFERENCE TO JEHOVAH!    We have seen God’s order established after one Brides removal ... but there is an order established when one Bride‐to be is being brought into the King’s Palace. 

 But this Bride – to – be knows all about ‘restrictions’ and ‘confinement’.

 In the book of Esther 2  v  2  we  read  that  when  every  maiden’s  turn  came  after  their  twelve months of purification. Six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices ‐ Whatever she desired was given her to go with her OUT of the house of the women INTO the King’s house.   This is a beautiful illustration of a Bride, having six months with oil and myrrh which speaks of all the fragrance of Christ’s suffering love.  In verse 13 we read “the young lady would go into the King in this way: anything that she desire was given her to take with her from the harem to the King’s Palace... 

The process of confinement that Esther went through would not always be PLEASANT, but it would be BENEFICIAL.  In Esther 2 v 3 the young Esther is put into the custody of HEGAI, whose name in Hebrew means...’meditate’ (see  Joshua  1  v  8),  also  the  Hebrew  word  for ‘cosmetics’  is  ‘tamruwq’ meaning ’referring to a scouring, precious ointments, ’remedies’, ’detergents’, ’soaps for bathing’ which  were  given  to  her  for  her  purification,  it  also  means  ‘sharpen,’ ‘scour’, ‘polish’, ‘rinse to brighten’.

The process to be in the KING’S PRESENCE involves studying HIS Word and willingly submitting to HIS process of ‘brightening us by scouring us’!   

The ‘process’ in Esther was not to make an ‘ugly’ woman ‘beautiful’ or a ‘defiled’ woman ‘clean’.  They were the choicest ‘maidens’ selected and any thought of defect or defilement is never suggested SHE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING MADE MORE BEAUTIFUL FOR HER KING THROUGH HER ‘MEDITATION’ AND ALLOWING HIS COSMETICS TO BE APPLIED BY HIM! 

 The man in Deuteronomy 24 v 5 who marries a new wife is exempted from all military duties and all business so that he may pay all his attention to his wife and gladden her!  “When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army, nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall GIVE HAPPINESS to his wife whom he has taken.”  How precious it is to think of

 CHRIST at this present time exempt from all governmental concerns!  HE is not having to engage in warfare!  HE IS GIVING HIS UNDIVIDED ATTENTION TO HIS ‘BRIDE’, HIS CHURCH, HIS ASSEMBLY!  There is a wonderful description of the King’s Bride in Psalm 45 and she is one whose garments have undergone a very painful  preparation, v 13/14 “The King’s daughter is all glorious  within:  her  clothing  is  of  wrought  gold.  She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework....” 

The needle which God employs for His embroidery is so like all our earthly needles. THEY are small

 instruments of steel, pointed at one end with an eye at the other to receive the thread for sewing. The needle may be a small one that He uses, but it is always pointed and sharp. GOD’S NEEDLES ARE NEVER BLUNT!!! They are meant to accomplishment the needed work; to show to us our own

deficiency, and to work in His abundant all sufficiency. How glad we are that it is always a wounded Hand that carries the needle. Our Father is not a ‘Mechanical Machinist’ we need to see that tender Hand of One that so loved us and gave Himself for us.  This precious needle is His own selection for His Bride teach us to value the individual workings and dealings of God in our life.

The land of Beulah THE GLORY LAND in Hebrew meaning ‘married’ (Isaiah 62 v 4)

 In Pilgrim ‘s Progress John Bunyan speaks of Beulah as representing that advanced period of

 spiritual life attained by some Christians in which trials and difficulties are in a great measure over, and they rest in the serene and undivided happiness of communion with God.  Psalm 73 v 23/26.

Payson during his final days on earth could say in a letter to his sister “The Celestial City is full in my view.  Its glories have been upon me, its breezes fan me, its odours are wafted to me, its sounds strike my ears, and its spirit is breathed into my heart.  Nothing separates me from it but the River of Death, which now appears as an insignificant stream, that may be crossed at a single step whenever God shall give permission. 

The Sun of Righteousness has been gradually drawing nearer and nearer, appearing larger and brighter as He approached, and now He fills the whole hemisphere, pouring forth a flood of glory, in which I seem to float, like an insect in the beams of the Sun; exulting yet almost trembling, while I gaze on this excessive brightness, and wondering with unutterable wonder why God Should Design thus to shine upon a sinful worm.”  

John Bunyan could say “this is the country where the Sun shines night and day, this is the place beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Death, the place where we are out of the reach of the great giant called Despair!  It is a place where ‘doubting’ castle cannot be seen.  Here in the land of Beulah we are in sight of the City, right in the borders of Heaven with the shining ones!!”  

GOLDEN THREAD

In Exodus 39 v 1/3 we have the preparation and provision made for the priestly garments. Verse 3 reads “Then they hammered out gold sheets and cut them into threads to be woven in with the blue and the purple and the scarlet material, and the fine linen the work of a skilled workman.”  Four very interesting words are used which appear to have an application to our own individual spiritual walk with Christ.

1.Hammered,

2.Cut,

3.Woven,

4.Skilled workmen

The word ‘hammered’ in Hebrew is ‘raqa’ which means to expand, to pound by hammering into thin sheets, to cut off, to chop off, to overlay, to stretch.  Gold in the Word is a type of the Divine Nature of God. Christ, whilst upon this earth, through suffering was ‘reduced’ into those great strands of life, typified by the gold in the OT, to be worked into the believer! Then ‘cutting’ the gold into threads to be worked in. His gold has to be worked into our garments before we are ready to be presented to Our Glorious King!    This is a slow and painful process, but our clothing must be completed before the Day of our great presentation. ‘Woven’ in Hebrew— ‘asah’ it is the word used in scripture to describe God’s creative activity, it also means to work, to labour, to create, to accomplish, to squeeze, to prepare!  We are being ‘prepared’ today through a process of loss, difficulty, surrender, trial and sorrow, but He has promised to .. “Finish and complete the work that He started in us.” Philippians 1 v 6.

 This is a wonderful instruction for HIS Bride and referring again to Deut 24 v 5, we read “HAVING TAKEN A NEW WIFE”, which refers to CHRIST AND HIS ‘BRIDE’TO’BE’, HIS ASSEMBLY. She is the product of the work of God and the subject of the love of CHRIST.

SHE IS HIS BLESSED COMPANION, GLADDENED BY HIM! The meaning of ‘gladdened’ in Hebrew is ‘to brighten’.  His Bride (CHURCH) are viewed as the fruit of divine purpose and spiritual formation. She is HIS own flesh.  CHRIST IS ENTIRELY FOR HIS BRIDE, HIS HOUSE at this present time!

This present time answers to the ‘one year’ ‐ HE is not going out to subdue HIS enemies now.  HE will do that presently when the ‘year’ has expired.   The ‘one year’ is a kind of parenthesis in the ways of God.  It is a special period during which the ministry and service of Christ towards HIS Bride to‐be is taking place.  HE is presently overruling providentially in the world, and keeping the doors open for HIS ‘glad tidings’.    The ‘widow’ of Zarephath had to learn by Elijah’s ‘supernatural’ provision for a ‘whole year’.  1 Kings 17 v 15  “So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and  she and he and her household ate for many days.”  Hebrew word for ‘days’ here is ‘yowm’ and means ‘day’, ‘number of days’, ‘YEAR’… IT IS THE PERIOD OF LIGHT WHICH IS NOT DARKNESS.  HALLELUJAH! 

Finally, He is our ‘skilled craftsman’ He is skilled in all things. He is a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, He can be trusted and relied upon to do only the ‘necessary’ work in us! Numbers 16 v 23/33 we read of the lives of the Sons of Korah, of their rebellion and of what the Lord graciously did for them. It is a picture of what He has done for us in giving us His great gift of such a glorious salvation! 

The sin of Korah was that they presumed to come near to God in a priestly way without any priestly fitness. 

 To constitute a man a priest he must be CHOSEN and CALLED of God, and have divine title and priestly fitness to approach!  The whole guilty family was doomed to destruction and we have to look in Numbers 26 v 11 to find the most wonderful verse of God’s mercy and forgiveness: "The sons of Korah, however, DID NOT DIE.”  Children of a ‘doomed’ family but God’s mercy triumphed over judgment in their lives (James 2 v 13) Hallelujah!  The great pit opened its mouth to engulf the ‘presumptuous’ family, but the hand of God reached out and snatched the sons of Korah asbrands from the burning!!!  Jude 22/23.  We are called today to have mercy on those ‘who are doubting’, and saving others, snatching them from the fire:;  and we are to have mercy with fear, hating even their garments polluted by the flesh. 

Jehovah became their Saviour and they were the most suitable people to declare that no one could approach God without the priestly title.  God entrusted them with the charge of the gates of His sanctuary!  Today He has given us that responsibility.  These ‘saved’ ones had to be the ones entrusted to write the ‘beautiful’ 45th Psalm!!!  The Psalm is known as “A song of the Beloved.”  The whole theme is filled with the language of a lover telling out the beauty and virtue of the One who has saved them from the very jaws of hell by His very own ‘pierced’ hand of divine grace.  it is entitled a ‘maskil’, the ’maskilim’ in Daniel 11 and 12 represent the ‘faithful remnant’ in the last days of the beast’s power, they are the ones who are wise and are able to operate in wisdom and understanding, they are called the ‘instructors’. It is a song to give instruction to the Church of God, it tells us of Christ as He will be known publicly in the world to come.  This writer has learned the excellence of Christ and has to speak out!  So have we!!!

The word ‘shoshannim’ used in the heading, this word means ‘lily city’ it is the place of the Lord’s lilies, His Bride, His pure ones, those who are surrounded by the roughness of the thorns (Song of Songs 2 v 2), but it is the thorns that give distinctiveness to the lily!  Yes, we are being ripped and our flesh is being torn!  HIS WORK OF EMBROIDERY HAS TAKEN PLACE!   The writer begins by having to say that his heart is ’bubbling’ over with a ’good’ theme, his is the pen of a ready writer.   His affection takes account of Christ and he sees Him as all glorious within and at His right hand he sees the Queen, the Bride dressed in the GOLD of Ophir.  The glory that she has been given by Her King’s Divine Grace!  It is the poem of one who has been ‘made’ ready to express by God’s Holy Spirit the truth of the Bridegroom and His Bride to the Church in all ages.  His heart is as a spring, a boiling pot …. He had received knowledge of Christ’s saving power, he had to communicate it to others!  He sees the Bride being brought to her Husband in the precious raiment of ‘needle work’, the garments of embroidery that have caused her so much pain!!    She stands beside Him … “The King’s daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is interwoven with GOLD.  She will be led to the King in ‘embroidered’ work; ….”  Psalm 45 v 13/14a.    The King’s daughter must be all glorious within, before her clothing can be of wrought GOLD.    The Hebrew is literally of GOLD BROCADE!   Embroidered work is translated ‘divers colours’ or needlework on both sides.   It means to ‘encase a gem in gold, to interweave coloured threads into squares.    In Ezekiel 16 v 9/13 we read of God’s grace to unfaithful Jerusalem, He tells her that He had clothed her with ‘embroidered’ cloth.  One day she will be adorned with GOLD (Divinity) and SILVER (Christ), her dress will be of fine linen (righteousness of God)!

 
The garments we will wear are not like any earthly robes they have been interwoven with His
GOLDEN thread of trial, His GOLDEN thread of pain.  It is always His ‘wounded’ hand that uses the needle, the thicker the GOLDEN thread required, so much more is the ‘needle of trial’!  The same hand that ‘pierces’ the textile always carried the GOLDEN thread the needle has to pierce first!!!     

The word woven (Strongs ) 6213: means to labour, to toil, to create, to accomplish, to be prepared, and the equivalent  word in Greek means to travail, to contest, TO STRUGGLE, agony!! Our Glorious One who gave His life for us is patiently ‘stitch by stitch’ working in here a little, there a little, the GOLD of His own character into ours through the trials of our life!!    

In Exodus 36 v 37 the screen for the doorway of the tent was of blue, purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, THE WORK OF A WEAVER.  A ‘weaver’ in colours!! That is what is taking place in our lives!  He is our Glorious Weaver and He is weaving and working His ‘colours’ into our lives!!    His Heaven BLUE, His Royalty PURPLE, His blood of Servanthood RED, His Righteousness FINE

TWISTED LINEN.  We are the ‘doorway’ of His tent!  We want to be used by Him to invite others to enter in!!!

She now has no imperfections, no wrinkles, no blemishes… Ephesians 5 v 25/27—

Eve was BROUGHT to Adam and that is THE UNION.  Eve was Adam’s wife, BUT SHE WAS THE BODY, SHE WAS HIMSELF!  Ephesians does not give you the BRIDE, it teaches and instructs on the WIFE.  The WIFE is a more extended thought than the BRIDE.   In Revelation 21, the BRIDE has lost none of her FRESHNESS, BEAUTY AND ADORNMENT OF HER BRIDAL STATE.  THE BRIDE IS ALSO THE WIFE IN REVELATION.  The BODY and the WIFE will subsist for all eternity. The BODY is here in the scene of CHRIST’S REJECTION, she represents all HIS moral features, but when she is seen as the fullness of HIM that fills all in all, she will not be seen in the features which marked HIM here but the features of THE HEAVENLY MAN WHO FILLS THE UNIVERSE WITH HIS GOVERNMENT OF PEACE!    THE BRIDE WILL BE FOR HIS DISPLAY IN THE MILLENNIAL DAY—SHE WILL LOSE NOTHING OF HER BEAUTY FOR THE WHOLE OF THE THOUSAND YEARS—SHE WILL STILL BE HIS ‘BRIDE’ ‐ SHE HAS THE CHARACTER OF HIS ‘FRESHNESS’ ‐ SHE WILL NEVER SHOW ANY SIGNS OF DECAY!

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