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Hardest Prayer to Pray:

I wonder what it would be like if we all just stopped looking at one’s ethnic religion, the color of one’s skin, income level, poverty, political affiliations, and just dropped on our knees and be brave enough to pray this prayer:

"Lord Jesus, you came forth demonstrating the love of God. For this, you were beaten, mocked, rejected, spat upon, lied about. You were put on trial and plotted against. Yet you came and reached out to us. Release us from our exclusivity.

"Nails were driven into your body were for every Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Satanist, New Ager, Wiccan, Taoist, Buddhist, Traditionalist, Shaman, Atheist - for all who are shackled to all forms of religious and political ideologies.

"You bore a crown of thrones crammed down upon your head for the blacks, the whites, the brown, and the yellow - all races. You were abandoned and betrayed and whipped for us all.

"Jesus you died on the cross for the poor and the rich. For those who want to exterminate us. You suffered for the worst of humanity to the noblest paying the price to set them free all because you loved a humanity who loves you not, so, we can learn to love you, who ‘proved’ himself tried and true.

"Oh, Lord forgive us of our putting up barriers of hate and malice, prejudice and pride along with all our justifications for these. Break these chains and help those brave enough to pray this – remind us - for whom stripes you bore.

“Look outside these four walls, dear Jesus, look across the street, in every town, city province, county. Don’t forget what you did just because so many of us forget by justifying - who is worthy to be saved and who is not. Help us see for whom you died for. The lame, and unlovable and unbearable.

"Oh Lord God Almighty, I ask draw, these people all around us, bring them to you so that they may know you and the power of your resurrection that raises us into new life, changed by you, and reconciled. Draw them oh Lord! Draw them! Bring them to know you!

"And Lord, help us be like more you! Help us to bear forth your love. So, we can reach out to them and forgive them for they know not what they do."

Closing comment: Just think ... just think... for whom did Jesus die, when we say and write what we do, Lord help us!

From:

Bryan W Melvin

Author: A Land Unknown: Hell's Dominion

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Mystery of Light

By Bryan W Melvin

The Bible has layered meanings in the text. That is what makes the bible so different form all over religious writings. For example, the story of creation packs a powerful lesson in Genesis Chapter One. Let’s look.

Gen 1:3-5 “…God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So, the evening and the morning were the first day.” NKJV

In Psalms 119:105 the Bible mentions that God’s word is a light. John writes in John 1:1-14 that Jesus is the living Word, and how Jesus said in John 8:12, John 9:5, and John 12:46 that he is the light of the world so that people should not abide and continue to walk in darkness.

In Gen 1:3-5 “…God said, "Let there be light" and there was light.

Hebrews 1:2 tells us, “God…has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds...”

Col 2:9 reveals, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

When God spoke, we see that the preincarnate Jesus, the word, created all creation…God said, “let there be light…”

Next in Gen 1:4 we read: “And God saw the light, that it was good…”

Notice, the Lord said, the light was good. His word is good. Why?

Gen 1:4: “…God divided the light from the darkness”.

God’s word, divides. It exposes darkness as dark. Darkness symbolizes in in the bible, the absence of God’s word, where evil wants to take the world. Take the world back to the deep abyss where chaos and darkness can rule. Not God’s word.

Notice how this darkness came into the world in Genesis 3:1 by the words of darkness spoken by, the serpent, the devil of old causing humanity to go against the words of light spoken in love and truth and had all humanity come under the rule of darkness.

Jesus came, as John writes in John 1:1-14 as the word-God, light, into the world. His light divides the darkness of disorder exposing it for what it is and creates so true life and hope returns by the creative work of the word of God on that old rugged cross.

The purpose of God’s light is to divide darkness out of his creation starting in the world of humanity. But there is a problem as Jesus mentions in John 3:19-21:

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

People love darkness more than light. People love disorder, doing whatever thou will, because the light of God exposes and proves their mode of thought, living, is not good, destructive, dark. How such darkness always promises liberty but instead delivers corruption, ruin, and death.

Folks, the deep meaning from the first few verses of Genesis chapter one is that we as Christians shine God’s light into the world. In the beatitudes, Jesus tells his people, we are the lights of the world!

With light, comes hate, persecution, against light. Why is this? Answer is simple, people love darkness more than light. You can say the word, god or gods and that is okay but to tell that Jesus is the only way, the truth and the light of life. Hate happens…

John 3:20, “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."

Here is a mystery for you to ponder:

In my book, A Land Unknown: Hell’s Dominion, I wrote of a truth conveyed to me concerning the “ordering and sorting.”

Gen 1:5, “God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So, the evening and the morning were the first day.” NKJV

Folks expect persecution in this world because the purpose of God’s light is to separate darkness from light. As the Lord spoke on the first day of creation his word will be carried forth to the very end of this age.

In Isa 55:11, YHWH said this: “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

Eph 5:8-11, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”

In our Christian walk, there are those who suffer great loss. Like in Hindu areas of India if one becomes a Christian, they lose all welfare government aid. Other countries, they lose all, even their own lives.

Yet, in the West, and in America, the gospel is reduced to worldly attainments, achieving positive self-esteem, and garnering of wealth and great blessings. However, in other countries, it cost everything to be the light of Christ to a lost world.

I wonder what the word of God is doing in America and the West right now?

Yes, folks, the bible is the only book when read that convicts and exposes in people the darkness loved most as well as providing the only cure to stop it.

Gen 1:5, “God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So, the evening and the morning were the first day.”

All bible quotes are from the NKJV

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Deep Study of God's Word:

Never neglect what a name tells you

By Bryan W Melvin

When reading the bible, it is important to look at the meaning of the names used in the bible. You will discover, that they reveal more to the story than meets the eye.

Name meanings add depth and layers of insights within the inspired words of the bible that often can reveal prophetic patterns as well as modern day applications

Today we will look at the meaning of names in used in

1 Samuel 11:1-6

I applied the meaning of proper names into this text, quoted from the New King James Version and in between each verse is added a brief commentary.

1 Samuel 11:1, "Then Nahash (Shinning Serpent) the Ammonite (Faithful tribe of Ammon) came up and encamped against Jabesh (dryness, confusion, shame) Gilead (Rocky Land); and all the men of Jabesh (dry confusion, shame) said to Nahash (Shinning Serpent). "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you."

The name Nahash means ‘Shining Serpent’. Amorites mean this, tribe of Ammon and Amon means faithful, so 'Amorite' thus means "the tribe of the faithful, loyal committed."

2 Co 11:14-15 tells us that the devil and all his minions can appear as shinning ones – angels of light. Therefore, Nahash the shining Serpent appears here in the text a human minion.

Next, we find Nahash’s army encamped against Jabesh-Gilead. Jabesh means dryness, confusion, shame and Gilded means Rocky barren land. Nahash was faithful, loyal, and committed as well as his people to their patron god.

The patron god of the Ammonites was named Amurru or Mar.Tu which is another name for Enlil, Chronos, Moloch, Saturn. Thus, Nahash was, as was the custom of those pagan days, would rule as Amurru’s representative to reflect him on earth his means of proving his true faithful worship.

The worship of this Amorite false deity involved burning children alive in fire, witchcraft, black arts. According to the writers during the Old Testament times, the Amorites were human descendants of the Rephaim giants carrying on their work on earth.

In the Book of Jubilees xxix. [9] 11, it states: "the former terrible giants, the Rephaim, gave way to the Amorites, an evil and sinful people whose wickedness surpasses that of any other, and whose life will be cut short on earth."

What we see here in the text is that Nahash, the Shining Serpent, of the faithful loyal committed tribe of Ammon’s Rephaim came up and made camp against the people who lived in dryness, confusion, shame, in a rocky barren land. And verse two we find the leaders of dryness asking the Shining Serpent if they can make covenant with him, so they would not be killed.

Keep tracking with me

If you have been following me online here, or on the radio or who studies the biblical history of ancient paganism and how these reveals who the Ephesian 6:12 crowd is you may see a familiar story line these names are conveying that have prophetic implications.

Old Testament Jewish tradition and early church writing indicate that there were at least 200 imprisoned fallen angels in the abyss, pit of hell which is described as a hot dry place with jagged rocks.

The Book of Enoch 10: 4–7 states prove this: “…the Lord said to Raphael: "Bind Azazel hand and foot and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there forever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgement, he shall be cast into the fire.”

So, in 1 Samuel 11:1-2 we find the shining serpent and his army encamped in a dry, rocky barren land where people open the doors for them to enter in their lives by living a Jabesh-Gilead life of dryness, confusion, betraying shame, making a rocky barren land. Message is clear, people not living by every word of God let the enemy right on in at any sights, sounds, signs or threats.

“But he who received the seed on stony (rocky) places (soil), this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.” Mat 13:20-21, NKJV

Look at the next verse and see how the leaders/elders of

Jabesh-Gilead stumbled

1 Samuel 11:2, "And Nahash (Shinning Serpent) the Ammonite (Faithful tribe of Ammon) answered them, "On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel (Prevailers with God)." NKJV

Putting out the right eye denotes taking away one’s ability to fight against one coming oppresses you, so you remain under his yoke unable to fight back. In the context, the shining serpent, Nahash makes that deal.

The putting out of the right eye, or hand signal for this, denotes one is in league and loyal to the God of the Amorites, known in Roman times as Saturn, and hence is where we get the Saturn Eye symbols seen today in many in Hollywood, music industry, and the elite.

Have you seen the Saturn’s eye hand symbol in media and around you today?

How has the fight been taken out of much of the modern western Church world?

Next, we see this:

1 Samuel 11:3, "Then the elders of Jabesh (Dryness, confusion, betraying shame) said to him, "Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel (Prevailers with God). And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you." NKJV

The leaders agreed with Nahash, the shining serpent and made a deal so that they could go deep into the land of Israel (the Prevailars with God) to see if anyone could save them.

By doing so, they would bring fear, and their own dryness, confusion, and betraying shame into the land making it ripe for Nahash to waltz on in.

Nahash knew this and is one of the reasons he allowed them to go forth, wait for a short period of time, then save his army from any losses against those who claim to be prevailars with God in complete mockery, contempt, and utter hubris.

Have you noticed messengers going about taking the supernatural out of the bible or even adding false miracles, visions, and works in the church world?

How can you not fall victim to this and remain loyal to the Lord – here is a clue:

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:34-36, NKJV

Do you see the prophetic implications in 1 Samuel 11:1-6?

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Deep Study of God's Word:

God's Love has Protective Boundaries

By B W Melvin

Electronic Copyright

Did you know that God’s love has protective boundaries?

Here is a question to help folks understand this: Is it best to let a little child do whatever he or she wants too with no guidance, no direction, no instruction, no discipline – just let the kid play in the street or with vipers or play with matches or jump off the roof pretending to be a superhero. How is that love?

The way the love of God is currently taught in many places is that it is okay to do all the above because God loves you. How many see that this is not love at all?

At one time God’s love – agape/agapeo – meant that God loves - cherishes, nurtures, guides, disciplines, corrects, teaches in order to edify a person without them adding his or her conditions to the process. Somehow in the last 20 to 25 years that meaning has changed to mean that God loves without his conditions so that it is okay to go play with pit vipers and jump off of high buildings because God loves you.

Faith works by true agape-love that builds one’s character to be loyal to a God who loves them enough to teach, instruct, cherish, nurture, discipline them which proves to a person, they are loved. In this, they grow up being responsible, and knowing who they are as having direction in life which fully prepares one for heaven.

Letting a child do whatever with no guidance, direction, correction, teaching is not love.

Therefore, God’s love has boundaries which are vast deep and wide and long calling people back to himself. God’s love lets one make his or her own decision to return or not despite God already foreknowing the final answer on this in each heart before any were ever born. His love still let’s the decision be the person’s own. In this his love is just and acts according to truth and holds to account those that reject and wish to remain playing with vipers, justly.

Those that reject the boundaries of God’s love would do so if allowed into heaven because in their view of God’s Love is a love without God’s conditions which makes God totally submissive to their conditions to turn stones to bread, take over heaven, and jump off high buildings to prove his love.

Amazing thing about God’s love is that it does not take our conditions and asks for our unconditional surrender to God who proved his love on the cross and resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us that He is faithful and trustworthy to be trusted. He offers this to human rebels is amazing because we do not deserve such love as this but deserve his full wrath instead.

I do not think any human being can fully comprehend a love that is undeserved that seeks to cherish, nurture, guide, instruct, correct us, so we learn to live responsible before God and each other restoring us in the process to be his own special people who once demanded God to surrender to our conditions but instead surrendered to him who is faithful and true.

Deep study of God’s word: what is faith, really?

By B W Melvin

Hebrews chapter Eleven is about faith. Much has been written on this subject. To understand what the author is actually trying to convey about faith in these verses often has muddied. This mud is cleared up by discerning what the true meaning of faith means from ancient Hebrew definition of faith blended in with the Greek.

The primary Hebrew idea of faith is that of providing nurture, stability, support, as to increase confidence, so one securely fastened to oneself to whatever one has faith in. Its basic meaning conveys parents and children. Parents train a child to have faith in them by their loving boundaries they place on a child, so they grow up loyal, dependable, with integrity and replicate this faith in their own families.

Example, when I was a little tike I played by the wood pile. I found baby snakes. Thinking they were worms, I put them in my pocket. My clothes were dirty. My mom washed my pants and dead baby snakes fell out. I was told they were baby Rattlesnakes – eastern diamond backs.

My day took me outside and I showed him where the snakes were. He took carry of them as well as applied the board of education across my seat of knowledge and thus I learned – don’t play with snakes. From the experience, I learned this concept of faith that my parents loved me, cared, desired my best, and that I could trust them. That is the ancient Hebrew idea of faith.

When applied to God, this same idea applies. He is our Heavenly Father. He cares. He warns us of danger. Chastens us in order to protect us from hurting ourselves. In this he proves himself trustworthy of actual loving care (not as the world defines love which is go ahead play with snakes). In this we become loyal, committed to him because we know him and what he is like. Yes, that it is ‘absolutely’ possible and desired by God for each of you reading this.

Such faith produces loyalty, commitment, reliance on, dependability in action so that one lives out what one believes, i.e. have faith in, God, as evidenced in his or her personal manner of life. Faith adheres to the truth about what one has faith in. (The definition of faith I used here is from a Composite definition using my own words based on Thayer’s, Mounce’s, BDB, and AMG Word Study bible dictionaries).

Hebrew chapter eleven is about that definition of faith and it is brought out fully in verses 32-40. Let’s apply these meanings into the text as well as few other words in parentheses:

Heb 11:1-6, Now faith (nurture, stability, support, which brings increasing confidence, loyalty, commitment, reliance) is the substance (foundation) of things hoped (expected or to expect) for, the evidence (manifestation to be responsible to truth) of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

“The evidence (manifestation be responsible to truth) of things not seen,” is difficult to express in English. The idea is to live responsible to whom you have faith in even when you do not see them or when you feel they are a million miles away. Like, “Bryan, don’t ever put baby rattlesnakes in your pockets again – I love you – yes daddy.” I never touch a snake again with my hands – I eliminate vipers instead. I live true to what my dad said, to this day.

You, by faith, learn to know God’s nurturing you.

We are called the adopted children of God for a reason and the good Lord has no problem applying the board of education across our seat of knowledge from time to time. God’s way erases guilt and shame and builds your confidence and trust in God. He sends the Holy Spirit as our teacher and nurtures us further helping us along the way. When the old devil attacks - you say - "My dad is bigger than yours bug off, in Jesus name!”

Through this process, you get the stability, support, confidence that makes you loyal, committed to follow and obey The Lord God Almighty, as you learn to hear his voice. Friends, that is what the evidence – manifestation – is all about -- living responsibly and truthfully before God whom you cannot see.

The elders understood how God nurtures all people because God created all of creation and thus nurtures and provides for both the just and unjust. This increased the elders reliance upon God and he proved himself faithful, loyal, and one who can be trusted. That idea is brought out in the verse 3…

Verse Three

Heb 11:3-5 “By faith (nurture, stability, support, which brings increasing confidence, loyalty, commitment, reliance) we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

“4 By faith (nurture, stability, support, which brings increasing confidence, loyalty, commitment, reliance) Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

“5 By faith (nurture, stability, support, which brings increasing confidence, loyalty, commitment, reliance) Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "AND WAS NOT FOUND, BECAUSE GOD HAD TAKEN HIM"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

Now look at Verse 6….

Heb 11:6, “But without faith (nurture, stability, support, which brings increasing confidence, loyalty, commitment, reliance) it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe (trust-in his nurturing, support, word, ways, guidance) that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

‘Diligently seek’ from the Greek has in its main idea: to seek out, search diligently for anything lost. And/or, inquire, crave after with all one’s aching, longing, searching, or scrutinizing heart… now in the next verses and do you see this in the folks mentioned in direct context?

Heb 11:7 By faith (nurture, stability, support, which brings increasing confidence, loyalty, commitment, reliance i.e. in God) Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

The key element about faith is living responsible before God – that is our title deed. Most teachings about faith skip that part and treat faith as the means for glory hounding. Now, next, apply the composite definition of faith mentioned earlier after the words translated faith in verses 8-32. What do you see?

The testimony of each person mentioned trusted God because he nurtured them to trust him in steady stages and guided them during their journey to a new promised homeland – not of this world as Hebrews eleven reveals.

They in turn became loyal and steadfastly attached their lives to the Lord no matter what came his or her way. Through God’s nurture, he dispelled their doubts, healed their souls, healed their fears, and infused them with power and assigned them tasks to do, which provided the stepping stones to what is mentioned in Revelation 21-22. In other words, he sanctified them unto himself as loyal.

These folks in the text understood how God nurtures them in this life thru battles and hardships good times and bad how to share attributes of God’s faithfulness midst a hostile world hell bent on ruin and destruction of all goodness. They learned this as they went along in their living testimonies which we read about in ‘all raw honest truth’ on how they lived responsible before God and each other.

Faith is all about learning to live responsible before God and each other

Heb 11:40, “God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

We all will enter God’s perfection together just as the bible prophetically reveals (1Thess 4:16-17).

Heb 12:1-2, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

“2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (nurture, stability, support, which brings increasing confidence, loyalty, commitment, reliance - in him), who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Let’s look at Revelation 21 for a minute

Rev 21:1-3, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”

Rev 21:4-5, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

Rev 21:6 “And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Bottom line is

You see, we were born midst a spiritual war between God and the fallen angels who seek to overthrow God by pitting God’s own character traits, laws, ways against each other to prove to God that he cannot live up to his own standards. Devils seek to lie, ruin, rob, and murders faith in God.

In this, God will overcome the devils as he cannot be outfoxed

Jesus came to redeem humanity and reconcile us back to God. Thus, He proves his glory true no matter what and exposes what those who abandon the realm of God’s love are really like, so they will be either sealed by faith – in Himself, or faith in the fallen ones who view God’s love with contempt, weak, and as the means to achieve great gain.

According to the text of Hebrews chapter Eleven – those mentioned in it came into some awareness of this war, how to address it in this mortal life, where upon they shine his faithfulness as evidenced by their loyalty to God come what may so we who follow after them press on in faith.

God did not leave us as orphans, he came and ushered in the Isaiah 61:1-4 way for us to live in by the power of the Holy Spirit. He sent the Holy Spirit (great is the mystery of the Divine Trinity) to empower us and enable us with Spiritual gifts that bring forth his healing light into a dark and hostile world so that they too can trust him and be saved out of their darkness into his healing light.

Face it, here are hindrances to faith such as…

We can let our reason cause doubts.

We can let our fears and broken hearts rule our lives where we never change, or find healing because we fear letting these issues go will cost us the attention our problems create, so we receive lost attention we were robbed of.

We can let our egos rule and deny God can do anything lasting at all unless approved by a human board of regents.

But God is faithful – he will break us of these no matter how hard we scream. If you doubt this – this theme of faith runs right into Hebrews 12:3-29 and thru Hebrews 13:1-25 does it not?

This takes faith…now look at John 3:16-21 with word meanings added in…

John 3:16, “For God so loved (nurtured, cherished, chastens to edify) the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes (to be nurtured made stable, supported, which brings increasing confidence, loyalty, commitment, reliance) in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (delivered i.e. from the evil one - See Mat 6:13, Gal 1:4, 2 Tim 4:8)

John 3:18 "He who believes (nurtured made stable, supported, which brings increasing confidence, loyalty, commitment, reliance) in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe (nurtured…committed) is condemned already, because he has not believed (‘not’ as in ‘refused’ to be nurtured…) in the name (character) of the only begotten Son of God. --See Romans 8:29--

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (warped always twisting to justify remaining in darkness’ condemned state as the best way to live).

John 3:20-21, “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

Faith involves adhering to the truth that is energized by God’s love which nurtures cherishes, chasten to edify and train - not tear one down to live in repetitive guilt and shame but to train you up in the way you should go, so you not depart from the protective boundaries God’s love again – that contains the true essence of God's agape love.

There ‘is’ no other way free moral beings can learn what it means to stray away from God’s love unless they were permitted to stray away and learn the true cost, then repent, thus sealed as the redeemed of the Lord never to rebel again by the blood of Jesus shed upon the cross. Look to Jesus and be healed in Jesus name.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Pro 22:6 -- Note 1 John 3:1, 2,10 --

Folks what is the Lord speaking to you through this, showing you, revealing to you?

All Bible quotes are from the NKJV version

Understanding Symbols, Names and Numbers in the bible

Names in the bible have meanings. Numbers have a biblical meaning as well. Both add depth to the Bible. Add to this, symbols and patterns have meanings as well. Also, there are ‘givens’ in the bible that the ancient peoples knew about their own culture, and the pagan religion pantheon that surrounded them.

Knowing these adds an extra dimension to understanding the bible as well as grasping biblical prophecy as intended that is rarely taught on these days. Without grasping these basics, much bible study and commentary misses things that prove that the bible was dictated and put together by God himself.

Today, we are going to look at this in some detail concerning 1 Samuel chapters one thru three and demonstrate how name meanings, numeric meanings, and knowing the cultural ‘givens’ of the bible era line up with context, and continuity of scripture.

There are correct ways to do this as well as wrong ways. Correct ways always line up with the context of verses and chapters they are found in. They add a layer of meaning for the text that does not stray away from the text itself. The wrong way, strays away from the text and goes off into lala-land and to fit agendas and biases.

Thus, learning how to decipher name meanings, symbols, numbers, patterns, and the ‘givens’ about the ancient pagan false deities correctly avoids errors of twisting scriptures to suite one’s own agendas. Lastly, correctly learning how to decipher these reveals truths that the Holy Spirit himself will teach any believer in Jesus Christ as the Jesus stated in John 14:26 and John 16:4-15.

1 Samuel Chapters One through three

With this, let’s take the first steps in learning how to look deeply into the text by looking at the Book of 1 Samuel concerning the meaning of names used in the text from the ESV version and thus identify patterns that help gives clues to what the next few chapters will be about and the pattern contained in them which connect to principle themes in the bible. I will add the name meaning into the text for you.

1Sa 1:1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim (Two Heights of the watchers/or watchmen) of the hill country of Ephraim (double portion/fruitfulness) whose name was Elkanah (God provides or “provided”) the son of Jeroham (Cherished) , son of Elihu (One whose God is YHWH), son of Tohu (Lowly/humble), son of Zuph (Honeycomb), an Ephrathite (Citizen of the house of Bread).

Please notice the name meanings. Skim over the chapters one through three and notice if you do not see this transpiring: (From) Two Heights of the watchers/watchmen, (Comes a) double portion/fruitfulness, God provides (a) Cherished, One Whose God is YHWH. (A) Lowly/humble), Honeycomb, Citizen from the house of Bread.

Notice how the first three chapters deal with the birth, dedication, and training of Samuel the prophet-judge of Israel. Who comes and divides the house of Israel out from among those who are loyal (watchmen) for God from those who are not loyal watchmen (Note Ramathaim-zophim - Two Heights of the watchers/watchmen). More explained as we go….

You will find out that Samuel declares the words of the Lord faithfully, hence, notice how the bible describes the word of God as bread first in Deut 8:3. This is a pattern that connect to other parts of the bible such as Matt 4:4, John 1:1, John 6:33-58. The word of God or words of Jesus are like food, bread, that nourishes us and keeps us spiritual healthy.

As you read, you will discover that Samuel faithfully served the word of God, God’s bread, to the hearers. You also find out that he was a cherished and humble servant of God who gave forth honeycomb.

Now look at the pattern and symbolic meaning of honeycomb in the bible in Psalms 19:9-11, Proverbs 16:23-26, and Proverbs 24:12-14. Then ask yourself - Did Samuel have the fear of the Lord?

Did he warn people? Were Samuel’s words wise, judicious, persuasive, gracious, exposing the hearts of men? Did Samuel distribute God’s words that weighed the hearts of men? Did he feed people the word of God?

1Sa 1:2 [Elkanah] He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah (Grace), and the name of the other, Peninnah (Precious Pearl). And Peninnah (Precious Pearl) had children, but Hannah (Grace) had no children.

Notice the number two is mentioned. In bible numeric meanings the Hebrew letter Bet represents the number two. It is shaped like a house. The number meaning implies division. The meaning of the number two means – division of the house as in – dividing to see who belongs in the house and who does not belong in the house.

We see two wives of Elkanah - God provides - Precious Pearl and Grace. Pearl had children, but Grace had no children because God closed her womb. Pearl had the works, she was a mother. But Grace had no children at all. No works could give her children – Grace had to rely on God.

Hannah - Grace – did so and gave birth to Samuel whom she gave to the Lord.

Grace gives back to the Lord, his works, so He can work through you to produce more children to the Kingdom of God. Please note in 1 Sam 2:21 Hannah (Grace) gave birth to 3 more sons and two daughters. By God’s grace, he gives the increase.

As for Pearl – well she despised and mocked Grace (1 Sam 1:6-7). Recall the number two. Of the two who was in God’s House and who was not?

Elkanah (God provides or “provided”) two wives. One of works and the other of Grace. As you read these chapters notice the patterns how Elkanah was united to Grace and gave her a double portion. In other words, he gave grace to grace to ensure the house of Grace endures. Question – will you?

What does Jesus revealed in Luke 24:45-49 and Matthew 28:18-20 to you after reading the above? What did Paul contend with in Galatians 3:1-9? Who enters the house of God and who will not from Galatians 3:1-9? Note Hebrews 4:12-13.

In 1 Sam 1:20-28, Hannah (Grace) gave her first child, Samuel (Asked of God/God Hears) to the Lord. As you read further in 1 Samuel 2:1-11, you will read Hannah’s prayer. In it she mentions some prophetic words, can you find them? Notice how she mentions bread. Do you see bread mentioned? Anything else strike you?

Can you cry out to God as Hannah did, for him alone, by his grace alone, to change your ways to reflect his will more than yours? Give up what is precious to you - your bread for his bread, so God can work through you to produce His Isaiah 61:1-4 way? Note: Eph 2:8-10 and what do you see?

Now we come to verse 3

1Sa 1:3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD (YHWH) of hosts at Shiloh (Place of rest/peace), where the two sons of Eli (lifted up/ascension), Hophni (Plugfist/Boxer/pugnacious) and Phinehas (Brazen Mouth/Serpent tongue), were priests of the LORD (YHWH).

Now we again see two sons of the High Priest Eli (Lifted up/ascension). He lived at the house of YHWH at Shiloh a place of rest/peace with his two sons Plugfist/Boxer/pugnacious and Brazen Mouth/Serpent tongue all as the priests of YHWH.

There is pattern inmoving the number two isn’t there? We see Elkanah having two wives and now Eli having two sons and that Elknanh was from Ramathaim-zophim (Two Heights of the watchers/or watchmen). That is more than mere coincidence.

So from this, the number two biblical Hebrew definition fits and reveals another pattern in the bible of two houses, two worlds, or two kingdoms one belongs too. Either God’s house or the devils. It also reveals how God test by his word sent to divide people into their respective household. Think about it – let’s continue.

Next, You have Eli and his two sons, three men in total. The number three is represented by the Hebrew letter Gimmel which is shaped like a foot. The means motion or travel and the number means some sort of unity with perfection-wholeness-soundness-one with. Hence, moving toward unity/perfection as in wholeness-soundness-oneness-unity with someone or something.

The High Priest’s duty before God was to move people too find rest in God, guiding them on how to be made whole sound, united with God in oneness of purpose. However, from the Name Eli, we find in these first three chapters that Eli (ascension) elevated his evil sons more than God. He lost his position in God’s house because of it – see Sam 3:10-18.

His two sons lived and acted according to their name in the house of God rest and peace. They were indeed Plugfist/Boxer/pugnacious and Brazen Mouth/Serpent tongued against God and blasphemed greatly in the very house of God.

Today, as Christians are we called the temple-house of God or not? Can you find verses in the bible about Christians being the temple house of God? See the pattern?

Therefore, from 1 Samuel 1:1-3 we uncover the storyline of the first three chapters of 1 Samuel how God tests and divides to see who resides and serves in his house out from those who belong to another house: the devil’s.

Here is one of the deeper layered meanings in the text

The entrance to God’s house is by Grace and not by how many precious pearls one has. Next, faithfulness to God means one is to give the word – the bread of life dispensed according to God’s ways that test and expose the loyalty of the heart - either to God, or the devil, or the flesh.

In fact, later in 1 Samuel, you will discover how God distinguished between two kings, Saul and David, and which house each really were really united too. One refused to be made whole sound by the word of God spoken to him (Saul) and the other (David) was made sound and whole by the word of God. Both men were far from perfect. One humbled oneself before God and was changed and the other refused and held on to another house.

In fact, all throughout the history of ancient Israel we see this same pattern: God calling a people unit himself to reveal his glory through. Then the people of God falling into slavery and sin refusing the word of God, the bread. God sending forth a call, his word, bread to return. Then a remnant returned to the Lord while the others did not and played games in God’s house and suffered for it with their lives.

Here is your homework. Read 1 Samuel chapters one thru three and apply the meanings to the names and notice the two houses the people mentioned in these chapters were united too. Look at the patterns as well too.

What do you see?

Blessings!

Bryan W Melvin

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Thoughts For the Week