(artwork from the team of CRAZYCHRISTIANS)

 

Beloved People of God,

 

according to 1 Corinthians 13:9 we know in part, therefore we want to use our prophetic perspective regarding the new biblical year 5783 on the basis of this scripture.

 

1 Corinthians 13:9:
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, …

 

On the eve of the 25’th of September 2022 we as the Body of Christ have entered the new biblical year 5783 also called the cycle of blessing or ‘civil year’ together with the Jewish people. For us, who have been grafted as wild olive shoots into the precious olive tree, it is vital to acknowledge this, because we partake in the fatness of the root, in the anointing contained therein (cf. Romans 11:17-18).

 

Romans 11:17-18:
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

 

 

According to Zechariah 2:8b, Israel is the apple of God’s eye with Jerusalem functioning as His pupil; so for us as Christians from the gentile nations it is beneficial to look at our lives and environment through Israel. This will result in walking confidently and with enlightened eyes into our future with Jesus Christ.

 

Zechariah 2:8b:
… 8b for whoever touches you (Note: Israel) touches the apple of his eye.

 

The revelations we receive by this approach contain strategies helping us to position our lives in the center of the will and peace of God, just as Epaphras prayed (cf. Colossians 4:12).

 

Colossians 4:12:
12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

 

 

As God’s people we are currently in the biblical cycle of the ‘eighties’ linked to the Hebrew letter ‘Pe’ which, amongst others, means ‘mouth’.

 

This is the decade connected to the verbal ‘expression of knowledge’, and it brings forth that which was spoken through words. Moreover, according to this, in its beginning it also forms the basis for further years within this biblical decade (cf. Habakkuk 2:14 i.c.w. Proverbs 18:21).

 

Habakkuk 2:14:
14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

 

Proverbs 18:21:
21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

 

 

The biblical year 5783 is linked to the Hebrew letter ‘Gimel’, which also has the numeric value of ‘3’ and is a reference to God’s form of appearance as ‘Elohim’; this name has a plural form and thus points to the presence of the triune God (Note: Father, Son, Holy Spirit), just as it was with Abraham near the great trees of Mamre, where the LORD approached him in form of three men to visit him (cf. Genesis 18:1-3).

 

Genesis 18:1-3:
1 The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.
2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.

 

=> The Hebrew name of God ‘Elohim’ describes God as the Most High, the Eternal, the Almighty, who is the creator of the universe. Most teachers agree that the name ‘Elohim’ represents the greatest power. He is the Existent to whom all power belongs. The name is attributed an independent, unrestricted and unlimited power. <= (The text set in ‘=>’ is a part excerpt from the book ‘The Names of God’ by Abraham Meister; ISBN: 3-85810-092-7.)

 

The Hebrew letter ‘Gimel’ is closely associated with the Hebrew word for ‘camel’ and means, on the basis of the Hebrew root words, ‘to accomplish, let mature, bring to maturity, weaning, to do/bestow something to someone, bridge, goodness’. In addition, pictographically the ‘Gimel’ shows a ‘camel’ as well as a ‘person walking towards the left-hand side (Note: towards the north)’.

 

Thus it becomes evident that in this biblical year 5783 we may expect that the LORD wants to meet us with a new fullness of His presence. This requires a humble attitude of heart on our part, as well as a healthy regard for the finances and resources allotted to us by God. We can see this on the basis of Matthew 19:24, where Jesus said that ‘it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God’.

 

What is more, camels are pack animals, which, amongst others, are associated with the future glory of Zion and bring gold and incense (cf. Isaiah 60:6).

 

Isaiah 60:6:
6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

 

We can also see the camels as a servant-ship on behalf of the LORD contributing to the intensification of faith as well as to the reverence of God (cf. Revelation 3:18a).

 

Revelation 3:18a:
18a I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; …

 

=> Furthermore, gold is an element, that symbolises the refinement of the spirit; royalty and transcendence. Gold is representative of the spirit. Opulent wealth and spiritual power. <= (The text set in ‘=>’ is a part excerpt from the ‘Prophet’s Dictionary’ by Paula A. Price, PH. D.; page 239.)

 

=> Incense means purity or also holiness or consecration. It is a gum resin extracted from the inner wood of the incense tree (Olibanum).

 

In the Hebrew language the word is derived from a root word meaning ‘pure’ or ‘white’ because of its sparkling, milky-white ‘resin tears’.

 

When burnt these ‘tears’ give off a strong scent or balm fragrance. The finest incense is so pure that it produces white smoke as it burns. It symbolises spirit-filled prayers prayed in accordance to God’s will in front of His throne (cf. Revelation 8:3-4).

 

According to Revelation 8:3-4 God added the incense to the prayers of the saints and hence it also points to the Spirit of the Father. This pure incense was part of the holy blend of incense used in the desert sanctuary (cf. Exodus 30:34-35).

 

It represents the purity of the consecration of the risen Christ in His service or ministry for our sake (cf. Romans 8:34). Our Lord Jesus sanctified Himself or set Himself apart (cf. John 17:19). He did this before the Father as the ‘holy, blameless, pure’ high priest (cf. Hebrews 7:25-26) in the order of Melchizedek ‘to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own’ (cf. Titus 2:14).

 

When Christ appears in glory we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure. (cf. 1 John 3:2-3). <= (The text set in ‘=>’ is based on an exposition to ‘incense’ from the book ‘Heaven Awaits the Bride’ by Anna Rountree, page 259; text paraphrased)

 

 

Consequently it is God’s intent that we grow in faith in this biblical year by positioning ourselves in the centre of His holiness which is His consuming nature that is fire (cf. Deuteronomy 4:24 i.c.w. Hebrews 12:29).

 

Deuteronomy 4:24:
24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

 

Hebrews 12:29:
‘… 29 for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’

 

As a result we are actively interceding in a spirit-filled manner according to the will of God so that His plan can manifest in the earth, and at the same time His glory may spread across the earth (cf. Revelation 8:3-5 i.c.w. Haggai 2:6-9).

 

Revelation 8:3-5:
3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.
4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

 

Haggai 2:6-9:
6 ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.
7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,” says the LORD Almighty.
8 “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,” declares the LORD Almighty.
9 “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,” says the LORD Almighty. “And in this place I will grant peace,” declares the LORD Almighty.’

 

This glory that is accompanied by shaking is based on the victory of Christ on the cross at Calvary, so that we are able to release the aroma of His knowledge in our field commissioned to us (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16a i.c.w. Matthew 27:51-53; Matthew 28:2-3).

 

2 Corinthians 2:14-16a:
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.
15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
16a To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. …

 

Matthew 27:51-53:
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

 

Matthew 28:2-3:
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

 

The aroma of the knowledge of God carries in itself revelatory truth and is a blessing for those who accepted Christ’s work of redemption; but it will also become an offence for those who reject His work of redemption.

 

 

As we are moving in the decade of ‘Pe – mouth’, from which the ‘Gimel – camel’ emerges, we can recognise an admonition towards maturity and patience incorporating the two Hebrew letters. They make up the Hebrew word ‘פג – paḡ’, which means ‘unripe fig’ and only appears once in the Word of God in Song of Songs 2:13. (Note: part excerpt on the Hebrew word ‘פג – paḡ’ from the Elberfelder Study Bible with word key number: 6422*)

 

From the gospels we learned that Jesus and His disciples went to a place called ‘Bethphage’ and which is linked to the preparation for Jesus entering Jerusalem as king (cf. Mark 11:1-4.11).

 

Mark 11:1-4.11:
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no-one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
3 If anyone asks you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.” ’
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it,. …
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

 

‘Bethphage’ means translated ‘house of unripe, small figs – it describes the fig that positions itself in front of the leave and therefore remains unripe’.

 

The fig tree is a representation for the people of Israel and it is one of the most important fruit trees in Israel. Moreover, it carries fruit three times a year, namely during the times of the biblical feasts of Passover, Shavuot, Sukkoth (cf. Exodus 23:14-17) ordained by God, whereat the figs in springtime are inedible and point to the sacrificial death of Jesus at Pessach/Passover.

It is no coincidence that the fig tree is indirectly mentioned by name in the creation report (cf. Genesis 3:7-8).

Genesis 3:7-8:
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden...

We can surmise that at the time of their fall Adam and Eve stood near or even beneath the fig tree, so as to use its leaves to cover their nakedness and they possibly also stood behind the tree in an attempt to hide from God.
God had said that Adam and Eve were allowed to eat from all the trees in the garden, apart from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden (cf. Genesis 2:9.16-17).

Genesis 2:9.16-17:
9 The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground – trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. …
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you.

 

Thus it becomes clear that God set the fig tree apart from the other trees in the garden i.e. marked it, so that it received the position of a chosen tree by placing it in the middle of the garden.

 

In a similar way God chose His people Israel and their capitol Jerusalem as His special possession from among all the peoples of the earth and placed them in the centre in the midst of the peoples of the earth (cf. Deuteronomy 7:6-7 i.c.w. Ezekiel 5:5).

 

Deuteronomy 7:6-7:
6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
7 The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.

Ezekiel 5:5:
5 ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: this is Jerusalem, which I have set in the centre of the nations, with countries all around her.

 

It was the fig tree that became the test for Adam and Eve, namely, to submit to God’s direction to live in a pure relationship together with God or to oppose His direction and be removed from the immediate vicinity of God.
This statement also makes it clear that God challenges us as mankind by requiring us to decide whether or not to choose His chosen people (Note: Israel).

 

 

The fig tree is associated with the assessment of the heart as the place, where we make our decisions. Therefore, it is indispensable that we carry the truth of God’s Word firmly anchored within us, agree with it, and be aware of our God-given responsibility. Only in this way are we able to exercise them and not be seduced by the adversary while making short- and long-term decisions.

 

The state of ‘the still unripe figs that positions themselves in front of the leave and therefore remain unripe’ is a call to us to go ahead with Christ in patience and persistence without running ahead of Him, even if we are aware of Him revealing Himself in greater glory in the near future.

 

Furthermore, from the still immature fig state, we can see that before Jesus Christ comes in a new and powerful way, it is preceded by the process of people carrying out their own plans, because they are impatient. By not being patient, but acting hastily, they cannot, as a consequence, enter into true spiritual maturity or relationship as God defines it in His Word.

 

At the same time, believers who are close to the heart of God and know His will find themselves in a phase of going higher spiritually and are called to approach Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, as described in Song of Songs 2:13.

 

Song of Songs 2:13:
‘… 13 The fig-tree forms its early fruit (Note: Hebrew: ‘paḡ’); the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.’

 

Song of Songs 2:13 is the first and only place, where the Hebrew word for ‘unripe fig – paḡ’ is being used, and this has a special meaning, because every first belongs to the LORD (cf. Exodus 23:19).

 

Exodus 23:19:
19 ‘Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. …’

 

The ‘going higher’ in the form of ‘arising’, as described in Song of Songs 2:13, is accompanied by the intensification in relationship (Note: darling) and radiance or glory (Note: beautiful one).

 

The so called ‘going higher’ includes leaving the old environment and breaking with wrong or iniquitous thought patterns, which only hinder us and lead to wrong conclusions.

 

It is necessary for us to make the decision to unite with the assigned presence of God and His thoughts. The reason is that the glory of the Son – Jesus Christ is approaching and the glory of the Father wants to rise upon it (cf. Isaiah 60:1-3).

 

Isaiah 60:1-3:
1 ‘Arise (Note: leave your old environment/thought pattern), shine (Note: become one with the presence of God allotted to you and His thoughts), for your light has come (Note: presence of the Son – Jesus Christ), and the glory of the LORD (Note: presence of the Heavenly Father) rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

 

 

The Herrenhuter motto of the year for the Gregorian calendar year 2023 is taken from Genesis 16:13 where it states:

 

“She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ (Note: EL-ROI), for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’“

 

This scripture is about the statement of the Egyptian slave Hagar, and it reveals the potential of God’s guidance as ‘EL-ROI’, who is the shepherd taking care of us, so that we lack nothing (cf. Psalm 23:1).

Psalm 23:1:
1 A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd (Note: Hebrew ‘rā’āh’), I lack nothing.

 

Consequently it becomes clear that God’s provision is connected to His guarding eye from the facet of the shepherd, so that our environment is flooded with the light of God’s revelation according to the principle of the ‘light of the eye’. With unveiled faces we can perceive the provision He already established (cf. Matthew 6:22a; James 1:17 i.c.w. 2 Corinthians 3:18).

 

Matthew 6:22a:
22a ‘The eye is the lamp of the body. …’

 

James 1:17:
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

 

2 Corinthians 3:18:
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the LORD’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the LORD, who is the Spirit.

 

 

It was the Egyptian slave Hagar, who, because of the unbelief of Abram, who was later renamed by God as Abraham, conceived a son from him, which had been revealed to her by the angel of the LORD in the desert (cf. Genesis 16:1-2.11).

 

Genesis 16:1-2.11:
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, ‘The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.’ Abram agreed to what Sarai said. …
11 The angel of the LORD also said to her: ‘You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery.

 

Although, Abram acted in unbelief of his wife Sarai, later renamed by God as Sarah, which was sin (cf. Romans 14:23b), it did not mean for Hagar that she acted in a sinful pattern since she was submitted to them.

 

Romans 14:23b:
… 23b and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Hence it becomes apparent from this that, even if authority figures set over believers fail by making a wrong decision, it doesn’t necessarily mean that believers miss out on God’s promise for their lives (cf. Romans 8:28).

Romans 8:28:
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 

God saw Hagar walking in the wilderness pregnant with a son, so He surrounded her with His revelatory presence in the form of the angel of the LORD, who let her know that she had a promise within her that she had not been able to define until that time. This becomes clear, because the angel of the LORD instructed her to name her promise ‘Ishmael – God hears’.

 

The angel of the LORD also commanded her to return to her mistress Sarai, Abrams wife (cf. Genesis 16:9).

Genesis 16:9:
9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her.’

Through Hagar God wanted to reveal to Abraham and his wife that He was not sorry for giving promises, even if authority figures fail, because He also wants them to come into agreement with the will of God. This was the reason for this instruction (cf. Genesis 16:15).

Genesis 16:15:
15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.

At this it is important not to rise above those, who previously made mistakes, but to proceed in a humble attitude of heart, and this is connected to grace and the elevation of the LORD at the right time (cf. 1 Peter 5:5-6).

1 Peter 5:5-6:
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.’
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

 

Based on the verse of the year for this new Gregorian year 2023 we can see that in the midst of challenging circumstances in our daily lives we as Ekklesia are encouraged to trust in the provision the LORD has already made available to us, and that He will reveal the source of provision to us for this time and the future.

 

From this statement by Hagar, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me,’ arises the principle that the LORD coming from the future meets us in our present and passes through, while we perceive Him in our future, where He already meets us with prophetic revelation in a caring way.

 

This caring prophetic guidance of God complies with the statement of Jesus, who said about Himself that He is the door, His sheep hear His voice and follow Him, and as a result will find ‘green pasture’ (Note: God’s presence; cf. John 10:9.27-28 i.c.w. Revelation 4:3).

 

John 10:9.27-28:
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. …
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one will snatch them out of my hand.

 

Revelation 4:3:
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald (Note: green in its colour) encircled the throne.

 

Let us focus on complete devotion to the ministry in God’s Kingdom according to this time preordained by the Father, and let us live our lives wholeheartedly and diligently in Christ as carriers of the glory of the LORD.

 

A spirited and sweet year 5783,

 

Daniel & Tina Glimm

 

translation by: Margit Kelly

Based on Luke 9:51, we may recognize a divine principle as in the form of the Body of Christ on earth, which calls us to go forward with the right spiritual direction fully focused. This focus means not to turn with our gaze either to the left or to the right on our path.

 

Luke 9:51:
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

 

Here the fulfillment of a certain phase of time is of particular importance because it can be accompanied by a new spiritual movement or progress according to the will of God (cf. Galatians 4:4).

 

Galatians 4:4:
4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, …

 

Spiritual advancement requires the right focus so as not to be influenced by ‘falling’ on the right or left side (cf. Psalm 91:7 i.c.w. Proverbs 4:25-27; Proverbs 17:24).

 

Psalm 91:7:
7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

 

Proverbs 4:25-27:
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

 

Proverbs 17:24:
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

 

However, if we change our focus and turn away from the center of God’s government which is symbolized by the city of Jerusalem, the adversary will begin to use the adversities on the right and the left to set up his communication of destruction. This is intended to create and produce false conclusions in our minds. With these wrong conclusions we can fall into hopelessness and finally come to a standstill in our walk with Christ Jesus.

 

Therefore, it is necessary that we look straight ahead with our spiritual eyes and increase in the wisdom that is there, much like Daniel did when he was in captivity in Babylon.

The reason Daniel did not lose his divine focus despite being in captivity is because he had his eyes fixed on Jerusalem and Israel, allowing the Spirit of God to move in revelatory power. This is evident in the windows opened by Daniel to Jerusalem (cf. Daniel 6:10).

 

Daniel 6:10:
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened towards Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

 

 

Jerusalem is the navel of the earth and Israel is the apple of God’s eye (cf. Ezekiel 38:12; Zechariah 2:8).

Ezekiel 38:12:
12 I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the centre of the land (Note: the navel of the earth).’

Zechariah 2:8:
8 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you – for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye – …

 

Spoken in a spiritual context, the character of the capital city of Jerusalem is akin to an open door in heaven based on intimacy with Christ as the Bridegroom in the form of walking in first love and continuous true relationship with Him, as the city is called the bride and also wife of the Lamb (cf. Revelation 21:2.9-10).

Revelation 21:2.9-10:
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. …
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

This city amounts to a new dimension of knowing Christ as the eternal King. This dimension is a higher spiritual level. This is made clear by the Bible passage from Revelation 19:11-16. There John sees heaven opened in a new realm and recognizes Christ as the eternal King who, riding on a white horse with His royal army, reveals Himself warlike in various facets.

 

He is the Faithful and True One, the Hidden One – by name known to none but Himself; as the Word of God, King of kings and LORD of lords, He moves forward.

Revelation 19:11-16:
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no-one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron sceptre.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and lord of lords.

 

The heavenly or messianic Jerusalem can grant entrance through Christ Jesus in twelve different characters, resulting from the assigned angels of the 12 tribes of Israel, who are assigned to the four winds in an alliance of three units each (cf. John 10:9 i.c.w. Revelation 21:10-13.21a).

 

John 10:9:
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

 

Revelation 21:10-13.21a:
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. …
21a The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.

This area of access through the pearl gates of the city includes access into the kingdom of heaven, since this itself is like a pearl (cf. Matthew 13:44-46).

Matthew 13:44-46:
44 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

 

 

This spiritual focus on Jerusalem includes an increase in apostolic governmental understanding as well as the close love relationship with Christ Jesus as bridegroom and husband (cf. Revelation 21:2.9-10).

 

Revelation 21:2.9-10:
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. …
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

 

Moreover, the Heavenly Father in the form of the Almighty and the Lamb of God as the temple dwell in the city (cf. Revelation 21:22).

 

Revelation 21:22:
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

 

Having the right spiritual focus brings an elevation to a higher spiritual level, which includes a so-called going away to be in another higher place, as described in Luke 9:51. Going higher with the right focus can result in people rejecting us, as Jesus experienced with His disciples as they passed through Samaria while Jesus had His eyes fixed on Jerusalem.

 

This should not intimidate us, but in this context it is necessary to pay attention that we do not connect the presence of God’s grace with our own/selfish will (Note: what we think is right), but with His plan of redemption as God’s will. This helps to ensure that we are not too hasty to pronounce judgment, but sovereignly continue our journey focused with Christ (cf. Luke 9:52-56).

 

Luke 9:52-56:
52 And he (Note: Jesus Christ => salvation) sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.
54 When the disciples James (Note: self-will according to one’s own imagination) and John (Note: grace of God) saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’
55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them.
56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

 

Whenever we go forward with the right spiritual focus, it means to be aware of the presence of God’s grace in order to combine it with the necessary truth of God’s Word, similar to what happened at the time after the evangelizing of Samaria by Philip. This evangelizing resulted in the apostolic team of truth (Note: Peter) and grace (Note: John) being sent out from the center of Jerusalem to confront the sorcery still present in Samaria practiced by a man named Simon.

 

Simon the sorcerer manipulated the people with his ‘gift’ by performing signs and wonders. His goal was to be recognized by the people, which is why he was driven by drawing the focus of society away from Jesus Christ to focus it solely on Him and His ministry.

 

Furthermore, he cooperated with the power of the root of all evil, namely mammon as the love of money. This becomes clear from the statement of Simon the sorcerer, who wanted to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit from the two apostles (Note: Peter and John) in order to be able to exert even more influence with the people and manipulate them as well as keep them from the truth (cf. Acts 8:5.9-11.18-23 i.c.w. 1 Timothy 6:10).

 

Acts 8:5.9-11.18-23:
5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. …
9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practised sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, ‘This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.’
11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. …
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money
19 and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’
20 Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.
23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.’

 

1 Timothy 6:10:
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

 

With the help of the mentioned events from Luke 9:51ff. and Acts 8:4ff. it becomes clear that the city of Jerusalem carries a special meaning. One time it was about the movement in Samaria with the focus on Jerusalem and the other time it was about the movement from Jerusalem to Samaria.

 

We can see that the movement of the ‘body of Christ’ with the focus to Jerusalem entails the sparing from judgment, whereas the apostolic movement from Jerusalem entails a righteous judgment for those who have a corrupt heart attitude.

 

 

In progressing with Christ Jesus, it is essential that we have the power of His grace (Note: symbolized by John) in the right correlation, which is the unrestricted connection to salvation (Note: symbolized by Jesus) and truth (Note: symbolized by Peter), without trying to implement God’s plan in the given situation out of human zeal (Note: symbolized by James).

 

It is the power of God’s saving grace that educates people to renounce the ungodly nature and lusts of the world. We are called to live prudently, righteously, and in the fear of the Lord, while waiting in patience for the appearing of the glory of God and the presence of His Son (cf. Titus 2:11-14).

 

Titus 2:11-14:
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
12 It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

 

Humanly driven zeal, without the presence of God’s redemptive power and truth produces conclusions and thus statements that are not according to God’s will.

 

Therefore, we should go forward as the people of God in the messianic (Note: anointed) apostolic understanding of the kingship of God, which starts from the spiritual principality of ‘Jerusalem’ and carries as its center the Heavenly Father and the Son of God (Note: dimension of the temple).

 

Focusing on this helps us to make the right decisions according to the will of God, because all decisions spring from the intimate relationship with the Father and the Son (cf. Revelation 21:22).

 

Revelation 21:22:
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

 

It is the Messianic Jerusalem that bears the apostolic measure of the Tenakh, also called ‘Old Testament’, in the form of the twelve pearl gates of the tribes of Israel as well as the “New Testament’ in the form of the 12 foundation stones of the apostles of the Lamb.

 

Revelation 21:10-14:
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel Glimm