PROPHETIC CHAMBER
When God reveals His standard in greater detail, He calls His people to a higher spiritual level, where He currently resides in the Spirit.
 
The Higher Level and the Measure of God
 
This higher spiritual level is connected to the loom of His divine standards, which require more of the believers and, in particular, of the leaders (note: leadership) within His people (see Luke 12:48b).
 
Luke 12:48b:
… 48b From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
 
God's measure is closely connected to His glorious presence.
In connection with this the LORD informed me that His presence as well as His standard never change, no matter whether the people on earth live by it or not (see Isaiah 41:4; Hebrews 13:8).
 
Isaiah 41:4:
4 Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD – with the first of them and with the last – I am he.”
 
Hebrews 13:8:
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
 
The Eventuation of Gods Presence and His Standards in the Temporal Time
 
Once God has decided to appear as the eternal One with His presence and the related divine standard in our temporal time here on earth, it might have painful consequences, if His people are unwilling to live by it.
 
Samuel, Prophet and Judge
 
In regard to this I was reminded on the time of Samuel, who was called by God as prophet and judge over the people of Israel. He related to them the standards of the LORD OF HOSTS (note: JAHWE-ZEBAOTH), who is enthroned between the cherubim (see 1 Samuel 4:4).
 
1 Samuel 4:4:
4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
 
The Separation between Prophet and Priest
 
There was maladministration in the temple worship, that is, in the house of God in Shiloh (note: means „to rest, place of rest“) at the time of the prophet Samuel. This situation was caused by Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, who was acting high priest at the time. Eli, the high priest, did not take efficient steps to stop this maladministration (see 1 Samuel 2:12-26; 1 Samuel 3:13), so God chose Samuel to separate the priestly service from that of the prophetic ministry (see 1 Samuel 3:1-21).
 
Up until the time of Samuel, priests also carried the prophetic part and activated it every time the Spirit of God would speak to them. As unholiness increased in the priestly service, God had to separate the prophetic from the priestly duties in order to emphasize the measure of His holiness through His prophets.
 
By this divine separation the LORD established the prophetic institution through the prophet Samuel. It was his duty to establish once again Israels pure worship and to provide protection from any future potential self-indulgence of the priests.
This is why in a way (note: in a healthy way) the ministry of the prophet is “independent”, so that he can be seen as God's “mouth piece”.
 
This separation between priestly and prophetic functions serves primarily to uphold continuity and effectiveness of holiness among the people of God.
 
The life of Samuel is a good example for the current prophetic ministry and the appointed prophets, who are called to the various churches. Samuel was a consecrated man of God, who had been taught and trained in the priestly service by Eli in the house of God. He was in the center of God's revelation (see 1 Samuel 3:3).
 
1 Samuel 3:3:
3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
 
THE LORD OF HOSTS and the Cherubim
 
The mention of the LORD OF HOSTS, who is enthroned above the cherubim, in the book of Samuel points to the fierce character of God and the standard of His glorious presence. This can be seen in the fact that the cherubim are made completely of gold and they are connected with the ark of God (see Exodus 25:18; 1 Kings 8:6), which represents God's presence among men.
 
Exodus 25:18:
18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover.
 
1 Kings 8:6:
6 The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’S covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.
 
The Cherubim
 
=> The Hebrew name „cherub“ means „glancing appearance, lightening“. The plural of the Hebrew word is „cherubim“, which means “great one, mighty one“.
According to 1 Chronicles 28:18 the cherub is the picture of the divine chariot, which reminds us of Ezekiel 1 and 10, where the cherubim form the living chariot, on which the God of Israel rides (see Psalm 18:11; 2 Samuel 22:11), on which He is enthroned to hold judgment (see Psalm 80:2; 1 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 6:2). <= (note: part excerpt from the „Encyclopedia of Biblical Names“ by Abraham Meister, page 208)
 
Furthermore, the cherubim are set as watchmen over paradise (see Genesis 3:24) and they carry the throne of God (see Psalm 18:11; Ezekiel 10:1; Ezekiel 11:22).
 
Genesis 3:24:
24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
 
Psalm 18:10:
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
 
Ezekiel 10:1:
1 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne of lapis lazuli above the vault that was over the heads of the cherubim.
 
Ezekiel 11:22:
22 Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
 
Paradise is seen as the place in the supernatural that implies intimate fellowship with God, the Father.
 
God's presence leaves
 
As mentioned before, the sons of Eli were responsible for maladministration in the house of God in Shiloh. As no action was taken to stop this, God decided to lift His presence from Israel for a time by allowing the Philistines to attack His people, resulting in the death of Eli's sons and the theft of the ark of the covenant (note: symbol for the presence and the measure/standard of God) by the Philistines. When Eli heard that the ark of God had been stolen, he also died (see 1 Samuel 4:17-18).
 
1 Samuel 4:17-18:
17 The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.
 
Because God's people in Shiloh did not live according to the standard of God – although the LORD was present among them with His standard – He created upheaval in midst of the place of rest (note: Shiloh). He was aiming to awaken His people, so that they would live in accordance with His divine standard once again.
 
The Ark of the Covenant is stolen
 
The theft of the ark of the covenant by the Philistines didn't present a problem to God, as His presence and standards never change. For the Philistines, who stole the ark of God, this meant that they, too, had the possibility to recognize Him as the God of Israel.
But the Philistines decided to move the presence of God (note: ark of the covenant) to their temple in Aschdod, where they worshiped their God, Dagon (see 1 Samuel 5:2).
 
1 Samuel 5:2:
2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.
 
Confrontation by the Presence of God
 
Because the God of Israel is spirit (see John 4:24a) and Dagon was the God worshiped by the Philistines, a confrontation with the dark principality of “Dagon” took place in the supernatural realm, resulting in its judgment by the God of Israel, the LORD OF HOSTS, over night.
 
John 4:24a:
24 God is spirit, …
 
This supernatural confrontation resulted in the falling over of the graven image of Dagon in its temple the next morning, lying face down before the ark of God (see 1 Samuel 5:3).
 
1 Samuel 5:3:
3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.
 
Despite this occurrence the Philistines put their idol back in an upright position, causing the God of Israel to judge the dark principality, that they served, yet again over night. The next morning the Philistines found the stature of their deity lying on the ground again, but this time it was broken, with its head (note: planning center of evil) and hands (note: evils ability to act) severed from the body (see 1 Samuel 5:4).
 
1 Samuel 5:4:
4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.
 
By this confrontation the God of Israel stated clearly, who is the one true God, and by this He even gave the Philistines the chance to submit under His rule, but – living in accordance to their own ideas – they refused.
 
The Tumors and the Devourer
 
Because the Philistines did not return the ark/presence of God to Israel, but sent it to five different cities (note: Aschdod, Gaza, Aschkelon, Gat, Ekron) instead, all the inhabitants of the respective regions were struck with tumors, and their harvest was destroyed by rats/mice (see 1 Samuel 5:6).
 
1 Samuel 5:6:
6 The LORD’S hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.
 
The Return of the Ark of God
 
As a result, the rulers of the Philistines planned to return the ark of God to the people of Israel. Concerning this matter, they asked their priests and diviners for advice on what further actions to take (see 1 Samuel 5:11; 1 Samuel 6:2).
 
1 Samuel 5:11:
11 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it.
 
1 Samuel 6:2:
… 2 the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.”
 
The priests and diviners of the Philistines answered, that they shouldn't return the ark of God without a gift in form of a guilt offering.
 
The guilt offering consisted of five golden tumors and five golden rats/mice according to the number of the Philistine rulers. These images of the tumors and rats/mice were meant to acknowledge their aberration before the God of Israel and by this, give Him honor (see 1 Samuel 6:4-5)!
 
1 Samuel 6:4-5:
4 The Philistines asked, “What guilt offering should we send to him?” They replied, “Five gold tumors and five gold rats (note: mice), according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.
5 Make models of the tumors and of the rats that are destroying the country, and give glory to Israel’s god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and your land.
 
It is no coincidence that the Philistines used the number “5” twice as part of their guilt offering, as advised by their priests and diviners, for this points towards the grace of God in heaven and on earth.
 
=> The number „5“ is an operative number. It is counted to the effect of grace that manifests and is implemented through the hand of God in ones life or ministry. The reason is, because everything the LORD does, is freely available and cannot be purchased with worldly currency. It is a gift of grace. <= (note: part excerpt from the „Prophets Dictionary„ by Paula A. Price, Ph. D.; page 221; 222).
 
Consequently, the grace of God is not cheap, but rather it is powerful and instructs us to lead a pure and holy life, and to be God's own, eager to do good works (see 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 Savior, 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.
 
=> The number „5“ resembles mainly the symbolism of the hand and represents the implementation of a pledge for the LORD. Furthermore, it is also used to describe a sacrificial service.
The number „5“ points to a promise of devotion, which is expressed by power in the hands of someone else (note: clasping someone's hands) to full fill something. The symbolism of the hand characterizes mainly the Tenakh and has been transferred to the New Testament through the apostle Paul in his presentation of the five-fold ministry.
 
In the Tenakh, the tabernacle and the temple already point towards the hand-completion of the New Testament church. The tabernacle had five pillars to support its structure, and the temple had five-sided doorposts in the entrance (see Exodus 26:37; 1 Kings 6:31). Thus the ministries of the office holders, elders and leaders are signified through this (see Ephesians 4:11 i.c.w. Galatians 2:9; Revelation 3:12). <= (note: part excerpt from the „Prophets Dictionary„ by Paula A. Price, Ph. D.; page 221; 222).
 
The New Chariot and the Ark of God
 
In connection with the return of the ark of God the Philistines built a new cart, as advised by their priests and diviners. Two cows that had calved and never been yoked before, were hitched to it. They placed the ark of the covenant of the God of Israel on this new cart and returned it to the people of Israel.
 
Because the cows pulling the cart were nursing, they bleated in pain, as their udders were full of milk. Their bleating became the announcing sound of the return of God's presence to the people of Israel, and it was heard by all the people nearby.
 
It was the ultimate destiny of these two cows to become a burnt offering for the God of Israel in the region of Bet Shemesh (note: house of the sun => house of God's glory)
 
In Bet Shemesh two kinds of worship and reverence for the God of Israel came into one's own, namely the guilt offering of the Philistines and the praise offering of the people of Bet Shemesh (see 1 Samuel 6:12-18).
 
1 Samuel 6:12-18:
12 Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight.
14 The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
15 The Levites took down the ark of the LORD, together with the chest containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. On that day the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD.
16 The five rulers of the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same day to Ekron.
17 These are the gold tumors the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the LORD – one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron.
18 And the number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine towns belonging to the five rulers – the fortified towns with their country villages. The large rock on which the Levites set the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
 
Conclusion
 
With this message we can see that God invites or prompts us as His people to live in accordance with His required standards, which entails the compliance (note: emulation) with His instruction, His order and His word.
We need to be aware that God is no respecter of persons, but acts upon His principles and standards (see Romans 2:11).
 
Romans 2:11:
11 For God does not show favoritism.
 
God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked, for this reason He desires that all people come to the knowledge of the truth (see Ezekiel 33:11a-b i.c.w. 1 Timothy 2:4).
 
Ezekiel 33:11a-b:
11a-b Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. …
 
1 Timothy 2:4:
… 4 who (note: God) wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
 
The way in which God dealt with the Philistines indicates just how gracious He is. God didn't first judge the Philistines, but shook the evil power they were living under.
 
When they didn't want to follow God after His goodness appealed to them, God shook their so-called deity, which was connected to the spiritual realm of that place (see Ephesians 2:2).
 
Ephesians 2:2:
… 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
 
Only when the Philistines didn't take heed of this intervention of the God of Israel, did God begin to shake their bodies (note: personal existence) and economy (note: livelihood).
 
Hereby God demonstrated that He is the only true God, and that everything comes from Him, which was also confirmed by the instruction of the priests and diviners of the Philistines (see Luke 19:40).
 
Luke 19:40:
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
 
Hence we can see that the standard of the God of Israel becomes visible in the place where He dwells with His presence. This might be connected to a shaking, if people make a clear decision not to live according to His standard. Where people live in accordance with His standard, His presence, as well as His blessing increases (note: according to their divinely assigned purpose).
 
Amen and Amen.
 
In His Wisdom,
 
Daniel Glimm
 
Übersetzung: Margit Kelly

PROPHETIC CHAMBER
God desires that we would bring our relationship in the sonship of Christ with the Heavenly Father into a spiritual realm of higher quality.

Leaving the House

This process of transferring the relationship to a higher realm of quality is like leaving the house by Jesus Christ, who living on earth, went out of the house to the Sea of Galilee to get into the boat and sit in it (see Matthew 13:1-3).

Matthew 13:1-3:
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. …”

In a prophetic context, the house represents the spiritual intimate relationship with the Heavenly Father, which has its seat in the Spirit and in truth (see John 4:24).

John 4:24:
“… 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Jesus Christ spoke in relation to the communication (note: prayer) with the Heavenly Father that it is connected to a private room and thus can be connected to the house (see Matthew 6:6).

Matthew 6:6:
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
 
The New Phase of Development in Christ

When we, as God's people, have learned in spirit and truth to cultivate our personal time with the Heavenly Father in Christ Jesus, He allows us to enter into a new phase of development that is connected with bringing our relationship with the Father to the public. This involves reflecting His love (note: Greek ‘agapē’) before human beings by living in it, so that the world may know that we are in the sonship of Christ and follow Him (see John 13:34-35).

John 13:34-35:
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

The love of God is an eternal love which encompasses love in the Spirit and which has its seat in the fact that God, the Father, has sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world (see John 3:16).

John 3:16:
16 For God so loved (note: Greek ‘agapaō’) the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
 
Furthermore, the love of God carries within it the relationship of sonship between Jesus and the Father.

The spiritual relationship of love with the Heavenly Father in the ‘house’ has the effect that we dwell in love for God and are thus enabled to love ourselves in a healthy way, in order to be able to love our neighbor (see Matthew 22:37-40).

Matthew 22:37-40:
37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (see Deuteronomy 6:5)
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (see Leviticus 19:18)
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

When we have learned this, Jesus Christ, in His sonship, leads us into a public realm connected with the deeper entry into the promise of our forefathers and where we begin to perceive more strongly the voice of God, which is like the sound of many waters (see Genesis 22:17 i.c.w. Ezekiel 1:24; Revelation 1:15b).

Genesis 22:17:
17 I will surely bless you and make your (note: Abraham's) descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,

Ezekiel 1:24:
24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
 
Revelation 1:15b:
… 15b and his (note: Jesus’) voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
 
The Element of Water
 
It is the element of ‘water’ that carries an important meaning in the release of the revelatory light of God and is connected to the power of His Word (see Ephesians 5:26b).
 
Ephesians 5:26b:
... 26b cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, …
 
It was not for nothing that Jesus appeared in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali in order to transmit the revelatory truth of the Heavenly Father to the people (see Genesis 1:2-5 i.c.w. Matthew 4:13-16; John 12:49).
 
Genesis 1:2-5:
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day.
 
Matthew 4:13-16:
13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali – 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah (see Isaiah 9:1-2): 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
 
John 12:49:
49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.
 
The New Stay of Jesus
 
It is important that we move forward in the sonship of Christ and go to the new place where Jesus Christ as the Son of God is already present.
 
Jesus Christ, through the guidance of His Holy Spirit, wants to lead us to a deeper level of the presence of the Heavenly Father. This is the reason why Jesus didn't reside on the shore, but got into the boat and sat down in it in order to get on the lake and from there to speak in the mysterious language of the Father in the form of parables to people standing on the shore.
 
Jesus Christ recognized the cooperative alignment of people who were hungry and thirsty for more from God, so that he ‘departed’ further from them in order to give them the opportunity to enter the center of the Heavenly Father.
 
The center of the Heavenly Father involves being transferred with Jesus Christ to the heavenly places to reign with Him.
 
Jesus' eternal reign is connected with the throne of God on the crystal sea and many other spiritual governmental movements and manifestations (see Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1 i.c.w. Revelation 4:2-6).
 
Ephesians 2:6:
6 And God (note: the Father) raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, …
 
Colossians 3:1:
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
 
Revelation 4:2-6:
2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
 
The Sitting of Jesus and the Standing of the People
 
It says in Matthew 13:2 that Jesus sat down in the boat (note: made of wood) and the people stood on the shore (see Matthew 13:2).
 
Matthew 13:2:
2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
 
This process is a reference to the eternal government of Jesus, because Jesus Christ is the king of kings and a king reigns seated from his throne. It is Jesus Christ who, as the Son of God, sat down at the right hand of God after establishing the triumph on the green wood (see Mark 16:19 i.c.w. Luke 23:31).
 
Mark 16:19:
19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
 
Luke 23:31:
31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
 
The Going On of Jesus
 
The reason why it sometimes seems as if the Lord Jesus is withdrawing from us in certain phases of spiritual progress is merely an indication that He goes on to make His voice be heard and thereby activate us in discipleship, in order to get to the next part goal of our destiny (see John 10:27 i.c.w. Micah 2:13).
 
John 10:27:
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
 
Micah 2:13:
“… 13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.”
 
The result of this unconditional discipleship is that we are in an intensified presence of God and receive His mysteries as well as increase our understanding of the economy of the kingdom (note: sowing and harvesting; see Matthew 13:3).
 
Matthew 13:3:
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. …”
 
Hereby it is no coincidence that the region of Zebulun is connected with the tribe of the same name, which is the tribe that has its seat by the sea and together with the tribe of Issachar brings out the riches of the sea and the treasures in the sand (see Genesis 49:13 i.c.w. Deuteronomy 33:18-19).
 
Genesis 49:13:
13 “Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon. …”
 
Deuteronomy 33:18-19:
18 About Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and you, Issachar, in your tents.
19 They will summon peoples to the mountain and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous; they will feast on the abundance of the seas, on the treasures hidden in the sand.”
 
Jesus' presence on the boat and the presence of the people of Israel on the shore of the Sea of Galilee point to the riches and treasures hidden in Jesus Christ (see Colossians 2:3).
 
Colossians 2:3:
… 3 in whom (note: Jesus Christ) are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
 
Advancing in the Relationship
 
If we are willing to follow the voice of Jesus and His presence, the result will be that we will have a deep revelatory knowledge which will give our words more weight. These words will penetrate and even remove obstacles.
 
As a result, where we allow the Holy Spirit to plant these words in our hearts, new prosperity comes forth, causing us to bring forth the fruits/harvest in the determined time by God in order to be a blessing.
 
Amen and Amen.
 
In His Wisdom,
 
Daniel Glimm

PROPHETIC CHAMBER
“Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!'” (I Kings 12:28).
 
So begins the sad testimony of Israel’s fall from being a holy people to a backslidden nation of idol-worshippers. How is it that, in such a short time after the completion of the Temple in Jerusalem, Israel could be led astray?
 
There is a prophetic application to our current situation. These things are written as an example to us, so let us look at this defining moment in Israel’s history and see what lessons can be learned.
 
It is never wise to force any interpretation beyond a few main points, because the Kingdom of Judah was not much better than the Kingdom of Israel. But by way of a general application, we will simply note that Judah contained Jerusalem; and however much it failed to measure up to God’s full thought, Jerusalem was intended as the center of worship and the place where the Lord said He would make His presence to dwell.
 
We know that Jerusalem contained the Temple and the Levitical priesthood. After the death of Solomon, the kingdom was divided between two men: Rehoboam, the son of Solomon; and Jeroboam, the servant of Solomon. Rehoboam became the king of Judah, and had Jerusalem as his capital. Jeroboam became the king of Israel, and his territory was all the land to the north.
 
And so we have a kingdom divided against itself; essentially, two nations existing side-by-side. This sets us up for controversy and competition. Judah is centered in Jerusalem, worships God in the Temple, and is led in that worship by the Levitical priesthood. It is not too difficult to see that Judah represents a remnant within Israel.
 
Judah is one tribe, while Israel is ten tribes. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. All who belong to Christ are spiritually counted in this tribe of Judah. Our Jerusalem is from above, we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are all kings and priests in this holy nation of peculiar (set apart, special) people. I trust you are familiar enough with your New Testament to recognize these truths without me having to provide chapter and verse.
 
Well, Israel came to represent something quite different from Judah. Although Judah came out of Israel, it definitely stood apart from Israel. So what do we see in the divided kingdom? We see the Church that Jesus is building as something over and above the “Church” that man is building. Whether you call it the Institutional Church or Organized Religion or the Harlot Church, it is an alternative religious system that exists right alongside the true expression of Spirit and Truth in New Jerusalem. As we will discover, Organized Religion is, for all intents and purposes, a Convenient Cult.
 
A Cult of Self-Preservation
 
“And Jeroboam said in his heart, ‘Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: if these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah'” (I Kings 12:26-27).
 
So here is Jeroboam, the rebel king of Israel. He has control of ten tribes. He has more land and more people than Judah. Even so, he is troubled. What troubles him? There is the issue of people being commanded by God to go up to Jerusalem to worship. Jeroboam correctly surmised that once the people went up to Jerusalem to worship they would be more inclined to live there, and his kingdom would be diminished.
 
I would suggest that today God is calling on us to come up to Jerusalem and worship – that is, to worship Him in Spirit and Truth (cf. John 4). The Father seeks those true worshippers who do not think of geographical places of worship, but a Spirit-and-Truth place of worship: a spiritual place, a place of the heart. That is what it means for us to “go up to Jerusalem”. This Jerusalem is from above, it is from the heavens; we have to “go up” to it because it exists on a higher level, a greater dimension. It is a spiritual place. We read about it in the Book of Revelation, coming down from heaven, filled with the glory of God and the presence of the Lamb.
 
Many are responding to this call to go “up to Jerusalem” and out of Babylon, out of Churchianity, out of Organized Religion. As a result, all the Jeroboams of this world are in a state of consternation! How can we prevent this mass exodus of people from leaving our churches? Jeroboam’s concern is not for the people. His concern is not for the Lord, or for what the Lord requires. Jeroboam’s concern is only for self-preservation: the safeguarding of his leadership, the continuance of his kingdom, the prolongation of his own life.
 
The solution he came up with was quite resourceful. He created what I am calling “A CONVENIENT CULT.” This convenient cult has three characteristics: 1) a convenient place; 2) a convenient priesthood; and 3) a convenient feast to bind the worshippers together. Let us look at each one particularly, and see if we can find a prophetic application to the time and season that we are a part of.
 
A Convenient Place
 
“Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!’ And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.” (I Kings 12:28-30).
 
Jeroboam was smart enough to appeal to that part of human nature that is attracted to convenience. Convenience! “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.” In other words, it’s too inconvenient to worship God in the way that God requires. The cost is too great.
 
If you consult a Bible map you will find that Jeroboam strategically located his golden calves in the extreme northern and southern reaches of his kingdom. You could simply attend the golden calf that was closer to you. This is a clever bit of marketing that good restaurants use when selling desserts. They do not ask if you want dessert; they ask if you prefer chocolate cake or banana cream pie for dessert! Of course, you could refuse both, but when the question is put to people in this way, statistics show that most of them will select one of the options presented, and they end up buying a dessert.
 
So Jeroboam did not ask anyone to decide between a golden calf and Jerusalem; he simply offered them a choice of “desserts” – which alternative do you prefer: Bethel, or Dan? He reduced it all down to a matter of convenience. “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.” Too much!
 
Today we have a myriad of worship choices, a multitude of golden calves located on every street, some sitting right next to each other, each one competing for people. What is the basis of their marketing message? Convenience! A choice of service times so you can choose the one that is convenient for you. A choice of worship and preaching styles so you can choose the one you are most comfortable with. So many choices, so many options.
 
If we stop and think about it we may realize that God is not asking us to choose which golden calf out of thousands we want to worship at. He is asking us to choose between that whole “golden calf system” and a Spirit-and-Truth life in New Jerusalem! God is calling us to leave that false system behind and do something that is totally inconvenient – to “go up to Jerusalem”, join the Church that Jesus is building, and learn how to be a nation of kings and priests.
 
It should be noted that when Israel did the convenient thing, the most expedient thing, the most practical thing, it became a sin to them. It led them far away from God and brought them under judgment. The convenient path is a wide path, and it leads to destruction. Worshipping God in Spirit-and-Truth and leaving behind the familiar ways and the popular paths is inconvenient and costly, but that is precisely why Jesus said to count the cost before you become His disciple.
 
A Convenient Priesthood
 
“[Jeroboam] made shrines on the high places, and made priests from the lowest of people, who were not of the sons of Levi” (I Kings 12:31).
 
A convenient cult needs a convenient priesthood to manage, maintain, superintend, and lead it. According to God’s thought, only the Levites were called to serve Him as priests. Since all the Levites were in Jerusalem serving in the Temple, Jeroboam has to find another priesthood to support his false system.
 
Jeroboam’s solution was to make it easy – convenient! – for anyone to become a priest. Never mind the calling of God. Anyone who took it upon themselves to be a priest would be ordained by Jeroboam and could achieve instant leadership status. And so the lowest of the people could now seize the opportunity to become lifted up above the people.
 
What does it take to be an apostle? What does it take to be a prophet? These days, apparently little. Simply calling yourself something, or allowing other people to call you something, is enough to make you somebody special. How very convenient! We are inundated with people who take upon themselves the title of apostle, bishop, prophet, prophetess, pastor and “first lady” (perhaps the most carnal title of all).
 
The point is that when “everyone” is a priest then it is very difficult to tell the difference between the priests of the Lord and the priests of the golden calf. When “everyone” is a prophet, how do you discern between a true word and a false word? Most people cannot, and so the deception is perpetuated by way of convenience.
 
The reality is that there is a tremendous cost associated with answering the call of God on your life, and if you really live the Christian life the way it is intended to be lived – “not I, but Christ” – it will (at times) be inconvenient, awkward, untimely, and problematic. And when God places you in a position of responsibility for others then the difficulties will increase a thousand fold. It will not be “easy”, but for those who value the truth above convenience, this way of life in Christ is its own reward.
 
A Convenient Feast
 
“Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense” (I Kings 12:32-33).
 
A convenient cult needs some kind of convenient celebration, or feast to bring its worshippers together on a regular basis. Jeroboam decided to hold a festival “like the feast that was in Judah.” Of course, it was NOT the same feast, it was only a counterfeit of the feast of tabernacles. The real feast was in Jerusalem. Jeroboam’s feast was something devised, invented, and designed by Jeroboam.
 
Was this a gathering to honor the Lord? Was it an assembly to worship God? By no means. It was a distraction from spiritual worship, a convenient alternative to making a trip up to Jerusalem to worship in the Temple. Of course it was religious in nature – it was not a wild party, but a religious feast “like the feast that was in Judah.”
 
A convenient place, a convenient priesthood, and a convenient feast makes the convenient cult complete. The end result is an alternative system of religious activity that claims to worship God, and has an appearance of piety, but is far more convenient and appealing to the flesh.
Judgment On the Cult of Convenience
 
“And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said…” (I Kings 13:1-2a)
 
God used a prophet from Judah to challenge the false system of religious worship that Jeroboam had installed, and prophesied its destruction. It was not a “convenient” word to deliver. After pronouncing destruction upon Jeroboam, the prophet himself was disobedient and destroyed by a lion. If you would not listen to the prophet’s word, maybe you would learn from the prophet’s example! Jeroboam, though momentarily shaken, simply continued in his disobedience, and was judged accordingly. But the damage was done and Israel was doomed.
 
It isn’t difficult to see how history has repeated itself in the last two thousand years. Like Israel of old, we live in a “divided kingdom” where the Religious Majority perpetuate a cult of convenience, and the Remnant Minority seek the Lord’s full thought, mind, heart, and will for the Church that Jesus is building, a spiritual house of living stones, a “New Jerusalem” of kings and priests. Both are considered “Israel”, but only one is the true Church, while the other is a convenient distraction.
 
Eventually, even Judah fell to idolatry and came under judgment. The Temple was destroyed and Jerusalem was burned. God had to work with a Remnant within the Remnant, and He continued His Kingdom along spiritual lines.
 
The Lord continues to work with a Remnant today, calling them to “go up to Jerusalem” and set their affection on things above. Because God is working along spiritual lines to accomplish a spiritual purpose, the boundary between backsliding Israel and spiritual Judah, between golden calf worship and Spirit-and-Truth worship, is a lot more subtle. But once you have seen the Church that Jesus is building it is much easier to reject the golden calves. Jeroboam knows this, and will make his alternative very attractive – and very convenient.
 
May the Lord quicken this word to our hearts. Amen.
 

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