In times of challenge, it is necessary for us as God’s people to take our worship to a higher spiritual level and blend it with the realm of the ‘Tzaddik’, the righteousness of God, which is Jesus Christ. This encompasses Christ as the crucified and resurrected One who sits at the right hand of God.

Jesus Christ died on the cross (Note: wood) and became a curse to make righteous those who believe in Him (cf. Galatians 3:13 i.c.w. Romans 8:29-30; Romans 10:4).

 

Galatians 3:13:
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written (cf. Deuteronomy 21:23): “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”

 

Romans 8:29-30:
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 

Romans 10:4:
4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

 

This realm of righteousness (Note: the righteous in Christ Jesus => Tzaddikim) can also be described as a region of trees that cooperate with and nourish themselves from the crystal water of the throne room (cf. Psalm 1:1-3; Jeremiah 17:7-8 i.c.w. Revelation 22:1-2).

 

Psalm 1:1-3:
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers.

 

Jeremiah 17:7-8:
7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

 

Revelation 22:1-2:
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

 

This crystal water brings forth the governmental understanding of the Spirit in those who are nourished by it and abide near it.

 

 

Bringing the sound higher in the form of worship and mingling it with the righteousness in Christ Jesus, the Word of God can be equated with the words of Psalm 137:1-2 and Psalm 149:6-9 so that the righteousness of God is manifested on earth through His judgments.

 

Psalm 137:1-2:
1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
2 There on the poplars we hung our harps, …

 

Psalm 149:6-9:
6 May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, 7 to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, 8 to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, 9 to carry out the sentence written against them – this is the glory of all his faithful people. Praise the Lord.

 

The Hebrew word used in Psalm 137:2 for the tree type ‘willow’ is ‘'ārab’ and means ‘to exchange, to mingle, to engage with someone, to be pleasant, to be sweet, to be delicious, to become evening’. (Note: word explanation taken from the Elberfelder Study Bible with word key number: 6272 I,6273* II, 6274 III, 6275 IV, 6276*).From this it is clear that when we take our worship to a higher level and connect it with the truth of God’s Word and its righteous standard, there is an increase of revelation in the midst of challenge. This revelation is a light shining in a dark place, so that Christ takes more form in us and the new day of more intense relationship with Him dawns (cf. 2 Peter 1:19 i.c.w. Genesis 1:3-5).

 

2 Peter 1:19:
19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

 

Genesis 1:3-5:
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.Moreover, the evening is related to the coming in of Christ as the Word of God in the form of victory over the adversary and His resurrection power (cf. Luke 24:29-31).

 

Luke 24:29-31:
29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

 

It is of high importance that in challenging times we pay attention to the power of Jesus’ testimony, which is the spirit of prophecy, because we find confident guidance in it (cf. Revelation 19:10e i.c.w. 2 Chronicles 20:20c).

 

Revelation 19:10e:
… 10e For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”

2 Chronicles 20:20c:
“… 20c have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”

 

 

The people of Israel also found themselves in challenges at different times, such as captivity. There, they were given confidence through the prophets, seeing the heavens opened with their spiritual eyes and witnessing God’s governmental presence to the people. Here they were close to the realm of water in the form of rivers or even the sea, which is a call from God to us as saints at this time to work closely with the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s Word.

For example, the prophet Ezekiel was close to the river ‘Kebar – כְּבָר’ while in captivity in Babylon with the people of Israel (cf. Ezekiel 1:1-4).

 

Ezekiel 1:1-4:
1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth of the month – it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin – 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.There the hand of the Lord was on him.
4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north – an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,...

 

The river ‘Kebar – כְּבָר’ points to the love of God’s greatness in the form of His long suffering and patience in recognizing His already predetermined plan (cf. Ephesians 3:18-19).

 

Ephesians 3:18-19:
… 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Therefore, it is important that we should never put the main focus on earthly circumstances, but to be close with prophets and allow the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our heart to the spiritual dimension.

 

This is evident from the name of the river ‘Kebar’, which means ‘great, length, long ago, already, make much, proper extent of time, that is, a great while; hence, long ago, formerly, heretofore: - already, (seeing) what is now”. (Note: Word explanation taken from the Elberfelder Study Bible with word key number: 3601*, 3602*, 3603* and from Strong's Concordance with word key number: H3528)

 

It is the action of the Holy Spirit in the ‘riverbed’ of prophecy that reveals the power of God’s hand to lead deeper into the governing presence of God and to see His face. Therefore, it is important that we should never put the main focus on earthly circumstances, but be close in presence with mature prophets and allow the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our heart to the spiritual dimension.

 

This we likewise see clearly in the life of the prophet Daniel, who was also in captivity in Babylon and there focused his spiritual gaze on Jerusalem, the seat of God’s government, while at the same time staying close to the river Ulai – אוּלַי so that he received revelation (cf. Daniel 6:10b i.c.w. Daniel 8:1-3a).

 

… 10b he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.

 

1 In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me.
2 In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal.
3a I looked up, …

 

Again, it was the action of the Holy Spirit in the riverbed of prophecy, in the form of a gateway, that granted Daniel access to operate in the power of hope and reveal to him the sovereign guidance of God’s hand over political realities for the future.

 

This is clear from the word explanation of the river ‘Ulai’. The name means ‘river, watercourse, gate, eventually as an expression of hope, request’. (Note: Word explanation taken from the Elberfelder Study Bible with word key number: 198, 199*)

 

This principle of the importance of prophetic revelation in the midst of challenging circumstances is also evident with the apostle or seer-prophet John, who was in captivity on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (cf. Revelation 1:9-10).

 

9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, …

 

As the waters of the Mediterranean surrounded John on Patmos, it was already an indication of God’s governmental presence in the midst of the crystal sea (cf. Revelation 4:6a).

 

6a Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. …

 

On the island of Patmos, John received many beneficial prophetic insights about God’s government and principles, among other things. The prophetic revelation was opened by the sound of the trumpet, which caused John’s spirit to enter the process of renewal as he turned to see the loud voice speaking to him (cf. Revelation 1:10.12a-b i.c.w. Ephesians 4:23).

 

10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, …
12a-b I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw …

 

… 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; …

 

From this it is clear that a repentant heart, involves walking in holiness is the key in order to receiving revelation (cf. Hebrews 12:14).

 

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see

the Lord.

 

 

There exist areas of locked revelation over regions where, in the midst of challenge, it is necessary that we allow the apostolic royal presence of God in the form of the ‘roar of the lion’ to manifest itself because it is in the interest of God to unlock revelation to the authorized addressees. To do this, it is necessary that we stay close to the ‘water’, which includes the presence of the truth of God’s Word (cf. Ephesians 5:26b).

 

… 26b cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, …

 

It says in Revelation 10:1-4 that a mighty angel came down from heaven into the spiritual realm where John was located. This angel was clothed with a cloud, with the rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

 

This one had a small open scroll in his hand, placing his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the earth. At this he began to roar loudly like a lion, so that the seven thunders sounded in the atmosphere, carrying within them revelation that John understood, but was instructed by God’s command to seal.

 

1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.
2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,
3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.
4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

 

This Bible passage reveals the spiritual principle of releasing revelation that the LORD wants to give to us as His people. However, this can only be released when we allow His apostolic nature (Note: lion) to speak into our realm through His servants and ministers who are operating in this mandate.

 

As a result, the presence of spiritual ‘prey’ is revealed and the saints who are in the prophet’s mandate begin to prophesy of it (cf. Amos 3:4.7-8).

 

4 Does a lion roar in the thicket when it has no prey? Does it growl in its den when it has caught nothing? …
7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared – who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken – who can but prophesy?

 

This process of revelation is accompanied by the stirring of the inner man through the fire of God (Note: spirit and soul => right foot of the angel on the water, left foot of the angel on the land) and the presence of His glory (Note: face was shining like the sun), faith (Note: cloud) as well as His covenant (Note: rainbow).

God’s covenant is related to the solid food in order to go forward with exercised spiritual senses in the maturity of the Spirit in Christ (cf. Genesis 9:3.12-13 i.c.w. Hebrews 5:14).

 

3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. …

12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

 

14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

 

Since John was one of the sons of thunder (Note: Boanerges), it is evident from this that he understood the realm of the concealed powerful voice of God that accompanies the presence of the dark cloud (cf. Exodus 19:16).

 

16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.

 

This is about unlocking the sealed realities of heaven legitimately and legally. In order to do this, it is necessary that we have developed spiritual maturity that involves being familiar with and living by the principles of God’s Word and His realm of government.

 

The sealed realities of heaven (Note: sealed things) act like the dark cloud that surrounds God. The explanation for this is because the divine darkness is designed to protect the hidden things of the LORD from profane influence.

 

This is what I believe Jesus was expressing by naming the Boanerges. The Boanerges understood how to release fire from heaven because they were aware of and lived in the principles of God’s government and His work. (cf. Mark 3:17 i.c.w. Luke 9:54).

 

17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), …

 

54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”

 

James and John were trained in this by their mother on the basis of the Tenakh (Note: Old Testament), which is evident from her request, asking Jesus if their sons could sit next to Him on His right and left in His kingdom (cf. Matthew 20:20-21).

 

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

 

Based on this we can see that the sons of thunder – Boanerges were allowed to be spiritually in a certain area of the throne room of God and thus John understood the voice of the seven thunders and was instructed by God to seal the revelation.

 

Our handling of challenges serves to strengthen us inwardly, when exposed to external pressures, by the touch of God’s fire (note: on spirit and soul), His glory, and the presence of His faith and covenant, so that we are even stronger than we have ever been before.

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel Glimm