10 Ways to Grow a Church

1. Get people involved

2. Train members to serve.

3. Build strong homes.

4. Involve every member in the church service.

5. Build strong community service.

6. Bible study.

7. Establish effective giving.

8. Guaranty effective spending.

9. Give members a voice.

10. Build effective leadership.

This is not another collection of clichés aimed at getting you excited for a day or two, until you realize that, there is not one suggestion contained in this article that can help me. This is a collection of ideas and suggestions I have witnessed through personal experiences.

1. Get people involved

What is a church member if they are not involved? Are they really a member? Is there Biblical proof of a non active church member?

Remember when you were about eight years old and all the kids in the neighborhood got together to form a club? One of the first steps in forming the club was to assign all of the titles and duties Was there ever a member that did not have a title and an assignment? Why do we see the importance of involvement and activities to form a strong bond when we were children, but as adults we think it is okay to be the last one in, sit in the back pew and be the first one out?

Why do we need to get involved? So we can feel we are a part of the church. The church is an active, living, breathing entity. “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 5:30, 1 Corinthians 12:12

How does a church grow without getting members involved? If the church is on fertile ground the church should grow. “But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.” KJV Matthew 13:8 This parable never teaches that seed fell on good ground and some brought in zero or one or two.

How do you get church members involved? How many seeds do you plant to grow a crop a few or a lot? You ask members and ask them and ask them. I can tell you beyond any shadow of a doubt, if you ask one hundred people to get involved in the church ninety nine will tell you, “I’ll pray about it.” I sometimes wonder if their attitude stems from the parable of the lost sheep. Perhaps they think they are part of the ninety nine and their job is to sit there and wait.

The most effective way of getting people involved is to personally ask them. It stands to reason, there is not one single person on this planet that can sell a nonpaying job to the whole world. But God will place one person in the church that is able to reach another. I am sure when God created this world He set up these matches. We don’t know who will have the personality or the correct approach that will reach the person God wants to fill a position within the church. The best thing to do is spread out the responsibility and use the concept of try, try again until you succeed. How do you accomplish this task? The pastor should appoint a number of leaders or board members to talk to every individual within the church. It may take three people and it may take six people to ask a person to serve before they say yes. No one says yes the first time they are asked. They need to be asked at least twice. This is human nature you need to formulate a plan to overcome. If there is no follow up nothing will be accomplished. Existing church leaders need to assist the pastor and they need to be held accountable. When a number of board members are assigned to contact a person, they should report back to the board the following information:

Date of contact

Type of contact: Phone call, personal visit, in church

What they said

The reaction received

This needs to be only a two or three minute report. This not only holds the board members accountable it will also create a situation where the board members will have the opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other’s short comings and successes. This allows the board to work as a whole and unite in a common effort, all moving together as a single unit to accomplish the same task.

How many times does a member need to be asked to serve? Until they serve. Or until they can produce Biblical proof that says certain church members are excused from service. At the very least you will get members to study their Bibles.

What are the best jobs to offer to the most reluctant members? This will depend upon the member. The best area to begin getting most members involved is the sanctuary service. On the surface this appears to be a simple one time, two minute task that often turns out be a foundation to build upon. It gives the members a sense of contributing. It gives them the experience of being involved. It makes them feel needed and best of all it gets them used to saying, “yes.”

Who determines how members should serve? The Bible is very clear on this subject. “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Corinthians 12:28, Romans 12:6, 1 Peter 4:10-11

According to the Bible there are many spiritual gifts and, “every man hath received the gift, as of the ability which God giveth”. The Bible never mentions some the most common methods used to determine a member’s spiritual gift. The most common seems to involve letting the member choose. This seems to be the method most churches rely upon and this is why most members never get involved. This method does nothing more than create a stand off within the church. The board is waiting for the members to decide which spiritual gifts they posses. The members are waiting to be asked to serve. Both groups are convinced they are doing the work of God by politely waiting for the other side to make the first move. In the long run nothing is accomplished.

Another popular method used to determine a member’s spiritual gift is to take a test. But the Bible never mentions the use of a test, nor does the Bible specify a test. If God wanted people to take a test to determine what their spiritual gifts are I think God would have remembered to include a test in the Bible.

We read the text that gives us a list of the most common spiritual gifts over and over and it always seems the introduction is ignored. The text clearly tells us that God has set people in the church to lead. If God has set these people within the church isn’t it reasonable to assume that God equipped these people with the ability to do the job? To erase any shadow of doubt the Bible also tells us that these gifts are given to us, “according to the grace that is given to us.” Peter adds, “if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth.” God gives us our abilities. We miss this point because we always put the emphasis on receiving the gifts before we choose to serve.

Without a doubt whenever we look at this parable given in Matthew 25 we always put the emphasis on the talents. Everyone talks about the talents. We even call it the parable of the talents. We are told over and over again we need to multiply these talents ourselves. But the parable never tells us how we are supposed to multiply these talents. Most people think the talents are singing or playing the piano . Wrong type of talent, wrong teaching. If God expected us to increase our talents God would have written explicit instructions.

The lesson of that parable is not in the talent.

KJV Matthew 25:15

15. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

Once again the point to pay attention to is at the introduction of the parable. In this parable the man gave his servants money according to that person’s ability. In this text the word ability means miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself): We do not have the ability to perform miracles on our own, only through the power of God. Making money was not the point God was trying to make. Working and increasing our abilities is the business God is in. Our abilities mean much more to God than all the money we could ever offer Him. We can only increase our abilities, our spiritual gifts by the grace and gifts of God. God determines our spiritual gifts based on our abilities and our needs. God supplies the miraculous power and miracles, just as the parable says.

We can take a look at one of the first examples given in the Bible concerning appointments. Moses was given the advise of his father-in-law, Jethro. When Jethro saw Moses working himself to death he told him, “Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” Exodus 18:19, 28

Moses took action and chose the people. The Bible doesn’t tell us Moses waited for a group of members to feel the call of the Spirit to step up and serve. Moses chose people based on their ability and taught them the ordinances and laws. There will always be specific instructions required with any appointment. This is one of the biggest problems I see in churches. People are not being trained for the positions they occupy. This is another problem that stems from the misconception that people should posses the gifts before they serve. The board or pastor assumes the members already have the answers. In the business world you would never see a person promoted or hired for a position without a certain amount of on the job training involved. The pastor must have a training program in place before appointing the first person to a board position or any position of service.

Satan has convinced the churches that it is Christlike to live and let live. Many Christians think practicing patience is a virtue or a spiritual gift. Some are convinced the world is so far gone that developing patients is the only spiritual gift the church needs to survive. They sit and wait for the world to go down the drain. This is not the way Christ expects His churches to operate. Observing sin has never been a spiritual gift. Watching the world perish is a policy of live and let die. This is the attitude held by Christians that feel there is no need to get involved. There is a better way to organize a church. Make a list of the ministries you feel your church should be involved in and fill the positions with as many people as you can.

Examples of individual ministries:

Distribution of books or tracts in your neighborhood

Lend books to neighbors

Neighborhood Christian book clubs

Start or contribute to online Christian blogs

Develop a Christian web site

Add scripture to e-mail signatures

Vacation Bible school

Christian radio or television bumper stickers

Holiday church programs

Evangelistic seminars

Health or marriage seminars

Visit a growing church and learn from them

Invite people to lunch or dinner

Bible study

Small groups

Writing letters or e-mails to encourage people

Missionary work or support

Visit retirement homes

Food pantry

Clothing for those who need it

You may consider working in any of these ministries, supporting them and inviting people to the functions. Getting involved should be natural for a Christian. The most humble people will tell you they have no spiritual gifts. They will never take credit themselves. “See thou tell no man; but go thy way.” Matthew 8:4 We recognize the gifts these people give but they do not see what they do as anything special, rather they see their involvement as a way of life. Helping others and spreading the word of God is just something they do.

Churches are built most effectively by the young and able. “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” KJV 1 Peter 5:5-7 Young members have the energy, understand their generation and have the monetary means to propel a church forward. It would seem to reason that young adults would be involved in the growth and governing of a church, however this is seldom seen. Many of the churches I have visited have only the elderly, the disabled and yes, the blind working and leading the church while the young adults sit back allowing the members that the Bible teaches should be served, to serve them.

Too much emphasis is put on small groups. Churches may feel as if they have failed if they have not been able to introduce effective small groups. This may be because they limit the idea of small groups to weekly home meetings. Limiting small groups to a single definition is what causes this ministry to fail in churches today.

The common perception of small groups will work in many churches. But when the preferred concept does not work why give up the idea entirely? Modifying the idea can bring results that have never been considered.

Use the concept of small groups in other ministries of the church. An elder’s meeting can be a small group. They are coming together to exchange ideas and support one another. This same concept can be used for a group volunteering for an evangelistic series or a holiday program. If the members show up a few minutes early they can meet for support, encouragement and training. Meetings can be held after the event to discuss methods of improving the function. This form of small groups can be used to grow relationships in many areas of the church.

2. Train members to serve

Productive businesses will have a new employee program in place to welcome them, show them around, introduce them to fellow workers and show them their first assignment.

If a person shows up for work on the first day and is left alone, sitting by themselves with no introductions, no assignment and no attention they will soon feel the company really doesn’t need them. They may feel that the company does not appreciate their abilities. Studies have shown that a person neglected on their first day of work may never recover from that first impression and may never perform up to their potential. Some churches ignore members during their entire term of service. Without proper training members become frustrated, feel neglected and often give up. In some situations they may leave the church.

Board members should always be given a written job description and the pastor should have a private meeting with each board member to discuss expectations on both sides.

Members serving in any capacity should receive instructions. Imagine if you were participating in the service for the first time. People are nervous enough as it is. They need members to calm and encourage them and make sure they know exactly what to do.

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them. Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.” KJV Proverbs 9:9, Luke 1:4, Psalms 32:8, Proverbs 1:2-7, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Nehemiah 9:20, Job 4:3

God is telling us that instruction is an important factor. Then why do some pastors think that members come pre qualified?

Many churches use the concept of sending people out by twos. They take this one step further by matching up an experienced member with a new member. Depending on the position the amount of training required will vary. The majority of the training should be left to the board members. A pastor needs to master the art of delegation as shown by Moses’ example.

Members should be given the opportunity to share their experiences in small groups and learn from one another. This should never be done during the church service. If members share a success during the church service it may be viewed as bragging. This could cause more harm to a church than good. Imagine if you were a new member attending church service for the first time and you hear a member telling a story of the sad situation they found you in and how they stepped forward to save your soul. This takes the credit and focus off God and gives the impression that members are glorifying themselves.

If these traits come to the surface within a small group they can be dealt with quickly. In a small group there is little need for damage control. Success and failures can be discussed and members can offer on site advise and prayer. I have never seen anyone discuss their failures during a church service. Did you ever hear anyone tell you a story during a service about the person they offered a tract to and the stranger told them to get lost in words they never heard before? A small group setting allows members to encourage and lift each other’s spirits. Small groups can be set up to train, encourage and support members. One of the most effective small groups is the family setting.

3. Build strong homes.

Where does training begin? The best place to begin is in the home. I believe there are steps members need to follow to graduate from one stage to the next. The first step is to become an effective witness within the home. Once you feel comfortable studying and witnessing within the home you are then ready to graduate to the next step. Working effectively within the home allows you to hone the skills that will help you become successful working within the church. Once you are successful working within the church you are ready to work within the community.

Have you ever seen a Christian act with one personality at home and a completely different personality in church? Have you ever seen a productive worker within the church that was not an effective leader in the home?

I strongly believe that God wants us first to become leaders in the home. The Bible is rich in counsels centered around the teaching of children within the home. The home is to be a model for the community and the church. The Bible shows clear evidence the responsibility of teaching children begins and ends with the parents.

“Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.” KJV Proverbs 8:32-33, Proverbs 4:1-5

“Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” KJV Deuteronomy 11:18-19

The Bible also confirms that the family is known by the actions of the children. God knew this was a fact that would never change. God believed in this so strongly He wrote it in stone.

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.” Exodus 20:12, Proverbs 20:7 The respect of mothers and the influence they have upon the family is just as important as the husband. “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” Proverbs 17:6

Is it important for a church leader to have a stable family? The Bible is clear on the counsels to the churches concerning the appointment of leaders and their responsibility as parents.

“Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.” 1 Timothy 3:12, Titus 1:5-6, 3 John 1:4, 1 John 5:2

Learning begins at conception. “Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.” KJV Isaiah 46:3, Jeremiah 1:5, Psalms 22:10

Too many parents neglect this responsibility. They reason that since they pay taxes, instructing the children is the responsibility of the city and state. The lack of leadership in the home leads to every imaginable crime, especially those of passion. Children who do not experience love in the home will look to fill this void in ways not imagined.

Children who have never been taught respect are all but lost by the time they enter the school system. Many of these parents are still children and have never been taught how to care for a child. If not corrected this problem will increase, “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”

This is an area where churches can help. This is not only an inner city problem, this is a growing problem even in the suburbs. Churches can hold parenting classes and seminars. Members can volunteer to help young families on an individual basis. Churches can establish day care centers. Members can volunteer to watch neighborhood kids when they come home from school until the parents arrive. They can also tutor individually or churches can open a neighborhood tutoring center.

This world needs churches that will step up and correct the mistakes of the past. Ignoring the problem of weak and misguided families will not correct the situation. Putting the blame on the parents will accomplish nothing. Unruly children have become as much a part of today’s churches as pews in the church. Parents are only one cause and one solution to the problem. Some of the parents are not even aware of the examples they are setting for their children. Showing up late for church, failing to teach manners and respect in the home, not supporting teachers in the church or failing to prepare the children for the lesson of the week are only a few areas parents may fail. Watching parents fail is not a solution to the problem. Dealing with the parents in a Christlike manner will not only help to improve the church environment but the community as a whole. Government has known about these problems in the public school systems for yours and has failed to confront it. If the churches fails to help, there is no hope of ever solving this problem.

Much of the responsibility is upon the leaders of the churches. Few if any sermons deal with behavior within the sanctuary. Too many pastors have convinced themselves they are serving God by allowing children to act in any manner the child feels is appropriate. They feel it is more Christlike to ignore the situation than deal with it.

The focus needs to be placed back on the family and the lessons contained within the Bible. Too much is taught with the emphasis being applied to the individual. I am saved. Forgive me. Jesus died for me. Change me. I can only change myself. How am I saved?. The list goes on and on. Today everything is focused on the individual. The church has done as much to advance the religion of, “looking out for number one” than all the books and authors that have made a better than average living promoting a life style based on being self-sufficient and succeeding by becoming self-centered.

America has lost it’s moral compass because they have forgotten to teach the values that make a family the center of society.

4. Involve every member in the church service.

The easiest way to get members involved for the first time is to involve in the service. Among other areas this could include participation in announcements, prayer, scripture reading, special music, children’s story and even an occasional sermon.

I have seen many a proud mother leave a church because no one bothered to ask her child to participate in special music. Add to that the number of members that come to church week after week with a feeling that they are not important, or not welcome because no one has ever asked them to participate in the service.

How do you get members involved in the service? First of all you have to assume everyone wants to be involved in the service. If they enter into a church they are Christians and they are filled with a desire to serve. For many members this will be the beginning of a life of service. After they take the first step it will be difficult to slow them down. They will be volunteering left and right, on their way to becoming effective church members and leaders.

Steps to get members involved has already been covered in 1. Get people involved. The point to remember is, never give up. The very act of asking people to get involved will give them the feeling they belong and are needed. This is also great training for church board members. If they are efficient in the area of approaching people within the church they will be much better prepared to correspond with people outside of the church.

The sanctuary service should be a training ground for all church members and the leadership of the church. With proper planning and training this could be the platform that church growth can be launched from.

KJV Acts 18:24-28

24. And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. 27. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: 28. For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

The story of Apollos and Aquila shows an example of what can be accomplished when members become involved. In the beginning of Acts chapter 18 Paul meets Aquila and teaches him and his wife about Christ and the scriptures. At the end of the chapter we see Aquila meet Apollos, “and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” The chapter comes to a close giving us evidence that the key to this growth was teaching, “by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.” We believe by knowing. We know Christ by teaching about Him and His ways.

5. Build strong community service.

Community service has always been the backbone of church growth. Caring for the elderly, the sick, the poor and the disabled are statues within the Bible. No wonder this has always been a staple in the Christian church.

There are a number of advantages for the church actively involved in the area of community services, not only is the church serving the commands of Christ, they are also filling a need in society. They are touching lives and making a difference in a world that at times seems to have gone mad. The church also experiences a degree of publicity. Neighbors will be more likely to attend a seminar if they are familiar with the community services conducted within the area. You cannot neglect the fact there are people who will not join a church unless they are involved in the community.

Members involved in community service are very dedicated to the church they serve. They invest time, energy and money in a cause they are passionate about. Members build life long relationships and fill the need to serve. Can a church survive without community service programs?

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” KJV 1 Timothy 4:13-16

6. Bible study

Can a church grow without Bible study? Can you call any assembly a church if the body as a whole does not study the Bible? Bible study should be the center of every Christian church.

“The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.”

KJV Psalms 12:6-7, Isaiah 28:9-10, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Proverbs 1:2-7, 1 Corinthians 2:12-14, Mark 4:11-13

What types of Bible studies should the church teach? Too many churches are leaning heavily upon teaching theology which is limited to teaching only the accepted doctrines of the church and accomplish little in teaching Bible study.

Have you heard the term, “give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and he can feed his family and others.” This applies to Bible study. Does your church teach people how to conduct Bible studies on their own or does it teach a preassemblied list of studies teaching church doctrine? How long have these studies been in existence? Do these studies teach a man to fish or are they feeding members for one day?

I have searched the Internet extensively viewing hundreds of sites. Less than one percent of these sites will teach people how to conduct a Bible study. The others teach doctrine. What is it that these sites are afraid of? The Christian church is commissioned to, ” Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” KJV Matthew 28:19-20 Sad to say too many churches have chosen to teach only what feels comfortable to them and have neglected or forgotten how to study the Bible.

Are these churches really, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”? Are you certain about this? Is there any church that can claim they have all the facts 100% correct? If churches claim they are teaching everything the Lord has commanded, they are taking on an awesome responsibility they will never be able to bear. Are you willing to take that responsibility upon your shoulders? One would think churches would take the steps necessary to teach members to study on their own so individuals will be responsible for increasing their own knowledge.

What is the difference between the dark ages, when reading the Bible was banned, Bibles were burned and people faced the penalty of death for owning a Bible and the churches of today that continue to ignore their duty of teaching Bible study? There is no difference, they are only a different shade of dark.

Bible study should be taught so every member is able to search the dark sayings of God and understand all parables. If members cannot answer simple questions on their own the church has failed to instruct them. “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy 2:23-26 Do not simply answer a question but show the members how to find the answers on their own. Group Bible studies should have every member contributing or be arranged to teach new members how to study using the Concordance, chain references and other study aids. Studies should be set up as examples to teach study methods, not doctrine.

There are many types of Bible studies. Reading through the Bible. Read chapters in a group and hold commentary type discussions. Members should be encouraged and shown how to locate parallel text. Personal reading at one’s convenience. Prepared studies that are discussed at church before or after the service. This is where Bible study can be taught. Members can be shown how to identify text and methods of finding text that can help explain the text. Members should be encouraged to find and share supporting text explaining the subject studied. There are subject studies and word studies, topic studies and studies that deal with the culture and history of the Bible. There are also doctrine studies. To increase loyalty members should be encouraged to study doctrine and find supporting text on their own. Members can write out a list of doctrine subjects and note supporting scripture as they read through the Bible. Members can be taught to use a Concordance or computer Bible program with search capabilities to locate text. Members can join a group that specializes in memorizing scripture.

Churches need to stop calling a collection of text supporting doctrine a study. This is information important to members but has very little to do with teaching people how to study.

Many of the studies found on the Internet are not Bible studies at all. They are commentaries on text. A Bible study is a study that uses the Bible to prove itself. There is nothing else required other than a Concordance used as an aid to locate text. When a verse is studied the only way to find the proper interpretation is to use the Bible to explain the meaning. If we use other sources and rely upon our own knowledge the interpretation is subject to the influence of personal beliefs and doctrine. This can never guarantee a proper interpretation.

Challenge God in Bible Study and He will reveal Himself through His scriptures.

7. Establish effective giving

There are only a hand full of text that deal with monetary giving. There are far more text that deal with giving of another type.

“Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:” KJV Mark 10:21, Psalms 50:14

The only problem with church giving is too many people have a limited view of what the Bible says. The above text has a tendency to scare people. It has a tendency of shutting ears to anything having to do with the subject of giving. When this happens people may never know what they are missing. Giving is a manifold subject.

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

KJV 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Matthew 5:42, Matthew 7:11, Luke 6:38

It is clear to see these text are about much more than money. There are other areas of giving we need to study.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”

KJV 2 Timothy 1:7-9, Luke 4:18, Psalms 29:1-2, Luke 8:10, Matthew 10:6-8

The key point is, “freely ye have received, freely give.” Can it be any clearer? Make a list of the gifts you have received throughout the years. Have you shared them with others? Or do you find yourself being caught up in the four step correction. That occurs when you find yourself in a situation, turn to walk away and after four steps an idea comes into your mind showing you a better way you could have handled the situation. I refer to that as evidence the Spirit is working in your life. There are other examples of giving shown in the Bible that teach us how to give.

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.) And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”

KJV 2 Corinthians 9:6-9, Luke 21:1-4

“And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God. But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: 8. But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.”

KJV Leviticus 23:22, Exodus 23:11, Deuteronomy 15:7-8

It takes a bit of imagination to apply some of these text to the living styles of today but I am sure the Spirit will increase your understanding at the proper time. Even though many of us do not have fields and vineyards to offer the poor we do have other assets to share. We have money, we can share groceries; either the traditional nonperishable items from a food pantry or we can pay a personal visit with fresh fruits and vegetables. We can share our cars or offer a ride. We can car pool and use this as an opportunity to witness. There are also clothing drives, back to school and the season of sharing during Christmas. All of these are witnessing tools allowing us to share the gifts we have received.

One of the most touching scenes and successful gift drives I have seen was a collection of clothing and gifts for inner city public school children. Yes, this was a church program shared inside of a public school. Having the opportunity to share Christ within a public school system is only one of the reasons that program was such a success.

The program was run by one of the physically smallest adults within the church. Lesson one, size does not matter. She made an appeal to the church. All she asked for was underwear and personal hygiene items such as toothpaste, brushes, soap and towels. What she received was dozens of tables of toys, clothes and of course an overflowing supply of the personal items she had asked for. She also received a healthy supply of volunteers to help sort, wrap and tag all the gifts.

The outpouring was so successful they had to move the gift giving ceremony from the library to the gymnasium. Teachers were so touched by the scene they told the organizer that if anyone complained about celebrating Christmas inside a public school they would have to go through them.

Many of the students did not know what to do. Most of them had never received a gift before. They had to be convinced that it was okay for them to take the gifts home. Imagine, a group of young students that needed to have the concept of giving explained to them.

“For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.” Deuteronomy 15:11, Psalms 41:1

Listing examples in the Bible is only one of the things we expect to see from God. We also expect God to lead by example. The Bible is filled with verses where God challenges us to challenge Him, and other verses that remind us of the gifts God has already given us.

“Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. , the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. KJV Psalms 37:4, Psalms 85:12, Matthew 11:28-30, Ephesians 5:2

Giving is a part of God. We are created in the image of God. Therefore giving must be a part of the Christian walk.

8. Guaranty effective spending

Most people do not realize how effective spending can grow a church. We will first take a short look at one possible outcome of ineffective spending. If a church experiences wasteful spending they face the possibility of loosing members. One poor financial decision may cause the loss of a member or a few familles. Churches must be very careful with the money they are entrusted with.

Members have good reason to put an added factor on church spending. People view the money they drop into the basket as God’s money. Church leaders are not only responsible for member’s money, but God’s money. Jesus did not look kindly on upon those taking advantage of His followers.

KJV Matthew 21:12-13

12. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13. And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

The most common term used to describe financial responsibility within the church is the word stewardship. As we will see, the word steward does not begin to describe the responsibility of church spending.

“And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.” KJV Luke 16:1-3

“And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;” KJV Luke 12:42-44, 1 Peter 4:10, 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Titus 1:7

The word steward gives us basic information concerning the responsibilities God has trusted His church with. God will deal with poor stewards and faithful stewards will be rewarded. Being a good steward goes beyond the money. The leaders of the church are also stewards of the grace and mysteries of God.

It is one thing to understand what a steward is. It is quite a different matter to understand the duties of a steward.

The greatest amount of funds is usually spent on the church building. This seems to be consistent throughout the Christian church. Why is that? We have the example of the tabernacle built by Moses. This was after a pattern shown to Moses by God. There are pages of instructions written in the Bible describing every item in detail. Most items are described three times.

Has anyone questioned why we do not see this amount of detail associated with the stone temple built by Solomon?

How important is the temple? How important is the church building? We know Jesus taught in the temple. “And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.” KJV John 8:2 Is this why churches today are built with such splendor? Does the glitter of the church enhance the word of God? Is the church designed so that the building attracts the people? Or is it the words that should attract them?

“And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

KJV Mark 13:2, Luke 21:1-6

The disciples thought the splendor of the temple contained some type of enchanting power. They looked at it as a symbol of national pride. The temple meant more to them than anything else on the earth. Jesus saw this trait in them. That is why He told them the temple needed to be destroyed.

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.” KJV John 2:19-21

The world is filled with elaborate churches. Has anyone ever compiled a study to show a relationship between church growth and the amount of money spent on the church? Does blue carpet attract more people than red? Do $3000 light fixtures help people to understand the word any better than $100 fixtures? Jesus has also been represented wearing simple dress in paintings by artists throughout history. Jesus taught in the temple, at the seaside and in fields, gardens, on islands, along road sides and in the homes of followers. The Holy Spirit made it’s famous appearance in a home referred to as, “one place”. Chapter two of Acts does not tell us but from the context we can assume the early church began in the streets of Jerusalem.

Where is the Biblical proof that teaches churches need to be built to a higher ornate standard than the homes and work places of the members? Think of all the money that could have been spent on missionary work of all types. There are foreign missions in all lands, filling the needs of medical care and hunger; both physical and spiritual. There are also local missions such as feeding and clothing the needy, housing the homeless, providing family counseling and marriage enrichments seminars and many of the other outreach programs that are being neglected. The time has come for church boards to ask, “what would Jesus do?”

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:”

KJV Luke 4:18-19, Matthew 15:30

9. Give members a voice

Let’s go back to the childhood club for a moment. Everyone had a voice. There wasn’t a member that didn’t provide some type of input. As people grow older they gain experience and wisdom which increases their input on a variety of subjects. If the member’s opinions are not sought out, appreciated and utilized, members will feel slighted. If this happens often enough they will do what comes natural. They will leave to find a club that appreciates them and utilize their skills.

There are other advantages to seeking the input of members. Projects can be enhanced and operated more efficiently after all the ideas and details are gathered and considered. Inviting members to meetings and asking their advise on a ministry provides a sense of involvement. Once a member feels they are appreciated they will be more likely to become involved in a ministry.

KJV Exodus 20:18-22

19. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

KJV Exodus 34:28-35

28. And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. 29. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 30. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. 31. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. 32. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai. 33. And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. 34. But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. 35. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

The book of Exodus gives us two examples of members that did not want a voice. The Bible contains a number of stories detailing the complaints of the Israelites. But these two stories show evidence that they turned down the opportunity to speak to God on their own. At first they demanded that Moses speak to God and he would tell them what He said. They chose not to speak to God because they feared Him. This fear grew. Later we see that they could not bear to see the light on the face of Moses. So he had to wear a vail when he spoke to the Israelites. There is a lesson within these stories. This is the main reason Israel was never able to accomplish their commission on earth.

When Christ died He removed the vail between God and man. He also sent the Holy Spirit to guide us and answer our prayers. Each member of God’s church can now speak with God, face to face as a man speaks to a friend. Each member has a voice with God, Jesus and the Spirit, “that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” KJV Matthew 5:45-48, John 4:37-38

10. Build effective leadership

What is effective leadership? This is the question of the century. To answer this question we first need to determine a number of aspects. How do you choose effective leaders? How do you measure effective leaders? How do you train effective leaders? As with everything else, we should seek our answers from the Bible.

One theme that we consistently see throughout the Bible assures us that human leaders are not perfect. Moses killed a man. In addition to other mistakes, David sent Uriah to his death after getting his wife pregnant. His son Solomon, being blessed with wisdom decided to maintain peace throughout the land by marrying a number of women from all the surrounding kingdoms. Jesus’ own disciples could not understand what He was trying to teach. Each one of these acted parables teaches us a lesson. Some of these lessons are easy to understand. Others are multifaceted.

And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

KJV Mark 9:33-37, Matthew 23:10-11,

Most Bible scholars agree that the disciples disputed among themselves three times on the subject of who was the greatest among them. Often times this is a problem seen in church leadership which leads to other problems such as unappreciated and unhappy members, neglected ministries and in the worst case, diminishing membership.

When we take a closer look at the text above we see many points that are brought up in an attempt to reach leaders of the church. First, we see the fact that Jesus did not hesitate to ask them about their dispute. This is a problem I have seen in churches. Sure we are all Christians but does that mean that we are supposed to experience poor leadership without questioning it? Now make sure you are careful on the subject of pointing out flaws. There is a right way and a wrong way of doing it. The correct way will help you achieve a Christ centered goal. The wrong way will make matters worse.

Jesus used a child as an example to show the disciples they needed to prepare themselves to serve others. The disciples had a problem. They were convinced they were following Jesus for personal gain. To be more specific, the disciples were following Jesus because they thought that Jesus would claim His kingdom and they would receive positions of power and glory. But the glory was never meant to be in this life. Churches can have the same problem. Church leaders can develop their own perception of glory while occupying church board positions, desiring to occupy these positions only as a display of power. They rate church board positions with a type of point system. They look at a church board position as a stepping stone to their ultimate goal. Get real! What kind of glory and honor is there in leading a church? As a church leader you are trying to hold together a group of individual volunteers who are not getting paid for the jobs they do. They can quit at any time and what are they loosing other than their time invested. Chances are most members spend more time in front of the television within any given week than they do in church activities. So the time invested may not seem very important to them in the first place. True leaders have a way of bringing out the best in people. True leaders guide individuals, they do not micomanage. True leaders train others to fill their position. Members who have a desire for power should not be appointed to leadership positions. They will not be serving the will of the Lord but rather their own will. Christ used the example of a child to illustrate the point that leaders need to be willing to learn. Leaders have to possess the patience to sit and listen to the ideas of others. They also need to possess the skills to teach. We are all the body of Christ. This illustration shows that we rely upon one another for life and growth. No member is more important than another. The spirit may give one the gift of leadership but leaders must rely upon the members for suggestions. Hence leaders rely upon members for direction. There is no leader that will have all the answers. More on this subject later.

One final point on the illustration of Jesus and the child. Notice the Bible points out that Jesus took this child in His arms. What message do you think Jesus was trying to send the disciples when He did this? Pictures speak louder than words.

And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash each others feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

KJV Luke 22:23-24, John 13:13-17

Jesus also tried setting an example by washing the feet of the disciples. Imagine the impact this must have had on their lives. Did it change them? After this Peter still denied Christ three times. How is that for choosing effective leaders? There is also a lesson in that.

Imagine your leader washing your feet. What would you do if your boss came in one day and started washing the feet of your fellow employees? How would you feel when it was your turn? Would you feel like you deserved it and they were finally doing their job? Would you feel like this was only the beginning of pay back for all the problems your boss caused? Or would you feel a bit embarrassed? Like there was nothing in your life you could have done to receive this type of treatment? If that did happen would you begin to remember every cross word you ever thought or spoke about your boss and would you begin to regret them?

If a mere human can evoke those types of emotions, can you imagine what the disciples must have felt. Christ CHOSE to use this illustration just before His trial and crucifixion. Churches have a habit of imposing this illustration upon the members of the church when they should be examining this story in the light of church leadership. Jesus did not wash the feet of the masses that followed Him. Just before His death Jesus washed the feet of the leaders He chose. This illustration teaches members how to treat one another, how to treat their families, friends and strangers. More importantly, and we cannot deny the fact, this illustration was directed and acted upon those that were chosen to lead the church.

Jesus told His chosen leaders, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” Jesus expects church leaders to become servants, just as Jesus has done. Jesus said, “I am among you as he that serveth.” KJV Luke 22:27 Church leaders should be chosen for their ability and willingness to serve.

“We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let everyone of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Let all things be done decently and in order. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”

KJV 1 Corinthians 4:10, Romans 15:1-7, 1 Corinthians 14:40, Ephesians 4:31-32, Philippians 4:7-9, 2 Peter 3:18

With Jesus everything was planned. There was nothing left to chance. As a matter of fact everything was recorded in writing. We refer to Jesus’ plan as prophecy. This is God’s way of doing things. God puts details in writing, afterwards they are fulfilled. This is another example for us to follow. If there are no written plans, how would anything be accomplished? The board will bring accountability into play when they put plans in writing. This will also ensure that working models are handed down from one leader to the next. It will also ensure that procedures are followed and details are not overlooked or forgotten.

The book of Acts gives us examples of what leaders should be taught. One of the most important is seen at the beginning of Acts. “To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:” KJV Acts 1:3 In His final act on earth Jesus taught his disciples from the scriptures. This is a very important example. Out of all the qualities a leader can posses, knowledge of the scriptures should be the most important. Think of this fact, a leader should be grounded in the word. “With God all things are possible.” KJV Matthew 19:26

How long should leaders serve? We need to look only as far as the example Jesus set for us. How long did Jesus serve? Three and a half years. During that time Jesus dedicated Himself to the task of preparing His replacements. Churches should not expect leaders to occupy the same position year after year. Leaders should never think the church cannot survive without them. Jesus set this example for His churches to follow, it is not open to personal interpretation. What kind of a leader entertains thoughts that they are indispensable when the Head of the church has given us the example that He was destined to pass His leadership along to others?

How does a church get beyond the points system established in many churches? There is one way. Whatever point system is used for positions, all church board members need to realize that every position has two criteria. Number one, is every position is temporary. Every position must be a training platform for members. If positions are filled by the same person year after year the church looses an opportunity to train other members. The leadership should make this clear to all the members. The leaders should also have a written system in place that assures each member understands the responsibility for each position and has clear guidelines explaining the process of training the next individual to fill the position. The best laid plans are always in the written form. New ideas and concepts can be added. Effective, proven concepts will not be forgotten.

Secondly board members must understand each position is a learning process. Not one position is more important than another. The most important part of any position is the opportunity to serve others. Using the misguided points system as an example, let’s assume a church body views an elder’s position as the highest position within the church. In a poorly organized church you will see the same people as elders year after year. When there is no change in the leadership of the church there is no growth. The pastor must convince the elders that to properly serve Christ and to give the church an example of service, the elder’s position is only a training ground for other positions. An elder can be an effective example to the church when the members see them training others to take their position elders can continue to serve in other capacities. They can begin personal ministries reaching out to the community on a personal basis. They can join other established ministries within the church. Imagine the impact felt by a new member when they see a head elder later serving on a soup line or helping out in a children’s class. Imagine the growth a church can receive when leaders begin to serve as in the examples Christ left for the church.

When it comes to choosing our political leaders we rely upon a system that has proved only one thing. The system does not work. When we look for political leaders we look for people that are experts in every area. Candidates spend weeks or months trying to convince us that they are the only person that has all the answers. They spend millions of dollars telling us they are experts on every conceivable subject that one could imagine. Some election campaigns go past the point of being ridiculous. We fall for this type of advertising year after year. I often wonder to myself, “does anyone believe half of the things these people claim?” The media has us so convinced this is the way to choose leaders within the church we have adopted this same method. The fact of the matter is, this system does not work in politics and it will not work in the church.

There is not one person that is an expert on every subject. There is not a single person half the people in any given area will agree with on every subject. A politician is a jack of all trades and a master of none. The government would be better served if leaders were chosen because they were proficient in one or two areas. Government would run much smoother if people were elected who could do one job and do it well. Some could be experts in government organization. Others in transportation. Some in social issues and others in energy, communication, business, finance, family matters, education and the many other issues our elected officials need to face. Can anyone, beside Christ be passionate in all of these subjects?

When choosing leaders, church members should not allow the political method of choosing leaders. As a matter of fact, according to the Bible, the method of choosing church leaders is quite the opposite as the one used to choose government officials. Here are some examples of the type of leaders God has chosen.

KJV Exodus 4:10

10. And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

Moses did not want anything to do with the opportunity God was offering him. Did God accept the first excuse from Moses? No He didn’t. God encouraged Moses. Leaders should not accept the first answer they receive from members, they should learn to encourage them. Let them know that others will be supportive of them.

Did Moses have all the qualities to be a leader? No he didn’t. All the training Moses received in Egypt accounted for nothing. God gave Moses the ability to lead after he was chosen and God continued to bless Moses with the spiritual gifts he needed to solve the problems he faced.

KJV Matthew 3:3-4

3. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

John does not fit the model of the ideal church leader. But John was a trail blazer. He paved the way for Christ by setting the minds and hearts of the people upon heavenly things. John was able to prepare the humble for Christ’s ministry. He was also able to excite the thoughts and passions of the leaders. Was John able to reach everyone? Of course not. John was prepared from his birth “In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life,” KJV Luke 1:75 to be an expert in one field. “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins.” KJV Luke 1:76-77 If John could not reach everyone we shouldn’t put this burden upon ourselves or others.

“And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.” KJV Luke 1:17, Luke 1:72, Luke 1:16

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. KJV Matthew 4:18-23

Can you imagine a pastor going to Fisherman’s Wharf to form the church board? What do you think your local pastor would come back with? A group of self made men, cussing and swearing. Weathered by both the environment and the business aspects of the job. How many of them do you think would be dedicated church members? God looks for leaders in the most unusual places. God does not look for the perfect image to fill the most important positions.

Remember that these were the people who were going to lead the early church once Jesus returned to Heaven. Jesus knew that He was going to give His life. Jesus knew He had only three and a half years to convert and train this group. Jesus knew exactly how important these positions were. The future of the world was at stake. What would have been the outcome if these individual failed? Imagine the God of the universe coming down to the save this world and leaving the future of the church in the hands of less than perfect leaders. This is exactly what God did. God used these less than perfect people to illustrate a lesson He expects the church to learn and follow.

KJV Acts 26:24

24. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

Much has been written about the life of Paul. Once an enemy of the church he became a leader that wrote the majority of the New Testament. It took time for Paul to gain the trust of the disciples. If we looked at this decision in human terms most of us would have considered this decision too risky to contemplate. But God saw something in Paul others could not. “The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” KJV 1 Samuel 16:7

KJV John 4:17-18

17. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18. For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

KJV John 4:28-30

28. The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29. Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 30. Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

The woman at the well may not have been a leader in the church but she was an effective evangelist. She was not the type of person the church of today would have chosen but one that Jesus chose. She had her problems. She probably didn’t have the greatest reputation but when the light went off inside her it was easily recognized by others. Her story is a transformation that took place within minutes. There was no long training process, no pre-qualifications that needed to be proven. There was only a desire on the part of the woman and the encouraging words of Jesus that brought this gift to the surface.

“And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.” KJV Mark 5:2-5, Luke 8:26-28

This has to be one of the most unlikely members of a church, much less an effective leader. Imagine a naked man possessed by devils being an effective worker for Christ.

“Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him. And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.” KJV Luke 8:38-40

God has a way of using some of the most unlikely people to be effective workers. What are some of the qualifications and guidelines given in the Bible that help us to become effective leaders?

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. That ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. KJV 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Corinthians 14:20, 1 Corinthians 14:33, Ephesians 4:25, Ephesians 4:29, Hebrews 5:12, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, 1 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 14:26

“Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” KJV Ezekiel 3:17-19, Isaiah 6:8

The main lesson here is not to overlook members when choosing leaders. God established His church with people that most churches would turn away. These individuals all succeeded beyond all expectations. Do not underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit. Churches will experience set backs no matter what method is used to choose leaders. Mistakes and setbacks are part of God’s plan. They are a part of the learning and growing process. We need to expect and embrace disappointments. They were present in the early church. One could say they were required for our learning. Doing nothing will results in setbacks. Not attempting to improve will result in setbacks. We will always experience disappointments setbacks in this life. But God will never let His church fail.

Bible Dictionary

This is a collection of spiritual words and the verses that give them their spiritual definitions. Feel free to add any spiritual words and the text that explain their meaning in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

Updated 4-26-09

~ Air: KJV Proverbs 30:19. The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. KJV Ecclesiastes 10:20. Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. KJV Matthew 6:26. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? KJV Matthew 8:20. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Air is a habitat for birds and fowls.

~ Anoint: KJV Psalms 20:6. Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. KJV Psalms 28:8. The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. 9. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. KJV Psalms 105:15. Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. KJV Isaiah 61:1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; KJV Ezekiel 16:9. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. Anoint = symbol of God’s people and God’s protection

~ Arrow: KJV Psalms 57:4. My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. KJV Psalms 64:3. Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: KJV Jeremiah 9:8. Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait. Arrows are words.

~ Balance KJV Psalms 62:9. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. KJV Proverbs 11:1. A False balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight. KJV Proverbs 16:11. A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work. KJV Proverbs 20:23. Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good. KJV Isaiah 40:12. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Balance is a word that has a single meaning but multiple representations. The balance is simply a devise used to measure. We see that man and even the hills can be measured. Just and proper balances are from God and those that are not from God are unjust.

~ Bed: KJV Psalms 4:4. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. KJV Psalms 63:6. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. KJV Ezekiel 23:17-17. And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them. KJV Isaiah 57:2. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. Bed represents a place where a relationship takes place. It also represents a place of rest.

~ Blind: KJV Isaiah 56:10. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. KJV Zephaniah 1:17. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. KJV 2 Corinthians 4:3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. KJV Ephesians 4:18. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: To be spiritually blind is to be ignorant of the word of God. Nonbelievers that feel they are free to sin.

~ Blood: KJV Matthew 26:28. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. KJV Luke 22:20. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. KJV Acts 20:28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. The blood of Jesus was shed for and represents the forgiveness of sin.

~ Bow: (rainbow) KJV Genesis 9:13. I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: KJV Genesis 9:16. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. KJV Ezekiel 1:28. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. Bow (rainbow) is a covenant, an agreement of promise from God.

~ Bow: (Archery) KJV 1 Chronicles 5:18. The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. KJV Psalms 11:2. For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. KJV Jeremiah 6:23. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. KJV Lamentations 2:4. He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire. Bow (Archery) Men of war, an enemy of God’s people.

~ Branch: KJV Proverbs 11:28. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. KJV Isaiah 60:21. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. KJV Jeremiah 23:5. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. KJV Zechariah 6:12. And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The Branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: KJV John 15:1. I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. A branch can represent both Jesus and His followers.

~ Brass: KJV 2 Kings 25:7. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. KJV Jeremiah 6:28. They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. KJV Ezekiel 27:13. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market. Brass is used as shackles and compared to trading or selling men, slavery. Brass also represents slander and corruption.

~ Bread: KJV Proverbs 4:17. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. KJV Proverbs 20:17. Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. KJV Matthew 16:11. How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12. Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. KJV Amos 8:11. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: KJV John 6:51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. KJV 1 Corinthians 5:8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Matthew 4:4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The word bread has multiple spiritual meanings representing doctrines. It can represent the doctrine of wickedness and deceit or the word of God, the body of Christ.

~ Bride: KJV Revelation 21:2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. KJV Revelation 21:9. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; KJV Isaiah 61: 10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. The new city of Jerusalem coming down from Heaven is the bride of the Lamb, Christ.

~ Brimstone: KJV Genesis 19:24. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; KJV Psalms 11:5. The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. KJV Isaiah 34:8. For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. 9. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. KJV Revelation 19:20. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. KJV Revelation 20:10. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Brimstone is a symbol of judgement.

~ Burn: KJV James 1:11. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. KJV 2 Peter 3:10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. KJV Revelation 18:8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. KJV Revelation 21:8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Burning is a judgement.

~ Butter: KJV Psalms 55:21. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. KJV Proverbs 30:33. Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife. Butter can represent words. Milk also represents words. Butter is made by churning milk. Spiritual butter represents the searching of God’s word back and forth.

~ Cake: KJV Hosea 7:8. Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. KJV Numbers 15:20. Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it. 21. Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave offering in your generations. KJV Jeremiah 7:18. The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. KJV Jeremiah 44:19. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men? Cakes were used as an offering to God. The devil also received offerings of cakes. Ephraim is also represented as a cake.

~ Calf: KJV Exodus 32:4. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. KJV Exodus 32:8. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. KJV Deuteronomy 9:16. And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the Lord your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the Lord had commanded you. KJV Nehemiah 9:18. Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations; A calf is a form of false worship.

~ Candle/Candlestick: KJV Proverbs 20:27. The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. KJV Exodus 35:14. The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light, KJV Numbers 8:2. Speak unto Aaron and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick. KJV Revelation 1:20. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Candle/Candlestick is for light and is the spirit of man and the churches.

~ Canker (cankerworm): KJV 2 Timothy 2:17. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; KJV James 5:3. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. KJV Joel 2:25. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. KJV Nahum 3:15. There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts. Canker has the same meaning as rust, to consume or to eat holes through. Cankerworm is spiritually compared to people and an army of God.

~ Captivity: KJV Lamentations 1:3. Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits. KJV Ezekiel 39:23. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. KJV Isaiah 5:13. Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. KJV Jeremiah 22:22. The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness. KJV Lamentations 1:18. The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. KJV Lamentations 2:14. Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment. KJV Romans 7:23. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Captivity is an affliction brought on by trespasses against God.

~ Censer: KJV Leviticus 16:12. And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: 13. And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: KJV Numbers 16:46. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun. KJV Revelation 8:3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. A censer is used to hold the incense that represents the prayers of the saints.

~ Chain: KJV Genesis 41:42. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; Daniel 5:7. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. KJV 1 Kings 7:17. And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter. KJV Ezekiel 16:11. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. KJV Acts 28:19. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. 20. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. KJV Revelation 20:1. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, KJV Psalms 73:6. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Chain has a number of spiritual meanings. It can be used to spiritually bind. It is also used as a decoration, an ornament and a symbol of position.

~ Children: KJV Isaiah 63:8. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. KJV 1 Samuel 7:4. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only. KJV Exodus 2:25. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them. KJV Psalms 14:2. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. KJV Psalms 34:11. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. KJV Psalms 132:12. If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore. Children are people that follow God.

~ Choke: KJV Matthew 13:7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: KJV Mark 4:7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. KJV Luke 8:7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. KJV Matthew 13:22. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. KJV Mark 4:19. And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. KJV Luke 8:14. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. KJV Mark 5:13. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. KJV Luke 8:33. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. To be choked is to be trapped by the cares, riches and lusts of the world. Choking is caused by devils.

~ Cloth (clothing): KJV Leviticus 16:32. And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: KJV Exodus 35:19. The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office. KJV Exodus 39:1. And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the Lord commanded Moses. KJV Psalms 93:1. The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. KJV Psalms 104:1. Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: KJV Psalms 132:9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy. KJV Psalms 132:16. I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. KJV Isaiah 61:10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. KJV Proverbs 31:25. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. KJV Psalms 109:29. Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle. KJV Isaiah 30:22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. KJV Psalms 132:18. His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish. Cloth and clothing was used in the service of the priest. They are referred to as holy garments. Cloth and garments are interchangeable representing Majesty, strength, honor, righteousness and salvation. Cloth can also represent shame, graven and molten images.

~ Cloud: KJV Exodus 13:21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: KJV Exodus 14:19. And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: KJV Exodus 16:10. And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. KJV Exodus 19:9. And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord. KJV Exodus 24:15. And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. 16. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. KJV Exodus 33:9. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. KJV Leviticus 16:13. And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: KJV 1 Kings 8:10. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, KJV Psalms 36:5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. KJV Psalms 57:10. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. KJV Psalms 68:34. Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. KJV Isaiah 44:22. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. KJV Hosea 6:4. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. KJV Jeremiah 4:13. Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled. KJV Matthew 24:30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. KJV Psalms 147:8. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. KJV Psalms 77:17. The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. KJV Ecclesiastes 11:3. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. KJV Zephaniah 1:15. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, God uses clouds to both conceal His glory and to show His presence. KJV Isaiah 14:13. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Clouds represent a number of things, goodness, strength and faithfulness. Jesus will be seen in clouds when He returns. These clouds will appear threatening to people that are not looking forward to His return.

~ Cold: KJV Proverbs 25:13. As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters. KJV Proverbs 25:25. As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. KJV Jeremiah 18:14. Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken? KJV Matthew 10:42. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. KJV Job 24:7. They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold. KJV Psalms 147:17. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? KJV Matthew 24:12. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Cold is used in the sense of refreshing as well as a discomfort.

~ Corn: KJV Leviticus 2:14. And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the Lord, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears. KJV Numbers 18:27. And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress. KJV Deuteronomy 11:14. That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. KJV Deuteronomy 33:28. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. KJV Genesis 27:28. Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: KJV Hosea 14:7. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. KJV Nehemiah 13:12. Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. KJV Deuteronomy 12:17. Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: KJV Isaiah 36:17. Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. KJV Deuteronomy 14:23. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always. KJV Psalms 4:77. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. KJV Psalms 78:24. And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. KJV Genesis 41:49. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number. KJV Hosea 2:8. For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. KJV Hosea 7:14. And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. Corn was used as an offering to God. God uses the promise of corn as an illustration of the care he gives His people. Corn is also used as tithe. People also used corn as an offering to false gods, a sign of rebellion

~ Crown: KJV Leviticus 21:12. Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord. KJV 2 Samuel 12:30. And he took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance. KJV 2 Kings 11:12. And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. KJV 2 Samuel 14:25. But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. KJV Job 2:7. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. KJV Psalms 8:5. For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. KJV Psalms 103:4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; KJV Proverbs 14:18. The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. KJV 1 Thessalonians 2:19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? KJV Hebrews 2:9. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. KJV Proverbs 14:24. The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly. KJV Isaiah 28:1. Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! KJV Isaiah 28:3. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: Anointing oil can represent a crown. A crown is a symbol of leadership, such as a king. A crown can also refer to the top of one’s head. A crown can also represent glory, honor, knowledge and rejoicing. A crown can also represent pride.

~ Cup: KJV 1 Corinthians 10:21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. KJV Psalms 75:8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. KJV Psalms 116:13. I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. KJV Psalms 16:5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. KJV Psalms 11:6. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. KJV Zechariah 12:2. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. There are two cups, one of the Lord, the other is the cup of devils. The cup of the Lord is salvation. The cup of devils is fire, brimstone and trembling.

~ Darkness: KJV 2 Peter 2:4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; KJV Job 3:4. Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. 5. Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. KJV Psalms 107:10. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11. Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: KJV Psalms 82:5. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. Darkness is the lack of God’s word, being bound in rebellion that brings on affliction.

~ Darkness: KJV 2 Peter 2:4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; KJV Psalms 82:5. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. KJV Psalms 88:6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. KJV Psalms 107:10. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11. Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: KJV Luke 1:79. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Darkness is representation of spiritual chains. Darkness represents a lack of understanding, rebellion and the pit of death.

~ Daughter: KJV Isaiah 62:11. Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. KJV Jeremiah 6:2. I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. KJV Micah 4:8. And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. KJV Zephaniah 3:14. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. KJV Zechariah 9:9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. KJV Acts 2:17. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: KJV Joel 2:28. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: KJV Acts 21:9. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. KJV Zechariah 2:10. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. KJV 2 Corinthians 6:18. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. KJV Psalms 137:8. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. KJV Hosea 4:13. They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery. KJV Zechariah 2:7. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. KJV Malachi 2:11. Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. KJV 2 Kings 23:10. And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. A daughter can refer to Zion, those that follow God. Daughters may also refer to people with the gift of prophecy. There are also daughters that refer to those that rebel against god.

~ Day: KJV Numbers 14:34. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. KJV Ezekiel 4:4. Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. 5. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 6. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year. KJV 2 Peter 3:8. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. A spiritual day can be a literal year or a thousand years.

~ Devil: KJV Leviticus 17:7. And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations. KJV Deuteronomy 32:16. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. 17. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. KJV Matthew 8:16. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: KJV Matthew 8:28. And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. KJV Matthew 10:7. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. KJV Mark 1:34. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. KJV Mark 16:9. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. KJV 1 Timothy 4:1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. KJV Hebrews 2:14. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; KJV James 2:19. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. KJV Jude 1:9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. KJV Revelation 12:9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. KJV Revelation 20:2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, KJV Revelation 20:10. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. The devil demands sacrifices, has the ability to posses people but the devils can be cast out. The devil has his own doctrine. The devil will be spiritually bound for 1000 years and will be cast into the lake of fire along with his followers.

~ DEVOURED Strong’s Ref. # 2719 Pronounced kat-es-thee’-o from GSN2596 and GSN2068 (including its alternate); to eat down, i.e. devour (literally or figuratively): KJV Isaiah 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. KJV Jeremiah 2:30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

~ Dew: KJV Numbers 11:8. And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of Fresh oil. 9. And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. KJV Deuteronomy 32:1. Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: KJV Psalms 133:3. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. KJV Proverbs 3:20. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. 21. My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: Manna fell down from Heaven with the evening dew. Speech, knowledge and eternal life are also represented as dew.

~ Dove KJV Matthew 3:16. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:17. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. KJV Luke 3:22. And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. KJV Mark 1:10. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: Dove = Spirit of God

~ Eyes: KJV Genesis 3:5. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. KJV Genesis 6:8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. KJV Psalms 17:8. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, KJV Psalms 19:8. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. KJV Psalms 26:3. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. KJV Psalms 146:8. The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous: KJV Proverbs 5:21. For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. KJV Isaiah 32:3. And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. KJV Isaiah 35:5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. KJV 2 Kings 6:17. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. Satan used the temptation of the eyes that allowed sin into the world. God uses eyes as a symbol to show His concern and connection to His people. Eyes are used as a symbol to show enlightenment.

~ Four: KJV Ezekiel 1:14. And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. 15. Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. 16. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. KJV Daniel 3:25. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. The number four represents a connection between man and God? On e of references to the number 4 in Ezekiel is the 4 wheels. Notice that one wheel is upon the earth. That would leave 3 in Heaven. A connection between Heaven and earth?

~ FOWLS KJV Genesis 7:14. They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. KJV Proverbs 6:5. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. KJV Psalms 91:3. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. KJV Psalms 124:7. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. KJV Proverbs 27:8. As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place. A bird or a fowl represents a person often in turmoil, facing a trial.

~ FRUIT KJV Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, KJV Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. KJV Psalms 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. KJV Jeremiah 17:10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. KJV 2 Kings 19:30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward Fruit is used to describe people that are converted and the work they do to reach out to help others.

KJV Genesis 37:33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. KJV Leviticus 10:2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Devoured = eat up, destroy

~ Gold: KJV Psalms 119:72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. KJV Psalms 119:127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. KJV Proverbs 8:10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. It is simple to see that gold is used to represent the word of God and His commandments.

~ GROUND KJV Isaiah 30:23. Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. KJV Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: KJV Hosea 10:12. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. KJV Zechariah 8:12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. KJV Luke 8:15. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Good ground bares the Spirit of God and aids in the growth of those that the substances that nourish people both physically and spiritually.

~ Hot: KJV Exodus 32:10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. KJV Deuteronomy 9:19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you. But the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also. KJV Psalms 6:1 O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. The word hot appears to be associated with feelings such as displeasure and anger. As popular as the word hot can be, it is not often used in the Bible.

KJV James 5:14. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: The oil in the tabernacle was meant to give light to the sanctuary. See light.

~ Jezebel: KJV 1 Kings 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. KJV 1 Kings 18:4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) KJV 1 Kings 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table. The works of Jezebel. She was a daughter of a Gentile king. A worshipper of Baal. She influenced an already corrupt king of Israel and lead the nation further into idol worship. She attempted to assassinate the prophets of God and set up her own prophets of Baal as the religious leaders over Israel.

~ Lamb: KJV Leviticus 4:32. And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish. KJV Hosea 4:16. For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place. KJV John 1:36. And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! KJV 1 Peter 1:19. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Lamb is a sacrifice and sin offering, Jesus the Son of God. A lamb is also a follower of God. ~

~ Lamp: KJV 2 Samuel 22:29. For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness. KJV Psalms 119:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. KJV Proverbs 6:23. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: Lamp gives light for guidance through the word and law of God.

~ Leaven: KJV Matthew 16:11. How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12. Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. KJV Luke 12:1. In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. KJV 1 Corinthians 5:6. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Leaven is false doctrine, unleavened represents truth.

~ Light: KJV Psalms 97:11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. KJV Psalms 119:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. KJV Psalms 119:129. Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. 130. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. KJV Isaiah 8:20. To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. KJV Hosea 6:5. Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. Light is the word of God, understanding and judgement.

~ Lightning: KJV Exodus 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. KJV Exodus 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. KJV Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. KJV Matthew 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: Just like an approaching storm, lightning announces the fact that something is about to happen. And like a summer rain, the news could be good to one and a disaster to another. That is one meaning for the word lightning in the Bible. There is one more significant application for the word lightning. That is to announce the coming of the Son of man.

~ Lightning: KJV Psalms 97:4. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. KJV Revelation 16:18. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. KJV Psalms 18:14. Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. KJV Zechariah 9:14. And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. Arrow = words and arrow = lightning so lightning = words. Lightning enlightens the world, it is the voice and words of God.

~ Lord’s Day: KJV Isaiah 13:6. Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. 7. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: 8. And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. 9. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. KJV Isaiah 27:1 In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. KJV Isaiah 34:8. For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. 9. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. 10. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever. Without reservation I would conclude that the Lord’s day is the day of His return.

KJV Mark 6:13. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

~ Mountain KJV Exodus 3:12. And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. KJV Isaiah 11:9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. KJV Micah 6:2. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. KJV 2 Chronicles 18:16. Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace. KJV Amos 6:1. Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! God uses a mountain to represent His throne, or a belief in Him. A mountain represents a false religion or belief.

~ Naked: KJV Genesis 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. KJV Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. KJV Genesis 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. KJV Genesis 3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? KJV Isaiah 47:3. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man. KJV Ezekiel 16:36. Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; KJV Nahum 3:5. Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame. In just a few verses we see nakedness go from being natural to a sense of shame. Nakedness represents both physical and spiritual shame.

~ Oil KJV Exodus 25:6. Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,

~ Poor: KJV 1 Samuel 2:7 The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. KJV Psalms 9:18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. KJV Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. KJV Psalms 140:12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. KJV Isaiah 29:19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. KJV Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. To be poor in the sight of God is to be lifted up, protected by God and to hold an open invitation to Heaven. There is quite a difference between the human insight given to the text and the Spiritual interpretation.

~ Rest (death) KJV John 11:11. These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. Rest represents death.

~ ROCK KJV Deuteronomy 32:4. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. KJV 2 Samuel 22:2. And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; 3. The God of my rock; in him will I trust: He is my shield, and the Horn Of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. KJV Psalms 18:31. For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? A number of verses make it clear that the Bible uses the word rock to represent God. This is true in a lot of cases but we need to keep in mind that Satan is the great deceiver. Satan does this by imitating aspects of God and altering them to give people a false belief to follow. We see that this is also true for the rock. KJV Deuteronomy 32:31. For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. 32. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: 33. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. 34. Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? KJV Deuteronomy 32:37. And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, Rock = God or a false god

~ Sea before the throne of God: KJV Genesis 1:10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. KJV Genesis 32:12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. KJV Jude 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. KJV Isaiah 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. KJV Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. In addition to these two verses we find one more that also points us to other verses, and Jesus Himself. KJV Zechariah 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. To look at the word “sea” in the Bible one will find that this word is used to describe a number of terms and scenes. The first verse shows sea is used is in the creation story. Many other verses tell us of God’s power and control of the seas. One more reference to the word sea is in a promise given to Abraham where sea represents the offsping of Abraham. Twice the Bible refers to the knowledge of God as the waters of the sea. And there are the verses that put the word sea in reference to the evil people in this world.

~ Seal: KJV Nehemiah 9:38 And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it. KJV Esther 8:10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries: KJV Job 33:16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, KJV John 3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. KJV Isaiah 8:16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. KJV Isaiah 29:11. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: We see that the Bible does mention the seals of kings and nobles being used to authenticate agreements of commands. The Bible also used the word seal in the form of a verb. It is possible to be insured or sealed in the faith of God through the knowledge of God.

~ Seven: KJV Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. At other times, the number six is used as a number of completion and the number seven as a symbol of release. KJV Deuteronomy 15:12 And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. KJV Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, The number seven is mentioned only once as a number of completion. It s interesting to note that Enoch was the first to be translated to Heaven. The first human ever to be taken back up into Heaven. Could this number be a sign pointing us to the return to Heaven? The release from slavery and the return of the rest that we so long for deep inside of us.

~ Shine: KJV Psalms 119:135. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. KJV Proverbs 4:18. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. KJV Ecclesiastes 8:1. Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. KJV Daniel 12:3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Shine is to have wisdom, to teach and to be on the right path.

~ Silver KJV Psalms 12:6. The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. KJV Psalms 119:72. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. Silver = The words of God and the law of God

~ Six: KJV Exodus 20:11. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. KJV Exodus 31:17. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. KJV Leviticus 25:3. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; KJV Deuteronomy 16:8. Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work therein. KJV Joshua 6:3. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. KJV Mark 9:2. And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. We have all hear about how the number six represents man. This may be true to a point, but there are few verses that support that theory. The number six is not even associated in a verse with the creation of man. The number six rather, tends to point towards a preparation. The number six is mentioned time and again in association with the Sabbath.

~ SOWER KJV Isaiah 61:11. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. KJV Zechariah 10:9. And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. KJV Jeremiah 31:27. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. The works of God are compared to things sown. These verses also show that God sows.

~ Sword: KJV Deuteronomy 33:29. Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places. KJV Psalms 55:21. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. KJV Psalms 57:4. My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. KJV Ephesians 6:17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: KJV Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Can the Bible be any clearer than this? The sword is the word of God. In Psalms, David explains that the words and the tongue are symbolized by a sword.

~ Testimony KJV Exodus 31:18. And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God. KJV Revelation 19:10. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The word of God, His commandments, prophecy.

~ THORNS KJV Proverbs 22:5. Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. KJV Numbers 33:55. But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. KJV Judges 2:3. Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. Thorns are used to represent the sins that people devise to mislead or irritate others.

~ Thunder: KJV 2 Samuel 22:14 The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. KJV Psalms 29:3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. There is one line in the Bible that does show that some people will miss the signs that others will hear so clearly. KJV John 12:29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. The word thunder is similar to lightening. They do of course mirror one another. Each plays a role in an announcement. Thunder is of course a product of lightning. There is a bit more of a tendency for the word thunder to lean upon an indication of the word of God.

~ TRODDEN KJV Jeremiah 12:10. Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. KJV Ezekiel 34:18. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? 19. And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. KJV Psalms 8:6. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: Trodden means to destroy or foul. Trodden means to have something under your feet. Psalms 8:6 explains that to have something underfoot, is to have dominion over it. When people teach error or false doctrine, they are treading God’s word under foot, because they are presuming to have power over it, thinking they are free to change it.

~ Trumpet: KJV Exodus 19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. It is also used to gather the people. KJV Numbers 10:2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. To announce or warn of a war. KJV Numbers 10:9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. And among other events, the trumpet is used to announce the day of the Lord. KJV Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A trumpet is used to announce the presence of God.

~ Under the Earth: KJV Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. In this text we see that people make idols to those things under the earth. KJV Isaiah 14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. KJV Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Under the earth represents false idols and death.

~ WAY KJV Psalms 140:5. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the way side; they have set gins for me. Selah. Strong’s Ref. # 1870 Pronounced deh’-rek from HSN1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb: KJV Psalms 142:3. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. KJV Psalms 143:8. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. KJV Proverbs 1:15. My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: KJV Proverbs 2:13. Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; The way represents a path of life, or the direction one’s life is going. Physically a way is a road.

~ White Horse KJV Revelation 19:11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. KJV Revelation 19:14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. The white horse represents Christ

~ Wine KJV Deuteronomy 32:31. For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. 32. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: 33. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. KJV Isaiah 28:7. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. KJV Hosea 9:1. Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor. 2. The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her. KJV Isaiah 65:8. Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all. KJV Joel 1:5. Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth. Wine is to stumble and fall on false preaching, to put one’s faith in a false god. There are two types of wine. The wine that makes one drunk and impairs the judgment and the new wine that is unfermented.

~ Wings: KJV Exodus 19:4. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. KJV Psalms 17:8. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, KJV Psalms 63:7. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. KJV Matthew 23:37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! God uses the word wing to illustrate His concern for His people. The protection He is willing to provide and the gifts we should accept.

~ WITHERED KJV Isaiah 40:7. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. KJV Psalms 102:10. Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. 11. My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. KJV Jonah 4:7. But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. 8. And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. Wither = what happens to people that have trouble facing a trial

Verses to Study Genesis

This is a collection of verses from the book of Genesis you can study on your own using the key word or spiritual word method.   Choosing verses to study is easy once you understand what to look for.  Basically whenever you encounter a verse that does not conform to the simple laws of nature it must have a spiritual meaning.  As an example look at KJV Proverbs 18:4  The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.  Deep waters are not made from words.  Neither a wellspring or a brook contain wisdom.  Therefore both of these must have spiritual meanings.  Reading other Bible verses will tell you the spiritual meaning of the word water.  Studying the word wisdom will tell you exactly what type of wisdom God wants you to understand.

As you look through this list you can see how often some of these key words are repeated and used in a number of text.  Learning only a few of these key words can open up the Bible to an understanding only few people can comprehend.  Words like wisdom, water, mountain, rock, silver and gold are used throughout the Bible.  Some of these verses are referred to in terms as difficult to understand.   Using the Bible to explain these verses can open up a whole new world and strengthen your faith in God.  Only God has the capability and knowledge to write a book such as the Bible.  It is reasonable to understand that there are verses that can only be interpreted through the use of God’s word and understanding.

Eventually I will be adding a Bible dictionary that will contain hundreds of spiritual words and the verses that explain them.  This will allow you to study and understand at an ever increasing rate.  But it is important to study on your own, to develop your personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.  With a little bit of practice you will be able to master this method of Bible study and develop your own comfort level.

When you discover verses that explain the meanings to spiritual words please feel free to share them by adding them to the comments at the bottom of this page.

You can check the Category Verses to Study for additional books.

KJV Genesis 1:1-10
1.  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2.  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3.  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4.  And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5.  And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 6.  And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7.  And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8.  And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 9.  And God said, Let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10.  And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

KJV Genesis 1:16-18
16.  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17.  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18.  And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

KJV Genesis 1:26-28
26.  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28.  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

KJV Genesis 3:14-16
14.  And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15.  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16.  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

KJV Genesis 3:21
21.  Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

KJV Genesis 4:10-15
10.  And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11.  And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 12.  When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13.  And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14.  Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15.  And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

KJV Genesis 6:14
14.  Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in

KJV Genesis 8:9
9.  But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

KJV Genesis 9:2
2.  And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.

KJV Genesis 15:13-14
13.  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14.  And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

KJV Genesis 15:17-18
17.  And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18.  In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

KJV Genesis 16:11-12
11.  And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. 12.  And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

KJV Genesis 17:16-17
16.  And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17.  Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

KJV Genesis 17:20-21
20.  And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21.  But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

KJV Genesis 24:53
53.  And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.

KJV Genesis 25:23
23.  And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

KJV Genesis 25:32-34
32.  And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33.  And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34.  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

KJV Genesis 38:1-6
1.  And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2.  And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. 3.  And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. 4.  And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. 5.  And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. 6.  And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

KJV Genesis 38:18-19
18.  And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy Bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. 19.  And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

KJV Genesis 38:28-30
28.  And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. 29.  And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. 30.  And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

KJV Genesis 41:45
45.  And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

KJV Genesis 41:50-52
50.  And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. 51.  And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. 52.  And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

KJV Genesis 45:5-8
5.  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6.  For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7.  And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8.  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

KJV Genesis 46:20
20.  And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of on bare unto him.

KJV Genesis 47:13-26
13.  And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. 14.  And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15.  And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. 16.  And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. 17.  And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year. 18.  When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: 19.  Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate. 20.  And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s. 21.  And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. 22.  Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. 23.  Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. 24.  And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. 25.  And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants. 26.  And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh’s.

KJV Genesis 47:29-31
29.  And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: 30.  But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. 31.  And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.

KJV Genesis 48:13-20
13.  And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him. 14.  And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15.  And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, 16.  The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 17.  And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. 18.  And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. 19.  And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. 20.  And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

KJV Genesis 48:21-22
21.  And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. 22.  Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

KJV Genesis 49:1-28
1.  And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. 2.  Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. 3.  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 4.  Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. 5.  Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. 6.  O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. 7.  Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. 8.  Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. 9.  Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 10.  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 11.  Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: 12.  His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. 13.  Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon. 14.  Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: 15.  And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute. 16.  Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. 17.  Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. 18.  I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord. 19.  Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last. 20.  Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties. 21.  Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words. 22.  Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: 23.  The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: 24.  But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) 25.  Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: 26.  The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. 27.  Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil. 28.  All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

KJV Genesis 49:29-31
29.  And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30.  In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. 31.  There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

EGW The Last Crisis Testimonies for the Church Volume Nine (1909)

eBook download revealing how the Bible shows each prophecy has been fulfilled with simple study methods explaining how to locate related texts. I wrote this book after asking why the disciples could not understand the lessons Jesus was trying to teach them. Then I looked through the entire New Testament for the message Jesus gave His disciples to teach. The entire message is in prophecy. This is the first of a series of books written about the message Jesus commanded His disciples to preach. The most important aspect of the last days is preaching the right message. Over 200 New Testament texts confirm the message preached by the disciples. There is no other book collecting the sermons taught by the first disciples. Has God changed His message? Or have we drifted away from it? This book not only shows you the message, but teaches you how to study, so when God places the responsibility of the last message to this world with His disciples, you know how to listen, confirm, teach, and preach.

9T – Testimonies for the Church Volume Nine (1909) The Last Crisis

We are living in the time of the end. The fast-fulfilling signs of the times declare that the coming of

Ellen White Vision of the Word Around the World

Christ is near at hand. The days in which we live are solemn and important. The Spirit of God is gradually but surely being withdrawn from the earth. Plagues and judgments are already falling upon the despisers of the grace of God. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war, are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude. {9T 11.1}

The agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones. {9T 11.2}

The condition of things in the world shows that troublous times are right upon us. The daily papers are full of indications of a terrible conflict in the near future. Bold robberies are of frequent occurrence. Strikes are common. Thefts and murders are committed on every hand. Men possessed of demons are taking the lives of men, women, and little children. Men have become infatuated with vice, and every species of evil prevails. {9T 11.3}

The enemy has succeeded in perverting justice and in filling men’s hearts with the desire for selfish gain. “Justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.” Isaiah 59:14. In the great cities there are multitudes living in poverty and wretchedness, well-nigh destitute of food, shelter, and clothing; while in the same cities are those who have more than heart could wish, who live luxuriously, spending their money on richly furnished houses, on personal adornment, or worse still, upon the gratification of sensual appetites, upon liquor, tobacco, and other things that destroy the powers of the brain, unbalance the mind, and debase the soul. The cries of starving humanity are coming up before God, while by every species of oppression and extortion men are piling up colossal fortunes. {9T 11.4}

On one occasion, when in New York City, I was in the night season called upon to behold buildings rising story after story toward heaven. These buildings were warranted to be fireproof, and they were erected to glorify the owners and builders. Higher and still higher these buildings rose, and in them the most costly material was used. Those to whom these buildings belonged were not asking themselves: “How can we best glorify God?” The Lord was not in their thoughts. {9T 12.1}

I thought: “Oh, that those who are thus investing their means could see their course as God sees it! They are piling up magnificent buildings, but how foolish in the sight of the Ruler of the universe is their planning and devising. They are not studying with all the powers of heart and mind how they may glorify God. They have lost sight of this, the first duty of man.” {9T 12.2}

As these lofty buildings went up, the owners rejoiced with ambitious pride that they had money to use in gratifying self and provoking the envy of their neighbors. Much of the money that they thus invested had been obtained through exaction, through grinding down the poor. They forgot that in heaven an account of every business transaction is kept; every unjust deal, every fraudulent act, is there recorded. The time is coming when in their fraud and insolence men will reach a point that the Lord will not permit them to pass, and they will learn that there is a limit to the forbearance of Jehovah. {9T 12.3}

The scene that next passed before me was an alarm of fire. Men looked at the lofty and supposedly fire-proof buildings and said: “They are perfectly safe.” But these buildings were consumed as if made of pitch. The fire engines could do nothing to stay the destruction. The firemen were unable to operate the engines. {9T 13.1}

I am instructed that when the Lord’s time comes, should no change have taken place in the hearts of proud, ambitious human beings, men will find that the hand that had been strong to save will be strong to destroy. No earthly power can stay the hand of God. No material can be used in the erection of buildings that will preserve them from destruction when God’s appointed time comes to send retribution on men for their disregard of His law and for their selfish ambition. {9T 13.2}

There are not many, even among educators and statesmen, who comprehend the causes that underlie the present state of society. Those who hold the reins of government are not able to solve the problem of moral corruption, poverty, pauperism, and increasing crime. They are struggling in vain to place business operations on a more secure basis. If men would give more heed to the teaching of God’s word, they would find a solution of the problems that perplex them. {9T 13.3}

The Scriptures describe the condition of the world just before Christ’s second coming. Of the men who by robbery and extortion are amassing great riches, it is written: “Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.” James 5:3-6. {9T 13.4}

But who reads the warnings given by the fast-fulfilling signs of the times? What impression is made upon worldlings? What change is seen in their attitude? No more than was seen in the attitude of the inhabitants of the Noachian world. Absorbed in worldly business and pleasure, the antediluvians “knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away.” Matthew 24:39. They had heaven-sent warnings, but they refused to listen. And today the world, utterly regardless of the warning voice of God, is hurrying on to eternal ruin. {9T 14.1}

The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place. {9T 14.2}

“Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. . . . Because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate. . . . The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.” Isaiah 24:1-8.

{9T 14.3}

“Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. . . . The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down, for the corn is withered. How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.” “The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.” Joel 1:15-18, 12. {9T 15.1}

“I am pained at my very heart; . . . I cannot hold my peace, because thou has heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled.” Jeremiah 4:19, 20. {9T 15.2}

“I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down.” Verses 23-26. {9T 15.3}

“Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jeremiah 30:7. {9T 15.4}

Not all in this world have taken sides with the enemy against God. Not all have become disloyal. There are a faithful few who are true to God; for John writes: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. Soon the battle will be waged fiercely between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. Soon everything that can be shaken will be shaken, that those things that cannot be shaken may remain. {9T 15.5}

Satan is a diligent Bible student. He knows that his time is short, and he seeks at every point to counterwork the work of the Lord upon this earth. It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who shall be alive upon the earth when celestial glory and a repetition of the persecutions of the past are blended. They will walk in the light proceeding from the throne of God. By means of the angels there will be constant communication between heaven and earth. And Satan, surrounded by evil angels, and claiming to be God, will work miracles of all kinds, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. God’s people will not find their safety in working miracles, for Satan will counterfeit the miracles that will be wrought. God’s tried and tested people will find their power in the sign spoken of in Exodus 31:12-18. They are to take their stand on the living word: “It is written.” This is the only foundation upon which they can stand securely. Those who have broken their covenant with God will in that day be without God and without hope. {9T 16.1}

The worshipers of God will be especially distinguished by their regard for the fourth commandment, since this is the sign of God’s creative power and the witness to His claim upon man’s reverence and homage. The wicked will be distinguished by their efforts to tear down the Creator’s memorial and to exalt the institution of Rome. In the issue of the conflict all Christendom will be divided into two great classes, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark. Although church and state will unite their power to compel all, “both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,” to receive the mark of the beast, yet the people of God will not receive it. Revelation 13:16. The prophet of Patmos beholds “them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God,” and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Revelation 15:2. {9T 16.2}

Fearful tests and trials await the people of God. The spirit of war is stirring the nations from one end of the earth to the other. But in the midst of the time of trouble that is coming,–a time of trouble such as has not been since there was a nation,–God’s chosen people will stand unmoved. Satan and his host cannot destroy them, for angels that excel in strength will protect them.

–

{9T 17.1}

God’s word to His people is: “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, . . . and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters.” “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 2 Corinthians 6: 17, 18; 1 Peter 2:9. God’s people are to be distinguished as a people who serve Him fully, wholeheartedly, taking no honor to themselves, and remembering that by a most solemn covenant they have bound themselves to serve the Lord and Him only. {9T 17.2}

“The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: everyone that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.” Exodus 31:12-17. {9T 17.3}

Do not these words point us out as God’s denominated people? and do they not declare to us that so long as time shall last, we are to cherish the sacred, denominational distinction placed upon us? The children of Israel were to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations “for a perpetual covenant.” The Sabbath has lost none of its meaning. It is still the sign between God and His people, and it will be so forever.

Cover the Ark with Pitch

KJV Genesis 6:14

14. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

This seems like such a simple text. One of the many text in the Bible that seem so easy to understand. Just so many words that are needed to make a story complete. To explain a detail, emphasize a point. We read it over and over again, trusting our senses, never questioning what we see before our eyes. Sad to say, at times it seems as if we know the Bible so well, we forget who actually wrote it. Until one day, the small sweet voice whispers a little message in your ear. There seems to be a link to another text. I can’t explain what actually happens. On the surface the text seems to have no other significant meaning. But one thing is for certain, when the Lord tells you to look into the book He has left for us, you had better listen. Because until you look into it, you will never know what messages God has left for us to discover.

Imagine if you would, a large ship built upon a hill in an open plain. An open area, not even near a forest. You would have imagined God would have had Noah build this huge boat near a forest. Closer to the trees that were required to build such a structure. But no, God has this whole project set up out in the open for everyone to see.

So after years of cutting and hauling. Shaping, fitting and assembling, the project is nearly completed. On top of all the hard work, Noah and his family cover the entire ship with tar, inside and out. Now think of this a moment, tar is made from dead matter. But it is water proof and a required protection, required for the very long and rough voyage.

On top on this hill sits this enormous ship, all fitted and covered with thick black tar. What a contrasting scene this must have been. This large black object against the bright blue sky. To look and gaze upon it you would have fit right in with the crowd saying, “it seems to serve no purpose.” This ship must have been quite the object of ridicule and scorn. It probably had many a stone cast at it. Drunken young men with to much time on their hands may have tried to destroy it a time or two. Some of the older men may have taken a whack at it with a stick. Just to see how sturdy it was. And there it sits, a big black object. Many must have complained about what an eye sore it must have been. Near the end in the town, or city, in whose jurisdiction it fell, they may have held a meeting to publicly declare it’s uselessness, thereby ordering it to be destroyed. After all, the only purpose it seemed to serve was to convict people of their sins. It was condemned without a word in it’s defense. After all it was just wood, nails, and tar.

And then, just as they are ready to put an end to this foolishness once and for all, clouds begin to gather, the sky begins to darken. The image of the ship is lost as the dark clouds seem to engulf it, to protect it. The black ship is hidden from sight as the sky grows darker and darker. For most people this object will never to be seen again.

So why, after 6000 years should we pay any more attention to the ark then those that chose to stay away from it when it sat upon that hill on those bright sunny days? There is a message that God wrote upon the ark. A message that brings hope to another lost world in it’s last days. A message so simple we have to ask, why did we not see it before. A message contained in a single simple word.

KJV Genesis 6:14

14. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

LIT Genesis 6:14

14. |6213| Make |0000| for yourself |8392| a ship of |6086| cypress |7613| timbers. |7064| compartments |6213| You must make |0854| in the |8392| ship. |3722| And you must cover |0853| it |1004| inside |2351| and out |3724| with tar.

Strong’s Ref. # 3724

Romanized kopher

Pronounced ko’-fer

from HSN3722; properly, a cover, i.e. (literally) a village (as covered in); (specifically) bitumen (as used for coating), and the henna plant (as used for dyeing); figuratively, a redemption-price:

This one Hebrew word “kopher” is not used very often in the Bible. But it was God that placed the word there, in the text describing the ark for a purpose. You see the Hebrew word has two meanings. It could be a covering of bitumen (tar) and it could mean a redemption price. Isn’t it amazing how God choose specific words to use in text? To prove this is not just by chance we can take a look at a few of the other place this word (3724) “kopher” has been used.

LIT Exodus 30:12

12. |3588| When |5375| you lift up |7218| the head of |1121| the sons of |3478| Israel, |6485| of those counted, |5414| must give |0376| each one |3724| the ransom |5365| his of soul |3068| to Yahweh |6485| when counting |0000| them, |3808| and not |1961| will be |0000| among them |1698| a plague |6485| when counting |0000| them.

KJV Exodus 30:11-13

11. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 12. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. 13. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord.

LIT Job 36:18

18. |3588| For {beware of} |2534| wrath, |5496| lest He lure you |5607| with {His} scorn. |7230| Then a great |3724| ransom |0408| not |5186| can turn you aside.

KJV Job 36:16-20

16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness. 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee. 18. Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. 19. Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength. 20. Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

LIT Psalms 49:7

7. |0251| A brother |3808| not |3605| at all |6299| can redeem |0376| a man. |3808| And not |5414| give |0430| to God |3724| a ransom for him,

KJV Psalms 49:6-11

6. They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: 8. (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) 9. That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

10. For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. 11. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

LIT Proverbs 6:35

35. |3808| Not |7043| he will lift |6440| the face of |3724| every ransom. |3808| And not |0014| he will consent |0000| when |7235| you multiply |0000| the bribes.

KJV Proverbs 6:34-35

34. For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

LIT Proverbs 13:8

8. |3724| The ransom of |2416| life |0376| a man’s |6239| {is} his riches, |7326| but the poor |3808| not |8085| does hear |8433| rebuke.

KJV Proverbs 13:7-9

7. There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. 8. The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. 9. The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

LIT Proverbs 21:18

18. |3724| {will be} a ransom |6662| for the righteous |7563| The wicked. |8478| And in place of |3477| the upright |0898| the treacherous.

KJV Proverbs 21:16-19

16. The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. 17. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. 18. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. 19. It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman

LIT Isaiah 43:3

3. |3588| For |0589| I {am} |3068| Yahweh |0430| your God, |6918| the Holy One of |3478| Israel, |3467| your Savior. |5414| I gave |3724| {for} your atonement |4714| Egypt. |3568| Ethiopia |5434| and Seba |8478| instead of you.

KJV Isaiah 43:1-5

1. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

Moses also used the word “kopher” to illustrate a ransom. Job, David and Solomon also used this same word to illustrate a ransom. David used this word in context to redemption of a soul. Isaiah referred to “kopher” as “your atonement”.

The tar God told Noah to put on the ark was not any ordinary tar. It was super heavy duty, water proof, iron clad redemption. God in His infinite wisdom chose to use a tar to illustrate Christ and His gift of redemption. Our only seal of life!

Is there any doubt, noone but God could have written this book?

That leaves one question still to be asked. What other lessons does God have waiting for us to discover? What other jewels of truth did God leave for us just under the surface waiting for us to discover?

Babylon and the Bailout

Babylon and Egypt are the most common spiritual symbols used to describe the last days. If we compare the two there is an strange parallel concerning the economy, money, land and slavery. We could say today that lenders own people because they are so far in debt.

If you look at 2 Kings 24 and Genesis 47 you can see a pattern. First the money fails. We have already seen this happen today. Where did the money go in our economy today? We do not have any answers to that question. In 2 Kings the money went to Babylon. In Genesis the money went to Pharaoh.

KJV 2 Kings 24:13-20

13. And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said. 14. And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. 15. And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16. And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 17. And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 18. Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20. For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

KJV Genesis 47:14-22

14. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15. And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. 16. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. 17. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year. 18. When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: 19. Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate. 20. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s. 21. And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. 22. Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.

What is this bailout plan? What are the details and how does it work? At this time there are very few details available. The actual law is not publicly available for review. The following article is a summary and an opinion that strangely fits the details of the above text. It will take a lot more study to show what exactly is happening.

Bailout plan is vast patronage under cover of martial law

By cpowell

Created 2008-09-20 18:35

2:19p ET Saturday, September 20, 2008

Dear Friend of GATA and Gold:

The Wall Street Journal story appended here discloses what seem to be the two crucial details of the Bush administration’s plan to rescue the financial system.

First, distressed securities would be purchased by the Treasury Department through a “reverse auction” system, in which sellers would set the minimum price they’d be willing to accept from the government. This would seem to create the most lucrative patronage imaginable, for there’s no telling how the government’s purchasing agents might decide what to buy and at what price. Indeed, since there is no market for these securities and the government itself will be making the market, purchases will be entirely a matter of government favor.

Second, the purchasing system would be, like the U.S. Exchange Stabilization Fund, beyond review by any court or other regulatory agency. That is, the system would have no accountability at all, unless, perhaps, Congress wanted to look at it eventually or change the law. In effect it would declare martial law throughout the U.S. financial system and the economy at large.

CHRIS POWELL, Secretary/Treasurer

Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee Inc.

KJV Revelation 18:10-18

10. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. 11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12. The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13. And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 14. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16. And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17. For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18. And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

Revelation 18 also contains details that may be describing this same event. Notice that there are nearly thirty items mentioned, all of them are connected to the economy. It is as if the Bible is telling us these people will be controlling everything. This also follows the same sequence of 2 Kings and Genesis, slaves and souls or men are mentioned last. These merchants were made rich by the spiritual Babylon and in one hour the riches were lost. How many points in history could match this description?