The Lord comes to open up the Scriptures to our understanding so that we may know Him who is true. We are to hear and understand and be delivered from religious-sounding men who have taken us captive with their good words and fair speeches and have put us into the prison cell (men’s denominations) with our hands chained with envy and strife. Their works of their hands are all motivated by envy and strife.
Like Peter that was kept in prison, we have been “sleeping” between the 2 “soldiers” of envy and strife and our hands bound with the works of darkness. We have been delivered to “four quaternions” of soldiers to keep us…..that is, the four winds which is every wind of doctrine preached by men who lie in wait to deceive us with their teachings. The “keepers” before the door keep the prison….the commandments of men keep us in their “prison”. They make it secure.
Acts 12:
(4) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
(5) Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
(6) And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
But the Lord sends a messenger to open up our understanding so that we may know Him and His salvation. We are to “arise up quickly”….awaking up to His righteousness and cast off the works of darkness when we hear what the Spirit is saying to us. It will not conform to what the prison keepers have been preaching. We are to awake to righteousness and not fulfill the desires of the flesh.....to misbehave towards what we hear in our envy and strife.
(7) And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
We are to put on Christ Jesus by doing good towards what we hear and follow Him out of their presence. We are to put on His righteousness and put off the works of envy and strife and be ready to follow Him out immediately.
(8) And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
We are to have FAITH and follow Him out.
(9) And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
Blessed are those who will do His commandments (the first and second ward = the greatest 2 commandments) for they will be able to enter the city through the gate. We shall be able to enter into the understanding of the Scriptures. We shall be able to enter into the narrow gate that leads to life as the iron gate shall open to us of His own accord. The road is narrow that leads to life. And once we enter in, we no longer need a man (a messenger) to preach to us to “know the Lord” for we shall know Him ourselves by the Spirit.
(10) When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
Blessed are they that do His commandments (passing the first and second ward) so that we may have the right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates of the city. We shall enter into His life and enter into the understanding of the Scriptures so that we may instruct others into the Way of righteousness. We are to hear what the Spirit is saying and cast off the works of darkness and follow Him out of the denominations of men where there is no knowledge of God….where there is “darkness” in the prison cell.
Revelation 22:12-17 KJV
(12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
(13) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
(14) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Outside will be those who will hear His voice but will not DO His commandments so that they may be delivered. They will not receive the love of the Truth so that they may be saved but instead take pleasure in their unrighteousness towards what the hear the Spirit saying.
(15) For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Jesus sends out His messenger to testify of these things in the churches….in the prison cell….where the Light does shine in the “prison”. He is the bright and morning star and we are to take heed to what we hear as the light that shines in a dark place.
(16) I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
And we are to be inviting to those sent by Him to preach to the churches. We are to show brotherly love towards those who He will send….giving them a “cup of cold water” so to speak.
(17) And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
He shall send His messengers (His words) with a “great sound of a trumpet” …..a great warning….and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds….from every wind of doctrine preached by deceptive men that has scattered His people.
Matthew 24:30-31 KJV
(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.
(31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
With His words, He shall gather out of His kingdom all things that trip us up and them which will do iniquity towards His words and will do evil towards those sent to preach them to the churches.
Matthew 13:41-42 KJV
(41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
(42) And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
The Lord comes with a sword to divide the sheep from the goats…and a man’s foes shall be of his own denomination for those who will hear and not believe in their churches will persecute the believers.
Matthew 10:32-42 KJV
(32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
(33) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
(34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
(35) For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
(36) And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
(37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
We must take up the cross and follow Him out from among them. We must do His commandments and put on Christ and not be found of Him “sleeping” in our wrathful contention of what we hear.
(38) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
(39) He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Those who will receive the “least brothers” of His who will come to preach His words to the churches shall receive Him that sent them. They will receive the Father.
(40) He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
(41) He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
All of those who will show brotherly love towards them whom He sends shall in no wise lose their reward.
(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.
The SWORD comes upon the land and we are to take heed.
The words will be preached along with the great sound of a trumpet…..a warning to those who will hear His words and will want to contend with them.
Ezekiel 33:1-9 KJV
(1) Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(2) Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
(3) If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
(4) Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
(5) He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
(6) But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
(7) So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
A wicked man who will contend with what he hears is warned to turn from His ways and DO the commandments of God.
(8) When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
(9) Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
(10) Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?
(11) Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
(12) Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
The righteous are not to trust in their own righteousness and commit sin….evil speaking. We are not to return evil to those who will persecute us for believing.
(13) When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
(14) Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
We are to DO His commandments when we hear the Word of truth being preached to our ears. We are to no longer steal….preaching for money with deceptive words. We are to drop our evil nets and follow Him without evil contentions. We are to hear the warning....the great sound of the Trumpet....as He will send forth His words to divide those who will do His commandments from those who will be found not doing them.
(15) If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
(16) None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
Like Peter that was kept in prison, we have been “sleeping” between the 2 “soldiers” of envy and strife and our hands bound with the works of darkness. We have been delivered to “four quaternions” of soldiers to keep us…..that is, the four winds which is every wind of doctrine preached by men who lie in wait to deceive us with their teachings. The “keepers” before the door keep the prison….the commandments of men keep us in their “prison”. They make it secure.
Acts 12:
(4) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
(5) Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
(6) And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
But the Lord sends a messenger to open up our understanding so that we may know Him and His salvation. We are to “arise up quickly”….awaking up to His righteousness and cast off the works of darkness when we hear what the Spirit is saying to us. It will not conform to what the prison keepers have been preaching. We are to awake to righteousness and not fulfill the desires of the flesh.....to misbehave towards what we hear in our envy and strife.
(7) And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
We are to put on Christ Jesus by doing good towards what we hear and follow Him out of their presence. We are to put on His righteousness and put off the works of envy and strife and be ready to follow Him out immediately.
(8) And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
We are to have FAITH and follow Him out.
(9) And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
Blessed are those who will do His commandments (the first and second ward = the greatest 2 commandments) for they will be able to enter the city through the gate. We shall be able to enter into the understanding of the Scriptures. We shall be able to enter into the narrow gate that leads to life as the iron gate shall open to us of His own accord. The road is narrow that leads to life. And once we enter in, we no longer need a man (a messenger) to preach to us to “know the Lord” for we shall know Him ourselves by the Spirit.
(10) When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
Blessed are they that do His commandments (passing the first and second ward) so that we may have the right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates of the city. We shall enter into His life and enter into the understanding of the Scriptures so that we may instruct others into the Way of righteousness. We are to hear what the Spirit is saying and cast off the works of darkness and follow Him out of the denominations of men where there is no knowledge of God….where there is “darkness” in the prison cell.
Revelation 22:12-17 KJV
(12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
(13) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
(14) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Outside will be those who will hear His voice but will not DO His commandments so that they may be delivered. They will not receive the love of the Truth so that they may be saved but instead take pleasure in their unrighteousness towards what the hear the Spirit saying.
(15) For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Jesus sends out His messenger to testify of these things in the churches….in the prison cell….where the Light does shine in the “prison”. He is the bright and morning star and we are to take heed to what we hear as the light that shines in a dark place.
(16) I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
And we are to be inviting to those sent by Him to preach to the churches. We are to show brotherly love towards those who He will send….giving them a “cup of cold water” so to speak.
(17) And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
He shall send His messengers (His words) with a “great sound of a trumpet” …..a great warning….and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds….from every wind of doctrine preached by deceptive men that has scattered His people.
Matthew 24:30-31 KJV
(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.
(31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
With His words, He shall gather out of His kingdom all things that trip us up and them which will do iniquity towards His words and will do evil towards those sent to preach them to the churches.
Matthew 13:41-42 KJV
(41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
(42) And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
The Lord comes with a sword to divide the sheep from the goats…and a man’s foes shall be of his own denomination for those who will hear and not believe in their churches will persecute the believers.
Matthew 10:32-42 KJV
(32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
(33) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
(34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
(35) For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
(36) And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
(37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
We must take up the cross and follow Him out from among them. We must do His commandments and put on Christ and not be found of Him “sleeping” in our wrathful contention of what we hear.
(38) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
(39) He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Those who will receive the “least brothers” of His who will come to preach His words to the churches shall receive Him that sent them. They will receive the Father.
(40) He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
(41) He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
All of those who will show brotherly love towards them whom He sends shall in no wise lose their reward.
(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.
The SWORD comes upon the land and we are to take heed.
The words will be preached along with the great sound of a trumpet…..a warning to those who will hear His words and will want to contend with them.
Ezekiel 33:1-9 KJV
(1) Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(2) Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
(3) If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
(4) Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
(5) He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
(6) But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
(7) So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
A wicked man who will contend with what he hears is warned to turn from His ways and DO the commandments of God.
(8) When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
(9) Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
(10) Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?
(11) Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
(12) Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
The righteous are not to trust in their own righteousness and commit sin….evil speaking. We are not to return evil to those who will persecute us for believing.
(13) When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
(14) Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
We are to DO His commandments when we hear the Word of truth being preached to our ears. We are to no longer steal….preaching for money with deceptive words. We are to drop our evil nets and follow Him without evil contentions. We are to hear the warning....the great sound of the Trumpet....as He will send forth His words to divide those who will do His commandments from those who will be found not doing them.
(15) If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
(16) None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.