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watchman The rise of movements fueled by hostility, mockery, and authoritarian force exposes the spiritual battle underlying the times, and it underscores why the role of God’s watchman must be carried out with uncompromising purpose. When the “prove me wrong” mentality cloaks itself in pride, it does not invite dialogue but rather seeks to provoke, belittle, and silence dissent, fostering a culture of contention that mirrors the adversary’s strategy of accusation. Likewise, when authoritarian impulses rise in the land, pressing for conformity through fear, coercion, and the curtailing of conscience, it signals the assumption of the dragon-like spirit described in prophecy—a nation once professing liberty now speaking with the mind of Satan, exercising power in the very likeness of Rome’s oppression. In such a climate, the watchman cannot retreat into silence or timidity; his charge is to sound the trumpet with clarity, warning of deception and calling hearts to steadfast allegiance to God’s truth. His voice must be more than mere reaction—it must be a beacon of divine light cutting through the haze of falsehood, a steady witness that anchors faith in the promises of God rather than in the illusions of earthly power. The purpose of the watchman, then, is not only to expose the danger but to lift up the hope of deliverance, to prepare a people unmoved by fear and unmuddied by hatred, who can stand in loyalty to Christ when the dragon’s fury is unleashed without restraint. The watchman’s call has never been more urgent, for the wicked conditions of the world are no longer subtle but openly paraded. Moral decay, lawlessness, and the growth of evil forces are now celebrated as progress, while truth and holiness are mocked as outdated. In such an environment, the faithful must not shrink back in fear but strengthen their resolve in God. This strengthening of faith does not come by accident; it is forged in prayer, in the Word, and in steadfast obedience to the Spirit’s leading. When darkness deepens, light must shine brighter, and when wickedness increases, the people of God are called to rise higher in trust, purity, and courage. The watchman cannot be distracted by the noise of the age, for his eyes must remain fixed on the Lord who alone sees the end from the beginning. Faith in this time must be more than belief—it must be a living reliance upon God’s promises. Evil will not diminish but will intensify, and those who are unprepared will be swept away by deception and despair. Yet the watchman, grounded in faith, recognizes that God has appointed this very hour for His people to stand as witnesses. Each wave of wickedness becomes an occasion to prove that God’s grace is sufficient, His Spirit is present, and His Word is unshakable. Faith, then, is not merely defensive but actively triumphant, enabling the believer to endure persecution, resist temptation, and love even when surrounded by hate. Therefore, the preparation for what lies ahead is not rooted in human strength but in yielding completely to divine strength. The true watchman must learn to stand alone if necessary, unmoved by the compromises of the multitude, and ready to sound the alarm even when it is unpopular. Such faith is tested in the hidden places before it is proven in the open battlefield. As wickedness multiplies, the faithful remnant will be distinguished not by their knowledge alone, but by their unbreakable trust in God’s character. This trust will enable them to endure the shaking to come, and to shine as beacons of hope when the night is darkest. In this, the call of the watchman and the call of every believer is one: to prepare, to endure, and to trust the Lord whose kingdom cannot be shaken. The times we face demand a faith that is not fragile, but fortified in the furnace of trial. The watchman sees the gathering storm of evil and knows that the hour of testing approaches swiftly. The decay of morality and the rise of dark powers are not random, but the fulfillment of prophetic warnings that evil will wax worse before the dawn of God’s final triumph. In such days, weak faith will falter, but steadfast faith will shine as the morning star. The call is to a faith that does not bend with cultural compromise nor collapse under mounting pressure, but a faith rooted so deeply in Christ that no tempest can uproot it. Such faith is sharpened in contrast to the growing wickedness, for as lawlessness abounds, the necessity of holiness becomes all the more evident. The watchman’s spirit is stirred, not to despair, but to vigilance, knowing that God equips His people precisely for the time in which they live. To stand when others fall requires a vision lifted above the clamor of the world, fixed on the eternal promises of God. Here faith becomes more than a shield; it becomes a flame, burning with unquenchable resolve to endure the night and herald the coming day. The world may sink into corruption, but the faithful rise in consecration. Evil may increase in its boldness, but faith must increase in its purity. The watchman understands that the darker the horizon grows, the nearer the dawn must be. It is in this tension—between increasing wickedness and strengthening faith—that the people of God are sealed for their final witness. To stand unmoved in the swelling tide of evil is to bear testimony that God is trumpet sounds not mocked, His Word has not failed, and His Kingdom is unshakable. This is the prophetic charge: to cultivate a faith fierce enough for the midnight hour, tender enough to love in the face of hate, and resolute enough to endure until the trumpet sounds. The hour in which we live presses heavily upon the conscience of all who seek truth. The wickedness of the world has grown bold and unashamed, its corruption no longer cloaked in secrecy but paraded in the streets as virtue. What once was hidden in shadows is now celebrated in the open. Moral decay spreads like a plague, infecting the minds of nations and numbing the souls of multitudes. The forces of darkness, once restrained, are now swelling in strength, preparing to challenge every standard of righteousness. In such a time, the call of the watchman resounds with urgency. His voice pierces the night not with words of comfort alone, but with the alarm that the day of trial is at hand. Yet in the midst of this rising tide of wickedness, there comes also the summons to a faith that is greater than the hour. For if evil grows bolder, so too must faith grow stronger. The people of God are not left to drift upon the currents of despair, for the Lord has forewarned of these days. He has not promised the absence of wickedness, but the triumph of those who endure it. Faith, then, is not simply belief in what God has spoken; it is reliance upon Him when all else crumbles, the anchoring of the soul in the certainty of His Word, the unwavering trust that His promises remain sure even when the world trembles. This faith must be more than intellectual assent, for mere knowledge will not preserve in the furnace of affliction. It must be living, breathing, enduring— faith that is tested in silence before it is revealed in public trial. Such faith is born in the hidden closet of prayer, where the heart lays hold of the eternal unseen and learns to rest in the Almighty’s hand. It is there that the watchman strengthens his resolve, learning to discern the voice of God amid the clamors of deception. Without this grounding, no one will stand when the winds of wickedness sweep the earth. But with it, the soul becomes immovable, anchored to the Rock of Ages. The rise of evil forces is not cause for despair but for greater consecration. When sin abounds, the necessity of holiness shines all the brighter. When lawlessness multiplies, obedience to God’s commandments becomes the dividing line of truth. The watchman, seeing the corruption of the age, does not sink in hopelessness, but lifts his vision higher, to the throne of Him who reigns over all. He knows that darkness may cover the earth, but the light of the Lord will arise upon His people. He understands that though deception surrounds, truth still speaks. In this, his faith is not weakened by the sight of wickedness, but purified, sharpened, and made resilient. For the faithful, each act of evil becomes an opportunity to prove the sufficiency of God’s grace. Each surge of darkness becomes an occasion to shine the brighter. Faith becomes not merely defensive, but triumphant, for it reveals the strength of God in human weakness. To endure persecution with patience, to love in the face of hatred, to trust when sight offers no comfort—these are the marks of a faith refined for the last days. This is the faith that overcomes the world, not because it avoids trial, but because it clings to God through it. Therefore, the preparation for increasing wickedness cannot rest in human strength or earthly strategies. The arm of flesh will fail; institutions will collapse; traditions will falter. Only those who are rooted in God’s unchanging character will endure. The watchman’s task is to cultivate this endurance, to sound the alarm not only of danger but of readiness. He knows that the time will come when standing for truth will mean standing alone, and he prepares his heart for that hour. Faith that is strengthened now in quiet obedience will alone hold firm when the storm rages. As wickedness escalates, the faithful remnant will be revealed—not by their outward profession alone, but by their inward trust in God. They will be distinguished by their refusal to yield to compromise, their willingness to suffer loss rather than betray the truth, and their unshakable confidence that God is with them even in the fire. The world may mock them, despise them, and persecute them, but their witness will shine as a testimony that God is faithful. Their endurance will prove to heaven and earth that His grace is sufficient for every trial. The prophetic charge, then, is clear: strengthen the faith that remains, for the night is far spent and the day is at hand. The watchman must prepare not with fear, but with unwavering hope, knowing that wickedness will have its hour, but righteousness will have the final word. To cultivate a faith fierce enough for midnight, tender enough to love amid hatred, and steadfast enough to endure until the trumpet sounds—this is the work now before God’s people. And though the world sinks deeper into corruption, the faithful rise higher in consecration, for their eyes are fixed not on the decay of earth but on the promise of a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Thus, the wickedness of the last days is not the end of faith but its proving ground. The storms of evil will not extinguish the light of the righteous; rather, they will cause it to burn with greater clarity. The darkness will only serve to highlight the brilliance of faith’s flame. The watchman sees this truth and stands ready, for he knows that beyond the shadow of night lies the dawn of everlasting day. And so he sounds the call: Prepare, endure, and believe. For though wickedness increases, the Lord reigns, and His kingdom is sure. Ezekiel’s prophetic commission in chapter 3:17–21 establishes one of the most solemn responsibilities ever entrusted to man, as God calls him to be a “watchman unto the house of Israel.” The imagery of the watchman is drawn from the ancient city walls, where guards stood to warn of approaching danger. Their task was not optional nor decorative—it was a matter of life and death. The Lord explains that the prophet’s role is not merely to speak general encouragements, but to faithfully deliver His warnings without alteration or hesitation. If the wicked are not warned and perish in their sins, the prophet himself will be held accountable for their blood; but if he warns them, whether they listen or refuse, his soul is delivered. This double responsibility, both to the people and to God, sets the tone for Ezekiel’s entire ministry, showing that divine calling carries accountability not only for results, but for obedience to the duty of warning. What stands out most is that Ezekiel is held responsible not for the choices of others, but for the faithfulness of his witness. Thus, the passage reveals God’s seriousness about truth-telling, responsibility, and the preservation of human souls. This solemn charge is later expanded and re-emphasized in Ezekiel 33:1– 20, where the watchman parable is retold with even greater detail. Here, the Lord explains the principle of justice upon which His judgments rest. Just as a physical watchman who fails to sound the trumpet allows blood to be shed unjustly, so too a spiritual watchman who withholds God’s warning becomes complicit in the loss of the sinner. However, when the trumpet is blown and the people refuse to take heed, the responsibility shifts entirely to them. This clarifies the dual accountability structure: the prophet must speak, and the hearer must respond. Ezekiel 33 goes further by addressing the fairness of God’s judgments, since the people accused Him of injustice. The Lord defends His ways, declaring that if the wicked turn from sin they shall live, but if the righteous turn away from righteousness they shall die in their sin. Each person’s outcome is determined by the present state of faith and obedience, not by their past record. This demonstrates both the impartiality and immediacy of divine justice, showing that God’s concern is not with static labels but with living faithfulness in the present. Taken together, these passages highlight the prophetic office as one of warning, accountability, and divine justice. They reveal that silence in the face of sin is itself a sin, for God requires His messengers to speak plainly and urgently. Yet they also guard against fatalism, since repentance is always open to the wicked, and complacency is always a danger to the righteous. The tension between Ezekiel 3 and 33 is not contradiction, but completion: the first emphasizes the prophet’s personal responsibility before God, while the second emphasizes the people’s personal responsibility before God. Both prophet and hearer stand under divine scrutiny, neither excused by the failure of the other. This balance underscores God’s fairness, for He holds no one accountable beyond what they have received, yet He also leaves no one without witness. The gospel pattern foreshadowed here is clear: God appoints watchmen in every age to speak truth, and each soul must respond to that truth with either repentance or rebellion. Moreover, these passages press upon us the urgency of the present hour. Just as Ezekiel bore the burden of warning a rebellious Israel before the destruction of Jerusalem, so too the elect in the last days bears the burden of warning the world before the final judgment. The trumpet of truth must sound clearly, unsoftened by fear of men, for the blood of souls is at stake. Spiritual watchmen today—whether pastors, teachers, or faithful laypeople— must learn from Ezekiel that God values obedience more than popularity, and truth more than comfort. Likewise, hearers must learn that yesterday’s righteousness cannot cover today’s rebellion, nor yesterday’s sin negate today’s repentance. Each day stands fresh before God, and each soul must live in readiness. Thus, Ezekiel 3:17–21 and 33:1–20, bound together by divine urgency together form a solemn theology of responsibility, warning us that silence, compromise, and presumption are deadly, but faithful witness and genuine repentance are life. The background of Ezekiel’s watchman calling is deeply rooted in Israel’s history at one of its darkest moments. Ezekiel himself was among the exiles carried away to Babylon around 597 B.C., when Judah had already lost much of its independence and Jerusalem teetered on the edge of destruction. The people were rebellious, unwilling to believe that God would permit His holy city and temple to fall, yet their sins of idolatry, injustice, and covenant- breaking had reached a fullness of judgment. In this setting, the image of a watchman would have been vividly familiar, for ancient cities depended upon alert sentinels on their walls to protect them from sudden invasion. Failure in that role meant devastation for an entire people. By applying this imagery to the prophet, God underscores that the true danger was not Babylon’s armies but Israel’s sin, and that the only protection was heeding His warnings. Thus historically, the role of Ezekiel as watchman meant standing as a spiritual sentinel while the nation walked blindly toward ruin, a lonely commission that demanded both courage and obedience in the face of rejection. Theologically, the watchman passages reveal a profound truth about God’s justice and mercy. God is not arbitrary; His judgments are never detached from human choice. The wicked are not destroyed because of God’s pleasure in judgment, but because they stubbornly refuse the warning and persist in sin. Likewise, the righteous are not saved because of past merits, but because they continue in faithfulness. This strikes against the notion of once-for-all righteousness or inherited salvation; instead, it highlights accountability in the present. Divine justice is portrayed as dynamic and relational, not mechanical. God’s word, delivered through the watchman, becomes the dividing line between life and death. The blood-guilt principle in Ezekiel 3:18–21 shows that truth withheld makes the messenger complicit, for God’s justice demands that every soul be given the opportunity to turn. Yet God’s mercy shines in the repeated call to repentance: “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” The theological force is that God’s justice and mercy meet in the prophetic word, and human responsibility is unavoidable. Prophetically, these texts transcend their immediate setting to describe the ongoing responsibility of God’s witnesses in every age. From the apostles onward, the true people of God have stood as a city on a hill, charged with warning the world of sin and pointing to salvation in Christ. Paul echoes Ezekiel’s language when he declares in Acts 20:26–27, “I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” This shows that the principle of the watchman is not confined to ancient Israel, but is a pattern for all who bear God’s word. In times of moral decay, societal collapse, or spiritual blindness, the prophetic responsibility grows sharper. The silence of God’s people in the face of sin becomes a betrayal not only of their neighbors but of God Himself. Thus, the prophetic application is that every generation must have its Ezekiels, willing to sound the trumpet regardless of the scorn or opposition they face. Their task is not to force repentance, but to remove excuse, ensuring that each soul stands accountable for its own choice before God. In the end-time context, Ezekiel’s watchman message finds its fullest parallel in the proclamation of the three angels of Revelation 14. Just as Ezekiel warned of Jerusalem’s fall, so the final watchmen warn of Babylon’s fall and the impending judgment of God. The call to “fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come”, echoes the urgency of the trumpet. The responsibility of the final generation of God’s witnesses is even weightier, for they stand not before the fall of one city but before the close of probation for the entire world. Their silence would mean eternal loss for multitudes, and their faithfulness will mean vindication before heaven. The end-time watchmen, like Ezekiel, will be despised, accused of injustice, and labeled alarmists, yet their purpose is divine. They must declare that past righteousness does not excuse present rebellion, and that present repentance can erase past sins through the blood of the Lamb. In this, the impartial justice of Ezekiel 33 becomes the eternal standard: each soul judged in the light of present obedience to God’s word. The failure of warning is as deadly as the failure of repentance. And so, Ezekiel 3:17–21 and 33:1–20 together present more than a historical metaphor; they unveil a theology of responsibility, a prophecy of witness, and an end-time charge. They remind us that history is not driven merely by armies and kings, but by the response of human hearts to the word of God. They teach that divine justice is never arbitrary, but always fair, proportionate, and deeply personal. And they press upon the people of the last days the urgency of faithful witness, for the time is short and the blood of souls weighs upon silence. Just as Ezekiel stood as a sentinel on the walls of a doomed Jerusalem, so too the final generation is called to stand as spiritual sentinels over a world approaching judgment. The world around us teeters on the brink, confident in its own wisdom, blind to the nearness of judgment. To remain silent is to share in its guilt; to sound the trumpet is to share in Christ’s testimony. The cost of silence is blood; the cost of faithfulness is rejection, yet the reward is life. Every believer is called in some measure to the watchman’s work—whether by word, by example, by intercession, or by witness. None are exempt. The trumpet must sound clearly, the truth must be told fully, and every soul must be warned that righteousness and wickedness are not fixed states of the past, but choices of the present moment. The seriousness of this charge, combined with the mercy of God’s call to repent, makes the watchman message both terrifying and hopeful—a solemn reminder that the eternal destiny of many rests upon the faithfulness of a few who dare to speak God’s word without compromise. Our understanding must extend and enlarge to greater depth the eternal dimension of the word of the Lord. The weight of Ezekiel’s commission as watchman cannot be overstated, for it not only sealed his personal destiny but also established a divine principle that extends across all generations. His calling was forged in exile, when the visible glory of God seemed eclipsed by Babylon’s power, and when the people clung to false hopes that the city of Jerusalem would stand forever regardless of their disobedience. Into this illusion God placed His prophet, charging him to pierce through deception with a word that cut like fire and a hammer. Historically, Ezekiel stood in the tension between judgment and mercy, between the collapsing order of Israel’s theocracy and the unseen future of God’s everlasting covenant. His role was both a burden and a mercy, for in sounding the alarm he bore the agony of rejection, yet also the joy of relieving himself of blood-guilt. The image of the watchman thus takes root in the soil of divine justice, sprouting a principle that transcends the ruins of Israel’s city walls: that God never allows judgment to fall without first giving warning through human vessels. This has been His way from Noah to Ezekiel, from John the Baptist to the apostles, and it will remain His way until the last trumpet sounds. Theologically, these passages unveil a dimension of God’s justice that the natural mind resists, but the spiritual mind must embrace: that responsibility is personal, immediate, and inescapable. God’s fairness shines in the fact that no soul perishes unwarned, and no destiny is fixed apart from present choice. The wicked cannot claim ignorance if the watchman has sounded, nor can the righteous claim immunity if they turn away. This is the cutting edge of divine equity, where excuses are stripped and the naked soul stands accountable before the Judge of all. The language of “blood on the hands” presses the reality that sin is not merely personal but communal, that silence implicates, and in a world where men would prefer to think only of their own choices, God declares that silence makes one complicit in another’s destruction. The watchman cannot hide behind the excuse of neutrality, for withholding truth is not passive but deadly. This truth pierces shallow religion, reminding us that God does not measure righteousness merely by personal purity but also by faithfulness to our neighbor’s soul. Such theology disallows casual religion, for the cost of neglect is eternal. Yet it also reveals mercy, for the very act of sending a watchman is grace: God could have judged without warning, but instead He stoops to plead, “Why will you die, O house of Israel?” Thus, justice and mercy flow together, forming the river in which Ezekiel’s prophetic task moves, carrying forward a vision of divine governance that will ultimately be vindicated before the universe. Prophetically, Ezekiel’s role prefigures the witness of every age where God raises sentinels to stand against the tide of rebellion. In the early movement of God’s people, the apostles inherited the mantle of watchmen, declaring the resurrection of Christ against the resistance of kings and priests. Their blood-stained testimonies proved that the cost of silence was less than the cost of betrayal. In the Reformation, watchmen again arose, sounding the trumpet against the tyranny of false religion, though many sealed their witness in flames. In each age, the watchman stands alone, yet not alone, for heaven’s authority backs their words. And in the last days, this prophetic pattern reaches its climax, as a remnant is raised to deliver the three angels’ messages with the sharp clarity of a trumpet blast. Here the Ezekiel commission meets its fullest expression: warning a world on the brink of eternal ruin, calling multitudes out of Babylon’s intoxication, and declaring that present faith, not past standing, determines eternal destiny. The same fairness Ezekiel proclaimed—that righteousness abandoned is worthless, and wickedness repented of is forgiven—will be the standard in the final judgment, when the books are opened and every life is weighed. The end-time parallels grow sharper when we consider the sealing of the 144,000, for they embody the final fulfillment of the watchman role. In the end-time context the principle of the watchman reaches its most solemn and universal application. The final watchmen overlook the closing of human probation. God takes this civic role and infuses it with eternal meaning, charging His last day people to watch not only over physical dangers but over the souls of His people. Their cry is no longer about armies of Babylon, but about the armies of sin and death pressing upon a rebellious nation. By using this imagery, God revealed that His dealings with His people are never merely about geopolitical survival; they are about covenant faithfulness, repentance, and eternal destiny. The sealing of the 144,000 must also be read through this watchman lens. These sealed ones are not merely passive recipients of God’s favor but active bearers of His final testimony. They speak with the clarity of the trumpet, not out of self-will but because the Lamb Himself has led them into fearless truth. Their very lives are warnings, living epistles of divine power, proofs that obedience and holiness are possible even in the darkest hour. These sealed ones stand not only as messengers but as living warnings, their lives testifying to the reality of God’s transforming power. They “follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth,” and in them the trumpet of truth is not merely heard but seen. Like Ezekiel, they bear a message that cuts across comfort, exposing the false security of those who rely on past righteousness or institutional belonging. They are watchmen who cannot be silenced, for the fire of God’s word burns within them, and to suppress it would be to perish. Their testimony provokes the world’s hostility, for no generation has been so resistant to correction, so steeped in lies, so self-assured in its rebellion. Yet in sounding the final warning, they relieve themselves of blood- guilt, and in their obedience the justice and mercy of God are made manifest before the watching universe. The watchman message also parallels the “shaking” among God’s people, for many within the house of faith resist the trumpet. Ezekiel’s hearers were exiles—outwardly broken yet inwardly proud, convinced that God would not truly judge. Likewise, in the end-time church many cling to the illusion that mere association or past righteousness secures them, even while present compromise corrodes their souls. The watchman’s voice shatters these illusions, forcing a choice: repent and live, or harden and perish. This shaking is painful, but it is God’s way of purging His people, separating those who trust in His present word from those who rely on past forms. The shaking, then, is not arbitrary but necessary, for it purges the false security that clings to form without substance. The fairness of God stands in the balance, for none will be able to say, “I was not warned.” The watchman’s cry penetrates every excuse, leaving each soul accountable for its response. On a cosmic scale, Ezekiel’s commission reveals God’s strategy in the great controversy. Satan accuses God of injustice, claiming that His law is arbitrary and His judgments unfair. But the principle of the watchman silences this charge. Before judgment falls, God ensures that warning is given. Before destruction comes, opportunity is extended. What shines here is the righteousness of God, who never allows destruction without witness, never permits judgment without opportunity for repentance. His justice is never arbitrary wrath, but always preceded by mercy’s trumpet. This duality—the certainty of judgment and the patience of warning—reveals that the divine character is neither cold nor indulgent but perfectly balanced in holiness. The blood-on-the-hands motif cuts to the core of prophetic responsibility. It is not enough to quietly know the truth; the messenger is accountable to speak it. Silence in the face of sin is complicity in its outcome. This unveils a sobering theology of responsibility: truth withheld becomes guilt transferred, and a prophet who fears men more than God finds himself guilty of the very destruction he failed to avert. Every angel, every prophet, every watchman testifies to the same truth: God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. When the wicked finally fall, their ruin is self-chosen. Thus, when final judgment is executed, none can accuse God of silence or partiality. His ways are vindicated as righteous, and His mercy is displayed in the very warnings that were despised. In this sense, the watchman message is not only for the salvation of souls but for the vindication of God’s character before the universe. It shows that His government operates on principles of truth, justice, and love—never coercion, never neglect. For the present generation, the impact of these truths cannot be abstract. If Ezekiel was charged to sound the trumpet for Jerusalem’s ruin, then today’s watchmen are charged to sound it for the world’s end. The armies surrounding the city then were but shadows of the powers gathering now. Spiritual Babylon intoxicates nations with lies, world leaders advance in arrogance and deceit, and multitudes sleep in false security. Against this backdrop, the silence of God’s people is betrayal. The blood of neighbors, families, and nations weighs upon the watchman who withholds truth. Yet to speak faithfully is to align with heaven, to share in the authority of Christ, and to know the freedom of obedience. The trumpet of truth must therefore be sounded in pulpits, in homes, in workplaces, in conversations, in written words and in public squares, not with bitterness or pride, but with urgency and love. For in the end, the watchman’s role is not to condemn but to plead, to call the dying to life, to offer the mercy of God before the final door closes. The end-time parallels shine with piercing clarity. Revelation speaks of a final trumpet, of angels flying in midheaven with everlasting gospel, warning of Babylon’s fall and the wrath of God to be poured out without mixture. These angelic heralds mirror the watchman’s task: to sound the alarm before the day of destruction. In fact, the role of Ezekiel foreshadows the final mission of the 144,000, who stand as living trumpets of divine warning, calling all nations to worship the Creator before the hour of judgment strikes. Just as Ezekiel bore blood-guilt if silent, so too the last generation bears responsibility to witness faithfully. The cost of silence in a time of deception is eternal loss for those unwarned, and God will hold His messengers accountable. In this sense, the call of the watchman is not confined to prophets of old, but presses with heightened force upon all who carry the gospel today. Every believer who knows the truth has been stationed upon the wall of their generation, responsible not to secure outcomes but to faithfully deliver warning. Spiritually, the watchman’s cry reverberates as both privilege and burden. It reveals that God does not destroy without testimony, that heaven’s justice demands human partnership in declaring divine counsel. To bear this role is to share in God’s own longing, to stand in the gap between sin and judgment, between rebellion and mercy. It also demands courage. At the deepest level, these passages disclose the eternal reason of God’s dealings with humanity. Judgment is not a random act, but the final sealing of choices long made. The watchman’s cry is God’s way of ensuring that no one perishes without having faced the truth. It is heaven’s safeguard against any accusation that God is unjust, for every soul is given warning, every heart is given opportunity, and every city is given testimony before the final hour. Thus the watchman role is not merely pastoral but cosmic—it is God vindicating Himself before angels and men that His justice is pure and His mercy real. In this light, the warning becomes part of the great controversy, the divine drama in which God’s character is revealed. mirror of our times The watchman passages of Ezekiel stand as a mirror for our times, reflecting the sobering reality of responsibility and the shining hope of redemption. They force the mind upward, beyond the narrow confines of self- preservation, into the vast panorama of God’s purposes. They reveal a God who warns because He loves, who holds accountable because He is just, and who sends watchmen because He wills that none should perish. The very fact that He raises watchmen is grace upon grace, proof that judgment is never His delight. And they press upon the soul the ultimate choice: to heed or to refuse, to turn and live or to persist and die. In this choice lies eternity, and in the faithful cry of the watchman lies the mercy of God extended one last time before judgment falls. The question that remains is not whether God has spoken—He has—but whether His people will be silent, and whether each hearer will respond. For the trumpet is sounding, the watchmen are on the walls, and the time is far spent. For the end-time election, then, Ezekiel’s charge resounds with even greater force. We stand on the walls of a collapsing world, where nations rage, economies tremble, and morality is scorned. The sword is already upon the land in the form of spiritual delusion, political corruption, and global lawlessness. The trumpet of truth must sound with clarity, declaring both the judgment of God and the invitation of grace. The people of God cannot afford to whisper in an age of roaring lies. Nor can it indulge in the false comfort of neutrality, for silence is complicity and complicity is blood-guilt. The hour demands boldness, not in the spirit of condemnation but in the spirit of love that refuses to let souls perish unwarned. The watchman’s role is ultimately the echo of Christ Himself, who bore the full weight of warning, mercy, and judgment in His own body on the cross. To share in that role is to share in His burden for the lost and in His triumph of truth. Thus, Ezekiel 3 and 33 are not ancient relics of prophetic duty but timeless revelations of God’s justice and mercy, reaching their ultimate fulfillment in the last days. The watchman’s cry is the believer’s responsibility, and the Spirit’s summons in every age where darkness thickens. Historically rooted, theologically profound, prophetically sharp, and eschatologically urgent, these passages draw the mind upward to reason with the eternal wisdom of God. They remind us that salvation is not passive but must be pursued, that truth is not optional but must be declared, and that love is not silent but speaks even when unwelcome. To stand as watchmen is to live as witnesses of both grace and truth, so that when the final trumpet sounds, the blood of no soul is found upon our hands, and God is glorified as just and true in all His ways. I appreciate your heart in hearing what is written. What we’re sensing in the world is real. Sometimes when a truth is spoken with fullness and weight, there’s a sacredness to it that makes us see the reality of it. It is intended that what we’ve read holds a kind of “wholeness,” because it blends the historical, theological, prophetic, and end-time dimensions in one stream. We must hear this truth as the foundation stone upon which we are to build foundation stone upward, drawing out new threads that are implicit to the spiritual psychology of the watchman, the covenantal weight of “blood on the hands,” and the cosmic courtroom scene where God’s justice is vindicated through His warnings. The warning will be repetitive, but it grows in height and breadth, like adding ascending layers to a temple already laid upon the cornerstone. Reasoning with the word makes capable the swelling into something even grander. Let’s lift the mind higher into the revelation of God’s justice, mercy, and end-time purpose that souls may be saved. The hour has come when faith must rise above fear, when trust must be anchored deeper than sight, and when the people of God must stand though the earth itself trembles. Wickedness will not abate; it will surge like a flood, testing every foundation. But the righteous will not be moved, for their strength is not in themselves but in the God who cannot fail. This is the moment for unwavering resolve, for the sealing of a people whose faith has been purified in fire and whose loyalty shines like gold. Though nations rage and darkness spreads, the watchman lifts his voice to declare that the Lord still reigns, and His kingdom draws near. Let every heart be steadfast, let every soul be consecrated, for the midnight cry is upon us. And when the trumpet sounds, it will not be the noise of wickedness that endures, but the song of the faithful who overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. Hear it now, O people of God! The hour is late, the shadows lengthen, and the powers of darkness gather with fury never before seen upon the earth. Evilness speaks to the coming wickedness rising like a tsunami, and deception spreads as fire through dry stubble. But let not your hearts be moved, for the Lord has not abandoned His own. Lift your eyes above the turmoil, for the Ancient of Days still sits upon His throne, and His kingdom cannot be shaken. This is the hour for faith unyielding, for trust that stands when all else falls, for a people sealed in holiness and unbreakable resolve. The storm will come, yes—it must come. Nations will rage, laws will be corrupted, and truth will be trampled in the streets. Yet the faithful shall not be consumed, for the fire that surrounds them is the very presence of God. The remnant shall rise, not in the strength of flesh, but in the might of the Spirit, and their testimony shall pierce the darkness as lightning in the night sky. They shall endure, they shall overcome, and they shall bear the name of the Lamb upon their foreheads. So let the watchman sound the cry with trumpet clarity: Stand fast! Strengthen what remains! Consecrate your hearts, for the King is at the door. The midnight hour will give way to morning, and the trembling of the earth will yield to the song of the redeemed. Soon, very soon, the heavens will part, the voice of the Archangel will resound, and the faithful will be caught up to meet their Lord in glory. Therefore, let every heart be steadfast, let every soul be vigilant, for though wickedness increases, it is but the final prelude to everlasting victory. The Lord comes, and His reward is with Him. Stand, watchman, stand—for the dawn is near!   📖 Applying the Study For ongoing spiritual encouragement and prophetical insights, visit Higher Learning.

The Morning Star In Scripture, the image of the Morning Star is a rich and multilayered symbol that unfolds progressively across the biblical narrative, reaching its fullest meaning in Jesus Christ. The term itself—phōsphoros in Greek and lucifer in Hebrew—means “the shining one,” an image drawn from the brilliant appearance of the morning star just before dawn. This image is never neutral. It always carries theological weight, revealing either true, enduring glory or false, fleeting brilliance. Biblically, this image consistently points to the transition from darkness to light, from night to day, and from anticipation to fulfillment. At its core, the Morning Star represents Christ Himself, the One who announces and inaugurates the dawn of God’s kingdom, while also explaining the presence of counterfeit light in a fallen world. Christ as the Morning Star (Primary Meaning) The clearest and controlling definition of the Morning Star is given by Jesus Himself. In Revelation 22:16, Christ declares, “I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and Morning Star.” This statement leaves no ambiguity. He is not merely a sign of the dawn—He is the dawn. This fulfills the ancient messianic hope voiced in Numbers 24 verse 17, where a star arises out of Jacob and a scepter out of Israel, combining royal authority with heavenly light. The Morning Star, therefore, is a messianic title that speaks of Christ’s kingship, glory, and the arrival of God’s redemptive reign. The Morning Star Rising Within Believers (Applied Meaning) Yet Scripture does not stop with Christ revealed externally. In  2 Peter 1:19 , the apostle moves the imagery inward, urging believers to attend to the prophetic word “as unto to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” The day does not break all at once; it  dawns . Guided by the Greek text, this verse depicts a progressive, internal illumination. The verb  diaugasē  describes light breaking through darkness, while  anateilē  conveys rising or beginning to shine. The Morning Star is not portrayed as distant or merely transcendent, but as rising within the inner person—the heart, the center of mind, will, and moral life. Christ’s light is not merely observed; it is received, internalized, and increasingly manifested in those who belong to Him. This does not mean believers become the source of light. Rather, it means that Christ’s own life and glory penetrate and transform them from within. This internal rising of the Morning Star aligns with the broader New Testament witness concerning  union with Christ . Paul speaks of believers being “conformed to the image of His Son”, Romans 8:29, of Christ being “formed in you”, Galatians 4:19, and of “Christ in you, the hope of glory”, Colossians 1:27. In  2 Corinthians 3:18 , believers behold the Lord’s glory and are transformed into the same image “from glory to glory.” Together, these passages confirm that while Christ alone is the Morning Star by nature and authority, His life and glory are meant to be reflected in His people. He is the source of light; believers are its reflectors. As Christ’s light rises within, Scripture also describes a corresponding  change of identity . Paul writes, “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness”, 1 Thessalonians 5:5. This language does not redefine believers as the dawn itself, but as those who belong to the day Christ announces. Awakened by His rising light, they are called to live according to the reality of the coming day while the night is passing. This distinction is crucial. Scripture consistently preserves Christ’s unique identity while affirming believers’ participation in His life. This balance is especially clear in  Revelation 2:28 , where Jesus promises overcomers, “I will give him the morning star.” The Morning Star here is not a created object nor a separate being, but a gift—participation in Christ’s own life, authority, and glory. This promise anticipates  Revelation 22:16 , where Christ reveals that the Morning Star He gives is, in fact, Himself. Believers do not become Christ, but they are granted union with Him, sharing in His reign and radiance, just as  1 John 3:2  declares: “We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” Just as He remains the  Head , believers are His  body , deriving all life, direction, and purpose from Him (Ephesians 1:22–23; Colossians 1:16 to 18). The light does not originate in the body but flows from the Head, in the same way it does through the eye (Matthew 6:22). Likewise, the church is presented as His  bride , adorned not with her own glory but with His (Ephesians 5:25–27; Revelation 21:9–11). In this union, Christ does not diminish His identity, nor are believers absorbed into deity. Rather, His life is shared, His light reflected, and His glory displayed through a people made one with Him. The pattern is consistent: Christ is the light; believers reflect that light as they are transformed by Him. The Morning Star rises within not as a rival light, but as the life of Christ shining through His body and beloved bride—testifying that all radiance, authority, and hope proceed from Him alone. Stars as Messengers, Not Sources of Light Scripture also assigns meaning to stars beyond mere illumination. In Revelation, stars are explicitly identified as messengers. Jesus Himself explains, “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches” (Revelation 1:20). The Greek term  angelos  simply means “messenger,” emphasizing function rather than nature. Stars, therefore, represent appointed bearers of light—those entrusted with revelation, warning, and witness. This distinction is essential. Stars do not create the dawn; they serve within the night. They reflect light, mark seasons, and guide travelers, but they do not originate the day. Likewise, God’s messengers—whether angelic or human—do not generate truth or glory. They bear witness to a greater light. This explains both the dignity and the danger associated with stars in Scripture. Faithful messengers shine by reflecting divine light, while false teachers are described as “wandering stars” (Jude 13), detached from their proper orbit and reserved for darkness. The issue is not brightness, but alignment. In contrast, Christ alone is called the Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). He does not reflect light; He introduces the day. All other stars derive their meaning, placement, and brilliance from Him. When believers are called “children of light” and “children of the day” (1 Thessalonians 5:5), it is not because they have become the source of light, but because they belong to the coming day announced by the true Morning Star. Created “Morning Stars” and Poetic Imagery The Bible also clarifies what the Morning Star is not. Scripture also uses the term “morning stars” in other contexts that must not be confused with Christ’s identity. In Job 38:7, “morning stars” appear in the plural, poetically describing created heavenly beings—angels—who rejoiced at creation. These are not messianic figures, nor are they human. They sing together at creation, parallel to “the sons of God.”. The plural form and the context of creation make this clear. Likewise, Isaiah 14:12 uses similar language—“shining one, son of the dawn”—to describe the pride and downfall of a human king, associated with Satan. The same image is employed, but with the opposite meaning: brief, false glory that rises and falls. Scripture frequently uses shared imagery this way, just as “lion” can describe both Christ and Satan in different contexts. Meaning is determined by context, not by the symbol alone. Across Scripture, then, a coherent theological flow emerges. Creation rejoices in God’s light (Job 38), false glory falls into darkness (Isaiah 14), Christ arises as the true and eternal Morning Star (Revelation 22), and believers are invited to share in His life and reign (Revelation 2:28; 2 Peter 1:19). This movement follows the redemptive arc of the Bible: creation, fall, redemption, and glory. Peter’s use of Morning Star imagery is especially powerful because it is anchored in historical revelation. In 2 Peter 1:16 to 18, he appeals to the Transfiguration, where he witnessed Christ’s majesty firsthand—a preview of the coming kingdom. The prophetic word, he says, is therefore “more sure,” functioning as a lamp during the present darkness of this age. Scripture guides believers until the day dawns and Christ’s glory is fully realized, both in His return and in the completion of His work within His people. Peter immediately guards this hope by reminding readers that prophecy is not subjective or privately invented, but Spirit-inspired and trustworthy. 2 Peter 1:20, 21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Jude reinforces this same framework by contrast. False teachers are described as “wandering stars,” destined for darkness (Jude 13), unstable and deceptive, unlike Christ, the true Morning Star who faithfully heralds the dawn. Jude’s warning mirrors Peter’s concern: those who reject the light before dawn will remain in darkness. Yet Jude ends, like Peter, with hope—God is able to present His people blameless before His glory with great joy (Jude 24), the very glory revealed in Christ. Throughout the prophets, this light-dawn imagery continues. Amos 5:8 praises the LORD who “turns the shadow of death into the morning,” echoing resurrection hope. Malachi 4:2 announces the rising of the Sun of Righteousness with healing, complementing the Morning Star imagery. Isaiah 60:1–2 calls God’s people to arise and shine because the LORD has risen upon them. All of these strands converge in Christ, the Light of the world (John 1:4 to 9), whose coming transforms night into day. False Light and the Fall of Lucifer (Where It Belongs) The question of Lucifer, Satan, and certain human rulers must be handled with care in order to preserve the integrity of the Morning Star doctrine. Scripture never states in a single verse, “Lucifer fell and became Satan.” Rather, this understanding arises from the convergence of “precept upon precept, line upon line” theological synthesis, as multiple passages are read together. Isaiah 14:12 speaks of the fall of hêlēl ben-shāḥar—often translated “shining one” or “son of the dawn.” In its immediate context, this passage is a taunt against the king of Babylon, employing elevated and poetic language to mock his prideful ambition and sudden downfall. Yet Isaiah 14 functions typologically. The king’s repeated declarations—“I will ascend… I will exalt my throne”—reach beyond ordinary political arrogance and mirror a deeper pattern of rebellion against divine authority. For this reason, the imagery became associated with Satan when read alongside passages that explicitly describe his fall, such as Revelation 12 and Jude 6. This broader biblical witness is reinforced by Christ’s own words:  “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven”  (Luke 10:18). Peter likewise speaks of angels who sinned and were cast down and reserved for judgment (2 Peter 2:4). Taken together, these texts establish Satan as a fallen angelic being characterized by pride, deception, and the loss of true glory. Ezekiel 28 presents a deliberate prophetic progression that further clarifies this pattern. Verses 1 to 5 confront the  prince of Tyre  as a mortal man, explicitly reminding him, “thou art a man, and not God,” and holding him accountable for his political arrogance. Beginning in verse 6, however, the lament shifts. The prophet now addresses the  king of Tyre , whose origin, position, and fall are described in Edenic and heavenly terms that exceed what can be applied to any human ruler alone. This shift indicates that the prophecy is now directed toward Satan himself—the unseen spiritual ruler whose authority, mindset, and ambition were exercised through the human king. The passage thus reveals not a blending of beings, but a hierarchy of control: an earthly prince ruled by a greater, unseen king. In Scripture, “king” and “prince” are not rigid ranks but functional titles whose meaning depends on whether the text is addressing earthly authority, administrative rule, or cosmic power. In this way, the same rebellious spirit animates both the invisible adversary and the visible tyrant. As Paul later explains, this is “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). The human ruler becomes a historical manifestation of unseen rebellion. The name  Lucifer  itself does not originate in Hebrew but arises from the Latin translation of Isaiah 14, where  hêlēl  was rendered as  lucifer , meaning “light-bearer.” Its later theological use reflects Satan’s role as false light—one who appears radiant, ascends in pride, and collapses into darkness. This false dawn does not define the Morning Star; it parasitically imitates it. Lucifer’s fall explains the corruption of light during the night, but it is Christ alone who defines the true dawn and brings the night to its end. False Light vs. True Light Isaiah 14:12 declares, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” In Scripture, the term  son  often functions as a relational and creative designation rather than a statement of divine nature. It can signify that which is produced, derived, or brought forth. Thus, in Isaiah 14:12, the phrase “son of the morning” does not confer authority, divinity, or messianic status; it identifies origin. Hebrews 1:5 makes clear that God has only one Son by nature—Jesus Christ—whose Sonship is unique, eternal, and unshared. Yet Colossians 1:15–16 teaches that all created beings, whether angels or mankind, exist through Christ and for Christ; they are the work of His hands, not participants in His divine Sonship. In this sense, for Lucifer to be called a “son of the morning” places him firmly within the order of creation—one brought into being, not self-existent, not the source of light, and not the heir of divine authority. The title marks derivation, not destiny; creation, not crown. Here the contrast becomes essential. Scripture deliberately employs similar imagery to reveal opposing realities: Christ as the true dawn—marked by humble descent and eternal exaltation—and Lucifer as a false dawn—defined by prideful ascent and catastrophic fall. Those who operate within this realm are described elsewhere as belonging to the night, not as possessors of true light, but as those shaped by darkness and deception. Paul contrasts them with believers when he writes that we “are not of the night, nor of darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). Satan is later described as one who masquerades “as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14), while false teachers are called “wandering stars” reserved for utter darkness (Jude 13). These images belong to the shadow side of the light and dawn motif. They account for deception that operates during the night, not the character of the coming day. Lucifer’s fall explains why the night exists; Christ, the true Morning Star, explains why the night will end (Genesis 3:15). The Morning Star and the Opening of Orion Amos calls God’s people to seek the Lord and live, anchoring true life not in outward religion, but in righteousness that flows from heaven itself. This call is immediately linked to the Creator’s power over the heavens: “Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion.” The prophet directs our eyes upward, reminding us that the same God who governs justice on earth also commands the constellations in the sky. Heaven itself becomes a witness, a signpost pointing to God’s voice and His final movements in the great controversy. Orion, referred to by Amos, stands as more than a constellation—it is a celestial testimony of God’s sovereignty and His coming intervention. According to the Spirit of Prophecy, Orion will open as a vast gateway, a beacon to God’s faithful people, Early Writing, Page 45. Today, this constellation is understood emblematically, drawing the gaze of the redeemed heavenward and signaling the approach of God’s final act of deliverance. Amos links this heavenly sign with a profound spiritual transformation: God “turneth the shadow of death into the morning.” The grave, once dark and final, is overcome by resurrection light. As David declared, “When I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness.” This awakening finds its fulfillment in the Morning Star—Christ Himself—whose glory dispels the night of sin and death. Even the strange day spoken of by Zechariah, neither full day nor full night, resolves into light at evening time, when human hope seems dimmest. Thus, the opening of Orion is not merely cosmic spectacle; it is a declaration that righteousness will prevail. Judgment will no longer be turned to wormwood, nor justice cast aside. The same Lord who pours out the waters upon the earth and commands the seas will complete His work of restoration. His name stands above all—Creator, Redeemer, and King. In the heavens and in the earth, His purpose is sure, and His people are called now, as then, to seek Him and live. Venus and Emblematic Light (Morning and Evening Star) The Morning Star is a powerful image both in the heavens and in Scripture. What we call the Morning Star or the Evening Star is actually the planet Venus. Though often mistaken for a star, Venus does not produce its own light; it reflects the light of the sun. Because it orbits between the Earth and the Sun, it never appears far from the sun in our sky—never more than about forty-seven degrees. For this reason, Venus is only visible at the margins of the day, either shortly before sunrise or shortly after sunset. It never shines in the deep of night. As the third brightest natural object in the sky after the sun and the moon, it commands attention during these moments of transition, remaining in one role—morning or evening—for roughly two hundred sixty-three days before shifting again. These moments of appearance are significant. As the Morning Star, Venus signals the first light, the quiet announcement that night is ending even while darkness still lingers. As the Evening Star, it represents the last light, the final witness before night settles in. In both cases, Venus does not change the night by force; it marks a turning point. Its presence speaks not of completion, but of certainty—something new is coming, something inevitable is on the horizon. Scripture draws deeply on this imagery. In Revelation, Jesus declares, “I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.” He does not identify Himself as the midday sun, blazing over a world already transformed, but as the Morning Star—appearing while the world is still dark. Christ entered human history not after darkness had passed, but at its height, proclaiming that the dawn of God’s kingdom was assured. Like Venus before sunrise, His light did not erase the night immediately, but it made the coming day undeniable. Spiritual illumination often precedes visible change, just as Venus rises before the sun crests the horizon. Scripture also warns that not every “morning star” is true. Isaiah speaks of one who fell, a false light driven by pride and self-glory. The contrast is sharp. Venus itself offers a lesson: it shines brilliantly, yet only because it reflects the sun. In the same way, Christ’s glory is not self-exalting but perfectly reflective of the Father. True light does not draw attention to itself; it points beyond itself to the greater glory that follows. Ultimately, the Morning Star reminds us that God works in seasons and transitions. It teaches patience in the darkness and confidence in the promise of light. The Morning Star is not the dawn, but it guarantees the dawn. When Jesus names Himself the Bright Morning Star, He assures us that no night is endless, no darkness final. Even when the world still sleeps, the first light has already appeared, quietly proclaiming that the day of the Lord is near. The Prophetic and Redemptive Flow When placed correctly, the Morning Star theme unfolds as a coherent biblical progression rather than a scattered set of images. It begins at  creation , where the “morning stars” rejoice as God lays the foundations of the world, celebrating His life-giving work and creative authority (Job 38:7). From there, Scripture records  rebellion —angels who fall from their appointed place and human rulers who imitate that same prideful ascent, seeking glory apart from God (Jude 6; Isaiah 14). This rebellion gives rise to  darkness , a long night in which false light governs and “wandering stars” mislead, offering brilliance without truth and illumination without life. Into that darkness comes  redemption . Christ appears not as a counterfeit light but as the true and final Morning Star, announcing the end of night and the certainty of dawn (Revelation 22:16). His coming does not merely expose deception; it initiates  transformation , as His light rises within believers, illumining the heart and guiding them until the day fully breaks (2 Peter 1:19). The theme reaches its culmination in  glory , when the day has completely dawned and God’s people share in Christ’s likeness, seeing Him as He is and reflecting His radiance forever (1 John 3:2). Read this way, the Morning Star remains firmly Christ-centered. Satan is not allowed to define the meaning of light; he merely reveals the nature of the night. Christ alone defines the dawn—and guarantees its coming. Final Summary In the created order, Venus uniquely appears as both the morning star and the evening star, depending on its position relative to the sun. It shines with remarkable brilliance, yet it does not produce its own light—it reflects light. Today, this astronomical reality is  emblematic , not doctrinal. Scripture does not build theology on planets, yet it frequently uses the visible heavens as a teaching witness (Psalm 19:1). In this sense, Venus serves as a fitting emblem of  borrowed glory . What appears radiant and authoritative may still be derivative. This makes the image useful for illustration, but never authoritative for interpretation. Christ alone is identified as  “the bright and morning star”  (Revelation 22:16), not because He reflects light, but because He is its source. Any lesser “morning star” imagery—whether applied to rulers, angels, or symbols—only has meaning in relation to Him. The Morning Star was the first light, from which all light proceeds in Genesis. It was introduced before the creation of the physical earth, fully revealed in Christ, intended to restore humanity to divine light. It is not merely created light, but the herald of divine action with Christ Himself as the illuminating presence. Since heaven had already existed for eternities, God’s introduction of the Morning Star was intentional and purposeful. In Genesis 1 through 3, this light is the same light spoken of in John 1, the light that enlightens every man. Taken together, Scripture presents a unified and Christ-centered doctrine: Jesus Christ alone is the Morning Star—the herald and embodiment of God’s eternal day. As He rises in the hearts of believers through faith and the work of the Spirit, His image is progressively formed within them. Until the final dawn, the written Word remains the lamp guiding God’s people through the night. When the day fully breaks, faith will give way to sight, and the glory already begun within will be revealed in fullness. In this way, Scripture redeems the image of the Morning Star by revealing its true meaning in Christ. Created stars may rejoice, false light may imitate, and wandering stars may deceive in the darkness—but Christ alone is the Bright Morning Star, eternal and victorious. Lucifer’s fall explains the presence of the night; Christ, the Morning Star, announces its end and the dawn of God’s everlasting day.

Word of the Word God is revealed and experienced in the Word. And only the knowledge of His Word can lead a person to the truth of the knowledge of Him, and consequently His power. And God’s power is demonstrated by His ability to accomplish His will in every situation, both real and potential, through any means He chooses, in order to glorify Himself. God's power is centered on His will and His glory. His transformative power is the power of God poured out on the human heart. God's word is a standard against which all philosophies, ideas, and proposed solutions for our depraved condition can be measured for correctness. If God's word approves it, we can run with it; if the Word rejects it, nothing we can do will make it work, make it acceptable, or make it right. Search the scripture because God's word is the standard for comparison, not human notions. God's word, planted in human hearts, produces true faithful believers. God's Word is the bonding means between Himself and His people. It is our greatest and most precious reward. Death is not a surety in life. For not all will die. Eternal life is not a surety, for not all will be brought by Christ to the Father. There is however one for sure thing in life…the judgment. The word of God is the only source of information that can help us prepare for this sure event in our lives. It has the power to do this because God, in His word, shows us how to prepare for the "great day" in our lives. We must be ready, ignorance and disbelief will not exempt any from the judgement. To experience the power of God we need to know and understand the word. We are to study the word, to respond in complete obedience to every word, sharing the word multiplies the power of God to enable others to enable others to do the same. When you hear the phrase, “the Word of God”, do you think of the divine message given to humanity?  The Word is a discrete “message from God,” a particular divine message given at a particular time for a particular purpose. Furthermore, while these few precious “words of God” have certainly been compiled together and written down, they are to be heard in the thoughts of God as an oral proclamation, as spoken messages. When we hear God’s thoughts in the word, we hear life, truth, grace, faith, salvation, here, and here, and here, and here…with a specific content of that which is affirmed and manifested. God has spoken many “words,” given many divine messages, commands, teachings, promises, and prophetic pronouncements. And Jesus is the “Word” of all those “words,” the Divine Message extraordinaire. And this ultimate Divine Message has been “made flesh and dwelt among us.” The eternal Word in all these divine words has become embodied in a particular human and divine person, Jesus. Every word of God finds its coherence, its fulfillment in the One, the clearest and most complete revelation of God and God’s will. Our seeing the eternal message of God embodied in Jesus’ life, teachings, death, and resurrection, empowers us to respond to the living Jesus with loving devotion and faithful allegiance. Christ is the titled name of the “anointed One”, the “chosen One”, the Son of the living God. Even the devils acknowledge this truth. He is Jesus the human, Christ the Divine. The Word says it in the bible. Luke 4:41 John 1:1-4, 14 Jesus has extraordinary oratory abilities…he is the Word that reaches the upper heights of creative and transforming power conveying a moral and spiritual framework to live by. As we hear, as we study the word of God it not only broadens our inquiries into understanding, but it broadens the truth of the answers given. This is divinely and intentionally designed by God. It is known as verbal plenary inspiration. The word of God communicates exactly what He wanted us to understand beyond the written texts. His words reflect the quality of being “God-breathed.” Everything in scripture is there, not only in the written word, but also in the idea, the thought, the intent, the purpose, behind the written word of what God has decreed, has experienced so that if we are wise we will seek the higher wisdom to understand the moments, the events, and connect them with the character and purpose of God. We are not to lean upon our own understanding. We are to depend upon the faith given that God knows the whole picture. Ours is a pilgrimage of growing in conformity to Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit through the word of God. We cannot ignore God’s creative ability to give us understanding according to His word as it is reasoned with the mind of Christ. Our approach to the word is to fix us forward to the day when we can and will see God face to face. Every word is to lead us toward and into the love of God as we are brought deeper into the life of Christ. This is not interpretation of scripture…it is a distinctively purposed union with the Holy Spirit to convince and to convict us of the authoritative nature of God to give us an exalted view precisely making Himself known more throughly, not just in His revelations but in the spiritual source of His revelations. And that spiritual source is the word of the Godhead in the Determinate Counsel. It is the one only source of revelation, namely, God the Father, through Jesus Christ the Son, in the Holy Ghost, the Spirit. It is by this source that God speaks divinely to us with human utterances. All these utterances can be summarized in only one word, the divine Word. Jesus Christ is the original revelation of God. Through revelation, God unveils certain truths about Himself and His salvific plan for mankind. Some of these truths exceed all created intellect; others are accessible to the human mind by receiving the entrusted sacred deposit of wisdom when coming now to reason with He who patterned every sounding word of creation. We are to follow the pattern of the sound words which we have heard from God, in the faith and guard the truth love which are in Christ Jesus. We are to guard the truth that has been entrusted to us by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. II Timothy 1:13, 14; 2:1-3 The scripture and the word are “bound closely together, and communicate one with and for the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing, and move us towards delving deeply into the divine mysteries revealed. Christ himself wanted his people to have a living teaching authority with the task of authentically interpreting the divine word, whether written or orally transmitted, exercising its authority in the name of Jesus Christ. This authority is not superior to the word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command it hears the devoted truths of God, guards them with dedication and expounds them faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is to draw upon our single deposit of faith. In this supremely wise arrangement of God, scripture and the word are so connected and associated that one cannot stand without the other. Working together, each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit, they contribute effectively to the salvation of souls. Thus, the Word is the only authentic interpreter of scripture. Yes, we are to study the bible alone as individuals for ourselves. And yes, we should study the word as a community. We should be hearing others who are studying scripture, giving checks and balances to one another through the Spirit that we learn more of God. God is infinitely great, but our image of God, our conception of God, isn’t…it can’t be. The unifying thread running through the word is the importance of knowing God in the life, and of our faith in the word through which we form the image of the greatness of God. In our finite humanness, we cannot comprehend God’s immensity, cannot take in God’s greatness. What we do is to form an image in our minds encompassing as much of God’s greatness as we can handle, and that image is inevitably too small. So, God makes His Word more expansive than what our minds can conjure. We are jolted by how the word of God always moves our mind to more essential truths. God grows bigger. It is for those who choose not to reason with God that deaden the reality of truth. Our approach to the truth of the word of God is to enable sight. It is true that “seeing is believing”. But in reasoning with God “believing is seeing”.  And we by faith see the effect of God invading time and space to show the revelation of His word both in the bible and in the experience. This cannot be grasped by the intellect alone. God came down to talk with Moses. And Moses had as intimate a communion with God as thinkable. God spoke face to face with Moses, yet Moses desired a deeper acquaintance. Moses wanted to “see” the Word of the Word. This is why we study scripture…to endeavor to preserve it and to improve upon our bearing the sight of it. It is not with bodily eyes that we see the Word until our Lord returns, but hearing the word fits us to assist our faith to know the earnest of His presence. And it is in our going from faith to faith in His word that lets us adore the height of what we do know of God, and the depth of what we do not. We are acutely conscious of the hiddenness of God, of the inexhaustible mystery of the Divine. But we have an eye to the evidences of the shadows that proves the light of the mysteries of truths revealed. Every word of Jesus has unique significance. They are rich and carefully chosen words to powerfully affect the final generation. His truth brings to view the ultimate fulfillment of all that was foreshadowed. Whatever it is that we are assigned to do is revealed in the masterpiece of his life. Every word of God converges together to communicate a beautiful truth. We intellectually get that there are many tragedies in the word, and though God condones no sin, He knew it was going to be, and so in the power of the word we see Him working out all things for good. This suggests that we give voice expressively to His word with the faith that recognizes His sovereignty. There is in the word of God distant concepts. Ideas and thoughts too far for human devising. We are to see the profoundness, the praises to be offered, the promises fulfilled, the hopes and the certainty of why and how the word of God declares Jesus to be The Word that became flesh. We could search the greatest minds of mankind, hear the highest ideals of every thought. We could probe the ponderings of every prominent philosopher that ever lived and the poetry of every artist and still find no idea higher than God, nor a more concise, yet expressive statement about Jesus, than the one the word makes in reciting the enfolding account describing this interactive invisible and yet visible relationship. We begin with an all-knowing, all-powerful, invisible God who is a Spirit and to be worshipped by His creation in spirit. Colossians 1:15 John 4:24 God wanted to display to His creation the life that He expected of them. The love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. The sinlessness that He hoped His creation to possess in their lives but could not, thanks to an adverse situation and to show exactly what it means to sacrifice oneself for the benefit of others while being obedient to God. God knew then that He Himself must enter His creation in a visible, physical form, carrying His very image and Spirit. And He must experience and exhibit what it meant to actually be human, with the same temptations, challenges, hurts, emotions, ups and downs, and ins and outs, yet live with, and for God. That meant none could come born of a woman and a man. Being born of a virgin by the Spirit was the only option. Instilling His image, having his own human form, into the womb of a woman who had never been known by any man. There was only one way; his visible, physical, earthly image would be the Son of God. God’s only begotten   son. That distinction is made in the word begotten and that makes all the difference…with a but. The world seeks to diminish the Lord Jesus Christ’s special status as “begotten.” Why is “begotten” so important when referring to him? “Begat” means “to give life to.” If not known, we loose the truth of God’s Word and an aspect of Christ’s fulfillment decreed by God at Jesus’ resurrection. It was at the resurrection that the Father gave Jesus life. He became God’s “only begotten Son” at his resurrection in the tomb. Psalms 2:7 Acts 13:33, 34 Hebrews 5:5 Revelation 1:5 Colossians 1:18 Do we hear and see the power of The Word of The Word in this truth. There is no other God than God and so Jesus is the unique, divine Son of God, and no other sons are like him. And he is relatable in so many ways; Emmanuel, that holy thing, son of David, Redeemer, Bread of life, the Light, King of the Jews, Son of man, Savior, the Lamb, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee, the I Am, this is Jesus, the very Word of God. The infinite unsearchable God is made personal in the audience of Jesus Christ. The mystery is the Word. Always with God. Always is God. A relationship so beautiful and glorious, so complex and simple, must be admired. The word presents an awe-inspiring presentation of the Word and the many facets to be admired from every angle of truth. The Word is the many facets to be admired communication of the Father. He is the rational power, influence, and strength of Fatherly fulsomeness overflowing in infinite goodness. That Word was no impersonal object but a full person, with the Father in all things at the principal moment of all things. The Word was both with God and was God. Was and with. What God was, the Word was. The Word was God, and the Word was with God. Coequal, indistinguishable, yet distinct. The Word was closer than accompaniment, more present than association. The Word is the “Am” of the “I”.  We are to contemplate and meditate on this truth. We must repeat this report until they it is etched on our minds, then ponder them, study about them, and respond to them by worshiping the incomparable God that is The Word of The Word. Today, we are but vaguely familiar with what we must need know of God, but in the word, we have significant understanding that our overcoming is in the comprehended and understood meaning of how we are to prevail to rise to be sons of God.  It is the word that articulates the divinity and eternality of Jesus as well as his distinguishability from the Father. And by the word we know that Jesus did not cease to be the Word when he became flesh. And as God dwelt in the tabernacle in the midst of the people of Israel in the wilderness, so the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. In Christ we have visible the invisible glory of God seen by those who are born of God. Born of the Holy Ghost.  We are enabled to see the work of God in Christ. Philippians 1:6 This is our great comfort. In the Word we have the evidence of being lifted above our hopes, knowing the greatness and goodness of God concerning our future prospect. In this word is heard our judgment of faith. It is God’s beginning. We could not begin this of ourselves. And it is to be applied to particular persons, and then the word speaks of the certain accomplishment of the work of grace wherever it is begun. Because God is doing a good work, a blessed work; for it makes us good, and is an earnest of good to us, it will make us like Jesus, and fit us for the witnessing of the Word of God. It was the Word declaring that “it is finished” that gives cause to God saying, “it is done”. The Word is in agency with all that is God. His word of forgiveness lacks no power. I John 1:1-9 We must know the word that we might speak in the name of God with the eternal word of the transcendent Creator whom we represent. The identity of God is revealed in His self-communicative Word and self-giving sacrifice of Jesus. There is no God behind the back of Jesus. This eternal truth must be firmly impressed upon the hearts and minds who know the Oneness of God. God came to us in Jesus, showed His face to us, and poured out His love to us as our Savior. Acts 20:28 I Timothy 1:1; 4:10 There is this identity of being in this assertion of the simplicity and holy transcendence of the Deity. There is no nothing between the unbegotten Father and the begotten Son. It is by the Word that creation emerges out of nothing and includes it in the sharing in the Being fountain overflowing of God. The Being of God is not closed to itself, it is like a fountain overflowing with creativity. God is uncreated in the Father, and He is Creator in the Son. The Word stepped out of his anonymity and made himself known in the most concrete, tangible and unexpected way, in and through the particular human historical existence of the man Jesus. And in Christ Jesus the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily. And even in his self-revelation and enfleshment, God remains the incomprehensible divine mystery. At no point does the Divine Essence become an object of human perception and intellectual conceptualization whereby we could offer a description of explanation of such a Spirit Being. All things that are in the Father are beheld in the Son, and all things that are the Son’s are the Father’s; because the whole Son is in the Father and has all that the Father has in Himself. And so, the Person of the Son becomes as it were the Form and Face of the knowledge of the Father, and the Person of the Father is known in the Form of the Son. God is not one thing in Himself and another thing in Jesus Christ. What God is toward us in Jesus, He is inherently and eternally in Himself. They are a oneness in Being. What God is in eternity, Jesus Christ is in space and time, and what Jesus Christ is in space and time, God is in His eternity. There is an unbroken relation of “Being” and “A Thing Done” between the Son and the Father, and in Jesus Christ that relation has been embodied in our human existence once and for all. There is thus no God behind the back of Jesus Christ, but only this God whose face we see in the face of the Lord Jesus, the Word of the word. There is only the one God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ in such a way that there is perfect consistency and fidelity between what Jesus reveals of the Father and what the Father is in His unchangeable reality. The constancy of God in time and eternity has to do with the fact that God is in Jesus, for there is no other God than He who became man in Jesus and He whom God affirms Himself to be and always will be in Jesus. The world attempts to dilute Christ as God to rationalize their disobedience, saying that Jesus died for their sins so that there is no guilt upon them, no condemnation. These share another gospel than does The Word. To these Jesus presents the triune question – “lovest thou me”? Jesus is asking this in real time. It is the rarity of loving Jesus that increases the probability of coming to a satisfying conclusion. The Word conveys a higher sense of meaningful love. It interchangeably is asked by Jesus as the divine omniscience is the witness that the Word knows us better than we know ourselves in the word usage. The distinctions of the love requires a broad understanding of the word of The Word. We have as it is a deeper question. In the scriptures every single word has been meaningfully chosen for our instruction. Can we love who we don’t know? God’s word is to show us the harmonious nature of The Word that we might know Him in Spirit and in truth. How very much like the Word was Christ before and after his trial...he was God and with God. How unchanged was his disposition. There could be no altering in his character as a man any more than there could be in his attributes as God. He is the Word forever the same. We must probe the word being with a suspicion concerning our spiritual estate so we may suppose it asked of us this day that we may put it to our own hearts. Let us ask in the Savior's name, "lovest thou the Lord?” God is love and love is the very best evidence of reverence, faithfulness, holiness. These questions were to us that we take no cavalier attitude toward truth. That is, acting as though there were no such thing as truth, or as if it didn’t matter, when, in fact, truth matters at every point in life, it matters eternally. What really is the measure of truth? Jesus demands that we take a stand for truth. Matthew 21:23-27 There are some who will not stand for truth to avoid ridicule for not agreeing with the group…hypocrites. Then there are some who will not stand for truth fearing violence. Here is the way the depraved mind works. They are thinking carefully: if we say this then such and such will happen. And if we say that, then such and such will happen. They are reasoning carefully. Why? Because the truth is at stake? No, because their skin is at stake. And their ego. They don’t want to be harmed and they don’t want to be shamed. Truth doesn’t matter. These say, I matter. Jesus won’t deal with people that treat truth that way. Jesus abominates that kind of arrogant, cowardly prostituting of the precious reality of truth. The sum of the word is truth. Exodus 30:12 Psalms 119:160 The sum total is truth. And not just the totality, but the individual citizens in this land of God’s word, every one of them, is accountable for truth. That’s why the second aspect draws out this individual nature of each judgment; “and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.” So you have a summation in the first of the verses (“the sum of thy word is truth”), and an individualization in the second half of the verses (“and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever”). So, this figurative census taken by Moses is the headcount of God’s word. It discovers something about the sum and something about the individual members in the sum. The sum is truth, and every individual part endures forever, because they too are truth. Neither the whole nor the part will ever prove false; they will never need to be struck from the royal record. The population, so to speak, of the word of God is totally truth and truth in every part. So, to answer what is the sum of truth… it is the word of God, in its totality and all its parts. Or consider it this way…sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. In other words, when the Father speaks, that is truth. If we want to know what truth is, we go to the Word of God. Step back and ponder this for a moment. The reason God’s word is ultimate truth is because God is ultimate reality. The concept of truth depends on the concept of the real. For something to be true, something behind it must be real. And the truth is telling us what is real. God alone is ultimately real, ultimate reality. That is, no reality was before Him. He doesn’t depend on any other reality. All other reality is created by Him. So, by His being and by His creating He has determined and defined what is and what is real. And since what makes something true is that it corresponds to what is real, therefore, God determines and defines all truth. When God speaks, that is truth. The way the bible uses the word truth, and the way we are to use it, is to refer to a faithful representation of reality. If it is a true statement or proposition, that statement faithfully represents reality. If it’s a story, the story faithfully represents reality. Jesus is God’s Word and speaks God’s Words…he is the Word of the word. Jesus also says, “I am the truth”. The most fundamental reason he could say this is that he is God. Jesus enters the world as the ultimate divine reality and as the perfect spokesman for this reality, for God. This is God’s final and decisive way of saying to us that truth is not impossible to reach. It has come to us. He is not waiting for us to find it. Truth is pursuing us. Since he is God, and God’s Word, he speaks God’s words. So when we speak the words of God today, we mean all that Jesus has shown us it means: Himself, his words, the Old Testament, and the New Testament. This is the sum of God’s word, and it is truth. God has not left us without the revelation of His will. He has not left us without wisdom. He has not left us without unfathomable knowledge, that none of us ever exhausts. He has not left us without a full and sufficient revelation of the way of salvation, the way of everlasting joy. He has not left us without a way to measure the truth claims of every life-shaping question we face. This is simply a priceless legacy left us in the word of the Word. This will prove our faith in the Word in the final days. We will have a conviction, so clear, and evident, and assuring, as to be sufficient to induce us, with boldness to sell all, confidently and fearlessly to run the venture of the loss of all things, and of enduring the most exquisite and long continued torments of suffering. We will so deeply treasure the word that we will build our whole lives on its truth, and be ready to risk everything for the glory of its story. It is the Word of God that tethers our mind to the truth. Romans 15:14 Colossians 3:16 I Thessalonians 5:12 II Thessalonians 3:15 Hebrews 8:5 To admonish is to deposit truth into a person’s thoughts. It might take the form of discipline, encouragement, or affirmation. It may be commendation or correction. Above all, admonishment is truth spoken into a difficult circumstance. It’s like inserting a chlorine tablet of truth into the algae of difficulty. This is the charge that Jesus spoke to us. Admonishment speaks up. Yes, we may have to hold the hand of one who is struggling. Yes, we bring water to the thirsty. And yes, yes, yes, we speak words of truth into moments of despair. Dare we sit idly by while Satan spreads his lies? By no means! The word of God is that Word who is Christ. Christ never began to exist, and he never will go out of existence. He exists at each moment in time. He exists at every turn in eternity. And when the word says he was the Word, he was with God, he was God, it is not referring to a time in the past, it is positioning our minds to form the concepts of expression that foundates Christ as the embodied Son. We, by the truth of the Word, are to always present the doctrine of the deity of Christ and affirm His co-eternal nature with God as Creator of the universe. The expression “the Word was with God” hides a vital truth about the relationship between God and Jesus. In the most intimate sense the Divine Word from all eternity was in a living, dynamic, co-equal relationship of close communion with the Father. Where God is the mind, Christ is the heart. This is the truth within the prayer of Jesus that we be one as they are one…and that we be one in them. It is the only way we can be made perfect…the Word of the Word’s prayer is answered. John 17:11, 21 We are to go beyond the surface reading of scripture to reason the expressed deity of Jesus Christ and His inseparable oneness with God the Father. And the Holy Spirit has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. This word of truth was written by John after his experience on Patmos, after his being brought up hither. John saw the Word of faith evidenced. And by the word he signals the otherworldliness of Jesus right from the beginning. The Word is only a partial reflection of this densely significant word. There is so much truth packed into the Word. We are to discover every truth in the word using reason and observation. From this we will gather clear and knowable principles that are constant. The Word is the total representation of all knowledge. The Word structured knowledge. He is the truth that exceeds all knowledge. This Word became personified. This Word is before the beginning of anything, he is the entity we know as God, who embodied, and created, the rational principle on which everything is founded. It is from this Spirit that everything material comes forth…celestial and terrestial. God is the Word.  The Word was both with celestial and terrestial God and also was God. When God spoke the Word what God spoke happened. Consider that truth. Jesus who is the Word, God in flesh is the full package. He carries in him the nature of God, the power of God, and the authority of God simply because he is God. This is the heart of our faith. God has never attempted to hide who He is. He has been very clear in defining His character and His nature. To us, God shows that He is the one and only God. Deuteronomy 6:4; 4:35 The Word is clearly the truth declaring there is only one God and there is no God beside Him. And too, the bible clearly identifies Jesus as God. And the Holy Spirit is shown to be God. Equal and eternal in nature and essence. This truth, this word accounts for how God relates to events, things, and people within the entire creation. The answers to our questions turn on God’s relationship in the sense that He is eternal and holds the dominant view of all things happening in a determined moment. We reason not of His timelessness, but rather of His everlastingness. We attribute our temporal existence as designated by God to bring us to the succession of the Word. We experience the events He has located in time. That is where the wonder of the Word and He who exceeds all wonders surpasses all understanding. God is that supernatural peace offered us in the midst of our trials. It is a peace that defies explanation and human logic because it is not based upon our circumstances. It is based upon the word of the Word. And the word of God not only defines faith in Christ; it is God's appointed means to create faith in Christ. Isaiah 55:11 God’s presence is sequential and all at once. He is at any point in time, at every point in time, beyond time in His eternalness. There can be no temporality to God. He is omnitemporal. Amazingly the bible states that God the Father and God the Son abide in eternity. Isaiah 57:15 Is eternity the place where God lives or is God where eternity lives? Let’s reason… eternity doesn’t consist of a succession of “moments”. Else it would be “time”. Can there be anything before God? No, then God is before even eternity. But that does not imply that God does not inhabit eternity. God, in His presence, in His glory abides in eternity as He dwells with His people. God can do anything that is possible to do for there is nothing that is impossible for God. I Kings 8:27 Exodus 25:8 Revelation 21:3 This is God’s relational presence. The glory of God is the beauty of His spirit. It is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but it is the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. And it was given to us in human flesh…in the Word…in Jesus Christ. The glory of God, which is manifested in all His attributes together, never passes away. It is eternal. Isaiah 43:7 We beheld God’s glory in the Word. John 1:14 We are the vessels which “contain” His glory. All the things we are able to do and to be, find their source in Him. The Word, God’s glory, is what connects us to God. In this way, God is able to reveal Himself to all men, no matter their race, heritage or location. The essence of who God is, is His glory. God has an eternal voice. It is the Word. We should listen to that eternal voice. Our “time” of frustration here is because we are not of “here”. I Chronicles 29:15 We are to know of our time. Because you and I were made to join Father, Son and Spirit in the joy of eternity. And when Jesus Christ stepped into time from eternity, he was making the way for us to return with him. God gave us His Son just as God gave us His spirit. Job 33:4 Our spirit is in the same likeness of being that God is. God is a Spirit—it will never die. It is the part of us that has a relationship with God. God connects with, speaks to, and gives revelation to our spirit. Ecclesiastes 12:7 Proverbs 20:27 There is only one way for us to find out God…the Word of the Word. He is the only way for he is the only truth that gives the only life that can be eternal with God. No one can go between them. They are One. We must be “in” Christ for we can only go to the Father “by Jesus”. God, in the Word, reveals something about Himself through His spoken word, which is ultimately and perfectly personified in His Son, Jesus Christ. It took more than written revelation for us to know God. It took faith in the Word. It took the Spirit of God to teach us of the hidden depths of God’s nature, His love and how the Godhead so exhaustively works together in thought, word, and deed to save us. God is a speaking God or, simply put, God is the Word. This Word is eternally with Him, and this Word is His very nature. Be clear in your understanding that God’s Word of revelation is supreme authority over all things. The Word is the witness of the divine things of God. We may conclude that the Spirit, the Blood and the Word of God work together to accomplish great things for God. The blood of Jesus and the spirit of God are completely united in the spiritual Word. In the born again experience everything we have been taught by faith becomes real, and we develop a direct and personal relationship with God. In His word we give up our will and our way and follow the will of God. We learn His will by studying the Word, praying, meditating and teaching the true word of God, not by ministers or preachers that stand up and give their own commentaries, but exactly by a ‘thus saith the Lord’. The Spirit of God leads us where we are to be. It leads us to life in Christ. John 3:5 I John 5:8 Notice that the spirit, the blood and the water are in great agreement and united in their work. Yet, the Word spoke of his life, his blood, but the hearer did not reason with the Word and understood not. John 3:6-21 Ephesians 5:26 The water there speaks of the word of God. It can be seen that the spirit, the word and the blood give life. This we find in our reasoning. Luke 4:4 John 6:54, 63 Now hear what the word says… Ephesians 2:13, 18 The blood of the Word, of Jesus, in the believer’s life, the importance of the Holy Spirit, and the water of cleansing, of baptism bring us closer to God. That’s why these three witness on earth. In other words they are inseparable. baptism   How much better do we know the Word when we know of the blood. Think of the power of the Word of God…now think of the power in the blood of the Word. We are overcomers because of the blood and the word. Revelation 12:11 As our revelation in the power of the blood increases, so will the power of the word of Christ increase.  The Word must be continuously and persistently necessary in our lives. When we plead the blood of Jesus, the blood contends and protects us from the powers of darkness. It speaks on our behalf. It speaks better things than did Abel's blood. Jesus’ blood speaks of our rights in Christ – our right to be forgiven of sins, our right to be made righteous. Study the Word to learn what the blood foreshadows for our life. Ephesians 1:7 Hebrews 9:12-26; 10:1-20 I Peter 1:18-25 There is no wisdom to be gained by the Word unless we reasonably likewise come to the knowledge to ascribe the power of the blood by which we are saved. The sacrifice of life was never an intention of God even though it was His plan. For eternal life to be made possible it would require a perfect offering of life for the vindication of the perfect law of God. God needed the blood of Deity as the bestowal of life for sacrificial worship. And for our understanding, the blood of the Word suggests the thought of life, dedicated, offered, transformed, and open to our spiritual adoption. Our faith, that comes by the hearing of the word, is that faith in the blood representing the human life of Christ suffering, dying and sacrificing himself upon earth, which cleanses us in our repentance desiring forgiveness. This faith in the word of God releases our life to present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. Christ’s dying was not unto death but unto life for others. What prominence is "the Word of God" upon his return? Revelation 19:13 This title clearly identifies the rider on a white horse here as Jesus, who came to earth the first time as God in the flesh but was rejected by the world. Here the question and the answer. Isaiah 63:2, 3     It sounds as though this rider is returning from a bloody engagement. But reason with the entire content of the context. This is when our salvation was wrought upon the cross. None showed any boldness of spirit for Christ on the cross. None joined with him against his oppressors. Among the children of men no one could. It was determined that what the Word said on the cross had to be sounded in aloneness. But now, in his fury, in his omnipotence, will those who forsook the right to life offered by God, see the white robe of Christ stained by their blood. In God’s Word is God’s will for our life. For as in the beginning was the Word, so in the ending will be the Word. It is by the Word that we are being finished. The born again experience is the new beginning of life turned over to the Holy Spirit for transformation. And one might have to see death, yet faithfully knowing the spirit returns to God. But what of the soul? James 1:21 We are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Our soul needs to be saved. The soul is often defined as the mind, the will and the emotions. Each of these areas needs salvation. According to the bible, this is done by the Word of God. This is the sanctification…bringing the whole man into God’s perfect will. It is a process not dependent upon time, but rather upon transforming the mind. An immediate union with Christ on the cross is an instant transforming of the mind. We must become more determined than ever to make the Word of God a priority in our lives. The enemy hates and fears the Word of God. Have you ever been in study and witnessed the enemy stealing the word? He will do anything possible to prevent us from learning God’s Word. How was it that Jesus discerned the thoughts of those opposed to truth? He is the Word. It is shown in our relationship with the word the deepest part of our nature. Every presentation of the truth of the word exposes and sifts and analyzes and judges the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. These will show in the words spoken. Hear with the ear.  The word will divide things for us; it begins separating truth from lies. As a result, we begin to realize what is of the Spirit and what is of the soul. Soon we know what actions are approved of God and what actions are not. The Word exposes wrong motives, wrong thoughts and wrong words. Spiritual strength is drawn from the Spirit. And that which the Spirit wields is that which is the Word of God. God’s Word arms God’s consecrated people with defensive armor. And as in any warfare there is need also for offensive weaponry. Ephesians 6:10-17 II Corinthians 10:3-6 This warfare is with spiritual enemies and for spiritual purposes. In this warfare there is no design to please the flesh: this must be crucified with its affections and lusts; it must be mortified and kept under. The principles and disciplines of the gospel are the weapons of this warfare. There is no outward force but rather strong persuasions, by the power of truth and the meekness of wisdom. Conscience is accountable to God only. The evidence of truth is convincing and cogent. This indeed is through the Word of God. It is our owing to Him, because the Word is His institution, and accompanied with His blessing, which makes all opposition to fall before His victorious reasoning on the word of the Word. Be discerning of proud conceits, in others. Let the Word of God reveal the richness of our character, the keeping of our faith, the gaining of our obedience, the efficient cause of our grace and power. Know that it is in our desire for the conversion of others that the enemy is conquered. But understand the readiness we must stand in to censure error. We must know and believe that the Holy Spirit knows exactly what scripture to give us in every situation. We are to stand for the Word in the spiritual realm. The power of the Word of God is the true knowledge of Him and His ways and character. Strongholds are wrongs thought to be true. Jesus is God’s final word to us. And why is he called The Word? The things that came out of his mouth as the truth of God and the person of Jesus, as the truth of God, in such a unified way that Jesus himself, in his coming, working, teaching, dying, and rising, was the final decisive message from God…he is the Word from God. It was not just the words he spoke, but also who Jesus was and what he did. That is what God had to say to us. Jesus’ words clarify himself in his work, but his self in his work were the main truth that God was revealing. It was the witness of his life coming together as one great message from God. We come together when we, as the Word says, abide in him. John 15:4-7, 10 John called Jesus “The Word” because he watched this man be truth. The Spirit impressed John with the best thing he could call him from eternity - God’s Word - God’s message to us. We are so unified in God’s intention for Jesus that He called him The Word of God. In the Word of God we have this view of all the revelation, all the truth, every witness, the glory, the light, and the works that came from Jesus, that Jesus was, in his living, in his teaching, in his dying, in his rising, the sum of all that can be said…The Word is God and that’s what the word of God says…   Let us come now to reason the truth of the revelation of The Word. Psalms 138:2 God has made Himself known to us in many ways in creation and providence, but most clearly by His word. The judgments of His mouth are magnified by His Word. What is discovered of God by revelation of The Word is much greater than what is discovered by reason. We understand this to be of Christ, the essential Word, and of the episodic narrative of the words and endeavors of Jesus, culminating in his trial and death and concluding with his appearance after his resurrection. He is the Word which is magnified above all the discoveries God had before created, even His law, even His sanctuary. The Word is the communion in the Godhead. Ephesians 1:13, 14 James 1:12 God’s word is the truth of His promise of our inheritance. His Word. His name. The Word is God, the Word is Jesus, and there is none other name under heaven given… We make God’s name our refuge. And we can be saved by none other than Jesus, the Word. And here is what lifts thy word above thy name… II Corinthians 1:18-21 The Word of the Word invokes the promise echoed throughout the word of God. The intricate history of God’s initial promise realized is the fulfillment of God’s word of the promised Seed. And that Seed is Jesus, who is “The Word”. 📖 Applying the Study For ongoing spiritual encouragement and prophetical insights, visit Higher Learning.

OnlineBibleCourse: Deepen your search for truth in the bible and learn about Christ. Sounds of Manna -Hymn 10 - Jesus Paid It All Play Video Free books! Play Video Be Transformed Play Video The Truth Watch Now Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Close DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED ARE EXTRACTS, EXCERPTS, OR COMPILATIONS AND ARE NOT COPYEDITED. MANY WORKS OF VARIOUS AUTHORS ARE USED. THERE IS NO AUTHOR HERE…IT IS A COMPILATION FOR YOUR LEARNING Schedule Learn at your own pace. Grade your own quizzes. No schedule. No deadline. Contact He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone , and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Revelation 2:17 KJV Online Bible Courses No Cost *New Blog Entries Added Weekly* Bible Prophecy Charts & Maps Learn where we are in the stream of time Bible Helpful Links From reputable sources About About White Stone Bible Study Online/OnlineBibleCourse Have you had questions about the Bible? Perhaps you just want to know more about the life of Jesus or how to become a better person. Or, rather, you have come here to learn more about prophecy and the events that are coming upon this earth. Well, put on your seatbelt, because you are about to have a bumpy ride; these studies may cause you to question long-held church traditions that might make you ponder and wonder...

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Bible Maps, Prophecy Charts, Bible Images, Bible Charts, 1844 Chart Learning Tools For Bible Study Online In this area, you will find a treasure trove of bible maps, charts, images, and videos that we have collected over years from various vetted sources. Please feel free to take a look. If you need any explanation for anything, just contact us. Principle Policy Practice "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalms 119:105