Summary of Bible references on the Rapture

2nd Passover

Numbers 9:6 But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day 7 and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?” 8 Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.” 9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate the Lord’s Passover, 11 but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations. 13 But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people for not presenting the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin.

We have two raptures of the believers, and we also have two Passovers.


2nd Exodus

The Passover was eaten the day they left Egypt, so just as we have two passover's we also have two Exodus's

14 “However, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ 15 but it will be said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ For I will restore them to the land I gave their ancestors. Jeremiah 16:14-15

Isaiah 43 — You are my witnesses

Isaiah 66:19-20

The Rapture and Passover

Isaiah 26:
19 But your dead will live, Lord;
their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust
wake up and shout for joy—
your dew is like the dew of the morning;
the earth will give birth to her dead.

Clear reference to the rapture

20 Go, my people, enter your rooms
and shut the doors behind you;
hide yourselves for a little while
until his wrath has passed by.

Clear reference to the rapture and also to the Passover. During the Passover meal they were to stay indoors, behind the blood and hide themselves until the wrath of the avenging angel passed.

21 See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling
to punish the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will disclose the blood shed on it;
the earth will conceal its slain no longer.

Clear reference to the Great Tribulation.

The Rapture and Passover

2Thessalonians 1:6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

What happened on Passover? God was just, he payed back trouble to those who troubled us and He gave relief to those who were troubled. You had to obey the gospel of the Lord and put the blood on your doorpost, otherwise you were punished.

Blood Moons

A blood moon occurs when it is a full moon. The only feast of the high holy days for the Jews which always occurs on a full moon is Passover and also 2nd Passover. 2nd Passover is for those who have touched a dead body (perhaps those in the church in Sardis) and for those on a long journey (if you miss the first rapture you will certainly view going through the tribulation as being on a long journey).

This is significant since many prophecies tie the start of the tribulation to a blood moon.

Lot being delivered from Sodom

I think this is a type of the rapture for those who remain during the tribulation and Noah is a type for those who are raptured prior to the tribulation. Notice that Lot is delivered on Passover. He made unleavened bread for the guests and He invited them to stay with him the night. These were two regulations for Passover, also He was delivered the very next morning, again indicating the Passover.

He is never coming back

Exodus 32:1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[a] who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”

After 40 days and 40 nights the children of Israel said that "Moses is never coming back". It has now been 40 Jubilees since the Lord left and again, people are saying "He is never coming back".

"The Pillar of Cloud"

In Thessalonians we are told that we are "caught up to the cloud", in Exodus we are told that they "followed the cloud" or were "led by the cloud". After the first rapture what will those who remain be following? No doubt the word will be the light to their path, hence the "pillar of fire". So why the "cloud"? If this is a reference to the "cloud" on the internet, that will be just too funny. This is a puzzle with thousands of pieces, and many of them you could never understand until it happens. I know that I personally am finding quite a bit of help from "the cloud", so it seems quite plausible to me that many other believers will also learn to be led by the word of God, not just in the Bible but also that is in the cloud.

2Samuel 1 -- How the mighty have fallen

1 After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor.

3 “Where have you come from?” David asked him.

He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.”

4 “What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.”

“The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”

5 Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” the young man said, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, ‘What can I do?’

8 “He asked me, ‘Who are you?’

“‘An Amalekite,’ I answered.

9 “Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.’

10 “So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?”

“I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,” he answered.

14 David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”

15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. 16 For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”

The evil flesh takes many forms. You have those that try to pick off your kids with things like Disney and other forms of Hollywood indoctrination. Then you have those that pick off the elderly like what Cuomo and four other governors who sent those Covid19 patients back into the nursing homes. Those five states have the highest death rates. But those are only two variations, here we have a third. We call them “brown noses”, they ingratiate themselves with the boss. This guy thought that telling David he killed Saul even though he didn’t would ingratiate him and get him a good position in his administration. The mistake he made was to not know that there is no fellowship between light and dark. If you want to be a king you have to deal with the flesh, this is simply one more example.

17 David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar): 19 “A gazelle[a] lies slain on your heights, Israel. How the mighty have fallen! 20 “Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice. 21 “Mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, may no showers fall on your terraced fields.[b] For there the shield of the mighty was despised, the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil. 22 “From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied. 23 Saul and Jonathan— in life they were loved and admired, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 “Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. 25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. 26 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women. 27 “How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!”

I heard that Bobby Fischer studied how people lost chess matches rather than how they won them. He studied “how the mighty have fallen”. What happened to Saul? First, he began to speak the word of God and it exposed him, he was laid naked before the word of God. He could have used that light to confess, to repent, to strengthen his walk with God but didn’t. But because his faith was weak when it was tested just a little he failed to obey God’s word. He didn’t strengthen his faith and when it really mattered it led to him disobeying God’s word. He was told to be anxious in nothing but that anxiety led him to not obey God’s word. He was rebuked but persisted on this path so that instead of obeying God’s word he did what was right in his own eyes. Samuel had told him very clearly this would be his last chance. Compare him to David. To the eyes of the flesh David had no chance, he was a flea, he would be caught and killed. But he followed the lord by faith even when it appeared he was backsliding. He became one with the deplorables and yet built a highly skilled army that trusted him. They discovered that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were hidden in God. They obeyed God’s command to deal with the flesh. This lament is the bridge between the two books. You need to study “how the mighty have fallen”. You need to be warned about pride, arrogance, and the flesh. You need to learn to walk by faith, wholly by faith. You need the word to act as a lamp that shows you the way even in the darkest night.

2Samuel 2 -- The Field of Sharp Edges

1 In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered.

Hebron is where Abraham purchased a cave to bury his dead. To go to Hebron is to return to your roots.

2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

Jezreel was the capital of the Northern Tribes of Israel whereas Nabal was of the tribe of Judah being descended from Caleb. These two wives represent the two parts of the church. The church in Philadelphia is raptured as a church at the beginning of the tribulation and the Lord says that they will not have to go out again. This is typified by Abigail who was widowed. She was married to a rich fool who was descended from a mighty man of faith.

3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah.

When Samuel the prophet anointed him that was a prophecy over him, this however, is the fulfillment of that prophecy. Later all of Israel will anoint him king. Little by little people came to recognize that he was the king. Ultimately every knee will bow. When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.”

It is inhumane to deny burial to the dead. Is it really accidental that God would send David to the city where Abraham’s burial cave is? How ironic that the Democrats have introduced a bill that would deny Trump burial at Arlington cemetery. Consider how hateful such a bill is, they want to deny anyone who was “twice impeached”. To impeach someone simply means they stand accused, not convicted. If they were convicted the first time they would never be impeached twice. Therefore we can take from this that they are referring to someone who has been falsely accused. Therefore, in this typology these Democrats refer to the Philistines who were rejoicing in Saul’s death. When Rush Limbaugh died multiple Hollywood stars publicly rejoiced: “Happy Rush Limbaugh is dead day!” Cristela Alonzo, Anthony Rapp claimed it was unfair that Limbaugh lived to 70, Paul F. Tompkins said “I’m glad Rush Limbaugh lived long enough to get cancer and die”. Bryan Fuller said “It’s OK to celebrate Rush Limbaugh’s death.” Janelle James “Knock knock, Who’s there? Not Rush Limbaugh, he died.” To be so filled with hate indicates a root of bitterness has grown in their hearts.

War Between the Houses of David and Saul

8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.

This is pathetic. Ner is Saul’s uncle, so Abner is Saul’s cousin. He is setting up Ish-Bosheth up as a way to keep his own position because he has already been called out by David. He knows he has no future with David as king. But look at this choice, Ish-Bosheth refers to “shameful idol” and is Saul’s son through a concubine. Mephibosheth is Jonathan’s legitimate son, but since he is lame and is only five years old they choose this person instead.

10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.

The timing of all this is very interesting. But what is very clear is that Ish-bosheth is a puppet. The reality is that Abner is ruling and the pretense of Ish-bosheth being a ruler only lasts for two years. Think of our current situation with Joe Biden, how long is he going to “rule”? If you considered Clinton and Obama to be the “house of Saul” then clearly Biden is the son of a concubine. He is an illegitimate member of this house. Abner would refer to the deep state. Perhaps Soros would refer to Ner. This would make the tribe of Judah the “deplorables”, the Christian conservatives.

12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. 13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said. 15 So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.[a]

The field of sharp edges. Men, especially men of war do not wear their hair long enough for someone to grab. Abner refers to his men as “young men” and we can surmise their hair was long enough for real warriors to grab their hair and kill them. The verse is somewhat vague, but the next verse makes it clear that David’s men were fierce warriors and that Abner’s men were defeated by them. Anyone paying attention to what is going on in the US right now can see that a very fierce battle is brewing. For weeks it has not been clearly out in the open but that has recently changed. Cuomo is being openly attacked, Newsom is being openly attacked, Facebook and Twitter are being openly attacked, the Lincoln Project is being openly attacked. The power failure in Texas has revealed how immature and childish are those pushing the “green new deal”. Hollywood is rejoicing over Limbaugh’s death whereas Florida is going to fly the flags at half staff and Trump for the first time makes a public statement.

17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.

It doesn’t say “Abner’s men” but rather Israelites. I think there is a distinction here between those following Abner who are called “Israelites” versus those following David who are called men. Abner’s forces were not “men” and were simply “playing at war”.

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” he answered. 21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him. 22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?” 23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died. 24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.

Finally we see some men, not of Abner but of Benjamin. It is thought that Soros has been paying for these Antifa riots, so Antifa could be considered the "young men of Abner".

26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”

This is the situation we are in now. Americans attacking Americans. Elected officials calling the 74 million people who voted for Republicans “domestic terrorists” and saying they need to “deprogram their children”.

2Samuel 2 -- Kids playing at war

27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.” 28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore. 29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours[b] and came to Mahanaim. 30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.

Nineteen of his men, if twelve of them had been killed with those knives initially then only seven died in the battle. That sounds highly unlikely. So I think it is reasonable, though speculative, to interpret it the way I have. Referring to David’s army as men and Abner’s as “Israelites”, to talk about “let the young men play”, to see twelve of our “champions” killed instantly because someone grabbed their hair, to see Abner’s army flee before David, and to see the lopsided victory all support this interpretation. Abner’s army is composed of kids playing at war whereas David’s army is composed of men who are real warriors. This reminds me of a “stop the steal” rally in Atlanta, Georgia. There were about two thousand people there for the rally. On the side there were about twenty Antifa who were made up of teenagers and people in their twenties. The Antifa were holding garbage can lids as shields, had baseball bats, and looked like some kind of Cosplay idiots. In the Stop the Steal rally they had men openly carrying rifles that looked like war veterans. The rally also had a lot of women, children and the elderly. The men were there to make sure they were safe as previous rallies had had Antifa attacking women and children who were walking by themselves. The Antifa riots and looting involve young people and felons. They are not trained warriors but rather untrained kids and “young men”.

2Samuel 3:1-18 -- May the Lord repay the evildoer

1 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time.David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

It is a shame that people could not quickly realize that David was the anointed king and receive him. However, for David in many ways this was better. People got a contrast, so instead of second guessing everything David did they could see the house of Saul getting weaker and weaker compared to David.

2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3 his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream the son of David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

Look at all these wives? It reminds me of all the different Christian denominations.

Abner Goes Over to David

6 During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?” 8 Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! 9 May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath 10 and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.” 11 Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

I think this gives us a little more information on what they meant by Ish-Bosheth reigned for 2 years even though the total time was seven years. No longer are they talking about the reign of Ish-Bosheth but rather of “the house of Saul” and Abner strengthening his own position. Also we are seeing the same thing with the Democrats. If they aren’t attacking Trump they are turning on each other and attacking themselves. It also tells you the state of Ish-Bosheth’s administration, focused on concubines, rumors and gossip. We know that Ish-Bosheth ceased to “reign” after two years while Abner continued to strengthen his position so I doubt the issue was over this one argument. Instead it suggests the reasons why he stopped reigning and the things that Abner saw that convinced him to hand the kingdom over to David. It is perfectly reasonable that Abner’s support for Saul was due to the Lord’s leading initially. It can take time for people to fully accept that what God spoke to you years ago is no longer relevant today. Consider our situation, does anyone really think that Joe Biden is "reigning" right now? We had a CGI video emerge pretending to show him talking to reporters, we had a press conference that was a total disaster. We have a border crisis of their own making, we have a diplomatic crisis where China insulted the US for the whole world to see, and we have a national security crisis with the Suez Canal being blocked and concern this might be a response by China by sanctions imposed by Europe. We also have a vigorous debate going on that the Pandemic was released from the Wuhan bioweapons lab and therefore was an act of war. We also have Mike Lindell releasing documentaries claiming that China stole interfered in our election, another act of war. You can be sure behind the scenes the US is being run by our generals and they are getting fed up with Biden very quickly. Now they have a new initiative where they want to fire anyone in the military who "has been involved in organizations that promote conspiracy theories"? The Russia hoax was a conspiracy theory, are they going to get rid of the FBI, DOJ and half of our elected officials? Do they want to continue to claim that people saying Covid19 could become a pandemic were promoting a conspiracy theory? Only a year ago they were saying that.

12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.” 13 “Good,” said David. “I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 15 So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltielson of Laish. 16 Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back. 17 Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king. 18 Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistinesand from the hand of all their enemies.’”

As you can see Abner has been considering all the words that God spoke, not just concerning Saul but also concerning David. It is very easy to get into an echo chamber where you only hear what you want to hear. I suspect the fact checkers at facebook would have had a big problem with this word “By my servant David I will rescue…” They would have called that fake news just as much as they say “election fraud” is fake news. But year after year it became undeniable that this was in fact God’s word. I just heard a report that Trump was meeting with the Pentagon this weekend. Who knows, they may have come to the realization that they cannot afford to have a man with dementia as president.

2Samuel 3:19-38 This is what it takes for a peaceful transfer of power

19 Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do. 20 When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men. 21 Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

This is what you need to get a peaceful transfer of power. You need an Abner, a high placed person in the Deep State who cares more about the good of Israel than he does about his own prosperity.

22 Just then David’s men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace. 24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! 25 You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.” 26 Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. 27 Now when Abner Returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.

There are two different paths you can take. David is taking a path that leads to peace by forgiving and looking for reconciliation. Joab is taking a path of “blood for blood”. He feels honor bound to avenge the death of his brother, yet there was nothing honorable in the way in which he murdered Abner.

28 Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy[a] or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.”

David understands that God is Lord of all. He is not looking to avenge Abner, instead he is giving that to God. “Vengeance is mine saith the Lord”. We need to learn this. Besides, David understands that God can deal much more thoroughly with this than he ever could.

30 (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

It was a war, Asahel was trying to kill Abner, it was self defense. Judge righteous judgement.

31 Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also. 33 The king sang this lament for Abner: “Should Abner have died as the lawless die? 34 Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. You fell as one falls before the wicked.” And all the people wept over him again.

The point is that Joab said he was righting a wrong. But David points out that no court would have convicted him. He was treated as someone who had been convicted of murder yet there was no trial, no judge, no jury.

35 Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!” 36 All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. 37 So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

Often the political leaders will feign shock and outrage when in fact they were the ones who ordered the killing. It is not sufficient to have a big funeral and talk about God judging Joab. They need to see that he truly did not sanction this event.

38 Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? 39 And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”

2Samuel 4 We will live or die with the choices we make

Two points we need to understand. First why is this called 2 Samuel? Samuel died before any of the events in this book take place. These two books, which form a bridge from the priesthood to the kingship, are in two parts. You have the Saul part and the David part. Everyone makes this same mistake so God in his wisdom presented the error with Saul which takes us from doing what is right in our own mind all the way to the bitter end of that choice. It then shows us God’s choice. In fact these two books present one choice after the next. How do you react under pressure and how do you choose when so much is on the line? How do you choose a king? What do you do when all those following you are leaving? Where do you go when staying in Israel means you will ultimately die? These two books present to us the two choices by Samuel, one according to the flesh the other according to the Spirit. We will often have very valid justifications for our choice: Saul is taller, bigger, faster, stronger than anyone else. It is so natural, so easy to choose based on that. For example, every football team will draft players each year. Their ability to select the right person determines their success or failure. I was very impressed by something that Brett Favre said concerning Tom Brady. Tom is not the fastest quarterback by a longshot and he doesn’t have the strongest arm. So what is it that makes him the greatest quarterback of all time? Doesn’t make sense? First, he is the most accurate. Every quarterback in the NFL can throw an accurate football, but to do it consistently day in, day out, throughout your career under every condition, that requires diligence and attention to detail. Second, he is “elusive”. He can’t outrun the defensive linemen but he can sidestep. Most quarterbacks will get “flushed” out of the pocket when they feel pressure, instead he sidesteps and then continues about his business of finding the open man. Third, like Joe Montana, he is “mr. Cool”, doesn’t get anxious or down. He was down by 19 points in the Super Bowl to Atlanta in the fourth quarter. His response was that it was very hot that day and he figured the defense would get tired. He is always seeing some sliver of hope. Here is what impressed me about this. Every coach will preach discipline and practice, every coach will tell quarterbacks to sidestep pressure and to stay in the pocket. Brady listened and obeyed. All the other quarterbacks who had a good chance to outrun defensive linemen didn’t. Not only so but you can see “superstar” quarterbacks down by three scores in the fourth quarter throwing in the towel. They don’t have faith. There were several things that happened in that Atlanta game that we beyond Brady’s control. Faith is not just in your ability but in your teammates and in God. But listening and obeying, that is critical. Having faith, that is critical. These should be at the top of the NFL’s scouting list of qualities to look for. Disobedience is an expression of unbelief.

The second big point is what does this mean, “to go back to your roots”? Why is Hebron where Abraham buried his dead the place to return to? Abraham was the father of faith, he was also the father of Isaac. To be a father is not simply a result of biology but also because of lessons he passed on to his son. He taught Isaac faith. When he sacrificed Isaac on the mountaintop he taught Isaac that we must have faith in God even if that means death in us. We must be willing to put our dreams, hopes, and everything we have on the altar to God. This is what we see David do time and time again. His dream and his hope was to be king of Israel, how do you go and live with the Philistines? Well in truth he lived in Ziklag which was part of Israel’s inheritance given to them by God but which they had given over to the Philistines. How do you support the men following you? David did what God had commanded the king to do, he utterly destroyed the Amalekites. He didn’t get any glory for this, instead he was despised as a deplorable. To be faithful to God is far more important than to give big “sacrifices” to God, big parties where everyone can come and see how great David is. Why is it that everyone else is wrong, Saul is wrong, Abner is wrong, Joab is wrong, Ish-Bosheth is wrong, Israel is wrong but only David is right? David is taking the path that leads to life because he is following the lesson of Abraham to put everything on the altar. His future, his being king, his pride are all on the altar. He does not dare to lift a hand against God’s anointed. Why not? It would be self defense. Because if you are a living sacrifice to God you don’t need “self defense”. If you belong to God then God will respond if someone tries to kill or damage you, likewise since Saul belongs to God David has no standing to lift a hand against him.

1 When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rekab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin—Beeroth is considered part of Benjamin, 3 because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim and have resided there as foreigners to this day. 4 (Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.) 5 Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest. 6 They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away. 7 They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head. Taking it with them, they traveled all night by way of the Arabah. 8 They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”

Wow, look at the arrogance. “This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king”. Really, it was the Lord who murdered and beheaded him?

9 David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, 10 when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! 11 How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!”

An innocent man? Really? He doesn’t mean in a theological sense. We have already learned that Ish-Bosheth is corrupt enough to cause Abner to leave. Many people will justify their actions because “he deserved it”. Not that he was found guilty in a court of law, but he is basically a bad person. The “never Trumpers” are like this. They don’t take issue with his pro life judges, they don’t have an issue with the improvement to the economy or the fact that he didn’t get us into any wars, or even the peace treaty he brokered with Israel. No, it is because some of the things he has said proves to them that he is a bad man. In any court of law those quotes would have been inadmissible because they were irrelevant. But now people want to justify all sorts of crimes like censorship and tyranny because of these things.

12 So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.

Your hands and your feet need to be fully under the Lord’s leading. There can be no compromise. That is what it means to be a king. Abner is in the tomb because he chose Ish-Bosheth as head rather than the Lord.

I heard one person answer the question “what does Tom Brady winning the Super Bowl in Tampa do to Bill Belechik’s legacy?” He said that it doesn’t do very much to his legacy as a coach. He is still a great defensive coordinator and a great coach. But it does a lot to his legacy as a General Manager. The damage done to Belechik is not about his ability on the battle field as a strategist and tactician. No, the damage done is on his ability to choose who should head his team. People remember what you did last the most. Can you imagine if Belechik never wins another Super Bowl? His record without Brady as quarterback could wind up below .500. This will become a permanent mark on his legacy. Second of all, how much will this affect the team's trust in his ability to act as GM?

2Samuel 5 -- All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”

All of Israel knew this and yet David spent one year and four months in Philistia, not to mention all the time being chased by Saul prior to that, and then seven years in Hebron before they all realized this. We have all had this experience, God speaks a word to us but we don’t want to receive it until we finally realize that word is our salvation.

3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.

Is this the third time he has been anointed? First by Samuel, then by Judah and now by all of Israel. They made a covenant with him. Saul served a purpose, he made the Israelites much smarter, not so willing to go down that road a second time. This time we have a king plus a covenant. Although we don’t know the detail of the covenant a king who has a covenant with the people is known as a “constitutional monarchy”. An important step towards a democracy.

4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. 6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

There are various interpretations of this because the description is not that clear, but I think the best is that “the blind and the lame” refers to idols

8 On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

The water shaft is also translated by some as “gutter”. Now it is idiotic to thing they had a bunch of blind and lame people on top of the wall and on the roof with the gutter. However, we are all familiar with idols, statues on buildings and on the roof. Statues of people and busts of people could derisively be called “the blind and the lame” and it would explain this rule that they will not enter the palace. I could see David giving orders to toss all these statues down off the roof into a ravine where they would be smashed and broken up.

9 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces[b] inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. 11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

I think David’s decision here was quite insightful. He is just made king of all Israel, so where do you put your palace? You don’t want to displace some other Lord, you don’t want to stay too far south in Hebron. You need a central location and since Jerusalem had not yet been fully conquered that is the ideal place. All of Israel will appreciate taking that city from the Jebusites. A mountain in the center of Israel where you can build a palace fit for a king.

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 19 so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” 20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.[c] 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off. 22 Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 23 so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” 25 So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon[d] to Gezer.

When David returned to Israel he asked God where he should go and God said Hebron. Therefore I think it is quite reasonable to conclude that he also asked God where he should set up the capital and God told him Jerusalem. Before attacking the Philistines each time he asked God and God gave him the winning strategy. Therefore I think it is safe to say he did that before attacking Jerusalem and the Jebusites as well. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in God, you need to have the full assurance of faith concerning this before you could truly reign as a king.

2Samuel 6 -- Who gets the honor of bearing the testimony of Jesus?

1 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. 2 He and all his men went to Baalah[a] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,[b] the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4 with the ark of God on it,[c] and Ahio was walking in front of it. 5 David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

Wow this reminds me of the Macy’s day parade with all the floats, the music, the balloons. You have Snoopy, and the Grinch.

6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

Seriously, are we really going to let Macy’s and all these retailers carry the testimony of the Lord? They make a big show, but it is irreverent. What does Snoopy or the Grinch have to do with the story of how Jesus was born in a manger?

8 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[e]

I am angry too. Last I heard 12 stores have decided to no longer carry Mike Lindell’s My Pillow. Why? Is it because the product is no good? Nope, it is because he is quite vocal in his testimony of being saved by Jesus. I will not have anything to do with those companies.

9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.

That is right. Mike Lindell has been blocked from almost all retail stores and yet his sales have skyrocketed. All his sales are online.

12 Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13 When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

This is what the Lord wants. He doesn’t want Macy’s bearing the testimony, he wants the saints of the Lord, priests to God bearing the testimony. He would much rather see the Christmas play done by the children’s church than to go to the Rockettes show.

16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

This is the problem, there are people in the church who despise the day of small things. She despised the pageant that David put on.

17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18 After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. 19 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

This sounds like a wonderful celebration of the Lord, whether it is a sunrise service celebrating His resurrection or a play celebrating his birth.

20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

This sounds like our celebration of the Lord’s passion where He was crucified on the cross. We always have some brother who is half naked hanging from the cross in that one.

21 David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” 23 And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

David has fully embraced “the deplorables”. Hebrews says we need to go outside the camp to where Jesus was crucified and embrace His disgrace. The church is filled with “slave girls” but not many of the “rich girls”. Michal grew up in the King’s house and has learned to despise others. This word is spoken to us from David who is a type of Christ. In the age of grace the Lord Jesus has become even more undignified than this with very humble celebrations from the poorest of the poor who hold Him in honor.

2Samuel 7 -- The promises of God

1 After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

When Jesus was on Earth the gospel of John described the Word which was from the beginning, which was God, tabernacling among us. When a man of God is indwelt with the Spirit of God it is compared to God living in a tent.

3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.” 4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

What was it the Lord said: “I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it”. This is the church age, the age in which God is building His house.

8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel.

Do not despise being a shepherd or tending the flock. There is a direct comparison between being a shepherd of sheep and being a ruler of God’s people. I am reminded of the joke “this is so easy a five year old could do it, go and find me a five year old”. People have mocked the American electorate as having the mentality of a sixth grader. If that is true a sixth grade teacher would be ideal training for someone to become ruler of the people.

9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.

Wherever he went? God was with him when he went to Philistia? In our discussion of 1Samuel there were a lot of Bible expositors who said that David’s going to Philistia was backsliding and unbelief. Yet, here God says He was with David. This chapter is filled with the promises of God. I will be with you wherever you go. I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. These are two wonderful promises. Jesus Christ was the greatest man on earth, if our name (our work and our person) could be like Jesus Christ, wow!

10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders[a] over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

Great promise for today. We are being disturbed by all kinds of wicked people who desire to oppress the people of God, just like those in the past in Egypt and in Sodom and Gomorrah. Right now we have no rest from our enemies, but we have this promise that the Lord will give us rest.

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.

Jesus had an earthly ministry and a heavenly ministry. He was the forerunner, the pioneer who blazed the trail. In resurrection He has built and established His house, the church.

13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[b]; your throne will be established forever.’”

So how about that! I can imagine that we see what God did to Saul and to others that were disobedient or rebellious and you can feel quite unsure about your standing. But, take this promise. True, “your throne will be established forever” refers to Jesus, but Paul told me “Christ in you, the hope of glory”.

17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation. 18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!

Think how stupid Saul was and people who go to a medium. Saul paid this woman for what? So he could learn that he had sinned and would die that day? The Lord has given us this promise that we are in Christ, Christ is in us, and His kingdom will be established forever.

20 “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

He is using God’s word and God’s will interchangeably. Does God do things according to His will or according to His word? It is both. Not only so but if you can remind God of His word He will do it for the sake of His word because He has promised that not one word will fall. But even more, He has promised to make it known to His servant, we don’t have to fumble around in the dark saying “it is fate”. No, it is God’s will, we can know God’s will because He has spoken what He wills to do and He will act for the sake of His word. He has promised that we can know His will, we can know what He is going to do, and we can pray things into being because He will act for the sake of His word.

22 “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

Not only so, not only is there no God like our God but there is no people like the people of God.

25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.

“Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever.” That is how you pray.

27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.

Now that is a nice development. In 1Samuel God bullies Hannah so that she will dedicate her son to God. God uses Saul to bully David into going to Ziklag and accomplishing his command to utterly destroy the Amalekites. But now in 2Samuel God establishes David’s house so in return David wants to build God a house. God gives David rest from his enemies so David wants to give God rest.

28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

Pray according to God’s covenant and according to His promised blessings.

Philippians: Rejoice, and again I will say Rejoice

Phil 1: 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

In James we are being tried, enduring these trials requires patience and actually works patience in us, and you cannot have a perfect work without patience. Therefore, we need to count these trials joy. Here we see Paul counting their fellowship in gospel with joy. Paul says God has begun a good work in us and will complete it. In this view these trials we are going through are in fact God doing a good work in us, and they are evidence that God will complete this work in us. James talks about a perfect work, Paul talks about the good work that God will complete in us, Paul also lets us know that this work we are doing is “fellowship in the gospel”. James talks about the work “wanting something” meaning it is incomplete, Paul tells us that these trials are dealing with those things that are wanting and that God will do a complete work so that nothing is wanting. I do not preach the gospel at my school where I teach, but my work is still fellowship in this gospel. The gospel is that Jesus Christ is Lord and that we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of heavens bringing healing to the nations. My job is fellowship, participation in that gospel of bringing healing to the nations under the headship of Jesus Christ.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

What does it mean to “count it all joy”. It means that our love would abound (versus growing cold which is a common response to trials). It means approving things that are excellent rather than allowing our ego to get involved. It means being sincere and without offense rather than becoming political and vengeful. It means being filled with the fruits of righteousness rather than the petty grievances and tit for tats that are common.

12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Again, this helps me to count it all joy. Often we are confused, why did this happen? I was preaching the gospel, doing what the Lord said, why am I now in prison? A root of bitterness is a very real concern when going through these trials, like being falsely accused of a crime and being imprisoned by a corrupt government. On the other hand there are many others, like Jonah, who ran from speaking the word. But what happened to Jonah also turned out to the furtherance of the gospel. At the end of the age things will happen, they also will be for the furtherance of the gospel, it will become evident to all that this is the hand of God and as a result the brethren will be more bold to speak the word without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

This is really great. You can see that some are making valid arguments about why Paul shouldn’t rejoice. Just like Jonah complaining to God about why he didn’t want to preach to Nineveh. He knew God would relent and have mercy even though they were so sinful. Some of the preaching is out of envy and strife. There is selfish ambition and a desire for vengeance. But Paul tells us that as long as Christ is preached he will rejoice. It makes perfect sense. God is working on us, these trials are revealing selfish ambition, envy and strife. This is how God purifies us and does a complete and perfect work. You should not be surprised that He is doing this in others and that you can see these imperfections being revealed in others.

19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Paul continues to show us how to count it all joy. His deliverance will be through their prayer, he is cheering them on. We are in this together, we are a team. Yes, he is being attacked, slandered, and ridiculed but his expectation and hope is that he will not be ashamed but that Christ will be magnified in his body. He is showing us the complete picture, he is rejoicing, not because they are slandering him, but because he will be made a conqueror with Christ being magnified in Him. Whether by life or death! Even if they put him to death he can still count it all joy because to die is gain. What is the point of life? Paul says for to him to live is Christ. When Christ is magnified in his body that is the true joy, that is why he lives. Since that is the case he knows that if the Lord chooses to take him then that is gain, he will be with Christ. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” (Jonah 2:7-9) At the end of this age we all need to imitate Paul.

27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

When we count it all joy it doesn’t mean we won’t have adversaries, it doesn’t mean we won’t have conflict. We saw this conflict and these adversaries in the life of Paul, so to count it all joy we need to imitate him. Conduct yourself worthy of the gospel. Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving for the faith of the gospel. There is lots of conflict to a teacher, it comes from every direction. Kids fight you, parents fight you, administrators fight you. You need to stand firm with one mind (this is in contrast to Jame’s use of a “double minded man”). The waves are crashing over the boat but like James said “you are firmly fixed on the goal”. We are striving together for the faith of the gospel. My faith is that I will speak to a mountain of unbelief to be cast into the sea and it will be done. My faith is that the stone which the builders rejected will become the head of the corner. We cannot be terrified by the things that will come on the whole earth, it is proof of perdition but to us of salvation.

Philippians 2:1-30 The mind that can count it all joy

2 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

This is how you count it all joy. In these trials is there an opportunity to comfort someone in love? Is there an opportunity for affection and mercy? The narrow way that leads to life avoids selfish ambition, it avoids conceit. This path where we can count it all joy is in lowliness of mind where we esteem others better than ourselves. At no time is this more necessary, to look out for the interests of others, than at the end of the age.

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

To count it all joy is something you do with your mind. What kind of mind could count these trials joy? Only the mind of Christ. You will be slandered, your reputation will be lost, you will be humbled, you will have to choose to be a servant, and ultimately you will be put to death. Your ego, everything you count precious will be nailed to that cross. Can you really count it all joy? Only if you have the mind of Christ.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. 17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

Counting it all joy is equivalent to “working out your own salvation”. If you are complaining and disputing it is evidence that you are not counting it all joy and therefore these things are not working out to your salvation. Why? Because if you are not blameless and harmless you will be judged for that at the judgement seat of Christ. If you are not shining as a light in the world, if you are not holding fast the word of life then you will be judged along with this crooked and perverse generation. On the other hand if you are doing that then guess what, when you are standing at the judgement seat of Christ Paul will be rejoicing because your life is proof that he didn’t run in vain and didn’t labor in vain. So if he is put to death he can rejoice with us, because we all one day will be standing before the Lord, victorious.

19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. 25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; 26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; 30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

Counting it all joy doesn’t mean we don’t have sorrow, even sorrow upon sorrow. Instead Paul looks at these brothers, one “for the work of Christ came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me”. The other sincerely cares for your state serving with Paul as a son with a father. These trials which cause sorrow offer an opportunity for the Christ in the saints to shine forth.

Philippians 3:1-21 Beware of having your own righteousness

3 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

Paul is really awesome. James tells us to “count it all joy” and he can expand on that in so many ways, it is amazing.

2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Beware of these guys, why? Because they are trying to get you to have your own righteousness, based on the law and not the righteousness from God based on faith in Christ. What is so bad about having your own righteousness based on the law? Isn’t that good? It doesn’t help you to know Christ, or the power of His resurrection, or the fellowship of His sufferings. It doesn’t help you to be conformed to His death if by any means you could also attain to His resurrection. It is a scam. A phony rolex. When you stand before the judgement seat of Christ having your own righteousness will result in the Lord saying “depart from Me I never knew you”.

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

Paul talks about “the same mind” and walking by the same mind. James talks about the perfect law of liberty and that whoever is carefully investigating that law in their ministry will be blessed in their deed. Paul says “to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind”. This same “rule” is the law of liberty, the mind of Christ, to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

They say to themselves “who can bring me down” (Obadiah 3). They eat with you yet secretly set a trap for you (Obadiah 7). They will be covered with shame (Obadiah 10), utterly despised (Obadiah 2). Why? They stood aloof when their brother suffered calamity, they gloated in his misfortune, boasting in themselves and rejoicing in their misfortune (Obadiah 12)

20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

On Mount Zion will be deliverance, it will be holy, and Jacob will possess his inheritance, we’ll be transformed to the prince of God. (Obadiah 17). The exiles of the good land will possess it (Obadiah 20). And the Kingdom will be the Lord’s (Obadiah 21).

Philippians 4:1- An exposition on counting it all joy

4 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. 2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

This book is an exposition on “counting it all joy”.

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

In order to “count it all joy” we need a guard who will protect our hearts and minds, the peace of God is that guard and we receive this protection from God when we make our prayers and supplications known to God. The Lord is at hand, that would be terrifying if it were not for the Peace of God guarding our hearts.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Once again, I love Paul. It is one thing to say that the mind of Christ is to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” but practically speaking what does that mean? It means we actively meditate on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, if there is any virtue, if any praise. Paul has given us a number of examples by showing what he was meditating on with Timothy and Epaphroditus.

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

This book tells us again and again to rejoice in the Lord, to count it all joy. But it also tells us how to make others rejoice. It is like a fire, if you cause others to rejoice it will cause you to rejoice.

14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. 15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. 18 Indeed I [g]have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.