Come to Understanding

They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,

and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. — Isaiah 29:24

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,

and caused them to understand the reading. — Nehemiah 8:8

May 1, 2012

Volume 11 Number 9

Springs of Water

(Part 1)

Water is often used in the Scriptures to represent the Spirit of God. Yahshua (Jesus) explains that He is the giver of "living water:"

38 He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. -John 7

When Yahshua called Himself the source of living waters, those that understood the Scriptures knew that He was saying that He was Yahweh, that had come in the flesh. Speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, Yahweh says He is the "fountain of living waters:"

13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. -Jeremiah 2

There is, of course, another kind of water. It is the "bitter water," which causes a curse:

18 And the priest shall set the woman before Yahweh, and uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causes the curse: -Numbers 5

Satan, as the Serpent, is described as sending forth water, like a flood, from his mouth with the intent of destroying the woman, which likely represents the people of God:

15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

17 And the dragon was angry with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Yahshua the Messiah. -Revelation 12

As the "living water" represents the Spirit of God, this water from the mouth of the Serpent likely represents the spirit of Satan that wars against those having the Spirit of God. While Satan’s fight against God’s people may manifest itself in the flesh, as Paul explains, the real battle is being fought in the realm of the spiritual world:

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. -Ephesians 6

Thus, Satan’s spirit operates in places of great influence, among "the rulers of the darkness of this world." It dwells in the fallen "Babylon the great" in forms described as "devils," (demons), as "every foul spirit," and as "every unclean and hateful bird:"

2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. -Revelation 18

Among these spiritual inhabitants of Babylon are "wild beasts of the desert" and "doleful creatures," "owls" and "satyrs." They, furthermore, also include the "wild beasts of the islands" and dragons:

21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged. -Isaiah 13

These Satanic creatures are almost identical to those that are prophesied to dwell in a land called "Idumea (Edom)," which are the people living under the curse of Yahweh:

5 For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. -Isaiah 34

Those under the curse have refused to listen to the voice of Yahweh and obey His word:

15 But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen unto the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day; that all these curses shall come upon you, and overtake you: -Deuteronomy 28

Therefore, because they have rejected Yahweh, they are subject to His judgment in the "day of Yahweh’s vengeance." It will be the payment for that which is called the "controversy of Zion," wherein those under the curse refuse to repent of their sins and accept Yahweh’s forgiveness:

8 For it is the day of Yahweh’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. -Isaiah 34

Those having Yahweh as their "shepherd" are led through a land described as having peaceful green pastures, nourished by the calm life-giving waters of the Spirit of God:

1 Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters. -Psalms 23

In contrast, those still living under the curse are in a desolate land watered by death-inducing streams of pitch (tar). Consequently, it is a land characterized by dusty brimstone and burning pitch:

9 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. -Isaiah 34

There are no green pastures in this land of the Idumeans. Instead, it is filled with nettles and brambles and is suitable only for the habitation of unclean spirits. The description of these demonic inhabitants is almost identical to those described as dwelling in fallen Babylon, even including dragons (serpents) and owls (unclean birds):

13 And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be a habitation of dragons, and a court for owls. -Isaiah 34

As in Babylon, the "wild beasts of the desert" join up with the "wild beasts of the islands." The calls of the demonic "satyr," the hairy goat-like creature representing Satan, can be heard throughout the land. Idumea is also the resting place of "Lilith," which is also translated as "screech owl." She is the demonic goddess of the night!

14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; Lilith also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest. -Isaiah 34

Lilith is the ancient goddess whose image from ancient Babylon at about 1800-1750 BC is displayed in London at the British Museum as the "Queen of the Night," (see http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/t/queen_of_the_night_relief.aspx). This goddess image depicts a woman having the wings and feet of a bird. She is flanked by little owls and is said to have been worshipped as the "Goddess of Death" and as the "Queen of Heaven" (see Buffie Johnson, Lady of the Beasts: The Goddess and Her Sacred Animals, 2nd ed., Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions International, 1994, pp. 82-83).

As the "great owl," or, perhaps, the "great demon," this goddess makes her nest in Idumea, where she becomes the "mother’ of other demonic spirits. As vultures, they flock to her and gather under her shadow:

15 There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate. -Isaiah 34

Likewise, the end-time harlot woman of Babylon, known as "Babylon the Great," is the mother of "harlot" offspring and "abominations of the earth:"

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. -Revelation 17

The "Mother of Harlots" operates through her relationships with the world’s leaders to deceive the inhabitants of the earth. Instead of offering "living water," she offers a drink of "bitter water" called the "wine of her fornication." Persuaded by their leaders to accept her spiritually poisonous drink, the inhabitants of the world are "made drunk" and are unable to see the deception that she brings upon them:

2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. -Revelation 17

The earthly leaders, whether they are religious or secular, send a flood of her deceiving spirits from their mouths, like frogs coming out of the water. By fair words and miraculous accomplishments, they deceive the people of the world into joining the fight against the people of God, which are those that are drinking of the living waters:

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. -Revelation 16

While many will scoff at this prophecy, Yahweh says we should seek out His book and read! Being forewarned, we are equipped with a greater understanding of the spiritual nature of unfolding events, as we watch and pray:

16 Seek you out of the book of Yahweh, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it has commanded, and his spirit it has gathered them.

17 And he has cast the lot for them, and his hand has divided it to them by line: they shall possess it forever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein. -Isaiah 34

(To be continued in Part 2)

 

 

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Scriptures are taken from the Proper Name Version of the King James Bible.

 

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