Come to Understanding

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

February 14, 2013
Volume 12 Number 4

The Veil is Upon Their Heart

None of us see all things clearly. Paul, however, writes of a time when we will finally see, even as we are seen. Our eyes will no longer be shielded, as though we are looking through a darkened glass, and we will finally see God face-to-face as we are able to look upon His glory. The light of truth will shine upon us to clearly reveal the things that had been hidden from our understanding:

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. -1 Corinthians 13

Moses witnessed the brightness of the glory of Yahweh when he came into His presence to receive the ten commandments. Its brilliance was so great that it even shone from Moses’ face after he left Yahweh’s presence. The brightness of Yahweh’s glory shining upon Moses’ face was so brilliant that the children of Israel were afraid to even come near to him:

28 And he was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him. -Exodus 34

For this reason, Moses put a veil upon his face, which shielded the eyes of the children of Israel from the brightness of Yahweh’s glory. He then told them the commandments that Yahweh had spoken to him:

31 And Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him: and Moses talked with them.

32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that Yahweh had spoken with him in mount Sinai.

33 And until Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. -Exodus 34

Even though Moses was able to come face-to-face into the presence of Yahweh, without the veil, he had to place the veil over his face again each time he spoke to the children of Israel:

34 But when Moses went in before Yahweh to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him. -Exodus 34

Even as the children of Israel were unable to bear the brightness of the glory of Yahweh and needed to see it through a light-dimming veil, so it was also with the people of Corinth. Paul told them that their minds had likewise been blinded to the Scriptures by a veil. Consequently, they were unable to see the truth of the Old Testament, which is revealed through the Messiah (Christ):

12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same veil not taken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in the Messiah. -2 Corinthians 3

Yahshua (Jesus) Himself said that the things which were written in the law of Moses, in the prophets, and in the Psalms were about Him!

44 And he said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. -Luke 24

It is He that opens the spiritual eyes of our understanding to reveal Himself through the Scriptures:

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46 And said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved the Messiah to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. -Luke 24

Yahweh had made a "holy promise" to Abraham:

42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. -Psalms 105

Opened eyes can see in the Scriptures that this is the Promise that Yahshua would send upon His disciples to enable them to be "endued with power from on high:"

49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high. -Luke 24

This Promise is the Holy Ghost:

33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which you now see and hear. -Acts 2

This Promise was not just for those that were in Jerusalem on that day. It was for generations yet to come, as well as for everyone else that is called by Yahweh to receive Him:

39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. -Acts 2

The Promise, which is the Spirit of the Messiah, is the "Holy Ghost." This is the "Spirit of God," which must dwell in all those that belong to Him:

9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of the Messiah, he is none of his. -Romans 8

The Spirit of God is also called the Spirit of Truth, which guides us into all truth, even showing us things that are yet to come:

13 However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. -John 16

He guides us into all truth, which is the Word of God:

17 Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth. -John 17

However, even as the Spirit of Truth had been sent, hearts were still hidden from God’s word by a veil of unbelief:

15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. -2 Corinthians 3

Such hearts are unable to look upon the brightness of the truth of the Word of God, which shines as the light that cannot be comprehended by a world of darkness:

5 And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. -John 1

It cannot be understood by the "natural man," using his natural mind, because it is discerned by the Spirit of God:

14 But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. -1 Corinthians 2

It is only when the natural man turns to Yahweh, and the Spirit of Truth removes the veil from his heart, that his mind is opened up to understanding the Word of God:

16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. -2 Corinthians 3

Once our hearts "turn to the Lord," they are no longer led by the flesh, but by the "Spirit of the Lord:"

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. -2 Corinthians 3

Those that are led by His Spirit understand (mind) the things of the Spirit, rather than the things of the flesh:

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. -Romans 8

[The Greek word that is translated as "mind" is fronew (phroneo). It means "to have understanding" (see Strong’s Concordance). In other words, those that are led by the Spirit of God understand the things that are of His Spirit.]

The Word of God, is the "Word of Truth," which is discerned and understood through diligent study by the power of the Spirit of Truth:

15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. -2 Timothy 2

The Word of God is alive (quick). It works even more powerfully than a sharp sword to open up our soul and spirit to reveal the "thoughts and intents" of our hearts:

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. -Hebrews 4

The Word of God is called the "Sword of the Spirit" because the Spirit of God uses it as a powerful sharpened tool to accomplish His purpose in our hearts:

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: -Ephesians 6

The Spirit of God thereby cuts away the veil of our hearts, allowing us to come face-to-face with the glory of Yahweh through His Word:

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. -2 Corinthians 3

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