The Spirit of the Word
"The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life."     Jesus
                                                                    "The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life."     Paul

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        Paul wrote of how creation was made subject to "the bondage of corruption," which, in his translation, J. B. Phillips descriptively refers to as, "the tyranny of change and decay." (Rom. 8:21).  Cycle follows cycle, summer and winter, springtime and harvest, times of peace, and times of turmoil.  With every new crisis and upheaval and change, we all hasten back to the Word to quote again Hebrews 12:26-27, "Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also the heaven.  And this Word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." Truly we draw much comfort from this, even as we apply it to our individual life, to know that God has for us a realm which cannot be shaken, a place of stability and victory in Him.
        There are many who feel that every SHAKING DAY AND EVENT must be a precursor to the "end time," and we had best make sure we are prepared for the "doom day" which is upon us.  Yet as the crisis seems to pass and they have another quiet time before they are plunged again into more CHANGE, they begin to realize in spite of the changes "the end is not yet." (Matthew 24:6)
        There are also a few who view all changes as the birth pangs of a new move of God, and are eager to rise up and be foremost among those who lead the way into new realms of glory.  Methinks this latter view is better than the former.  To see positively the advance of the purposes of God, rather than the doom and despair of negativity.  Yet, let every man be persuaded of his own vision, and walk in the light which is shed upon his path.
        God has always raised up His key men and women to help spearhead new moves of His working─ and I am sure there are those in this generation that are so used of Him.  For years we have held high that banner, and prayed to be among those who pioneer the way into fresh truth, and the tremendous moves of His Spirit.  And while that desire has not actually diminished, it has been tempered over these past few years with an ever stronger desire to just WORSHIP THE LORD, to minister unto Him, and then to just comfort and encourage His people through all their present processings and shakings.
        We find that the term "end time" doesn't witness much to us any more.  That we are ending one age and merging into a new age, is certain, and all the signs clearly point to this.  But that God could continue many of these workings for a long time is also possible─ therefore we would seek to keep our eyes more ON HIM, than on trying to "read the signs," many of which man seems to have misinterpreted over the years anyway.  Religious Babylon's preachers and teachers have certainly been scrambling these past months to bolster up their doctrines and theories, with respect to present changing events, not even taking time to apologize for all their past mistakes and erroneous conclusions.  But one fact we are thoroughly convinced of is that WHATEVER GOD PURPOSES SHALL BE FULFILLED, and so we simply desire to become ONE IN HIS WILL, then however He uses us in His great design, may it be to His glory and praise.
        Surely we need not fear "though the earth be removed..." Note the word "removed," from the Hebrew word "mur" and literally means: to be changed.  Cold and heat, drought and floods, wind and fire, stormy seasons of all kinds sweep over the earth, constantly changing─ yet there is One who is with us through it all, and in Him we trust.  Even in our own little world, our earthen vessel, we face the tyranny of change and decay─ yet knowing that our times are in His hands, He can help us face it all with serenity.
        "Though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea..." Volcanos, and earthquakes give a very literal illustration, as things erupt, and the mountain (lava) slides into the sea.  But figuratively mountains symbolize kingdoms, and the sea bespeaks the vast sea of humanity.  Amid all the disruption and upheaval we watch the kingdoms of man slip into the sea-with new kingdoms rising, and the sea surging─ and yet we need not fear.  "That the living may know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever He will, and sets up over it the basest of men." (Daniel 4:17).  The more we come to know the sovereignty of God, and that HE is OVER all the nations, the less we fear the mountains falling.
        "Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled..." - "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." (Isa. 57:20).  Even the Psalmist questions, "Why do the heathen rage (riot, or tumultuously assemble), and the people imagine a vain thing?" (Ps. 2:1) There is turmoil and unrest, the masses surge together in revolt, protest, and demonstration─ sometimes positively, sometimes negatively─ yet we need not be over-anxious because of these roarings.  God continues to set the boundaries which they cannot pass over.  "He has compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end." (Job 26:10).  Thus far, and no farther!  He speaks, and the waters subside.  So also the Lord is able to work in our own lives, when it seems that "All Your waves and Your billows have gone over me." (Psalm 42:7).  When He speaks peace within, all the turmoil and agitation quiets down, and we find our tranquility in Him.
        So the Psalmist goes on, "The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered His voice, the earth melted." (Psalm 46:6).  Stormy seasons, yes, but when HE SPEAKS it all melts right down before Him.  All the resistance, the self-hood rebellion, the hardness of heart, the carnal ego, the will of the flesh, the agitated emotions, the proud intellect, etc. it all melts as HE speaks the Word of truth, of life, of light, of eternal rightness.  So the contrast is made─ utter chaos, everything being shaken, and then we HEAR HIS VOICE, and all must come into submission before Him.
            Then we come to the next verse (7), "THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US, the God of Jacob is our refuge." Hallelujah!
        Lord─ Yahweh, Jehovah, the I AM THAT I AM.  Of HOSTS─ the Hebrew word is "tsaba", and the New Testament gives it as "Lord of Sabbath." In the progressive revelation of the Lord, this NAME was not spoken of while Israel was in bondage in Egypt.  Nor was this name revealed while they were in the wilderness.  Not even when first coming across Jordan and being victors in Canaan.  But as the processings continue to deepen, we realize how very desperately we need a further revelation of God in our lives.  So when Israel failed in the land of promise, became divided, and in peril of being led into captivity, then does this become the Name to which the prophets instinctively turn for comfort and deliverance.
        In a word, not until we see the religious systems fail, and that the hosts of Israel can no longer help us, for they are bitterly divided and destroying one another, then do we turn to the Lord Himself, who is our HELPER.
        God has indeed led us through some very unique processings through the years, and when I say "us" I am not just referring to myself, but all of you, though perhaps I do not know you personally, and I do not know your story─ but I know you have a story─ having lived out some of this intense processing, and were we permitted to share face to face, we'd find out that though we were thousands of miles apart geographically, yet the principles He is working into us are the same, and there would be many parallels to share.  But through it all, we are being brought to the end of depending upon these religious systems of man, for they cannot supply what our inner man was searching.  Sure, we tried to live on "camp-meeting joy," and found ourselves high and dry, for reality wasn't in riding the crest of revival ecstasy─ indeed, the eye is not filled with the seeing of miracles, nor is the ear filled with the hearing of the testimonies of deliverance which men have experienced.  We weep with intensity of desire for His reality, "My soul thirsts for God, for the Living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" (Psalm 42:2).  Thus God strips away the religious systems, and our dependency upon them, so that we might learn to find in GOD ALONE all that our heart desires.
        We read of "All the hosts of the Lord (i.e. people of Israel) went out from the land of Egypt." (Exodus 12:41).  And in time they were marshaled into order.  "And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts." (Numbers 1:52).  But for all their hosts, great numbers, (today we have our mega-churches); and for all of their prescribed order, (now some clamor for 'early church patterns' or designated elders, etc.); yet such does not make anyone more spiritual or righteous.  Carnality brought strife among the Israelites, and it continues to bring strife, debate, clamoring, divisions, among us today.  HOWEVER, let it be remembered, GOD IS, and must ever be sufficient for a ruined religious system, as for a ruined world, and in His time we shall see a tremendous purging, purifying, and then a restoration into the life of God.  Not to revitalize the system, but to bring life to the people.  There is need to be very careful that as God calls us out of Babylon, we do not develop an animosity towards those we came out from, but rather we pray and trust for the day when they, too, shall "hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." (John 5:25).  Amen!
        Note the setting and conditions that prevailed in the land of Israel, when for the first time we read the phrase "THE LORD OF HOSTS." Israel had lived in "the promised land" for some time, with God as their Ruler through the administration of various judges that were raised up.  While the priesthood was responsible for their spiritual welfare.  But, the priests, the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas "were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord," and did "make the Lord's people to transgress." (1 Sam. 2:12, 24).  Conditions had so deteriorated that these priests were a total disgrace.  In due time the Philistines came against Israel in battle, the Ark of God was taken, and both Hophni and Phinehas were slain.  When Eli heard the news he fell off his seat and broke his neck and died.  When Phinehas' wife heard all this, she immediately went into labor and gave birth to a son, whom she named "Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel."
        It was in the midst of all this corruption and heartache, that we find there was a man, Elkanah, that "went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto THE LORD OF HOSTS in Shiloh." His wife, Hannah, who was barren, also went up to the house of the Lord, and in earnest prayer "She vowed a vow, and said, O LORD OF HOSTS, if You will indeed look upon the affliction of Your handmaiden, and remember me, and not forget Your handmaid, but will give unto Your handmaid a man child, then will I give him unto the Lord all the days of his life..." (I Sam. 1:11).
        There was no need to reproach her husband, "for he loved Hannah: BUT THE LORD had shut up her womb." There was no need to ask for help, prayer, encouragement from the priests─ for that ministry was utterly corrupt.  But she prayed unto THE LORD OF HOSTS.  It was a deep heart cry, "she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard." Poor old Eli, sitting over yonder, saw it and understood not, for he thought she was drunk.  But she answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord." It was "deep calling unto deep." (Psalm 42:7).  The deep of her misery was calling unto the deep of God's mercy.  The deep of her emptiness was calling unto the deep of His grace to fill the void.  The deep of her sorrow and mourning was calling to the joy of His victory.  And THE LORD OF HOSTS answered the cry of her heart, and her son Samuel was born.
        Sometime later, the elders of Israel came to Samuel, 1 Samuel 8:1-22, "Make us a king to judge us like all the other nations," and Samuel prayed unto the Lord about it, "And the Lord said unto Samuel, - They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them." Then Samuel showed them "the manner of the king that should reign over them." It was a vivid account of how they, and their children, would become SERVANTS TO THE SYSTEM.  Especially would the king take from them "THE TENTH of your seed... THE TENTH of your sheep..." etc.  Ah, sounds much like the constant demand of the religious systems of our day TAKING THE TENTH (tithe) as they require more and more finances for their kingdom.  Yet the people insisted upon having a king, so they could be like all the other nations.  Then Saul was anointed king, "And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him." (1 Sam. 14:52).  For their wish was to have someone strong before their eyes─ to do for them the things which God Himself had covenanted to do for them, if they would believe Him, trust in Him with all their heart.  So the people had their king, and their army, but when again the Philistines came against them, led by their champion, Goliath, they all were ready to panic.  We need not recount all of the record, but when David went out against him, he said to Goliath, "You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to you IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." (1 Samuel 17:45).  What a victory resulted! it is vain to trust in men, but it is glorious to trust in Him who is THE LORD OF HOSTS.
        Who knows how much the people themselves understood what the name, THE LORD OF HOSTS, really meant.  For it has often been that man, by the Word, by the Anointing, utters a truth far beyond his own imperfect comprehension.  In fact he may even later deny the very truth he uttered, for his mind and his doctrine have not been able to keep pace with the anointing upon his spirit.  We note that Peter preached one day, "I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh..."
(Acts 2:17).  There was a mighty outpouring of the holy Spirit, and that day over three thousand people were drawn in, to believe.  Yet when we come to Acts 10: God must needs give Peter a special vision, to prepare him to go to the house of Cornelius.  He argued with God about it, and defended his stand, until the Voice came, "What God has cleansed, that call not common." So later he tells Cornelius, "BUT GOD HAS SHOWED ME..." (verse 28) Then the truth he preached on the day of Pentecost was life within his own being─ and he understood a depth which was heretofore very hidden from his understanding.  He who declared that God would pour out His Spirit upon ALL FLESH found it hard to believe that very Word.  And we see much the same today─ we quote GOD'S WORD, and then qualify it by our own limited concepts and traditions, etc.  UNTIL God sovereignly imparts a revelation to us─ quickens us by His Spirit to believe what HE SAID!
        When first the name "THE LORD OF HOSTS" was revealed, it is well possible that Israel linked, in their minds, thoughts of earthly hosts, of the hosts of Israel.  They would number themselves, number the enemy, and pit earthly numbers against each other.  It often took some deep waters of testing and trial to turn their eyes upwards to know that HE WAS LORD OF THE HEAVENLY HOSTS that were waiting in attendance upon them.
        We note that this "name" is used but twice in the New Testament.  We read James 5:4, "Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cries: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the LORD OF SABBATH." While there was no earthly recourse, justice was perverted, corruption prevailed, no one to turn to─ yet THEIR CRY REACHED UNTO THE HIGHER COURT.
        How often has God caused circumstances to engulf people until there was no earthly recourse, none they could turn to for help.  Betimes He even strips away our dearest brothers and sisters in the Lord, so that when we get between a rock and a hard place, we cannot cry out to them to PRAY US OUT of our pain and sorrow.  How often have we asked people to BAIL US OUT of our trial─ pray us out, prophesy us out, sing and shout us out─ and while we called it a "faith and deliverance" message, much of it was simply ESCAPISM to keep from depending solely upon THE LORD OF HOSTS to help us OVERCOME.
        God arranges our testings and we need to keep our eyes on Him.  He says, "O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are Mine.  When you pass through the waters, I WILL BE WITH YOU; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you.  For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour." (Isaiah 43:1-3).  Note, He did not say "IF" you pass through, as though you might escape these things, but "WHEN", for in His time we all must be tried and purged.  But there is a promise built right into the trial, WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH!  He does not mean for us to take up residence in the trial and not go on─ we are to PASS THROUGH, knowing that THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US, and He will surely be our victory.
        The other reference in the New Testament is in Romans 9:27-29, "A remnant shall be saved: for He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.  As Esaias said before, Except the LORD OF SABBATH had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha."
        This quote was taken from Isaiah 1:8-9, where it says that "The daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city." Isolated, alone, cut off, but THE LORD OF HOSTS knows and He preserves "a very small remnant." For sure we are seeing this fulfilled again in this day, as He takes them "One of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion." (Jer. 3:14).  Isolated, cut off, all alone in your corner─ but you belong to THE LORD OF HOSTS.  You are called to be a part of that remnant, the election of grace, and for all of your aloneness, you are part of a mystical corporate body─ HIS HOSTS.  He who is your LORD is not "God of a straggled few." He is THE LORD OF HOSTS, and when He purposes to bring you through, you are ENCOMPASSED ABOUT by His heavenly array that waits in attendance upon His Word for you.
        We read about King Uzziah, 2 Chronicles 26:1-15, how that he sought the Lord and prospered, built towers, digged wells, had a vast host of fighting men, till his name spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.  Surely we have seen men whom God has blessed this way, and their very name brings to mind the multiplied blessings of God that rest on them.  But the problem is that far too often we begin to get our eyes upon these men.  Let them counsel us, let them pray for us, let them preach the sermon, etc. for they truly are mighty men.  Isaiah lived in Uzziah's time, which makes it very significant when we read, "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the, Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. (And the seraphims cried), Holy, holy, holy, is THE LORD OF HOSTS: the whole earth is full of His glory." (Isaiah 6:1,3).
        When did this vision engulf Isaiah?  When king Uzziah, and all his hosts, were no longer foremost in his view.  As long as we are prospering, digging wells, building towers, impressive exploits in our service for the Lord, we seem to get caught up in the program, and often almost forget the Lord.  But when "the king" dies─ when all the programs cease─ when our eye becomes SINGLE UNTO THE LORD, then will He reveal Himself as the LORD OF HOSTS, and we shall find IN HIM our sufficiency for every need and care.
        The king of Syria was come up against Ahaz King of Judah, "And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind." (Isaiah 7:2).  They were afraid!  A confederacy had been made against them, Syria joining with Israel, conspiring against Ahaz.  Then the Lord sent Isaiah the prophet to them with a special word and promises, and finally we come to this admonition, "Say not, a Confederacy (or, as the Hebrew reads, a conspiracy), to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear their fear, nor be afraid.  Sanctify THE LORD OF HOSTS Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.  And He shall be for a sanctuary..." (Isaiah 8:12-14).
        What a Word for this day, when we hear of all negative talk of conspiracy, and speculation on what the enemy might do.  Sanctify─ SET APART, put GOD FIRST AND FOREMOST IN YOUR THOUGHTS, and let your awe and reverence be toward Him, let Him be your SANCTUARY.  Kingdoms will rise and fall, men will scheme and plot and make their alliances against one another, BUT GOD RULES OVER IT ALL, and we need to see Him in sovereign control of all nations.

"The Lord breaks the plans of the pagans,
And frustrates mere human designs;
But the plans of the Lord last forever,
The designs of His heart for all times."
(Ps. 33:10-11, Ferrar Fenton)

        How timeless is that precious word which Zechariah gave unto Zerubbabel, "Saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, says THE LORD OF HOSTS." (Zech. 4:6).
        The world will boast in its might, its MASS-POWER, for they equate strength with numbers.  And many religious movements fall into this same concept, so that they use that standard to measure their success.  But God has chosen to reveal Himself in a far different equation, it is the union of A REMNANT and THE LORD OF HOSTS.  The number of His hosts remains unknown, for we are not to concentrate on "the hosts" but upon "THE LORD" who is Captain of the hosts.  Yet again we can say, as Elisha did to his servant, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." (2 Kings 6:16).
        "By My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." May we live and walk in union with Him, and then we need not fear any change that comes our way. Amen

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(1) Prinzing, Ray and Doris "Letters of Truth"  Boise, Idaho 83705, P.O. Box 5822

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