The Daily Word of Righteousness

A Giant Step Forward, #28

Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight." Then Joshua struck and killed the kings and hung them on five trees, and they were left hanging on the trees until evening. At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day. (Joshua 10:25-27)

Notice that the Amorite kings were killed and thrown back into the cave. This reminds us that the Lord will put to death the most powerful forces of sin in us, and then leave their dead carcasses in us. At His return in the clouds of glory, all the residue of sin in us will be removed so when workers of evil come to us they can find nothing in us that responds to their wicked desires. This is a major part of the salvation that is to be brought to us in the future.

Unlike the five kings of the Amorites, the kings in us that have been killed and left in us can come back to life, if we do not continue to keep the Lord's commandments and walk in His ways. Satan watches us carefully to the last minute of our life on earth to see if he can deceive us into disobeying God. We never, never, never are to let down our guard!

Notice that what will happen to us in the future depends on the victories we gain today. If the kings of the Amorites are still alive in us when the Lord returns, then we shall be facing judgment rather than deliverance.

John Fourteen, and the Coming Salvation

Perhaps we might want to consider the second through the twenty-third verse of the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of John as portraying the spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles.

We will tie the passage together with the first and last verses.

In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23)

The Greek term for "room," in verse two, is the same Greek term for "home," in verse twenty-three.

There appears to be no linguistic reason why the translation should not be uniform:

In My Father's house are many abodes.

We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

If the translators had been consistent with their usage of the Greek term for abode we would not have fallen into the "mansion in Heaven" mythology.

The Lord is saying, "In My Father's house," which is the great temple of God, Christ—Head and Body, "there are many rooms."

Christ Himself is the chief Cornerstone in the house of God and we are living stones that form the house.

To be continued.