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Four -- Spirit
There is a correlation in the scriptures between the number four and the
work of the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, there are four Hebrew and Greek
words that are translated into the English word Spirit. Similarly, there
are four Hebrew and Greek words that are translated into the English
word spiritual. There are numerous groupings of fours in the scriptures
that correlate with the work of the Holy Spirit. While our chief
endeavor in these writings is to study the working of the Holy Spirit,
we will be trying to accomplish this by studying the numerous groupings
in scriptures of four things. Some of the groupings of four we will be
looking at are:
Four (Part I)
River Parted into Four Heads
In our previous essay we noted the scriptural correlation between the
bible number four and the biblical subject of the work of the Holy
Spirit.
(Four - Spirit)
In
Gen. 2:10-14 we read, “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden;
and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of
the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of
Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good: there
is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is
Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And
the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward
the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.”
Normally when we think of a river we think of streams or smaller rivers
flowing into the larger river. The river mentioned above, however, parts
and forms four other rivers. Ps. 46:4 speaks of such a river, “there is
a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy
place of the tabernacles of the most High.” This river had streams
coming out of it that caused the city of God (church) to rejoice.
The word, Eden, means “delight.” The Lord delights to save his people
from their sins. The first head of the parted river is “Pison.” The
word, “Pison,” means “freely flowing.” God’s grace is free and flows
down from God to his elect people. This river compassed the “whole land
of Havilah.” Havilah means “circle.” In the scriptures a circle is a
symbol of a covenant. In the covenant of redemption set forth in Rom.
8:29, 30, those that God foreknew, he predestinated; and those he
predestinated, he called; and those he called, he justified; and those
he justified, he glorified. Thus all He chose before the foundation of
the world are completely encompassed by the grace of God freely flowing
from God and imparted unto us by the Holy Spirit.
The name of the second river is “Gihon” which means “stream.” This river
completely encompassed the land of “Ethiopia.” The word, Ethiopia, means
“black.” Black is the bible color associated with sin. The atoning blood
of Jesus is as a stream atoning for all the sins of all his elect
people: “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, thru
sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and the sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:2).
The name of the third river was “Hiddekel” which means “rapid.” This
river flowed to the “east” of Assyria. East is the bible direction of
sin. Also “Assyria” means “plain.” In Eph. 2:1 we read, “you hath he
quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.” The Holy Spirit as a
(rapid) river reaches down and quickens us (gives us spiritual life)
when we were dead in trespasses and sins (absent of spiritual life).
This is the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit causing us to be born
again.
The name of the fourth river is Euphrates, meaning “bursting” or
“sweet.” The gospel or good news comes to those whom God elected and the
Holy Spirit quickened and is indeed bursting or sweet news to the child
of God who has come to realize his own condemnation and felt the
depravity of his heart. This sweet news refreshes his soul and causes
him to have hope of eternal life thru the redeeming blood of Jesus.
Surely these four streams of God’s grace, redemption, new birth, and the
gospel flow out from God’s delight to save his people from their sins
and make glad the city of God (his church) which is the holy place of
his tabernacles.
Four (Part II)
The Four
Living Creatures
The
prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10 wrote of four living
creatures who were also called four cherubims. In our previous study we
looked at the four beasts in Revelation chapter 4. While there are
similarities between the four beasts and the four living creatures,
there are also major differences. For instance, the four beasts each had
a different face, whereas the four living creatures each had four faces.
In our last article we noted the parallels between the four beasts and
the four gospels. Similarly the four living creatures parallel the
gospel ministry. As we look at the word description of the four living
creatures we will note the parallels with what the scriptures tell us of
the gospel ministry.
First, there were four living creatures. The word creature means that
which is created. Only God can create anything. In natural creation God
created the heavens and the earth and all things therein. God created
Adam from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life and he become a living soul. In addition, God created the
spiritual inner man of the elect. We do not create ourselves. God alone
is the creator. There would be no true gospel ministry today except God
established it. God calls men to be preachers, he established the
offices, he establishes their service and their qualifications. He
directs their labors. Thus it can be easily seen that the true ministry
of God has their ministry “created” of God and therefore they are living
creatures of God.
Next in their appearance they had the “likeness of a man.” In Phil. 2:7
Jesus is said to be “made in the likeness of men.” Since Jesus Christ
was a man as well as God the statement that he was “made in the likeness
of men” serves to show that he was a man. Thus the living creatures are
men, having all the attributes and characteristics, frailties,
temptations, and problems of men. Being a gospel minister does not make
one any more or less a man.
Furthermore, their feet were straight feet. The feet of a man are for
walking. We are to walk thru the straight gate and the narrow path. The
gospel ministry is to set an example for others to follow. Thus the
gospel ministry are to walk straight forward in paths of uprightness and
holiness. Also the “sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s
foot.”
The sole of a calf’s foot is hard enough to withstand the rocks and
thorns, but soft enough to have feeling. The gospel minsters in their
walk must have enough hardness to withstand the trials, troubles,
slanders, and persecutions that come their way and at the same time not
become cynical, but have a feeling for the conditions of those they
serve. Furthermore, their feet “sparkled like the color of burnished
brass.” Brass is often associated with suffering and affliction in the
scriptures. Gospel ministers have many trials and afflictions in life,
but this is not to derail them, but to burnish their faith so that it
sparkles or shines forth as an example of how to walk in the midst of
trials and afflictions.
“And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides.”
A man’s hands are for working. A gospel minister must work to provide
for his family as Paul taught the elders by action and by precept in
Acts 20:34, 35, “Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have
ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have
shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the
weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is
more blessed to give than to receive.”
Besides providing for ones own, the gospel ministers have a gospel work
given them of God whereby they are to feed the lambs and sheep, be
overseers over the flock, perfect or mature the saints, encourage the
work of each member, edify the church, preach the gospel, etc. There is
no room for laziness in the ministry of the gospel.
They each one “had four wings.” Now a gospel minister cannot fly except
he is lifted up spiritually by the Holy Spirit. John was told to “come
up hither” and so the gospel minister is sometimes lifted up in
meditations of the glorious truths and wonders of an Almighty God.
Furthermore, the wings of the living creatures “were joined one to
another.” Oh how it should be in the mind of every true God called
minister that we share a common calling and a common purpose and how we
should strive to be of one mind working together for the furtherance of
the gospel kingdom. “They turned not when they went; they went every one
straight forward.” Unfortunately, in our day there are those who started
out on the right tract, but have become sidetracked by their own
ambitions and have turned from the pathway of true doctrine and
practice. We are to look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith and since the scriptures are a thorough furnisher, there is no
need to try to change or improve the church. Our pathway has been laid
out for us in the scriptures and it is a straight pathway. “And two
covered their body.” The labor or work of the gospel ministers is not
for their glory, but for the glory of God. “He that glorieth, let him
glory in the Lord.” “Not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name give
glory.” “Let you light so shine before men that they may see your good
works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” This gift of the
gospel ministry is not for man’s praise, but for God’s glory.
“And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go,
they went.” It is not up to the church to appoint the labors of gospel
ministers or to send them to their labor. The Holy Spirit directs the
labor of the gospel minister, giving him his messages and empowering him
to preach in demonstration of Spirit and of power. Furthermore, it is
not up to the preacher to decide his own course but to follow the
leadership of the Holy Spirit.
“As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like
burning coals of fire.” Jeremiah once said in Jere. 20:9, “Then I said,
I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his
word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was
weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” A preacher filled with the
Spirit and not preaching will become weary with forbearing and like fire
shut up will seek to vent. I don’t understand how a God called preacher
could not become emotional about preaching the gospel. An unemotional
preacher calls in question his very calling.
“And like the appearance of lamps.” A lamp gives light. Ps. 109:105,
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” When the
gospel minister preaches the word he is like a lamp giving light unto
the ones he preaches to. Often we receive direction for our lives and
instruction and understanding thru the preached word.
Four (Part III)
The Four
Wheels in Ezekiel
God has so arranged the scriptures that there are numerous associations
that help guide us in our studies of His word. There are associations
between bible numbers and specific bible subjects. There are
associations between bible colors and specific bible subjects. There are
associations between bible metals and specific bible subjects. Also
there are associations between bible geometric shapes and specific bible
subjects. In our previous studies we have shown the association between
the bible number four and the bible subject of the work of the Holy
Spirit. Last issue in the book of Ezekiel we examined the four faces of
the living creatures (who are a type of the gospel ministry) and the
working of the Holy Spirit in the gospel ministry. In this issue we will
examine the association between the four wheels in Ezekiel and the work
of the Holy Spirit in the church.
In the scriptures things that are round or circular are often associated
with covenants. Before I retired from my secular job, my job required me
to make numerous airplane flights every year. I probably averaged about
twenty five round trips a year over about 20 years. I would guess I made
approximately a thousand flights. Occasionally the planes would fly over
the top of thunderstorms. When we did we could see the rainbows in the
clouds while we were above the clouds. Above the clouds, the geometric
shape of the rainbow is circular. Below the clouds, of course the
geometric shape is semi-circular. In Genesis chapter nine God made a
covenant with every living creature that he would never again destroy
the earth with a flood and he set the bow in the cloud as a token of the
covenant that when he looked upon the bow he would remember the
everlasting covenant. When God looks upon the bow from above he sees a
circle which is a sign of his everlasting covenant with all living
creatures.
In Genesis chapter 17 God made a covenant with Abraham and his seed. As
a token of the covenant every man child of his seed was to be
circumcised when he was eight days old. The word, “circumcised,”
literally means circular cutting (circum=circular; cision=cutting).
In Exodus, the tabernacle, the furniture of the tabernacle, and the high
priests garments testify many things to us in types and shadows of both
God’s covenant of redemption and covenant of worship. In the pattern God
gave, rings were used to couple or link together curtains, the furniture
and staves to carry them, the various parts of the High Priestly
garments. Similarly, Gods covenant of redemption is linked together such
that his election, predestination, calling, justification, and
glorification embrace all of the elect. The religious world stumbles
when they try to unlink these parts, but God’s church rejoices to leave
them linked together.
In II Chron. Chapter 4 we read of a circular molten sea connected with
the temple that was founded upon twelve oxen. Similarly in Eph. 2:19-22
we read, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are
built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also
are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Thus
the church is built on the covenant work of God and is founded upon the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone
In Ezekiel chapters one and ten the church is described as a wheel
within a wheel. The Lord’s people who worship him in Spirit and in truth
are embraced by two great covenants. The first is the covenant of
redemption as stated for us in Rom. 8:29, 30, “For whom he did foreknow,
he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did
predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” According to
Rev. 7:9 this covenant embraces “a great multitude, which no man could
number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues...” The
second covenant is the covenant of worship as stated in John 4:23, 24,
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship
the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to
worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him
in spirit and in truth.” Also in Heb. 8:10-12 we read, “For this is the
covenant that I will make with house of Israel after those days, saith
the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their
hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to
the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their
sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” This covenant of worship
embraces only those who worship him in spirit and in truth to which the
Lord said, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good
pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Thus the wheel within a wheel would
embrace only that portion of God’s people who worship him in the new
covenant church.
Ezekiel chapters one and ten show a very strong relationship between the
living creatures and the wheels. Similarly there is a very strong
relationship between the gospel ministry and the church. There were four
living creatures and four wheels. Each living creature had a wheel
beside him. Please note the relative positions of the living creatures
and the wheels. The wheel was located not under or over the living
creature, but beside the living creature. This indicated they were
partners in work and worship. Similarly the gospel ministry is not over
the church and has no business “lording it over God’s heritage, but are
to be “examples to the flock.” Also the work of the gospel ministry is
not separate and apart from the church, but is a part of the church.
Next, the four wheels had one likeness (Eze. 1:16). Some people look at
the great multitude of denominational religions and think that they are
all part of the Lord’s church. If that were so then there would be
thousands of likenesses, not one likeness. Song 6:8, 9 reads, “There are
threescore queens and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.
My dove, my undefiled is but one: she is the only one of her mother, she
is the choice one of her that bare her.” The Lord’s churches (wheels)
have but one likeness and that is the likeness given her in the new
testament and they are not to deviate from it! The way to know if a
group is a true new testament church is to compare them to the
scriptures. There are no Sunday schools; preacher schools or preacher
seminars; salaried ministers; tithing; raising money for foreign mission
work; church auxiliaries; church sponsored schools, hospitals, day care,
or nursing homes; youth camps; or organizations above or apart from the
local church in the new testament church.
Eze. 1:19-21 reads, “And when the living creatures went, the wheels went
by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth,
the wheels were lifted up. Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they
went, thither was their spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up over
against them: for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when
those were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living
creatures was in the wheels.” The same spirit that was in the living
creatures was also in the wheels. In most of the religious world man is
exalted. The preacher’s work is exalted and man’s response to their
teaching is exalted. The laborers and their labor in all their
auxiliaries are exalted. In the Lord’s church there is no room for man
to be exalted. The preacher is called by the Holy Spirit. He learns thru
the leadership o the Spirit. He is given messages by the Holy Spirit.
His field of labor is directed by the Holy Spirit. He preaches in power
and demonstration of the Spirit. Likewise the members of the church have
all been born of the Spirit and are thus enabled to receive spiritual
things. They are given listening ears to hear the gospel and the spirit
within gives them hearts to praise God. The Spirit gives them both the
desire and the ability to worship and to serve God (Phil. 2:13).
Therefore it is no wonder that when the gospel minister is raised up to
praise the Lord and his work, they also are raised up to praise Him.
Likewise when the gospel minister stands to defend and confirm the
gospel, then the members of the church do also. Since the work of the
gospel ministers and of the churches is under the leadership of the
Spirit, then all the praise belongs unto God.
“The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of
beryl.” The color of the beryl stone is green. “Green” is associated
with “life” in the scriptures. The church is compared to the “body” of
Christ in Eph. 4:15, 16 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up
into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the
whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every
part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
The church is more than just a bunch of individuals gathering to hear
the gospel and then going home and going their own way until the next
meeting time. Rather the church is a functional organism that grows in
grace, knowledge, service; helps one another; prays for one another;
loves one another; considers one another as brothers and sisters;
admonishes one another; encourages one another; mourns one with another;
rejoices one with another; labors together for the good of the cause;
fellowships one with another. Now these things happen because of the
indwelling of the Spirit. Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 12:4-7, “Now there are
diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of
administration, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of
operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the
administration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
“When they went, they went upon their four sides.” One of the biggest
enemies of the church and God’s people is pride. Some people thru pride
are controllers. They want to control the actions of others and to have
the attention and/or the lead on just about everything. They have a big
I mentality. God’s church is not to be so. All the members have gifts
and works to do in the church (thus all four sides). The Spirit divided
spiritual gifts to every man severally as he will. Also “God hath set
the members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased him.” All
the members of the body have a function and a work to do and they all
have gifts that God has given them.
“And they turned not when they went.” Just as the gospel ministry went
forth under the leadership of the Spirit, so also does the church go
forth under the leadership of the Spirit. When we are following the
Spirit we shouldn’t ever turn back or turn away.
“As for their rings, they were so high, they were dreadful.” Rings are
used in the scriptures to connect things together. We are connected to
God and the Lord’s people by the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit
gave us spiritual life and enabled us to understand spiritual things.
The fruits of the Spirit connect us to God’s love and to the love of
God’s people. Thru the fruit of the Spirit we rejoice in a Savior’s love
and rejoice in fellowship with the saints of God. Thru the Spirit we
have peace with God and rejoice in the gospel of peace and have peace
one with another.
“And their rings were full of eyes round about them four.” As the work
of the Holy Spirit connects us to God and to the Lord’s people, He also
gives us insight unto godly living, repentance, true worship of God, and
the proper order and government of the Lord’s church.
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