Leper

Baptism of Men or God?

Jacob Israel18 Comments


BAPTISM OF MEN OR GOD?

I began this essay in hopes of shedding some light on the story of Naaman the Leper. However, like most of my essays I began with an idea, and I end up somewhere else. You see I haven’t written an essay in a while because I haven’t really felt inspired to. So I sat down finally to discuss the book of 2 Kings, but I soon found out the story of Naaman was secondary to a greater truth that needed to be revealed.

As always, this is touching on some sacred calves/cows/idols. Ever notice how similar the word sacred and scared are? Interesting, makes you go hhhhmmmnnnn! Especially since most of these sacred idols/vain beliefs instill a great deal of fear into those who are taught to obey such. Today, we talk about literal water Baptism.

Luke 20:4
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

This question, the religious leader of Jesus’ day could not answer. Well today, it will be answered. What you do with this revelation is between you and the Lord. But as the old saying goes don’t shoot the messenger, but feel free to shoot some comments below.

So, this is what the MEAT of the essay is about, and I pray also your eyes will be open to the allegory of Naaman.

SO, LET’S START ALREADY!!!!!!

If you’ve ever read 2 Kings, you’ve probably stumbled upon the story of Naaman, a great ruler in Syria, who was feared, loved, respected, but who also a Leper… Yeah I know GROSSSSSSS, right? Well, settle down peanut gallery, this is another great allegory for us to learn from. Because the leprosy I’m talking about here is NOT one in the physical realm, even though we know there are some who actually still suffer from this terrible affliction.

A word of advice if you ever need help with something and you meet a Leper never ask them to give you a hand. They might literally give you one! Okay, bad joke, sorry, especially if someone reading here is a Leper. Which by the way, contrary to common belief, is a treatable condition, as is the spiritual leprosy we suffer from at times.

This NAAMAN was A LEPER, and wanted a good old fashion healing. So he sends Israel’s king a letter, the King is like, “WHAT, DO I LOOK LIKE GOD? I CAN’T DO THAT!” But Elisha, (the one who followed after Elijah) hears about this and dispatches a messenger to Naaman, saying if he dip in the Jordan 7 times he’ll be healed. Needless to say, he really didn’t want to at first, but eventually he does and all is right in Naaman’s world again…

Many people use this story to coerce people into getting a literal Baptism, (Which, we’ll soon see is a man-made tradition), not a BAD THING to do, but let’s be real people God wants you to be IMMERSED in the WATER (which we need to live) of his WORD. God could care less about that lukewarm still tap water many Religious Leaders dump people in, teaching that afterward WHAMO! They are BORN AGAIN! Ah, but I am getting ahead of myself here, and probably agitating/troubling a bunch of you reading this right now. And by troubling I mean, I am stirring up and troubling THOUGHTS (water) inside you.

John 5:4
For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

So I am glad if you are being challenged right now. But trust me, you haven’t read anything yet.

So the popular “Christian” belief out there is, you confess the Literal Name of Jesus, get dunked in literal tap water, and YOUR SAVED!

Well first of all, you aren’t to confess a LITERAL NAME, in fact JESUS wasn’t even YESHUA’S, so if you think by confessing a literal name saves you, your confessing the wrong name. Now, if truth be told, this has nothing to do with CONFESSING a LITERAL NAME.

First let me show you what the translation from the Greek of the word CONFESS is. Taken from the Luke 12:8 Who shall ever CONFESS ME before men…

CONFESS: “HOMOLOGEO” – to say the same thing as, to agree with, assent.

This is a revolutionary idea, because it plainly tells you that Jesus was NOT saying, whoever DECLARES MY NAME (Jesus) is saved. What he is REALLY saying is…

“Who ever SAYS THE SAME THING I SAY, AGREES WITH.”

To be saved, you must UNDERSTAND what Jesus understood, you must SAY what the FATHER and CHRIST says, you must BE ONE, even as Jesus is One with the Father. To confess Christ, is to AGREE WITH CHRIST. To be ONE with Christ.

Jesus is the LIGHT of the world, you must agree that YOU TO in CHRIST are the LIGHT of the WORLD.

Matthew 5:14
Ye are the light of the world.

And the NAME we are to AGREE with in Greek. NAME = “ONOMA” the name is used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one’s rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc.

So, you see it is much more than carnally saying a literal name and proclaiming it. To be BORN AGAIN you must be in complete agreement with EVERYTHING that is CHRIST. You must speak, act, think, live, BE CHRIST to be BORN FROM ABOVE!

1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Now, how do we know if we are walking in the Truth. We test the spirits. And how do we do that? Well watch.

1 John 4:3
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even NOW already is it in the world.

Now, for those people still waiting for Christ to return. HELLO PEOPLE, Christ never left nor forsook us. We simply need to have Christ FORMED in us, REVEALED in us as us.

That word COME- “Erchomai” means metaphorically “to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself, find place or influence”

Now let’s translate that passage of 1 John 4:3 and see how different it is, from the carnal understanding in the world.

1 John 4:3 (Jacob’s translation) And every Thought that doesn’t completely agree that Christ comes into being in the Flesh is not of God.

So to be BORN FROM ABOVE, means there cannot be a difference between you and Christ. Like a true marriage, you should not know where you end and he begins, the TWO MUST BECOME ONE, and that ONE is the SPIRIT OF TRUTH/CHRIST revealed IN US.

So, NO people you can’t get dunked, say a name, and be BORN AGAIN. However, this is a carnal symbol of what has spiritually begun in you.

So I say PRAISE GOD for even that!

Even Jesus the man was Baptized by John. He did this to fulfil all prophesy. He was delivered into the hands of men, after all. 🙂 I too, went to John to be baptized. I wanted to know God and I believed the only way to do this was to go to a Pastor and then I was told I needed to repent and get baptized. This began my journey in the wilderness where I was tested and tried, but after this I WAS HUNGRY to know GOD more than ever before. religious Churchiosity didn’t feed me what I was looking for. It would be the ANGELS (messengers/messages/thoughts) of God that would feed me, and then I would leave this line of thinking (that God can only be found in Religion) and I began to teach the same.

Many forget that Jesus was a pattern of what we go through. This is why when John baptized Jesus, Jesus said, “suffer it to be so”. Immediately after his baptism, he was driven into the wilderness to be TESTED AND TEMPTED. In the wilderness of RELIGIOUS THINKING we go through the same thing. Let’s briefly look at what Jesus was tempted with, the same as we are.

1) Turn STONE into Bread. – Make the LAW – a daily way of Life, follow it to a tee. Religion tries to convince us to make their LAWS LIFE. Religion tries to get you to live by every word written in the Bible, literally not symbolically. But Jesus knows, we are not to live by literal laws or written words alone, but by Every Word (Truth) that Comes (revealed) from God.

2) Worship Satan (Your Carnal Self) – religion teaches it’s all about what YOU do. And if YOU work hard enough, and YOU do enough, and YOU have faith in YOURSELF then YOU COULD ONE DAY EVEN RULE THE WORLD. (We teach this to kids, ONE DAY you could be president) – But we know that it is Not Us that does anything, but God. “I can do NOTHING of myself” Jesus said. This is why Jesus answered, GOD alone we worship. By putting FAITH in OUR CARNAL SELF (Satan) and worshipping our effort, our works, we are mislead. For it is GOD that WILLS ALL AND DOES ALL for GOD’S GOOD PLEASURE.

3) Throw yourself down from the Heights of the Temple and your won’t dash your foot against a stone. Well first of all, is Satan is leading you to the HEIGHTS of the TEMPLE (You) he hasn’t taken you into the Kingdom of God now has he. This is another great temptation that our Carnal Nature tries to convince us with, that we can have revelation and still live like the “devil” so to speak. That we can continue on in a sinful/ignorant life without our WALK being hurt. Foot dashed against a stone. (Our walk/message/gospel WON’T be dashed by the law) BECAUSE WE ARE NOW UNDER GRACE. This is what we see being taught in Church today. And the SATAN within us (God’s ADVERSARY) – The Flesh is at enmity (Opposed) to the spirit – our carnal nature (who we have believed ourselves to be) tries to convince us we can still live a life of cursing, attacking, backbiting, cheating, stealing, lying, etc. and we won’t be hurt.

Remember in all points we are tempted the same way. The Lust of the eyes, the Lust of the Flesh, the Pride of Life. We saw it when Eve first ate of the FRUIT (what man’s carnal knowledge of what is good and what is evil produces = fruit) when we worship the Knowledge of good and evil, instead of worshipping the LIFE OF CHRIST.

So many forget, that Jesus’ journey is a symbol of our journey. “As he is so are we in this world” 1 John. So just like Jesus, he was baptized by RELIGION (less than the least in the Kingdom) as are we. But after his testing, he NEVER baptized a single person, not one.

So, I am not saying being literally baptized is a bad thing. For many it is the beginning of a wonderful journey, as it was for me. But I AM saying, it is NOT OF GOD, but of MEN. And totally not necessary for salvation. The only two things we are instructed to do by Jesus, was to Love God, and Love Others, and the only way to do this is to confess the Name (nature) of Christ (power and wisdom of God).

First we understand God carnally, then spiritually. ADAM is 1st, then Christ last. Our journey starts with seeing God as a distant angry God who will punish us endlessly, our journey ends knowing God as a Son knows a loving Father, that you and the Father are one.

Now remember spiritual birth is a process just like physical birth, and even after you rise out the grave (your vain imaginings and false beliefs) Like Lazarus coming out of the grave, you still have grave-clothes (dead beliefs) to get rid off… And if you are getting Baptized at a literal man-made church it’s probably a good call that you are far away from being truly Born Again, although, like I said the good news is, the process most likely has begun! But unfortunately many believe this “man-made” doctrine of BAPTISM is the ONLY WAY to be saved. Many denominations like those in the “Church of Christ” seem to have built their entire faith around it.

Now I’m about to make a bold proclamation here. So forgive me if it offends, but it doesn’t make it any less true. When the Pharisees asked Jesus if he be of God or not, he asked them a specific question about John the Baptist.

Matthew 21: 24And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 26But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

Many can’t answer this question, much less the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Here is the reason. If they say John’s literal baptism is off Heaven then why aren’t they doing it? If they say its man-made, they are scared because SO MANY think literal water Baptism is of God.

Well, I’m not going to be like those Pharisees, I’m going to tell you plainly what this water Baptism is after… IT IS AFTER MEN, IT IS MAN MADE, IT IS A VAIN TRADITION! It is NOT from HEAVEN, but from the EARTH (soulish realm)

I know this may come as a shock for some of you, but here is why WE MUST understand if John’s Baptism is of GOD or MEN. If you CAN’T tell the difference between a carnal traditional symbol and the Truth, then you CAN’T know the TRUTH OF CHRIST.

Matthew 21: 27And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

If you can’t tell the difference between MAN MADE DOCTRINE AND TRADITION you can NOT KNOW THE THINGS AND AUTHORITY OF GOD. It is as simple as that.

Now, I’ll show you why I know the baptism of John is of MEN, and not of God.

1) John NEVER entered the KINGDOM. He was less than the least in the Kingdom of God. Which means John the Baptist NEVER entered into the true REIGN OF HEAVEN. He was under the LAW. He could not bring a teaching from HEAVEN if he NEVER entered into the heights of its understanding. This is why he was in the wilderness and not the land of promise.

Luke 7:28
For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

Clearly, we see here, John is a picture of the religious man. The greatest of men, but worse than the least in the KINGDOM OF GOD. He never entered into the Kingdom. This is why John fasted often and Christ didn’t. This is why John lost faith and didn’t know if Jesus was Christ or not when he was in prison. John condemned, Jesus never condemned. John was in the wilderness, Jesus was in the Promise. John was under Law, Jesus was under grace and truth.

Now if you can’t tell what is a man-made doctrine, then how are you to know the authority and truth of Christ?

So I will answer Jesus’ question to the Pharisees. The Baptism of John was OF MANKIND! A VAIN TRADITION, but a powerful SYMBOL of what is to come.

Want more?

Ever wonder why Jesus NEVER BAPTIZED with water? AND – Jesus came to ONLY do the WILL OF THE FATHER! If it was the will of the Father to Baptize, Jesus would have, as he could only do God’s will.

John 4:34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to DO THE WILL OF HIM that sent me, and to finish his work.

If it was God’s will to literally baptize men and women in literal water, he would have done it. But he DIDN’T. Jesus ONLY did the things he heard our Father told him to do. And to FINISH the complete work of God.

Jesus came from God to DO GOD’S WILL. Now, if Jesus NEVER LITERALLY BAPTIZED WITH WATER, and literal water BAPTISM is the will of God and NOT a MAN MADE TRADITION than Jesus didn’t finish the work, and did NOT do the WILL of He who sent him… But we know JESUS DID fulfill God’s will, and the work is COMPLETE.

John 19:30
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

AND JESUS NEVER ONCE BAPTIZED OR FASTED! BTW, fasting is a symbol of going without the word of God/bread and water of life. Once again not a man-made tradition that is take literally. If you enter the Kingdom (rule) of God, and understand the TRUTH you will always be filled, in within you a well of LIFE GIVING WATER (TRUTH) SPRINGS.

John 4:2
Though Jesus himself BAPTIZED NOT, but his disciples.

So if Jesus did the ENTIRE WORK and WILL of God, and DID NOT BAPTIZE then one can simply deduce that THE BAPTISM OF JOHN is NOT FROM GOD!

WOW JACOB! DID YOU ACTUALLY WRITE THAT? Yes, I did. Can’t believe it myself, mainly because this essay was supposed to be about NAAHAM. But, like every one of these essays I go where I am led, call it spiritual A.D.D.

Now, am I saying we should just stop literal water baptism? Well I’m not about to declare anything. God gave SAUL into the hands of DAVID to kill, and David WAITED.I AM NOT GOING TO SLEY SAUL (religious thinking) God will and is. However, for me and my house I will serve the Lord. My wife in particular was never baptized the way many in Christianity have been baptized. Does that mean she is NOT SAVED? Of course not, what a foolish thing to say, or think, Jesus died once for all.

Look there was a time people believed if they didn’t literally circumcise their children on the 8th day, they weren’t “saved”. However we see that ABRAHAM was justified by his FAITH long before his literal circumcision. A man is NOT justified by his works, but by his FAITH. And it is impossible to please God without it.

And in the new testament, we learn that literal circumcision was only a symbol, and not to be taken literally.

Romans 2 28For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

You see, it is not of WORKS (what we physically do) but what GOD does. We are NOT justified or saved by ANYTHING WE DO.

Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is NOT justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Let me briefly explain what a LAW is in a nutshell. A LAW is something that you are told you HAVE TO DO OR ELSE. Now the LAW is good, but we are NOT justified by the LAW, but by FAITH. The LAW shows us, we can’t WORK OUR WAY to GOD.

A literal BAPTISM is a WORK of MANKIND. As John brought it and JOHN was the LAW MAN. Saying do this or do that, or else.

CHRIST baptizes with FIRE (THE SPIRIT). Now we saw many of Jesus’ disciples baptizing, but Paul didn’t, he never worried about such things. He understood it was a symbol, and he said, we should LEAVE THESE THINGS to move unto the PERFECTION in Christ.

Notice again, what PAUL calls DEAD WORKS. (death = ignorance/carnal beliefs)

Hebrews 6 1Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; NOT laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2Of the doctrine of BAPTISMS, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Dead/Ignorance Works = Baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment (In the Literal sense of course)

Now, look if you are getting literally Baptized good for you. I was, when I was scared that I would burn forever if I got hit by a car and died and wasn’t literally baptized. You see FEAR drove me to do this, it has nothing to do with what God wanted, it had everything to do with what that proud ignorant Pastor wanted. This is why when you ask many “Christian” leaders how their service went they answer, “We had one hundred salvations this morning. We led hundreds to the Lord, Praise God!” They say. Foolish, Vain, Arrogant, and Deceived. And most can’t even see this, even though the scripture is clear.

Romans 9:16
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Look it’s not a bad thing to get water baptized. I’m not saying don’t do it. Do what you feel led or pressured to do. Either way, it tells me you want to know God for one reason or another. THANK GOD FOR THAT! But don’t you dare think, you, or your Pastor has done something to help SAVE YOU!

John 15:16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

When we enter the absolute faith that God is in complete control, we enter into God’s rest. When we cease our labor and effort and rely only on God, when we stop believing there are things we NEED TO DO, as opposed to letting patience have its perfect work then we will be in union with the truth/Christ (Then we will be CONFESSING CHRIST). Then we will know the peace that has alluded us for so long.

The problem is, people refuse to GIVE UP the IGNORANT belief that they are in control. They say, YOU MUST DO THIS, YOU MUST DO THAT!

Religion just adds fuel to this fire. It gives you, and teaches you, a list of do’s and don’ts that you MUST FOLLOW or else. But you will NEVER enter God’s rest in this system of thought. You will always fail, because your WORKS are DEAD.

Hebrew 3 10Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) 12Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

The heart of UNBELIEF is the heart that says, MAN SAVES HIMSELF. And literal water baptism is yet another man-made tradition that needs to be understood simply as a symbol, and NOT a NECESSITY!

One day, people will realize that God is in control, not them. When they give up the Reigns for the REIGN (Kingdom) of God, then they will REST! Oh and what a wonderful day this WILL BE.

However, I want to reiterate, to be Born Again from ABOVE is a process, much like a literal pregnancy, it takes time. At first when the word of life (Christ) is conceived (resurrected/risen) within, you may not feel a change, you may be excited (I’m saved, I’m saved) you may scream because some religious leader told you so, but you are far from that moment when CHRIST is TRULY DELIVERED/REVEALED in YOU.

This is a process people. You can’t just say LORD, LORD and enter into the Kingdom (rule/reign) of God, you need to be broken first. You need to be humbled, you need to learn that you are not, and never have been in control. You must find out that the only anti-christ there is, is the anti-christ that is you (who you think you are).You’re ego, your self-will, your SELF is in HELL (ignorance/grave) and Christ is right there WITHIN that HELL, speaking to all of those trapped by their vain imaginings.

Christ is WITHIN THE TEMPLE teaching, DAILY. Christ is IN YOU teaching daily.

Like Joseph and Mary, you will not find CHRIST among your kinsfolk (religion and tradition)… you must RETURN to JERUSALEM (teaching of peace) and then you will learn, that Christ is only about GOD BUSINESS, which is TRUTH and SALVATION. To try to find Christ anywhere outside of the TEMPLE (your heart/mind/within YOU) is an fools errand. The same person is called a thief and a robber. Because you are trying to steal the Kingdom from God.

John 10:1
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

The good news is those that ENTER GOD’S REST, the same BECOME THE SHEPARD OF THE SHEEP (Christ) – When you enter in, you become CHRIST as CHRIST becomes YOU.

John 10: 2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

You see CHRIST is the DOOR we enter, and when we enter CHRIST, we become CHRIST.

John 10: 7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

I know this is a hard saying. But look, we become the body of Christ, the mind of Christ, and are given the name of Christ, what is left? Nothing. We must DENY ourselves, we must understand “who we think we are” is not who we are, and we must understand, who we are, is who we have always been. GOD’S CHILD!

Now, here is the good news. God’s will, WILL be done. His WORD will NOT return void, it will accomplish what it was sent into the world (carnal mind and lusts) to do (save). However, to deliver that Christ Child, to manifest that CHILD OF GOD, that IS THE TRUE YOU, hurts!

Through much tribulation we enter the Reign (Kingdom) of God. There are lots of bad habits and formed thoughts/imaginations God needs to break… And so, I am FINALLY going to use this example in 2 KINGS to show how stubborn we all can be.

Because if truth be told, as with every character in scripture. Naaman, is yet another example of us, before coming to the knowledge of the Truth and the Stature of the perfect man.

What I am basically going to do here is take the chapter break it down, hopefully the Lord will open my eyes (understanding) and yours as I do so… So, let’s start shall we?

2 Kings 5
1Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.

Let’s start by pointing out that the name NAAMAN means PLEASANTNESS, and he was Captain for the King of SYRIA which means EXALTED. Our Carnal nature loves being exalted, raised above everything else.

NAAMAN is perfect picture of MANKIND today, life on the outside seems perfect, a man of title one who demanded respect, loyalty and service, after all he was IN A PLACE where he was EXHALTED, and his life seemed pleasant. He had power, money, servants, but the man was a LEPER.

Now before going any further, I want to give you the definition of Leprosy: Having or consisting of loose, scurfy SCALES. SCALES? Isn’t that what covered PAUL’S eyes when he was BLIND. Which needed to fall away before he could SEE?

Yes, LEPROUS SCALES are a big problem. And a wonderful ALLEGORY! They saw Leprosy as a DISEASE OF THE FLESH. And isn’t that exactly what we all SUFFER from, the FLESH (carnal mind/pride) – Isn’t that exactly what we ALL need to be delivered from.

So what does scripture say about SCALES? Glad you asked.

Job 41:15
His SCALES are his PRIDE, shut up together as with a close seal.

Aren’t FISH covered in SCALES? Aren’t we supposed to be FISHERS OF MANKIND. Pulling them out of the SEA (IGNORANT WAYS OF THE WORLD)? And do we not, get rid of the scales of the Fish before we can eat it (become one with it)

Yes, SCALES are the CARNAL man’s PRIDE. This is what had to fall away from PAUL’S EYES before he could SEE (Understand the truth of God)

So when we see, many Lepers in scripture Jesus healed. And with new eyes, we see this as a symbol of how the TRUTH of GOD (word) cleanses man’s CARNAL PRIDE (which is a disease of his flesh).

In the process, few want to leave the old wine (carnal understanding) for the new (spiritual understanding). Very few are willing to give up their SELF WILL AND EFFORT. They want to be god themselves. And like NAAMAN they can be pig-headed and proud.

2And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

Notice, that the PROPHET of God is what could heal NAAMAN’S leprosy. And what is PROPHESY again?

Revelation 19:10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

The Testimony of Jesus is the SPIRIT of PROPHESY. And what was the testimony of Jesus. TO BE BORN AGAIN AND TO WORSHIP GOD! To take on EVERYTHING THAT IS CHRIST.

So this is what heals MANKIND’S LEPROSY, the WORD of God, which is the TRUTH, and with it you are BORN AGAIN! So, truly this is a picture of Man needing to hear the WORD of God (TRUTH) to be healed/saved.

4And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. 5And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

Like most THE PROUD believe salvation can be bought. Can we say TITHES AND OFFERINGS anyone?

6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. 7And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

The one ruling ISRAEL at this time. Is a picture of the SOULISH CARNAL man ruling over the CHRIST within. He very much believes he is mortal and can do nothing to heal or save.

8And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. 9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

Naaman comes, the proud man comes showing off all his power, and Elisha doesn’t even greet him. Instead a messenger tells Naaman what to do to be saved and healed. But do Naaman listen? Ahhhhhh nope!

11But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

He was upset Elisha didn’t greet him, he was too proud to give up on HIS WATERS (HIS BELIEFS)… He thought he WATERS (THOUGHTS AND BELIEFS) were just fine. Why on Earth should he leave his OLD WINE for this NEW WINE. “THE HECK WITH THIS” Naaman said and took off angry.

How many of us, after being told everything we have believed is wrong would take that joyfully?

13And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather than, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

But a simple servant (greatest of all) pointed out what an arrogant fool he was being. “what can it hurt, he says it can heal you, shouldn’t you at least DIP IN?”

14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Seven we know is the number when God FINISHED creation. Naaman, as much as it troubled him, as hard as it was to swallow his pride, said, “I don’t want to be this proud sick leper anymore, I’ll do it.” So he left his OLD WATERS AND WAYS and followed a new voice and a new way. And this CLEANSED HIM. Now notice, his flesh was like a little child. Like Paul, the SCALES FELL AWAY but still he had a childish understanding of the things of God. He still had so far to go, as did Paul. (a child shall lead them)

15And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.

Now Naaman understood, there is no GOD in the EARTH (man’s soul) but in ISRAEL (The Christ within)

You see this story is a story we can all learn from. The waters (understanding, teachings) you have bathed in – been immersed in – cannot heal you. Water Baptism and man-made works cannot save you.

So I say, come on over to the Jordan, dip in it seven times, until you are whole.

Step out of BABYLON PEOPLE, ask God to reveal the Truth to you, no matter what you lose. Those that seek to save their life IN THIS WORLD (THE LIFE IN THEIR LUSTS) shall lose it.

Don’t be like NAAHAM, dying of a prideful disease. I know you think your ways and your religious teachers ways are the only way. But I am telling you there is a better way. And that way is to give up your works!

Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Jacob
http://www.JacobIsrael.org

THE OTHER SIDE

Jacob Israel20 Comments

           
                   THE OTHER SIDE


This weekend I wanted to do something different. Instead of doing a paper on a particular subject, I decided to take one chapter out of the book of Matthew and see what interpretation comes to me with it.


I didn’t know what to write this morning, but felt like I needed to. As a writer you get that itch and its needs a scratching, so I began to think about what would I share… One of the things that came to mind was where Jesus said he had “no where to lay his head”. That was about 5am, I went about my usual routine and then sat to write, forgetting the thought I had.

Then when going through some of my older papers I noticed I had a page title MATTHEW CHAPTER 8, I opened it and there was nothing but the chapter, no insight, no notes, no nothing… But then, I SAW IT! The very thing I had originally thought about this morning, “foxes have holes, but Jesus had nowhere to lay his head.” Now if you have learned anything about me, you know, I do not believe in coincidence. There was a reason I thought of this scripture this morning, and there was a reason why I found it one hour later.

So let’s see what comes out of Matthew 8 this morning. Enjoy! Matthew 8

1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

Christ, we know by now is the TRUTH OF GOD. Well when the TRUTH comes down from the mountain. It is symbolic of a “HIGHER SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING”  coming down to us. This HIGHER TRUTH which is Christ is now in our midst, our grasp, our understanding.  And when this TRUTH is revealed to us, we see how “sick’ we were before it.

2And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

A leper is a great symbol, it is the disease of the FLESH, and it is incredibly contagious. As a lie spreads quickly, so does Leprousy. The individual covers in leprous sores and scales as the Flesh rots away until death.

 Scripture teaches us in Ecclesiastes that “scales” are a symbol of our “Carnal Pride”. When the TRUTH is revealed to us, we see how SICK we are. Let’s face it before CHRIST, we are all sick in the FLESH (our carnality) and when the TRUTH of GOD is revealed to us, we want to become clean (MADE WHOLE)

3And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

The Hand is a SYMBOL of one’s authority and position. Christ sits on the RIGHT HAND of the FATHER. Moses led Israel out with his HAND. This is why we see the allegory of the Christ healing the man with the WITHERED hand on the Sabbath. I even used this wonderful allegory in my novel, where the lead character’s teacher “Mr. Brooks” has a withered hand. Being symbolic of how the first spiritual teachers we have in life are stunted, and do not have the AUTHORITY of GOD. But Christ is the embodiment of GOD’S TRUTH, and it is only the TRUTH that can heal the DISEASE of the FLESH (carnal mind) –And the instant we embrace this GOSPEL, the instant the TRUTH OF GOD is revealed to us, we want to be made WHOLE. And the process begins. You see, the TRUTH casts out the LIE, so once we UNDERSTAND the MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD (that is CHRIST within you/is you/as you). You are no longer under the curse of the Law and Flesh. But to be healed of your PRIDE AND CARNALITY you MUST understand that GOD IS IN CONTROL. You must submit to God’s authority. As Isaiah puts it in Chapt 46, “I am God and there is none else, I am God, and there is NONE like me. Declaring the end from the beginning.” … We must understand this to be made whole, for the life we live before the TRUTH is REVEALED to us, is an illusion, a lie. Indeed the first nature of MAN is dead/ignorant, all ego and no truth.

But when Christ comes down from that mountain, when the Truth is revealed to us from the heights of HEAVEN WITHIN, then we say… “it is no longer I that live, But Christ” as Paul said, and our DISEASE of the FLESH (IGNORANCE) is healed by recognizing its authority in our lives. “I can do nothing of myself” in other words. 

4And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Many question why after Jesus healed someone, he always said, “tell no one”. Here is the reason. The HEALING is WITHIN, and the understanding that these men and women came to, could NOT be understood until God drew others to the same Truth.

It is actually good advice. When I first came to some understanding, I went around telling everyone. Needless to say, few, if any at all were ready for such things. And I was attacked for this beautiful Gospel I had been given.

Instead, Jesus says, go and show the TRUTH to the PRIEST and to offer the gift that Moses commanded… Now this was a CLEANSING process, which always had to do with TWO ANIMALS, Birds, Lambs, etc… You can find the account in Leviticus 14. But I believe the point Jesus is making here, is there is no QUICK FIX. Even though we have been cleansed of the LIE (sin of our CARNAL MIND/FLESH) there is still a process we MUST go through. And part of that process, in Levititus we find, is cutting off all our hair (Our self effort and strength), clothes must be changed and cleaned (we need to wear new beliefs) etc… For those who think there is a POOF, your whole! Well, there isn’t.

Sure, there is A POOF when we are told the truth, we recognize it, understanding it, but it may take many, many years for us to WALK IT.

The big lie is looking at these “miracles” as something you can find at some Miracle healing crusade, it just doesn’t happen that way. This is why we have great reason to hope and not get discouraged. It is a process, even though the TRUTH has been revealed to us, we still have to go through the steps to bringing what is WITHIN, WITHOUT… and when that happens, WE BECOME THE LIVING EPISTLE read of all me. We become the TESTMONY.

5And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Now what is interesting is the definition of some of the words in this passage. Capernaum, for example literally translates into “Village of Comfort”. When the Truth is revealed to US, our COMFORTER (Christ/Holy Spirit) does come indeed, and we enter into to a place where we are brought to remembrance all things. This CENTURION which means “Ruler over One Hundred” or a soldier in the Roman Army, has a SERVANT. The one who SERVED him, he recognized was of great importance to him. “the greatest of all is servant to all”. His SERVANT was sick with the PALSY. Palsy which translates into PARALYTIC, is an allegory for us to learn from.

This servant had no ability to MOVE, to WALK, He was WEAK. – The symbol here is that THE SERVANT is CHRIST IN US, and before the TRUTH was revealed we had no hope for this SERVANT OF ALL, would be able to WALK/WORK/SERVE again.

This does not have much to do with a literal servant and literal Roman guard, but it has everything to do with Faith. The Guard understood by looking to the natural world and order of things, he learned the same would be true of spiritual things. As God created the temporal world to teach us and lead us to His Great Truth and Nature and Unity of Spirit. 

The Centurion knew that as He was in charge of others and only needed to say “do this” and others would do it. That in the spiritual he only needed to Believe, and this Great Truth that was Revealed In Him, would strength the SERVANT WITHIN. It was not the Centurion good works, study of scripture, or even his devotion to a church that gave him this favor, it was his UNDERSTANDING and FAITH. A lesson we all can learn from. But few do today.

11And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

This great message, this great understanding, OUR HOPE OF GLORY will be revealed to MANY! And some today, will embrace their TRUE NATURE in Christ. But we will see many others will not, in fact they will fight the good news tooth and nail.

12But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The outer darkness is a wonderful allegory… NO, IT IS NOT SOME PLACE OF INFINITE TORTURE… It is exactly what it is called, OUTER (outside) DARKNESS (ignorance) – There will be many that will put their faith in the EXTERNAL WORLD and in their own works. They will not see that God is in control AND within… They will not submit to the Truth that is within, they won’t seek this TRUTH/SPIRIT OF GOD to heal them. Instead, they will rely on their self effort, their own strength, which is why they find WEEPING and GNASHING OF TEETH. Which is another way of saying, suffering, backbiting, gossip, lies, sadness, they will find more testing instead of rest.

13And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

This is why the CENTURION, who was NATURALLY looked upon as the enemy of ISRAEL was a picture of the Grafted ISRAEL, understanding that his own EFFORT was worthless, and that the TRUTH REVEALED could do all things. Notice, Jesus didn’t say I HEALED HIM… Jesus said, “as you have believed, so be it done unto you” …

We must realize in CHRIST ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, and that WITHOUT FAITH nothing is possible at all. Without faith we cannot please God, and if we cannot please God, we will not be PLEASED. (anyone catch that? :))

14And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.

Here the allegory continues, Peter’s House is symbolic of the TEMPLE of the LORD. His BODY is Peter’s house and WITHIN this “HOUSE” … His Mother was SICK. The Mother GIVES BIRTH to a person, the MOTHER is a picture of Mankind’s Soul/sense of Being, and IT WAS SICK.

The Mother was not MINISTERING to others, she was laid UP, much like the Centurion’s servant (useless)… But when the TRUTH was revealed WITHIN Peter’s HOUSE (Understanding)….

15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

Notice where Jesus touched her “the Hand” – He restored HIS AUTHORITY within. The TRUTH healed the MOTHER (Man’s SOUL). No longer would she produce disease, the SOUL would now minister the TRUTH… You see, we cannot be fruitful if our SOUL (who we think we are) is ILL. We need our SOUL and God’s Spirit to TOUCH, to become ONE. Then we will be ready to share the GOOD NEWS to the world, to cast out devils (false beliefs) and heal the sick (ignorant)

16When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Think about that last line. CHRIST TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES… BORE OUR SICKNESS. This again, is a great mystery. For our LIFE is HID WITH CHRIST…In other words, CHRIST IS OUR LIFE. And because we have been separated from CHRIST in our THINKING, Christ DIED  because we began to believe we were something and someone that we were not.

For example, if I am the son of god and I begin to believe that I am merely a sinner, failed mortal who will die, the Truth of who I am DIES (I become ignorant of my TRUE NATURE) …

You see, when we began to believe that the EXTERNAL TEMPORAL world was truth, and that WE (our ego/antichrist) were god – The TRUTH (Christ IN us) was made subject to this VANITY, and had to BARE our sickness and infirmities (ignorance and suffering).

But when the TRUTH comes to us (revealed to us) we can be healed. All the lies we once believed are cast away, all the things that kept us from peace are disposed of. As Ishmael was cast away so Isaac could inherit the Kingdom, so we learn to rid ourselves of our First Natural Carnal Nature, so the CHRIST WITHIN can rule and reign. For that day we learn, it is not longer I (Jacob) that live, but CHRIST.

18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

When the CHRIST (truth) is revealed IN US, we see those around us. We understand that not all of them are ready to hear what we hear(UNDERSTAND). We are told NOT TO TELL OTHERS of the miracle that has taken place inside of us, and we listen.

Here we see Jesus telling the multitudes to LEAVE HIM and go to the OTHERSIDE… In scripture we see the “Other side” as being the opposite of Truth… Remember the Good Samaritan, those who lacked the truth and charity passed along the “Other Side”… And like Jesus we must not try and force anyone to come and stay on the SIDE OF CHRIST, for not all will embrace such things at our whim and will.

We need to let them go, the Lord will deal with them as God dealt with us. No one can come to the Son unless the Father draws them, anyway. Jesus knew this, this is why he said, “get away from me” … Like Jack Nicholson in a few good men, Jesus could have screamed “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH” and, few this day can. But the good news is all will.

19And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

So many will say they want to know God, they want to know Christ, they want the Truth and nothing but the Truth. But Jesus understood, as we MUST understand, NOT EVERYONE in the WORLD is ready to follow this great MESSAGE wherever it will lead us. Even those who the world would think, would follow God, like the  SCRIBE we see here… But Jesus knew better.

20And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Jesus knew, and we must understand also, that there is plenty of room in a man or woman’s heart for lies, false beliefs, and misconceptions, but the SON OF MAN has nowhere to lay his head. – Now this can be seen two different ways. One way is there are many that will not take on the Mind of Christ…

HOWEVER, the words SON OF MAN, give us another angle to look at this verse from. You see the SON OF GOD finds rest, but the SON OF MAN, will NEVER FIND REST. The Child of NATURAL MAN will never find rest, it is only the CHILD OF GOD that enters into this rest…

So we learn two things from this very revealing verse.

21And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

The CHILDREN of NATURAL MAN are too hung up on natural things. They always mistake the NATURE (spirit) for the NATURAL, The Messenger for the Message (Spirit).

A man or woman is not the body in which they inhabit, they are the SPIRIT within. If a disciple cannot get past this, how could they ever follow the TRUTH? If they believe they must BURY THEIR DEAD FATHER, they are DEAD (Ignorant) themselves.

23And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

This picture of the great storm and Jesus asleep, is the picture of US in the world. The Book of Revelation reveals that the SEA is mankind’s ways, nations, etc… The ways of the world. A SHIP is what is used to travel those seas. The SHIP is also compared to a good women in proverbs, and we see the woman is the one who gives birth, perhaps another allegory of our SOUL…

And when the TRUTH is ASLEEP inside of the ship (Our Soul) Meaning we are ignorant of it – STORMS come, WINDS (false doctrines), waves (Mankinds ways and thoughts pounding us) –

So the disciples STIRRED UP THEIR FAITH… and WOKE CHRIST UP. This is what we must do, WAKE UP the CHRIST WITHIN. This is the HOPE OF GLORY. When the TRUTH is alive and working in our lives, the storms of life become calm to us. We learn there is nothing to fear at all.

 28And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

Here we see the OTHERSIDE again. This means the WORLD (lusts of flesh/eyes and pride of life) Jesus (The TRUTH) was revealing itself in GERGESENES – which literally means “a stranger drawing near” 

These demoniacs as they were known, are nothing more than STRANGERS to the faith. Notice there were TWO (duality), where there should be ONE in CHRIST. But they were COMING OUT OF THE TOMBS… This is actually a wonderful thing, as the TRUTH is REVEALED it draws the worldly men and women out of their old beliefs, they start to come out of the LIE.

29And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

Here shows the IGNORANCE of what the RELIGIOUS have taught us all. That JESUS comes to TORMENT instead of SAVE. We see this again and again in scripture, anyone who is “possessed” believes that the TRUE CHRIST will Torment them, instead of save them.

Think about what is taught today is a majority of Churches andReligions in the world… When the SAVIOR comes, those who do not follow will be TORTURED or HORRIBLY PUNISHED… This is a great lie. In fact it is because of this lie, that we are suffering. “according to your faith be it done unto you”… But these demoniacs did not know the TRUTH. That Christ has come to the world not to condemn it but to save it.

So what were they possessed with, that would make them think such things? LIES PEOPLE, FALSE BELIEFS, nothing more. Not spooky invisible monsters. So the POSSESSED come out of the TOMB (Carnal nature), and Jesus does NOT TORMENT them, instead, he casts the LIES out of them. So they come to their RIGHT MIND.

30And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

These lies are only welcome in the SWINE now. The SWINE are a picture of those who will believe about any slop thrown in front of them. The SWINE believe these lies, and guess what, they end up destroying themselves. Because the LIE brings Death, where the TRUTH will life.

32And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

Those that believe the LIES and FOLLOW the LUSTS OF THE WORLD will run quickly and dive deep into the traditions, and vain beliefs and ways of mankind. And yes, they will perish (become ignorant) in the waters (beliefs/lies)

33And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

Now this many of you reading right now have probably already experienced. Once someone on the “Other side” is FREED from the lies they have been fed over the years, the False Prophets, Teachers, and Shepherds, become angry… They think the work done in those delivered and saved is not of God, but many will say it is the work of the devil. Like some who have read my articles and most likely believed the same.

34And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

And this is the sad state of affairs today, most of the world is so lost, they will believe these blind guides and kick out the TRUTH to continue on in the LIE. The darkness hates the Light, because it shows them their ways are evil (wrong). And no one wants to be wrong, do they?

So, don’t be offended if few, if any at all, will rejoice in your new found freedom in Christ. Do not be upset if you are attacked because of the liberty that has been revealed in you, as it was to so many before you.

Rejoice, and again I say Rejoice, because those on the OTHER SIDE will one day allow the TRUTH to be revealed WITHIN. And then there will be only one side, and that is CHRIST’S SIDE, out of which COMES A RIVER OF FLOWING WATER OF TRUTH!

Peace Jacob