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[orion77]

I was reading the book of Deutronomy and came across these verses, that are interesting in the support of Rays article, unfolding just who the beast is.


(Deu 8:11)  Take heed to yourself, lest you forget Jehovah your God so as not to keep His commandments, and His ordinances, and His statutes, which I am commanding you today;

(Deu 8:12)  that when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built goodly houses, and have lived in them;

(Deu 8:13)  and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold have multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied,

(Deu 8:14)  then it rises up into your heart, and you forget Jehovah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves;

(Deu 8:15)  who led you through the great and dreadful wilderness, with burning serpent, and scorpion, and thirsty ground where no water is; who brought you water out of the flinty rock;

(Deu 8:16)  who made you eat manna in the wilderness, which your fathers did not know; that He might humble you and that He might prove you, to do you good at your latter end;

(Deu 8:17)  that you not say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.

(Deu 8:18)  But you shall remember Jehovah your God, for it is He who gives to you power to get wealth; that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

(Deu 8:19)  And it shall be, if you shall forget Jehovah your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you today that perishing you shall perish;

(Deu 8:20)  as the nations that Jehovah makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you did not listen to the voice of Jehovah your God.


This false god, self, full of pride, suitably named leviathon is a mighty beast.  Yet there is One who can conquer and destroy this beast.  He is called the Rock of our salvation.

As He says above, it's to humble and prove to us, for our own good in the latter end.  Amazing.


(Jer 49:16)  Your dreadfulness has deceived you, the pride of your heart, you who live in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there, declares Jehovah.


(Isa 44:6)  So says Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of Hosts: I am the First, and I am the Last; and there is no God except Me.

(Isa 44:7)  And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare this, and set it in order before Me, since I placed the people of old? And as to things to come, even which shall come, let them declare concerning them.

(Isa 44:  Do not dread, nor be afraid. Have I not declared and made you hear since then? So you are My witnesses: Is there a God besides Me? Yea, there is none. I have not known a Rock.

(Isa 44:9)  Those who form a carved image are all of them vanity. And their delights do not profit; and they are their own witnesses. They do not see, nor know, that they may be ashamed.


Having had our eyes opened to this beast, being destroyed by the Rock, a very humbling experience, has been a great step in this walk with Christ.  Truly grateful.

God bless,

Gary

[orion77]

Thank you, bobby.

All of Rays lake of fire series are very good, but when I recongnized who the beast was, wow, what an eye opener.  It has since opened up so much of the bible, that I have read in the past, but could not get a handle on, but now, it's truly incredible. 

And it all goes right along with the plan God has for each of our lives.  It all makes Gods soverignity that much more true.  Buried treasure is hard to locate, but well worth it, when found.  He truly does reward those who diligently seek Him.

One of the odd things, though, after finding these great truths, is not many, only few will listen or care.  I put it in faith, because He knows us better than we do.  Truth is, if I was welcomed by the world for these things, I probably would fall right back into company with that ole beast.  God is wise indeed, good for us!

God bless,

Gary

[hillsbororiver]

Hello again Gary, you too Bobby,

Gary posted some great (aren't they all) verses from Jeremiah in the "General Discussion" area, but one in particular raised me out of my chair as I read it, I thought this verse would be germain to this thread identifying the beast and false gods.

Jer. 2:28 But where are the gods that you made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your evil; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, oh Judah.

It has been my personal experience in times past especially when I would be merrily chasing my lusts, desires and selfishness until the "evil times" or trouble caught up with me, then I would realize that I could not do a thing to improve the situation I would suddenly remember my Lord and pray for divine intervention, making promises I could never keep but there were actually times that some dire problem would dissipate or go away, was I thankful or humbled by it? The short answer, no. After a short time I would return to exactly the same lifestyle that got me in trouble. I would forget Him and go after my lusts and desires, damning the consequences once again.

The part in that verse that states the number of your cities are your gods, I can see a city of 5000 people would have about 5000 gods, in most cases anyway.

Joe 

[orion77]

Amen to that, Joe.  We all can truthfully admit to that!!   

If you want to go further down the rabbit hole, check out the defintion of the word in Jer2:28,

(Jer 2:28)  But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your evil; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.

The word I'm speaking of is 'evil'.

H7451
øòä    øò
ra‛  râ‛âh
rah, raw-aw'
From H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second (feminine) form; as adjective or noun: - adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (-ure), distress, evil ([-favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief, (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), noisome, + not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st) wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine ra’ah; as adjective or noun.]


See the one definition, 'distress', now it gets interesting.  Do a search of this word, distress, and read all the verses and accompanying ones.  Worth the effort.   

God bless,

Gary

[orion77]

For example, we can all identify with this:


(Deu 4:29)  And if you shall seek Jehovah your God from there, then you shall find Him, if you seek Him with your whole heart, and with all your soul,

(Deu 4:30)  in your distress, when all these things have found you, in the latter days, then you shall return to Jehovah your God, and shall listen to His voice.

(Deu 4:31)  For Jehovah your God is a merciful God. He will not forsake you, nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.


Distress serves a purpose for God to create us in His image, showing that He is totally soverign.  How many times in our lives have we been to the point of what is going on, what did I do?  Only to see ALL things in our lives come a tumbling down, and leave us thinking what the heck is going on?  Even my dog turns his back on me.   


(Jdg 10:13)  Yet you have forsaken Me, and served other gods; therefore, I did not save you again.

(Jdg 10:14)  Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.

(Jdg 10:15)  And the sons of Israel said to Jehovah, We have sinned. Do to us whatever may be good in Your eyes; only please deliver us this day.


How many times have we all done this, live this life our own way and when in trouble run to God asking for help.  Is it any wonder why God is a jealous God.  Lucky for us He is merciful.


(2Ch 20:9)  If evil shall come upon us, whether sword, judgment, or pestilence and famine, we shall stand before this house and before You, for Your name is in this house, and shall cry to You out of our distress, and You shall hear and save.

(2Ch 20:11)  yea, behold, they are repaying us by coming in to drive us out of Your possession, that You have caused us to possess.

(2Ch 20:12)  O our God, shall You not execute judgment upon them? For there is no power in us before this great multitude that has come against us, and we do not know what we shall do; but our eyes are on You.

(2Ch 20:15)  and He said, Listen, all Judah, and you living in Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat; so says Jehovah to you, You shall not fear nor be terrified of the face of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.


Putting total trust and faith through obedience to Him and not in ourselves can only come about when the beast is destroyed. 


(Psa 37:38)  But the transgressors are destroyed together; the end of the wicked is cut off.

(Psa 37:39)  But the salvation of the righteous is from Jehovah; He is their strength in the time of distress.

(Psa 37:40)  And Jehovah helps them and delivers them; He shall deliver them from the wicked and saves them, because they trust in Him.


I know this is long, so please forgive me, but this next psalm is great:


(Psa 116:1)  I love Jehovah because He hears my voice, my prayers.

(Psa 116:2)  Because He has bowed His ear to me, I will also call in my days.

(Psa 116:3)  The cords of death hemmed me in; and the pains of Sheol found me; I find distress and sorrow;

(Psa 116:4)  then I call on the name of Jehovah: O Jehovah, I beseech You, deliver my soul!

(Psa 116:5)  Jehovah is gracious and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

(Psa 116:6)  Jehovah watches over the simple; I was low, but He saved me.

(Psa 116:7)  Return to your rest, O soul; for Jehovah has blessed you.

(Psa 116:  For You have delivered my soul from death, my eye from tears, my feet from stumbling.

(Psa 116:9)  I will walk before the face of Jehovah in the lands of the living.

(Psa 116:10)  I believed; so I speak; I was greatly afflicted;

(Psa 116:11)  I said in my alarm, All men are liars.

(Psa 116:12)  What shall I return to Jehovah for His benefits to me?

(Psa 116:13)  I will lift up the cup of salvation, and I will call on the name of Jehovah.

(Psa 116:14)  I will pay my vows to Jehovah now in the presence of all His people.

(Psa 116:15)  Precious in the eyes of Jehovah is the death of His saints.

(Psa 116:16)  O Jehovah, truly I am Your servant now; I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid; You have loosed my bonds.

(Psa 116:17)  I will sacrifice to You the sacrifice of thanks and will call on the name of Jehovah.

(Psa 116:18)  I will pay my vows to Jehovah now in the presence of all His people,

(Psa 116:19)  in the courts of the house of Jehovah; in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise Jehovah!


Verses 15 and 16, did you catch it?  Hint, crucified with Christ...

God bless,

Gary

[hillsbororiver]

See the one definition, 'distress', now it gets interesting.  Do a search of this word, distress, and read all the verses and accompanying ones.  Worth the effort.   

God bless,

Gary

Interesting indeed, "distress" eventually draws all of us to him, in one age or another but all eventually. Thank you Gary.