1 Kings 5:4 "But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side so that neither adversary nor evil occurrent." 1 Kings 5:4 is an Old Testament verse that highlights King Solomon’s peaceful reign and his God-given ability to reign over Israel. In this passage, Solomon acknowledges that, unlike his father David, he was not facing wars or external threats, allowing him to focus on constructing the temple for the Lord (1 Kings 5:3) . This verse reflects God's blessing of peace and stability, demonstrating how He granted Solomon a period of rest from his enemies, enabling him to carry out the significant task of building the temple in Jerusalem. It emphasizes God's sovereign will and providence, as well as the fulfillment of His promise to raise in Solomon a seed who would ultimately be the lineage of Christ, the Eternal King, to sit on Solomon’s throne—of whom Solomon was a type. It was God who placed Solomon on the throne of David as a precursor to David's true Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus would later be seated on His throne after completing His earthly mission to earn and establish the righteousness necessary for God to be just and to justify everyone the Father gave Him to save, making them subjects of His eternal kingdom , (Acts 2:30). "Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established" (1 Kings 2:12). Jesus Christ is the King of Kings: "And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”  (Revelation 19:16). Solomon’s peaceful reign foreshadowed the eternal peace that will never end (1 Kings 4:24–25). As a type of the Lord Jesus, Solomon’s kingdom experienced a time of unprecedented peace. However, this peace eventually came to an end (1 Kings 11:14, 23, 26). In contrast, Christ’s reign will never end. He is the one true Prince of Peace, of whom Solomon was merely a type (Isaiah 9:6–7). "But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side..." These could well be the words of the Lord Jesus after He had finished the work the Father gave Him to do when He came in the flesh. His work was so perfectly completed that, when He rose again, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High. In the Old Testament, there was no chair in the temple because the high priest's work was never done until Christ came and fulfilled the law and the sacrifices. Yet, once His work was complete, Scripture tells us: "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high"  (Hebrews 1:8). "Neither adversary nor evil occurrent." The word "occurrent"  is an archaic English form of the noun, which we now replace with "occurrence."  Just as the Lord gave Solomon rest from all his enemies, both foreign and domestic, so the Lord Jesus conquered every enemy of His Church: the world, Satan, and the sin of His people. He then rested from His warfare. His victory was so complete that no adversary remained unconquered. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). There were no internal enemies in His kingdom and no external foes left to battle. Therefore, there were no evil occurrences—nothing arose to discourage or hinder the fulfillment of His purpose. What was true of Solomon as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ was fully realized in Christ Himself when He came in the flesh. Referring to Solomon, Jesus declared: "A greater than Solomon is here" (Matthew 12:42). In this context, Jesus compares King Solomon to Himself, stating that His wisdom and authority surpass that of the renowned biblical figure. No matter how great the type, nothing replaces the glory of its fulfillment—Christ alone.

Isaiah 61:3,4 "…to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes,..." Isaiah 61:3-4 is a powerful passage that speaks of restoration, hope, and renewal in the face of the judgment that God would bring on Israel at the hands of the Babylonian Empire. It is part of a prophetic message in which the prophet Isaiah, speaking under divine inspiration, declares God's promise to bring comfort to an elect people identified as the brokenhearted. God's work of salvation is described as beauty in place of ashes and joy instead of mourning. These verses specifically highlight God's transforming power in the lives of the remnant that He had purposed to preserve from utter destruction, and for whom the Lord Jesus would lay down His life at the cross. By the work of Christ, they would be as "trees of righteousness" (imputed righteousness), the planting of the Lord. By His Spirit, they would be turned from despair into a nation of redeemed sinners, where there had been utter weakness, and life in the place of ruins—first in Adam's fall, and then from the destruction by the Babylonian nation. In verse 3, the focus is on God’s compassion for those who grieve, giving them a "garment of praise," instead of a "spirit of despair." This reflects God's purpose to restore a remnant to dignity by redeeming them from their lost and broken estate in the blood of the Lamb. Verse 4 then extends this message to a broader community of needy sinners, emphasizing the rebuilding of ancient ruins and the restoration of devastated cities, historically referencing the destruction of the land and Jerusalem in 587 B.C. but ultimately the spiritual renewal that God would bring upon His true Israel in Christ. I n Romans 9:6-8. Paul writes, "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." God's purpose from the beginning for national Israel was to preserve a remnant, for whom the Lord Jesus would come and redeem out of the rest of the nation. It is this remnant that Christ came to redeem. These verses ultimately point to the deep hope found in God's promise to save sinners—both Jew and Gentile—out of every tribe, nation, and tongue, by His grace alone. Those whom God has chosen are compared to trees of the forest that the Lord has planted. They have certain qualities similar to other trees, although they are distinct. Each tree differs in height, size, foliage, and bark, yet each one shares fundamental characteristics: roots, a trunk, and branches. Scripture often uses the metaphor of a tree to describe those who belong to the Lord. If any are the Lord’s, it is because they have been planted in Christ by the Father, who is the Husbandman (John 15:1). They spring up unto eternal life, not by their own doing, but because they are of the seed sown in the life and death of the Lord Jesus. They are called "trees of righteousness" (Matthew 13:31-32), not by personal merit but by the righteousness imputed to them by God—through the obedience of the Lord Jesus unto death—revealed in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. This revelation causes them to submit to Christ and His imputed righteousness alone, in all grace and humility (1 Peter 1:2, Romans 10:3-4). A writer of old once said: "Like trees that are well planted; whose root is in Christ, whose sap is the Spirit and His grace, and whose fruit is good works; and that they might appear to be good trees, and of a good growth and stature, and be laden with the fruits of righteousness, and be truly righteous persons, made so by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to them: '" the planting of the Lord" —planted by Him in Christ and His church and so never to be rooted out." One notable characteristic of trees in a forest is that, although some grow within feet of each other, they grow together rather than against each other. Likewise, believers have been planted in Christ in various parts of the world, and where they gather, there is a unity of mind and heart. They share a collective desire to grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord as revealed in His blessed Gospel (Ephesians 4:13-15) . One final point about trees is that a tree trunk tells an interesting history. Strong winds or erosion may have once caused it to lean or bend, but where there is a strong root, the tree will continue growing upward, drawn by the light of the sun. In the same way, believers—when examining their spiritual "trunks"—will see notches, bends, and curves, shaped by the afflictions and trials of life and the effects of sin. Nevertheless, being planted in Christ, they continue to grow upward, nurtured by the Son and blessed by Him.

2 Corinthians 11:3 "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." Throughout the Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthian church, he expresses concern that they may be led astray from the simplicity of the Gospel message in Christ. He compares their potential deception to how Eve was deceived by the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Paul warns against false teachings that could corrupt the Faith revealed to them in the preaching of Christ and His death as their justification before God. He emphasizes the need for steadfastness in the Truth of the Gospel. This verse highlights the dangers of spiritual deception and the importance of remaining true to Christ exactly as He is revealed in the Gospel. The greatest counterfeit is that which is closest to the original. When Satan beguiled Eve [literally ‘cheated by deception’], it was by turning her eyes away from the Tree of Life (a type of Christ) to desire something more! What more could have been necessary for her enjoyment, comfort, and peace? What could the tree of the knowledge of good and evil offer her more than she already enjoyed in the Tree of Life? The deception was in thinking that something more was needed than what Adam and Eve were already given to enjoy (Genesis 2:9) . The fruit of the Tree of Life was unto Life, and the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was unto eternal death and condemnation. No matter how good the fruit appeared, it was forbidden by God not to eat or even to touch it (Genesis 3:2, 3) . The apostle Paul warned the church of Corinth of the same deception in being drawn away by those who presented themselves as Gospel preachers, preaching Christ and professing to be speaking by the Spirit of God and yet who were false prophets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. What was the issue? Like Satan’s subtleties with Eve, they would draw sinners away from the One Perfect Substitute, Christ crucified and their perfect standing in Him by His imputed righteousness, to another "tree of the knowledge of good and evil, " another righteousness, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3). Paul wrote that they are transformed as ministers of righteousness but not the ONE TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, established by Christ in His death at the cross and imputed to every one of God’s elect there, by the Father. It was no light matter for Eve in the beginning, and it is no light matter for us today. The question is: On what basis does God declare poor, worthless, condemned sinners righteous? Some say that Christ ‘guaranteed’ our righteousness by His death, but it is only realized when we appropriate it by our ‘faith.’ Others say that this righteousness is imparted in the sinner when the Spirit grants life, given a ‘sinless nature’ upon believing. They call it an ‘imparted righteousness,’ worked in you, although that is not the language of Scripture. Others say it is by righteousness worked out by you, whereby by His death you are given the ability now to grow it by sanctifying yourself and improving on what Christ accomplished for you, but that now you achieve. They say His was the down payment and your faith and dedication complete it. Either way, it is to declare righteousness IN us, or BY us, and not IN and BY CHRIST ALONE! Subtle error, but lethal to the soul. There is much interest in this ‘tree of knowledge’ and much explaining as to what this supposed righteous nature is but ultimately, it is drawing attention away from the ONE TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, outside ourselves, in the LORD Jesus Christ and His finished work alone, Who is now seated in Heaven, His work complete (1 Corinthians 1:30; Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 2:2)! Even as Adam and Eve were deceived in thinking they needed something more than that perfect standing they enjoyed with God already, let us not be deceived in thinking that our acceptance with God and fellowship with HIM is by any other means than the blood and righteousness of Christ alone, fully accomplished at the cross and imputed there, which the Spirit of God, in time, does REVEAL (not impart) to sinner’s hearts (Luke 10:21-22) . He causes us to rejoice in Him alone for all our salvation, in Christ Who finished the work! " For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, f or therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16,17).

Acts 2:23 "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:" Acts 2:23 is part of Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, where he boldly proclaims the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to a mixed crowd of Jews and Gentile proselytes who were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost. The Lord Jesus had laid down His life 50 days prior at the Passover. He had shown Himself to His disciples for 40 days after His resurrection, and 10 days after His ascension (Acts 1:3) He poured out His Spirit on those gathered as proof that the Lord they had crucified was now seated in glory as the reigning King and Savior (Acts 2:33-36) . The gift of tongues (languages) was evidence to the Jews from various nations who had gathered for the Feast and heard the disciples speaking in the languages of their respective countries (Acts 2:8). What religious zealots call "speaking in tongues" today is nothing but a false and poor counterfeit of what took place on the day of Pentecost, by which Satan has deceived many to the destruction of their souls (2 Thessalonians 2:9). The speaking in languages on the day of Pentecost following the pouring out of the Spirit, confirmed that Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had taken and by wicked hands crucified and slain, was indeed both Lord and Christ. It is noteworthy that Peter was not led by the Spirit to focus on the gift of tongues, which was a one-time gift given to select witnesses of Christ in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah 44:3, Joel 2:28-29). Rather, he was directed to preach about the Christ whom they had crucified and slain. They willingly delivered Him out of rebellion and disdain, acting as representatives of those for whom He was laying down His life (the elect of God). Yet, in doing their will, they were ultimately fulfilling the will of God. The priests among them, accustomed to offering up animal sacrifices according to the Law, now had the Lamb of God placed in their hands and offered Him up to be slain according to the Law and the good pleasure of God the Father. Yet, they were ignorant of who He was and whose He was—the Beloved Son of God. This verse highlights the sovereignty of God in all human acts (Isaiah 45:7) even in the most heinous act of crucifying the Lord Jesus. They could do nothing more or less than what God the Father had foreordained: "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done" (Acts 4:27-28). Peter asserts that the Lord Jesus was handed over to be crucified according to God’s predetermined purpose and foreknowledge, yet he lays the blame for His crucifixion on them because of their wicked hearts. Here we see that if the LORD Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we must confess that those who nailed Him to the cross were our representatives and that it was because of our sins that He suffered and died. This verse underscores the mystery of God's providence, showing that while human actions played a role in Christ’s suffering, they ultimately fulfilled God’s redemptive purpose. To this end, Peter calls his hearers to repentance and faith in the very Lord Jesus, who died and rose again for those whom the Father had given Him. Peter declares that Christ's death was according to the "determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God." God is all-knowing. His omniscience encompasses His unlimited knowledge of the past, present, and future: "Great is our Lord... his understanding is infinite" (Psalm 147:5);"The Lord is a God of knowledge... by him actions are weighed" (1 Samuel 2:3). Foreknowledge pertains to God's knowledge and will, by which He decreed all things. It is defined as: "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world" (Acts 15:18). The Greek word for foreknow is proginosko , from which we derive the English word "prognosis." It means "to know beforehand" or "to decide beforehand." Though it appears sparingly in Scripture, it carries profound significance. God's foreknowledge concerns the prophets: "But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets..." (Acts 3:18)." Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done" (Isaiah 46:10). God's foreknowledge concerns the elect: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee" (Jeremiah 1:5)."For whom he did foreknow..." (Romans 8:29). "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew" (Romans 11:2). God's foreknowledge concerns Christ: "Him, being delivered by the... foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23)."For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done" (Acts 4:28). God foreknew the who , how , and when  of those He purposed to justify by the death of His Son: "Jesus... was delivered for (because of) our offenses... raised again for (because of) our justification" (Romans 4:24-25). The cross was the occasion; the resurrection was the proof. The salvation of sinners was fully and freely accomplished according to God's eternal purpose at the cross. It was there that He purposed to save—and did save—each one He freely chose in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-4) . "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father “ (Galatians 4:4-6). This was prophesied from the time of the fall (Genesis 3:15) , God knowing all things beforehand, having predetermined all things according to His Sovereign Will. What a glorious God He is in the salvation of His elect! What a glorious Redeemer Christ is! By His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, He has once and forever saved His people and is now seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High, where He ever lives to intercede on behalf of those for whom He paid the debt (Hebrews 8:1). Praise His Holy Name!

2 Peter 3:4 "...Where is the promise of His coming?" The apostle Peter, directed by the Spirit of God, addresses a prominent skepticism in his day surrounding the return of the LORD Jesus Christ. Verses 3 and 4 read: "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." In this passage, Peter warns that in the last days, scoffers will arise, questioning the promise of the LORD Jesus’ second coming at the end of time. The same unbelief regarding His first coming continues toward His second coming. Many argue over the second coming of the LORD Jesus while never understanding the purpose of His first coming. The LORD Jesus, who came the first time, came to lay down His life as God's Sacrificial Lamb so that God might be just in justifying a people He chose before the foundation of the world (Romans 3:24-26). The same mockers of His second coming are those who scorned His first coming, rejecting Him as a failure because they expected Him to establish an earthly Jewish kingdom. However, that was not the reason for His first coming, nor is it His purpose in coming again to establish an earthly kingdom. Skepticism is the fruit of an unbelieving heart. Our LORD Jesus declared that His purpose in coming the first time was not to establish an earthly Jewish kingdom but rather to save sinners out of every tribe, nation, and tongue (Revelation 7:9). When our LORD denied them the kingdom they sought and instead established a Spiritual Kingdom made up of those sinners the Father gave Him from eternity, upon completing His death on the cross, the Father justified them. Now, the Spirit is in the world calling each one to Himself—those for whom He already paid their sin debt and has united to Christ as members of His kingdom. The unbelievers who rejected Him at His first coming, left to themselves, will continue to denounce Him at His second coming. If these scoffers had truly considered the dreadful vengeance with which God already swept away an entire world of ungodly people in the flood, they would not have mocked His warnings of an equally terrible judgment to come. The same Word that once brought destruction now declares that the present heavens and earth will one day be destroyed by fire. This is as certain as God’s truth and power. Nevertheless, for Christ's people, this passage affirms and strengthens their faith in the LORD who has promised to come again and receive them to Himself (Acts 1:11). While humans perceive a vast difference between a single day and a thousand years, to God, there is no such distinction. Past, present, and future are always before Him. A delay of a thousand years means no more to Him than a brief postponement means to us. Those who do not know or believe in the eternal God tend to imagine Him as being like themselves, limited by time. What people see as delay is, in reality, God's long-suffering with the unbelieving world, which He has already appointed to judgment. Since Christ has not yet returned, it is because He is not willing that any of those He chose and Christ redeemed should perish (2 Peter 3:9). The day of the Lord will arrive unexpectedly for the unbelieving world. All of their earthly treasures and palaces will suddenly be consumed by fire at His coming. All the sinners who were not redeemed by Christ's blood will serve as fodder for the fire of God's judgment, and every work of man will be brought to destruction (2 Peter 3:10). Peter is not attempting to convince the unbelievers, who left to themselves, would continue to walk in their lusts and mock and scoff at the clear declaration of the Word of God—pertaining not only to His first coming but also to His second at the end of time. Because thousands of years have passed since creation and thousands of years have continued since Christ's first coming, the natural-minded find it unbelievable that there is a Man seated in glory today, who once walked this earth as a Man to earn and establish righteousness to God the Father's satisfaction. That work ended in His death on the cross at the hands of wicked men, but He rose again, ascended on high, and is now seated there until the time of His return. Unbelievers continue to mock His delay in returning, just as they mocked Him at His crucifixion when He would not come down from the cross. Everything the LORD Jesus does, He does according to the sovereign will of His Father, and nothing happens until it is the will of the Father. Christ did not come down from the cross, it was because He needed to pay the full debt of sin for His elect, and therefore, He could not and would not step down. The same is true of His return at the end of time. What is keeping Him from coming again? Is it not that the full number of the Father’s elect has not yet been called out? It may still be millions of years before Christ returns because He knows those who are His—some of whom may not even be born yet—and therefore, He will not return until the last one He redeemed is brought to Him by the Spirit. Let the unbelieving world mock—those who have no interest in the Sovereign LORD Jesus—but none of their unbelief can change who He is, what He accomplished in His first coming, or the fact that, at the appointed time, He will return to gather to Himself every sinner He redeemed. He has purposed that they should dwell with Him forever, which is all their hope of glory.

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the LORD alway: and again I say, Rejoice." Life is full of ups and downs—moments of joy and seasons of struggle. Yet, in Philippians 4:4, the Apostle Paul gives a clear and powerful command: "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." At first glance, this may seem like an impossible instruction. How can we always rejoice when life brings hardships, disappointments, and pain? When Paul wrote to the Philippian church, he was imprisoned in Rome for the sake of the Gospel, awaiting a hearing before Caesar. He had appealed to Caesar after being falsely accused of fomenting an insurgency among the Jews (Acts 25:6-12). His confinement served as the backdrop for his message of joy, perseverance, and reliance on God despite difficult circumstances. In Philippians 1:12-14, Paul describes how his imprisonment advanced the Gospel: "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." Paul, writing from a prison house, was not speaking about a shallow, fleeting happiness dependent on circumstances. Instead, he pointed to a deep, unwavering joy found in Christ—a joy revealed by the Spirit of Christ within him. He knew that God had ordained every detail of his life, from conception to his calling by God’s sovereign grace in Christ (Galatians 1:15). When the LORD first drew him to Himself on the road to Damascus, He sent Ananias to deliver this message to Paul: look "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake" (Acts 9:15-16). The LORD gave Paul the grace to bow to His sovereign will, and because of that, he could rejoice. He was strengthened by God’s grace in Christ, knowing that everything was from His sovereign hand. This is what it means to rejoice in the Lord—not only in times of peace but also in seasons of trial. As Romans 8:28 reminds us, "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."   This truth helps God's children shift their focus away from temporary struggles and onto Christ, who lived, died, and rose again for His elect. In Him—who is now seated in the heavenly places, having completed the work of redemption, justification, and sanctification—Paul found true joy, peace, and eternal hope. "...for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal"   (2 Corinthians 4:18). No matter what a child of God may face, our joy is secure because it is rooted in the unchanging character of God, in His sovereign will, and in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has paid the sin debt of those He redeemed, and this is why the awakened child in Christ cannot help but rejoice—every moment of every day. Deep within their soul is a rejoicing in Christ Jesus, their Lord and Savior. As God’s children, we always rejoice when HE  causes us to rejoice. Just as He rejoices over each of His elect—those whom His Son has redeemed—rejoice in Him. "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee" (Isaiah 62:5). Because He sings over us, our souls continually sing of Him, as Isaiah proclaimed: "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing..."   (Zephaniah 3:17).

Song of Solomon 3:1 "By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not." Song of Solomon 3:1 is a poetic and deeply emotional verse that captures the longing and desire of the Shulamite woman for her beloved. This verse is part of a larger narrative in which she searches for him, expressing themes of love, yearning, and the fear of separation from the One she loved because of his love for her. The Song of Solomon—also known as the Song of Songs—is a beautifully written God-inspired love poem that is rich in the symbolic and spiritual significance of the love of Christ for His Church, and the Church for Christ. What is outlined in this song is an allegory of Christ’s love for the Church (the elect of God). In Song of Solomon 3:1, the Bride expresses her longing for her Beloved King, who has set His affection on her; this reflects the deep yearning of the soul for His presence during His absence. Nighttime is typically intended for rest, relaxation, and the restoration of both body and mind. And yet, night can also be a time of loneliness, isolation, and anxious fretfulness about the past or what lies ahead. Insomnia may be caused by stress, worry, or other factors—and even God's children are not spared. Since it is God who ordains all things, we must understand that even on the nights when sleep fails, yet, these have been ordained by God to cause His children to cry out for help and relief. At such times, our hearts may sink lower than we ever imagined, as the LORD may choose to hide Himself for a season. In this scripture, the Shulamite woman, representing the Bride of Christ—His Church—eagerly desires the presence of the King (Christ) and awaits His return at the end of a time of absence. For reasons known only to God, there are times when He conceals the blessing of His Presence—not to torment His children, but to intensify their yearning for Him. No one understands more fully than the LORD Jesus what it was to be the Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief during His time of humiliation when He bore the weight of His people’s sin to satisfy God the Father's law and justice (Psalm 22:1). However, because the LORD Jesus has already borne the Father’s chastening on behalf of His children, we can rest assured that there is not an ounce of wrath in God's dealings with us; rather, “Whom He loves, He chastens and scourges every son' " (Hebrews 12:6,7) not to consume them but to draw them lovingly to Himself through times of discipline—or the night seasons of life. Such was the case of the Shulamite woman who, in a season of darkness, reasoned: “I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?... I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had withdrawn Himself and was gone...” (Song of Solomon 5:3–6). Of all the blessings bestowed on the Church in Christ, no chastening is felt more deeply than the heartache of the LORD hiding His face or temporarily withdrawing His presence. This pain is experienced most acutely by a wife and children whose husband and father must be away for a while, making the separation almost unbearable. Our comfort lies in knowing that the LORD understands our endless need for Him and will not cause any of His beloved children to suffer beyond what they can bear. His delays in renewing His presence through His Spirit are designed to deepen our awareness of our need for Him and to humble us, lest we become prideful or lethargic in the face of His gracious mercies and blessings. Although He chastens by withdrawing, He always ensures that He is found: “I found Him Whom my soul loveth: I held Him, and would not let Him go...” (Song of Solomon 3:4).

Revelation 17:5,6 "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." Revelation 17:5-6 is a passage from the Book of Revelation that describes a mysterious and symbolic figure known as "Babylon the Great." These verses are part of the Apostle John's vision, revealing a woman sitting on a scarlet beast—representing a corrupt and powerful entity. This passage portrays Babylon the Great as a force leading people further away from Christ and persecuting His followers. It serves as both a prophecy and a warning about spiritual deception and the ultimate judgment of evil. Revelation 17:5 identifies "Babylon the Great," symbolizing a powerful, deceptive, and spiritually corrupt religious and political organization. It represents the alliance between the religious Jews of the first century and their league with the Roman government in persecuting believers who remained faithful to the Lord Jesus. This Antichrist alliance sought to corrupt the church, but the title "Babylon the Great" suggests influence over nations, immorality, and rebellion against God. Despite this persecution, the truth of the Gospel, established through Christ's death and the blood of the martyrs, continued to grow with God's blessing. As the Lord Jesus Christ declared: "I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Revelation 17:6 reveals that (false religion) actively persecuted and killed the elect of Christ's church, for whom He had paid the price for sin on the cross. The imagery of being "drunken with the blood" signifies the severity of persecution against Christians. Many wrongly assume that this passage describes a future tribulation at the end of the world. However, John was writing about what the early church was already enduring in the first century. The Book of Revelation states: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John"   (Revelation 1:1). The things that "must shortly come to pass" refer to what John and the early church would experience in their lifetime for the sake of Christ and His accomplished salvation on the cross. The Apostle Paul also warned: "Beware of dogs"   (Philippians 3:2) . He used this strong language to describe false teachers—those who outwardly appear religious but have no true care for men's souls. Religion may seem to emphasize love, compassion, and service to humanity, but when it does not exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, it ultimately seeks to devour souls. Such organizations and institutions align themselves with the great harlot, Babylon the Great . The term "whore" is used because of the deceptive nature of false religion, which, like a harlot, seduces and leads people away from the truth. It integrates human works and will with the exclusive message of Christ crucified, thereby corrupting the Gospel (Galatians 1:6-10). In this passage, the whore is depicted as one who has been unfaithful to her husband—forsaking the covenant of God and prostituting herself to the kings of the earth. Revelation 17:2 states: "With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." False religion is widespread, reaching every corner of the world. It propagates a mixture of truth and error, deceiving many. Revelation 17:4 describes her appearance: 1. "Arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls." These adornments are mere imitations of the true Gospel, much like a harlot who uses enticing outward appearances to seduce. The book of Proverbs warns about the "strange woman" who allures men to their destruction—symbolic of false religion. Similarly, Babylon the Great uses religious symbols, such as purple for royalty and scarlet for the sacrifice of Christ, to create the illusion of legitimacy. However, false religion leads people to believe that salvation depends on their efforts rather than on Christ alone. True salvation is the work of the Lord from beginning to end; if it were not entirely His work, none would be saved. 2. Revelation 17:5 states: "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." In ancient times, some harlots would publicly display their names on signs, openly identifying themselves. Likewise, Babylon the Great is marked by blasphemy and deception. She represents all that is false and opposed to the Truth. Revelation further describes her as being "drunken with the blood of the martyrs," illustrating her deep hatred for Christ’s true followers. This enmity against God's people persists even today, as spiritual warfare continues between the Truth of the Gospel and the deception of false religion. This is the full manifestation of the enmity that God put between the seed of the serpent and the Seed of the woman, (Genesis 3:15). The Seed of the woman (Christ) has prevailed by His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.

Luke 11:2 "And He said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." Luke 11:2 is part of the passage in which our LORD Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray, often called the Lord’s Prayer, but it is the disciples’ prayer. The context of Luke 11:2 arises when one of Jesus' disciples asks Him to teach them how to pray, just as John the Baptist taught his followers. What our LORD Jesus taught them was a model of how true prayer is expressed from the heart of one of the LORD's children. In response, the LORD Jesus highlights key elements of a Spirit-drawn approach to communion with God and submission to His will in worship, dependence on Him for daily needs, and seeking forgiveness and deliverance from temptation. Our LORD gave this prayer as a pattern for how His disciples should pray. It was never intended to be a prayer to be memorized and repeated but serves as a pattern for how the Spirit of God directs God’s children to pray. Notice: 1.) "When ye pray:"  There is no prescribed time to pray but rather as the Spirit of God directs one of Christ’s redeemed ones to pray. The ‘when’ is determined by the LORD, causing one of His own to cry unto Him and seek Him. The word ‘pray’ here means ‘to wish’ or ‘desire’ of God. True prayer is not seeking God for what the flesh desires but for the spiritual, as the Spirit directs. "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26). Where there is true, Spirit-given prayer, there are desires only after Christ and His blood and righteousness: "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all Truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come" (John 16:13). 2.) "Our Father which art in heaven:"  Only those whose Father He is can address God as Father! To address Him as Father requires the Spirit of God to reveal Christ in them first: " And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Galatians 4:6). In this context, the Spirit reveals Christ in the hearts of those for whom He paid the debt only: "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law" (Galatians 4:4). True prayer is for the sanctity and glory of the Father alone. His name is hallowed only by the work of the LORD Jesus; therefore, none can come to God but by HIM: "Jesus saith unto him, 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me'" (John 14:6). 3.) "Thy Kingdom Come:"  We should not pray for some earthly, natural kingdom. That would be to pray contrary to the LORD’S teaching (Luke 11:2) . His kingdom was established at His resurrection, upon the satisfactory completion of His death on the cross (Acts 2:30-36) . His kingdom is advanced now in the world when the Spirit of God reveals Christ in the hearts of those for whom He paid the debt and draws them to Himself: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me" (John 12:32). 4.) "Thy will be done:"  This is not a wishful, "hope-so" request but rather a declaration that God’s will SHALL be done. Prayer is not foolishly attempting to get God to bend to our will but rather Him bringing us to bow to HIS will, which is sovereign in all things. All that HE has purposed in creation, providence, salvation, or condemnation is exactly what shall be, to HIS honor and glory in His Son.

Matthew 13:45,46 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Our Lord spoke in parables so that He could reveal the truth of His kingdom to the children of His kingdom and hide it from those who are not of His spiritual kingdom: "And He said unto them, 'Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them" (Mark 4:11-12). How precious this truth is when He opens it up to us by His Spirit. "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a MERCHANT MAN."  This can be a reference to none other than the LORD Jesus Christ, who came into the world as a man to purchase a people unto God the Father and would most certainly redeem (purchase) and bring them to God. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18). He paid their sin debt by paying their ransom, and God, once and for all, approved, accepted, and declared righteous each one upon completion of payment, declaring them to be forever His inheritance. "And they sung a new song, saying, 'Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation'" (Revelation 5:9). In Middle Eastern culture, a merchant was more than a traveling salesman. They represented very wealthy individuals and were entrusted with the charge of increasing their wealth and caring for their goods on behalf of the one who appointed them to the work. An example is Joseph, who was given charge of Pharaoh's kingdom (Genesis 47:31-44). The LORD Jesus is the Merchant Man who came to earth, having been given the charge of His wealthy Father's business—to redeem and save them from utter loss and make them heirs of the Kingdom. Not only did the LORD Jesus come to purchase them, but also to keep and manage them as members of the Father's kingdom, ensuring their eternal salvation. "Seeking GOODLY PEARLS."  The "goodly" (well-pleasing) pearls are the people that God chose from eternity and created to be His precious jewels (vessels of honor), according to God’s good pleasure and what He purposed to make them through the blood and righteousness of the LORD Jesus. "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love" (Ephesians 1:4). The word 'good' in 'goodly' derives from the character of God, who is GOOD (James 1:17). "No one is good—except God alone" (Luke 18:19) . To say that these were goodly pearls is not because of any inherent goodness in themselves, representing sinners Christ came to save, but because God saw them as those He would declare good through the work of the GOOD Shepherd. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). "When he had found one pearl of GREAT PRICE, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it."  The pearl (God’s elect sinners in Christ) of great price (paid for by the precious blood of the Lamb) could not have been purchased with any greater price. He sold all He had and bought it. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

2 Timothy 1:13 "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to Timothy, gives him words of instruction as the elder preacher to the younger, emphasizing what is vital in the ministry and what is the one message to which Timothy was to hold tenaciously as he faced a time of hardship and possible discouragement. In this verse, Paul exhorts Timothy to hold fast to the teaching of Christ (the form of sound words) that he had received from Paul—specifically, the foundational truth of the Gospel of Christ, salvation by His righteousness imputed alone, and the Faith essential for the Church. Paul knew the necessity of sound doctrine and understood that Timothy would face many challenges in ministry, as with any servant of Christ whom He sends into the world. Yet, Timothy is encouraged to keep teaching sound words, not as a list of legalistic dos and don’ts, but rather as a life-giving message of Christ and Him crucified—a legacy passed down through Paul’s own life and teaching. "Hold fast the form of sound words": Paul calls Timothy to "keep as the pattern (form) of sound teaching." The Christian Faith, from the beginning, has been built on the clear and faithful teaching of God's Word, founded in the Old Testament scriptures outlined in types, pictures, promises, and prophecies concerning Christ and His death on the cross, fulfilled in His coming, doing, and dying in the fullness of the time (Galatians 4:4). It is the Faith once and for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3) . Paul emphasizes the preservation and faithful transfer of doctrine (teaching) that is true to the only Gospel of Christ, unaffected by falsehoods, distortions, and attacks by enemies of Christ and His cross. Today, the same call exists for us—believers and leaders alike—to stand firm in the Truth of the Word and guard it from misinterpretation. "In Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus": The two qualities that Paul associates with sound teaching are Faith and Love. Sound teaching is not just giving information; it is the very revelation of God concerning His Son and God's purpose to save chosen sinners, for whom Christ came and paid their sin debt. Once revealed in the hearts of sinners who were redeemed and justified by the death of the Lord Jesus, the Spirit causes them to embrace the Lord Jesus and His finished work as their sole Hope in salvation, expressed through a heart of Faith and Love in the Lord Jesus. In both receiving and sharing God’s Word, these qualities are reflected in each child of God in whom the Lord Jesus is revealed by His Spirit. Faith is both the objective revelation of Christ in the heart and the receiving of that revelation with love and joy. Faith’s object is always the Person and work of the Lord Jesus. Love is the objective foundation of salvation as well as the response in those whom God has loved with everlasting love, and therefore redeemed and justified by His death on the cross. Paul encourages Timothy not only to build on the doctrine of Christ but to see it as a "pattern" (form)—a way of life, a model that he should follow by his example, not in word only, but in every aspect of his life. Sound teaching, when rightly understood, shapes how we live, influences our decisions, and guides us through all of life’s trials, persecutions, and attacks of the enemy. It’s not just information to store in our minds, but a blueprint for our walk in the Faith that is in Christ Jesus alone. What does this walk look like? Following Sound Doctrine: In an age where many voices compete for the attention of the Lord's people, it is essential to regularly and consistently hear the Word of Truth set forth in the scriptures alone, in which the Lord Jesus is revealed in every line and verse (John 5:39) . Therefore, we are to be diligent students of Christ, searching the scriptures as did the Bereans (Acts 17:11), and surrounding ourselves only with teachings that align with the truth of Christ in Scripture. We must look to the Lord to guard our hearts and minds against notions or teachings that contradict or, in any degree, water down the Gospel by the leaven of "free will" works religion. Live a Life of Faith and Love: We must ensure that the doctrine of Christ is never compromised or held as something merely theoretical, or a matter of personal opinion. It must be lived out through the Faith of Christ revealed in the heart and love for Him and others of like God-given faith in Christ. It is the Faith of Christ that causes us to trust that God’s Word (Christ) is true and enables us to love Him, who first loved us, and also love those who are of His redeemed family with kindness, grace, and sacrificial service toward them. Just as Timothy was called to guard and pass on the Gospel, we, who are the Lord's people in our generation, are entrusted with the same sacred Word of Christ. May we remain faithful to the pattern of sound teaching and live it out with unwavering faith and love, as faithful stewards of the Word of God!

Colossians 1:20 "And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." The Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Colossae, emphasizes Christ’s complete work for the reconciliation to Holy God of those for whom He died. This verse highlights that, through Christ's sacrifice unto death on the cross, He has reconciled to God all things—whether on earth or in heaven—bringing peace and harmony where there was once separation due to the fall in Adam's disobedience. It reveals the all-encompassing nature of the LORD Jesus’ work, not just for the individual salvation of each of God's elect, but for the entire created order, whereby one day only perfect righteousness will dwell, with the curse of the fall completely removed because of Christ's death on the cross. “Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). When we read, "having made peace," it refers to a legal peace, a legal standing, and it goes right back up to verse 12, "which hath made us meet to be partakers." There had to be peace established between chosen sinners and the God who chose them from eternity. God's sword of justice had to be buried in this Representative's Head. " Awake, O Sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man [that is] my Fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones" (Zechariah 13:7). How was reconciliation accomplished? "Through the blood of His cross." And when was this work done? When were all those saved for whom Christ was sent into this world? It was when He earned and established righteousness equal to that required by God the Father and then laid down His life in death on the cross. That’s why, in a loud victorious voice, He cried, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). Christ did not die a whimpering victim. No, He died a successful Savior. He died the Heir. He died as the Substitute of His people, whom the Father gave Him to save before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-6). He did not die because those crucifying Him were able to overpower Him. Had He wanted to be delivered from their hands, He could have defeated them all by the Word of His Power (Matthew 26:53). But He did not come to judge the world; He came that the world (sinners from every tribe and nation) should be saved by the Offering of Himself in death to the Father as the Sacrificial Lamb. Therefore, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He went as a passive lamb, and as a lamb who before His shearers is dumb, He opened not His mouth (Isaiah 53:7). Scripture says that He was delivered according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God the Father into the wicked hands of men (Acts 2:23). Those who crucified the LORD Jesus acted according to their wicked, depraved will, but could do nothing more or less than what God had already determined. His foreknowledge was not simply His prior knowledge of what they would do to Him. Foreknowledge is God knowing beforehand what He has determined to do. He knows before it comes to pass because He has already determined ahead of time what should be. The LORD Jesus was even directing everything from the cross that was being done to Him, to the glory of His Father. He bore it, but He was also directing it! Scripture says, "by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself." That is, all those the Father gave Him, all those who were appointed to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints, by Him at the cross were reconciled. Peace was made for them: "by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Whether it be those who have passed on before or those who remain, it is still going to be by Christ alone, the One Savior, the One Sacrifice, the One Righteous Offering. "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1