The Armies of God
Armies of God 1 - The Caleb Mindset - 7//1998 - Article
Armies of God 2 - Gideon’s Company - 8/1998 - Article
Armies of God 3 - Saul’s Call - 8/1998 - Article
Armies of God 4 - The Intimacy Attitude - 9/1998 - Article
Armies of God 5 - Strangers And Exiles - 9/1998 - Article
Armies of God 6 - The Extent of Duty - 10/1998 - Article
Armies of God 7 - The Servants Of The Great Father - 10/1998 - Article
Armies of God 8 - The Faceless And The Nameless - 10/1998 - Article
Armies of God 1 - The Caleb Mindset
Bob Neumann, July 19, 1998
It seems in the last few days a certain turn in the road has been made. Strange it seems that it is long over due. Today modern church people have a whole bunch of ‘militant’ music that we say we worship to. It seems we have gone a long way from “clap your hands all ye people and shout to GOD with a voice of triumph” and “onward Christian soldiers marching as to war”. Yet for all our music and lyrics we are the same as before we started, primarily pew sitters waiting to be fed, entertained, reassured.
And it has been that way for 6000 years. With only four major exceptions and what they are to teach us today appears to be mostly lost.
So in apparent obedience I am starting a series of thoughts to share with whoever desires to read what THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT has placed on my heart. The first thought goes back to the WILDERNESS.
The Army of the Wilderness Generation. When Israel balked at entering the land when ADONAI told them to do so it was because of the “BAD REPORT” of the spies who forgot just how big GOD was. In less than two years GOD had decimated the Egyptian Empire with Plagues, slaughtered the largest army in the world in the red sea, brought water out of a rock, and manna and quail six days a week to feed 3+ million people. And let’s not forget MT Sinai and the golden calf. And still they saw “giants” and were intimidated. So a ‘next generation’ came forward over the next 40 years knowing only how to survive in the WILDERNESS. Not Egyptian slavery. And they were led through the Jordan River to take the land. And in 26 years did a very poor job of it all. In fact even Joshua was deceived at time and did not always seek GOD before acting. Again not the greatest of lessons to pass down to us today. So I marvel at how readily some of our “church’’ brethren jump at the GIMMICK of a JERICO WALK to raise funds. Or the idea of a Joshua Generation that marches to victory. When it was ADONAI that brought the walls down.
Yet in the midst of all this there is a major lesson that the church has missed, and maybe it is on purpose. If so the victory here is not out of our grasp yet. The Lesson is the CALEB MINDSET.
How often have you heard MR PREACHERMAN or MR MAJOR PROPHET speak about Caleb? Wonder why? We are talking about the man who spoke GOSPEL when the ‘church’ preferred the bad report. A man who stayed faithful for almost 70 years trusting GOD for a single promise. And then getting the job done. The image of service unconditional and unchangeable, no matter the situation or the circumstance. Here is a man who was high in the tribe of Judah. The largest and strongest of the tribes of Israel. But let’s see his first public account.
Numbers 13:30-32
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. (KJV)
Caleb was a man willing to do GOD’S will and tried to move the people in the right direction. But as always the majority will not follow GOD in obedience. And where does that lead him?
Numbers 14:6-12
6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
11 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
At this point the church is eager to kill those who are saying things the assembly does not want to hear. Even if it is in accord with the plans and purpose of GOD ALMIGHTY. Now let’s see how GOD reacts to Caleb’s stand with Joshua.
Numbers 14:24
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. (KJV)
Remember GOD SAID IT, claiming Caleb as HIS SERVANT, FILLED with THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT, followed ME FULLY.
And no one preaches on ol’ Caleb. What a shame.
But when it was time to divide the land who is mentioned first?
Numbers 34:16-19
16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
17 These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
18 And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.
19 And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. (KJV)
GOD did not forget CALEB and Caleb remembered GOD’S PROMISE.
Deuteronomy 1:35-36
35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,
36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD. (KJV)
Joshua 14:13-15
13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.
14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.
15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war. (KJV)
But here is where the real story begins. Remember the fear of the GIANTS that birthed that evil report. Look at CALEB’S MINDSET and answer to that spirit of fear.
Joshua 15:13-19
13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.
14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher.
16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.
Caleb demanded HEBRON, the city of the Giants and took it. Giants and all. That is why the children of Anak were in Philistia so Goliath could be slain by the shepherd boy many years later. Caleb alone was more than willing to kill the giants that stood between him and the PROMISE GOD had spoken over and into him. What is our excuse? Do we run at the first threat or fear? Or do we ask for the city in spite of the dangers knowing GOD HAS SPOKEN.
The ARMY of Joshua took bits and pieces of a very small land. Caleb took and held his rightful portion and when he asked for an heir Othniel the first of the Judges came and married a daughter bold enough to stand up and claim a blessing even Othniel could not ask from the old warrior.
If you look up the HEBREW word Caleb you will find the word all the positive attributes of man’s ‘best friend’ are alive in GENERAL and PRINCE CALEB. Unconditional love, and obedience to GOD. Unflagging faith over many long and hard years. And never a negative report from this much overlooked Servant of the LIVING GOD. just an in your face assurance that the generation today utterly lacks. To stand up and speak the GOOD REPORT in the face of the enemy, even in the midst of the congregation.
The CALEB MINDSET AND THE CALEB HEART IS THE FIRST CRITERIA FOR ALL THE SOLDIERS OF THE LIGHT THE ARMY OF GOD.
Selah
Bob in Miami
Armies of God 2 - Gideon’s Company
Bob Neumann, August 2, 1998
As a change I will not quote any scripture at all. Anyone reading this who has not read the story of Gideon in Judges 6, 7, & 8 can do so at their convenience.
Gideon like many in the OT has a story that defies contemporary credibility. Today if someone share a story of the ANGEL of THE LORD sitting under a tree, throwing down fleeces, and all that would get a difficult reception in 90% of our churches today. Goes to show that by our present day standards GOD’S ANOINTED servants are most often categorized as between strange and unacceptably radical.
But I really have no intention of talking about Gideon, but the 300.
Imagine if you can your town and family regularly ravaged by an enemy. If that is too hard for you to imagine, then maybe you stumbled onto the wrong Internet sit. JESUS himself warned us that tests, trials, and tribulations we would have because of the present world authority. So I feel safe to say that the image is accessible to all without a major stretch.
So back to the enemy, who steals your fruit, your harvest, your dreams, and your promise. And has done so for years. One day a radical young leader arises and calls all out to do battle. And he’s got the ‘juice’. The ANOINTING is on him and he blows the trumpet.
32,000 show up and are ready to take on the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the ‘kings of the east’. Now I am not reminding anyone that this is an end time prophecy but you’ll get over it.
So imagine yourself standing with me in the gathered fighting men. You and I are blooded veterans, skilled and deadly. We look at the numbers and feel pretty good. And young Gideon steps up and says we are too many. Now we had never, ever had that problem before, but. GOD’S all over the kid. And he says all who are afraid can go home. That’s okay .we look at each other and nod .we both know we don’t want anyone either besides us our behind us we might not trust. Like I said the kid’s got it, 22,000 cut out, but we got 10,000 real warriors ready to fight and take back some spoils.
And then comes the force march and we get to the water. And all the newbies forget that we are behind enemy lines and forget their training. You and I keep our eye on the horizon and scoop up the water. Then the kid says all can leave but us, and suddenly we are down to 300, less than 1% of what we started with. But we’ve been on raiding parties before, and then comes the kicker .Ol’ Gideon wants to attack the enemies main camp at night, and leave our swords, shields, spears behind .Oh, man, the kid must be pentecostal /charismatic /messianic. Who ever heard of fighting a battle with shofars and crockery. But none of the 300 leave. We look at each other and think ‘if he’s dumb enough to stay, then so will I’; and all 300 thought the same thing. Then this guy over there has a dream of a heavenly bagel rolling down from the FATHER and destroying the enemy. And we knew this had to be GOD. No man is this crazy.
And that night it all happened. The shofars sounded, the shouts went up as the crockery got smashed, and the enemy started to die. We blew trumpets and 120,000 died as we ran them down. It was just mop up. Yeah we took our spoil. And when ol’ Gideon refused to be king it was okay. And the earrings he asked for were so little. Each of us could have taken the spoil off of 400 of the enemy soldiers, but who could carry that much? But when we got home your two kids, Trixie and Bubba run up and say. Uncle bob! How many Midianites did you kill! Tell me about the big battle and how you saved the world.
And there are no war stories this time. No lies to tell because the TRUTH alone is enough GOD won the victory and killed our enemies. Nothing any real warrior would be proud to speak of. But everything a true worshipper would like to sing praises about. THE TRUE ARMY of GOD fights no battle. He stays under discipline in the heat of the day. He does exactly what he is told to do; and when he is told to do so. That is the WHOLE REALITY OF PROPHETIC INTERCESSION
That is fighting the battle GOD’S way. But the battle can be fought in man’s way. But GOD still gives the victory. That is ARMY # 3.
Selah
Bob in Miami
Armies of God 3 - Saul’s Call...
Bob Neumann
August 23, 1998
The average Christian has been given many narrow views of scripture. Sometimes we miss important truths because we literally throw the baby out with the bath water. So is it when we think about one Saul, first King of Israel. . An image of GOD’S anointed. Ouch!
Tragically we follow Shakespeare as easily as we might GOD. “THE EVIL THAT MEN DO LIVES AFTER THEM, AND THE GOOD IS OFT INTERRED WITH THEIR BONES’’. from Julius Caesar. But we have done it to Saul also. There is a great TRUTH to dig up here so let’s go to the WORD.
1 Samuel 11:1-15
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
The enemy here is Nahash, King of the Ammonites, who has decided to take a Hebrew city. The people are intimidated and willing to surrender for Israel has no standing army. Samuel had just been snubbed and Saul anointed. To them then as it is now the term “anointed” really meant nothing until people get shown “SIGNS AND WONDERS”. So the elders petition Nahash and the real battle plays out. Ol’ Nahash does not want to sack the town. He wants to humiliate Israel and Israel’s GOD. This is a spiritual battle that Nahash has assured himself of a complete victory because Israel had dissed GOD and demanded a king. So give them seven days before he acts. It makes his victory even sweeter for all the Hebrews will know the shame of being both impotent and defenseless before him.
Only one problem. He did not know YHVH...ADONAI TZ’ABAOTH. .
4 then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
Please understand the situation...Saul, the ANOINTED KING OF ISRAEL was out in his daddy’s fields plowing with the oxen. Being king hadn’t gotten to his head just yet. . But it will. The report of Nahash’s assault has them mourning for what is about to take place. Obviously the men of Israel knew no more than Nahash about their GOD.
6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
Please understand that this is the same language used by a prophet 300 years later named Isaiah in his 61st chapter. “THE SPIRIT OF THE SOVEREIGN LORD IS UPON ME, FOR HE HAS ANOINTED ME...” anointing is not a state of being. But a “mark” of GOD’S PURPOSE. In this case it arises with HOLY ANGER. . And more.
7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
Just imagine Saul drawing his short sword and hewing an ox in two. It got everyone’s attention. Then came the threat. Take a chunk of extremely bloody oxen meat and show it to every ‘man’ of Israel as an object lesson. Those that do not follow GOD’S ANOINTED will be dead meat. Now this can be taken one of two ways. Either Saul will come after you. Or failure to stand against ‘the enemy’ today will only assure that one day he will come after you on the day the ‘enemy’ chooses, something we should understand today.
8 and when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
Remember WHAT GOD DID WITH 300 MEN WHO FOLLOWED A JUDGE NAMED GIDEON? When GOD killed the 120,000 only 300 men were needed. But the story has changed. Remember Israel didn’t want GOD to fight their battles anymore. So what GOD did against at least three kings with 300 men. Saul who is anointed and covered will need 300,000 men!!! And for only one little bitty king. .
9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
Now there is a set up being made here. Nahash is anticipating the town to simply role over and die for him. . Instead he has a problem. An anointed king and 300,000 warriors with incentive. .
11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
Even with 300,000 men Saul is using the DIVINE PATTERN of 3 that Gideon was instructed to use. And again ‘the enemy’ is decimated.
12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.
Having signs and wonders, and positive public opinion, does wonders for an ‘anointed one’s’ self esteem. When it comes to Saul it quickly turns into pride and a fear of losing that public opinion. That is where his sin sprouted and his fall began.
14 then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. (KJV)
This was one victory. There were probably heavy casualties because Israel fought it’s own battle. When GOD fought the battle all 300 returned to their homes and families. And Israel had no army. Just a bunch of men. Some veteran warriors and many ‘citizens’ aware of an impending danger. A standing army is a whole lot different than a ragtag militia that gets together only when the enemy is at the gate.
The church is writing books and singing songs about ‘prayer warriors’ and the like. That is because we have refused GOD’S rule and HIS DISCIPLINE. So now THE LORD OF HOSTS PLANS TO RAISE AN ARMY. .
Have you gotten a ‘draft notice’ yet?
Selah
Bob In Miami
Armies of God 4 - The Intimacy Attitude
Bob Neumann, 1998
THE INTIMACY ATTITUDE.
This article is probably going to be the most difficult for anyone to comprehend or to receive unless they are at this stage themselves. If you think about the fact that ALMIGHTY GOD has an explicit purpose behind every WORD and DEED and IMAGE you may understand the importance of understanding HIS HEART for all of us in this last days.
Lesson 1 was the need to have a Caleb Mindset; [to be] very focused and anchored in GOD’S WORD (RHEMA) BREATHED INTO EACH child who KNOWS HIM.
Lesson 2 was the need to accept GODLY DISCIPLINE as one of HIS 300. HEARING HIS ORDERS AND OBEYING in spite of what the 99% may say, see, or decide to do.
Lesson 3 was that VICTORY COMES FROM GOD no matter what we are willing to ‘pay for it’. That “THE ANOINTING” does not change the fact that the VICTORY comes in our obedience to HIS WORD. Not HIS ANOINTING that marks us.
And that leads us to
Lesson 4. The Intimacy Attitude. .
Being a soldier of GOD requires a MINDSET. A way of thinking that leads to a discipline in our lives; where the mindset leads to a level of living in our conviction; which brings to us a new anointing that reflects HIS IMAGE IN OUR LIVES. .
When GOD rejected Saul HE had GOOD REASON. And Samuel grieved. But GOD told the old prophet to stop grieving and get up and go. Many of us are wanting to stay in this grieving stage because it is solidly scriptural in a prophetic sense, but we do not see it as a stage in the process. We like Samuel must go to Bethlehem, ‘‘the city of Bread’’ and find a ‘man after GOD’S OWN HEART’; to find our new anointing from the INTIMACY of KNOWING THE FATHER.
David means “beloved”. Before Samuel ever got up to go to Jesse’s house ABBA had been spending time in the desert with young David. David was ABBA’S “beloved”, and ABBA had become David’s “BELOVED”.[He was] a reflection of GOD as he watched HIS DADDY’S SHEEP. Before he was ever ‘anointed’ he was reflecting GOD in his life. He was a worshiper with an intimacy with his GOD we only can yearn for, before he ever killed the lion or the bear.
And that leads to the confrontation with Goliath.
Now David was sent to the ‘battle line’ by DADDY. But those older and ‘more experienced’ mocked him, when they had no intention of confronting the giant. They gave him Saul’s armor and he put it on; and rejected it for the weapon ABBA had trained us with. HIS WORD and HIS SONG. David thought of this battle as an affront to the GOD he loved and served. So he entered the battle ground with an attitude and a purpose: to destroy the enemy utterly. He was ready to kill Goliath, and all his brothers but he needed only one rock.
26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
David asked this question because he had an intimate relationship with ABBA., and he was definitely surprised that no one had dealt with the giant already. Because intimacy creates an attitude. David’s response to the giant’s taunts at GOD and GOD’s people are not understood by anyone else, especially his brothers.
They thought David had an ‘attitude’. They were right. But he had learned back in the wilderness to trust GOD. And because he trusted GOD and no one and nothing else, he acted in faith and spoke his heart. Today like then to do so will not gain any support from those who “know’’ us.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
Intimacy with GOD makes us people with an attitude the world can not understand. Yet in the day of battle we can speak out and slay the giant.
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
And you know the outcome. But what was GOD’S purpose behind it all? So we have GOD’S BELOVED in the limelight and fully seen by the entire people of GOD. And we wind up in the wilderness with David hiding from the man who perverted GOD’S ANOINTING. And he still is making war on the enemies of his people.
1000 years later ABBA “ANOINTS’’ that title/name personally to one who reflects HIS IMAGE in this world. It was the first time since Sinai where all heard the VOICE OF GOD as they saw HIS SPIRIT fall. “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON. IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED. “ And ABBA called JESUS my David SON. After which JESUS was taken into the wilderness by THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT to do battle with the enemy.
There are no coincidences in the WORD of GOD, or HIS KINGDOM. Saul drove David into the wilderness to prepare him for 40 years as KING. And when he was out in his cave two things happened.
His family joined him, and those forced out by the corruption of the rule of authority that had perverted GOD’S ANOINTING. And now we need to look at the deeper images in this saga that has waited 3000 years to play out today.
We all know David sinned, but repented; something Saul never did. And no one else in the whole OT before the prophets repented for their people. David had some hard times, but his main sin was counting the ARMY. But how did he get that army? From the time in the wilderness, among all David’s friends and family that joined him in the caves there are his three nephews...his sisters kids. right...
2 Samuel 2:18
18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. (KJV)
Joab simply means GOD is FATHER. Abishai means THE FATHER’S GIFT; and, Asahel GOD HAS MADE. If you want to put it all together neatly “ABBA FATHER HAS GIVEN A GIFT ONLY HE CAN MAKE.” And this is the relationship with us as our ABBA.
JESUS said no one can get to the place of loving GOD unless we do so through HIM. If you see HIM you have seen THE FATHER.
Now all of this may seem out of place until you understand that the whole ‘BELOVED’ ARMY of GOD revolves around two of these brothers. Yet as individuals they didn’t always appear GODLY. In Abishai, ABBA’s GIFT we see that ATTITUDE come up over and over.
Joab commanded David’s army and was as ruthless as any other character in all of the scriptures. But Abishai was closer to David and a whole lot more radical than we are today. But maybe we should be.
1 Samuel 26:6-10
6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.
7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?
10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.
Personally I would have agreed with Abishai, but David ends up prophesying how those who have lost, perverted, or abused GOD’S ANOINTING will be judged if they never repent. ‘Touch not the LORD’S anointed’ takes a whole new meaning when viewed this way. It goes along with the “vengeance is MINE” image very well. Abishai was David’s Armorbearer, which is why when later in life David met a giant, he did not win the fight.
2 Samuel 21:15-18
15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
Probably the most interesting situation occurred when Absalom revolted and David fled Jerusalem...
2 Samuel 16:6-13 .
6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. (KJV)
Personally I see no difference between Abishai’s reaction to Shimei and David’s reaction to Goliath. But David knows he is not GOD, but a man who is facing trouble and curses because of his sins. and Abishai does not run down Shimei and kill him. He obeys. In spite of his own opinions. Do we?
Abishai has an intimacy with GOD’S BELOVED that we should have. It is interesting that he commands the MIGHTY MEN OF VALOR. Not Joab.
1 Chronicles 11:20-21
20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.
21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three. (KJV)
Abishai has commanded half of David’s Army in battle. Yet has no interest for the political scene as Joab does. And the loyal men of the wilderness see it and even though there are greater warriors want him to command them. Why? Maybe they see more than the man, but the reflection of “THE BELOVED” in him. He stuck beside David for over 40 years, fought in war, waited in peace. Not really a bad role model for us today. Yet he was family, but wanted more. Where were David’s brothers and sons? Except for the bad examples we don’t know.
When a SOLDIER of the LIGHT stands in battle, he/she never stands alone because the “BELOVED SON’’ promised never to leave us or forsake us. Yet when the enemy looks he only sees the “WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD’’ shining and reflect the GLORY of THE HOLY ONE. As rag tag warriors we come as we are, all individuals, all freelancers, not committed to any sovereignty, independent. But soldiers look alike, sound alike, act alike. Warriors are dependent on skill and experience to survive the battle. So to do soldiers, but they also can trust their discipline, their brothers in the battle line, and their COMMANDER.
This all will need if we hear the KING’S SHOFAR in the days ahead and join HIM on the day of battle.
selah
Bob In Miami
Armies of God 5 - Strangers And Exiles
Bob Neumann, 1998
The whole purpose of posting these ‘lessons’ is to show the many in the wilderness that GOD indeed has not only a plan for us...but a purpose beyond what we may be able to comprehend. THE WORD is for our instruction, yet so little has really been studied and revealed that much of what has been given has been ignored and lost. Too many “open minded” and “liberal” thinkers have tried so hard to limit it and to deny it’s DIVINE INSPIRATION. Yet much of what has been passed on to us over almost 3500 years would not have been included if it were a human source issuing it.
Very little is really written about all the victories and positive constructive actions by the people in the narration. GOD seems more willing to document sin and cases of utter stupidity by men. Of course in our sin and iniquity we realize our transgressions and may seek GOD and HIS MERCY. And that is the whole point to these stories, or is it?
Maybe these stories are purposely constructed to speak to this last generation. Just call it ‘end time prophecies’.
Take the simple story of Absalom and his rebellion from FATHER BELOVED, and his attempt to usurp the throne. It all starts with sin, and ends with a GRIEVING FATHER KING, talk about shadows within shadows,
Absalom whose name means FATHER OF PEACE was David’s pride and joy. But David like literally every scriptural ‘dad’ really failed with his kids. It all starts with Amnon lusting for his sister and David’s nephew Jonadab, the son of Shimeah giving him a plan for seduction. What followed was the rape of David’s daughter Tamar, and nothing happened, “no justice” in the land, so Absalom assassinates his brother and runs away, still David literally does nothing. In time Absalom decides he wants the crown and wins ‘the people’ to his side.
And here is where the real story begins; David is again on the run, from his own son,
2 Samuel 15:14-22
14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
15 And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.
16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
Literally David packed up and ran...why? Where was the ARMY he counted against GOD’S orders? They had subdued all the foreign kings. Killed all the giants. And now it was missing? Hundreds of thousands of warriors all veterans? David did not call out the ARMY because he had no idea who they would side with. Absalom had all the hot young bloods following his lead, eager to force a place for themselves in the coming power vacuum. Absalom had done all the tricks the church plays today. He created positive public relations and put on quite an impressive facade to portray himself in a positive light as he talked trash against rightful authority. In Absalom’s case his own father. It all looked good for a supplanter of GOD’S BELOVED.
18 and all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
600 men that came with him from Gath, who we called the “mighty men of valor”...the wilderness army. But please look at the three “wild cards” that just came out of nowhere. “All the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites” is an interesting group of non-Hebrews that you will ever see. The Cherethites dwelt along the sea, the Gittites were one of the five Philistine cities and GOD only knows where the Pelethites came from. What we do know is they gave complete allegiance to King David.
19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.
Ittai the Gittite is obviously known to King David. Yet David is willing to send him back to his pagan king. David has no relationship with him...no covenant ties that would require him to come to the aid of the KING OF ISRAEL, take it one step farther, David calls him an exile, one cut off from his homeland which is something David should be able to relate to. Obviously his arrival in besieged Jerusalem was not anticipated, see how David addresses him,
20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.
David is telling Ittai that he is about to make a run out of Jerusalem, and the eventual return can not be foreseen any time soon. Strange how David ends his entertainment of Ittai...”mercy and truth be with thee.” and I believe Ittai was listening to the VOICE OF TRUTH when he answered David.
21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.
Ittai acknowledges David’s GOD ahead of David and then commits himself to David as Ruth committed herself to Naomi. Must have struck a nerve with David because he now relents.
22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him. (KJV)
Ittai did not come alone but brought his whole clan or tribe of the Gittites. Likewise might have been the Pelethites and the Cherethites. Talk about a “go for broke” gamble. There was no concept of “non-combatants” in these times. What is it that these pagans could see that the People of GOD were now blind to? That King David, sins and all, was still GOD’S ANOINTED.
Ittai’s name means ‘near’ or “belonging close”. And Ittai has chosen to side with GOD’S ‘‘BELOVED”, haven’t we? But does that explain what David then decides to do,
2 Samuel 18:2-5
2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.
David’s approval is worth whatever cost this battle will take, once David is restored to his throne. David does what Gideon and Saul had done before, split his forces into three units. And placed them under Joab, Abishai, and Ittai???????
Abishai and Joab are obvious choices, with a long history of combat leadership, but Ittai? Maybe he had a big rep in Philistia, or maybe David had fought against him in his youth, or maybe it is something far deeper,
4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
Now this was a large fighting force of proven veterans, and David was already anticipating a victory and was worried for ol’ Absalom.
5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom. (KJV)
David did not want to see his boy killed even if same probably wouldn’t hesitate at killing good old dad, and if Abishai or Ittai had found Absalom the story may have ended differently. But Joab being the politically expedient assassin he has removed Absalom permanently as a threat to David.
And the story ends, but we still wonder about this authority given to Ittai, David was a worshipper and just maybe we can see Ittai fitting into one of David’s Psalms,
Psalm 18:1-50
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
Here is the midpoint of this Psalm, David wrote it when delivered from Saul yet it could have been written after the battle with Absalom. In verse 25 the word ‘‘upright’’ is the word ‘tamiym’ which means ‘entire’ or “complete”, .in the NIV it is translated as “faithful”, Ittai appears suddenly out of nowhere makes a commitment to a king apparently on his way out of power. Except it doesn’t happen that way. GOD is faithful and delivers HIS ANOINTED once again.
Ittai is an image of faith standing against all odds, or in the popular vernacular of today “against the flow’’. Today the issue of FOLLOWING THE BELOVED ONE is entirely an act of absolute faith. But it is the only game in town,
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
33 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. (KJV)
David literally gave thanks unto GOD with heathens/pagans in attendance, but isn’t that our effective testimony today? GOD’S ARMY is made up of pagans that step out in sudden faith on the PROMISE from GOD’S ‘BELOVED ANOINTED’ of mercy and truth when we “cross over”,
Something not expected from the faint of heart or just plain lukewarm.
Selah
Bob In Miami
Armies of God 6 - The Extent of Duty
Bob Neumann, 1998
Throughout the extent of scripture we encounter stories and images that have been specifically placed there through the direct action of THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT. The Bible is often viewed as a fanciful collection of Hebrew oral traditions, of a historical view of the Jewish people, as a poetic dissertation of antiquated moral imperatives. All three views which are prevalent today in the minds of liberal theologians and educators neglect the aspect of divine inspiration. This of course is the fatal flaw of modern humanism, remove GOD from the equation and things become perfect. Only humanism has no use for GOD and for PERFECTION, preferring self-actualization over MERCY and GRACE.
When the ‘church’ begins to look at things from a “worldly” point of view it will begin to assess and categorize all things to fit the acceptable and proper attitudes of the humanist mindset. Instead of judging by the WORD of GOD we look at size, duration, popularity, and level of affluence of a ministry, when we should be tasting the fruit of a man’s life.
We judge men by these worldly standards and fail to see what pleases GOD. The image of the ARMY of GOD kicking in the Gates of Hell, “dancing on demons heads”, slicing and dicing ha’ satan in our effervescent ideas of intercessory prayer have no scriptural basis. In other words we have added to the book. And in doing so have taken away the lessons hidden in the WORD just as JESUS spoke in parables. That means we have violated both warnings of the Book of Revelations, and the church roles merrily along.
We give praise and honor to ministries and to men because the man = the ministry. Being a worldly people we weigh everything by the ‘money’ the ‘‘superstars’’ can command. We merchandise to expand our ministries, to fund our ministries, to even begin our ministries. And because it is “good in our own eyes” and sounds religious it has to be GOD, yet 60+% of American and ‘traditional’ churches do not believe in the power and leading of the MOST HOLY SPIRIT, yet believe they are called and anointed. The 35+/-% of so called spirit filled churches have no manifestation of the GIFTS of THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT, yet they also say they are called and anointed, so where does this leave us,
All in the same boat being thrown about by the storm and JESUS is calmly standing on the water waiting for us to step out and away from the sinking church. All we were ever told to do is to stand by HIM/with HIM/and in HIM. In this case it would have been far better to have missed the boat.
The TRUE ARMY OF GOD can be summed up completely in the life and ministry of the Judge Shamgar, here is his story,
Judges 3:31
31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel. (KJV)
And that is it. Shamgar, Judge of Israel, servant of YHVH,
No ministry to speak of, no exciting docu-drama for the kid’s video ministries, no frills service so to speak, not a character to build a Bapticostal Six Part Sermon series to sell to the stupid sheep, uh, make that “faithful prayer partners”, just a man who GOD used as GOD pleased.
According to Dr Strong “Shamgar” as a name has no meaning, yet the first few letters of his name in Hebrew are similar to that of ‘Samuel’. It is ‘shm (a)’,’’to hear’’, Old Shamgar heard GOD and obeyed. GOD used him to deliver Israel from the enemies that GOD used to get HIS PEOPLE’S attention when they forgot their GOD. Shamgar fitted in between Ehud and Deborah, we have no length of service or great battles won. Nothing to build a ministry on.
And that is the point, GOD used a man to minister as GOD PLEASED, Shamgar obviously did not fit our criteria, had no real ‘people skills’, which did not seem to bother GOD at all, but look at the middle of that verse again, “which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad”, neat trick if you think about it, so please try.
If you have a little problem with it I can understand.
An “ox goad” is a solid stick with a pointed end to “goad” oxen with. Some supposedly had a little hook at the end to what purpose I have not a clue. But as a preferred weapon in hand to hand combat with 600 Philistines fully armed and desirous of my immediate destruction, give me a break.
Talk about a Hollywood testosterone flick, or maybe a Hong Kong kung-fu epic, but GOD put it in HIS BOOK. Before there was Samson and David’s mighty men of valor who served GOD, without any side stories of harlots, sin, and failure, does seem out of place in that regard, .I can just see myself accosted at the mall by two full companies of US Marines in full battle dress, M16’s, M 60 LAW’s, rockets, mortars, ground-air support, naval gun fire, and a couple tanks, and I have a broom handle whittled at the end.
Seems far fetched, about as far fetched as 600 men with swords, armor, spears, javelins, slings, bows with arrows, and a lone man with an ox goad whose only job is to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistine Nation. Once it was done with pilling up the bodies he probably went back to plowing his field rather than “building his ministry’’. GOD required a service, and Shamgar obeyed. For all we know he may have led the people for 10-20-30-40 years, but that was not important. Obeying and pleasing GOD was/is/and shall always be,
The ARMY of GOD is one man at the time GOD appointed, anointed, and commissioned. Or it was a King with hundreds of thousands of men. Saul worried about the opinion of men and was bent out of shape when the Canaanite hit parade stopped singing about his exploits and began to sing about David. I wonder what could have sang about old Shamgar, .it probably had a country western melody and went like this,
Why, oh why did you kill those 600, why 600 Philistines in just one day.
With ox goad in hand and the Pow’r of da LORD and I just ran out of Philistines to kill that day.
Shamgar did his duty, all that ABBA required and passed on into history. Maybe we need to learn the EXTENT of our Duty and be compliant
Selah
Bob in Miami
Armies of God 7 - The Servants Of The Great Father
Bob Neumann, 1998
Dear Sister MODERATOR, entering this i went eyes open and fully aware i was going to move contrary to most of the Belief Systems out there in the world today. This is the last installment so to speak because it fits ABBA'S DIVINE PATTERN. As all of what the MOST HOLY SPIRIT says and does since HE 'hovered over the waters'.
All the images ABBA has shown me seems to be in conflict with the cute little things ABBA'S kids have grown comfortable and complacent in....and are UNDISCERNING of their own danger.
So with that i give to you… AoG7
Really there is little to say beyond what the “literal” LOGOS says on this. So I will keep it most simple and literal. To a fault. NOTICE A PROPHETIC DIFFERENCE
Genesis 14:11-18
11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
12 And they took Lot, THE GREAT FATHER’S brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
Like them, ABBA has family who has chosen not to ‘dwell’ with HIM. And it seems the rule of nature seems that backsliders will always sink to the bottom of the pit, or decide to live in Sodom. But that fact matters little to ABBA the creator and keeper of HIS Covenant. Many of our prayers are poorly stated reminders to HIM of HIS PROMISES.
So taking this as HIS WORD we can hold onto HIS PROMISE of rescue, but there is a part we must decide to play.
13 And there came one that had escaped, and told THE GREAT FATHER the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with THE GREAT FATHER.
14 And when THE GREAT FATHER heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
ABBA has servants in HIS HOUSE, birthed there in SPIRIT and TRUTH, who are TRAINED with HIS SWORD. In fact there is an exact number, 318. And ABBA is in active pursuit of all those held captive by the enemy. In fact the WORD states the enemy is ran down at the place called “JUDGE”/Dan.
15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
Now people, this is probably the most profound overlooked prophetic verse in the Bible, GOD SEPARATES HIMSELF in order to destroy the works of the enemy.
Suddenly the aspect of ELOHIM is explained as ABBA, Y’SHUA, RUACH are revealed as the TRIUNE GODHEAD, the UNITY. Then the battle is begun in the night; in the time of darkness which covers the land and the great/deep darkness that covers the people. ADONAI smites the enemy in a strange place, HOBAH, the “HIDING PLACE”.
The place of intimacy, the place where we dwell alone in ABBA. The only place a servant of THE GREAT FATHER can wield the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, our prayer closet under the shelter of HIS WINGS.
16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.
ABBA will bring back all that we thought lost and forsaken if we place our faith in HIM. This is not an idle thought for we have only started the prophetic images.
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. (KJV)
And THE RIGHTEOUS KING OF PEACE, ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST will bring forth HIS BODY AND HIS BLOOD to bring blessings upon THE GREAT FATHER. And we are that blessing.
Genesis 14:19-24
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be THE GREAT FATHER of the MOST HIGH GOD OUR LORD OF LORD AND KING OF KINGS Y’SHUA HA’MASHIACH, possessor of heaven and earth: TO WHOM ALL AUTHORITY ON HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE GIVEN.
20 And blessed be (ME. THE I AM) THE MOST HIGH GOD, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Strange that ABBA gives HIS SON a tithe. But look at it from the SON’S point of view.
John 17:4-10
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
Awesome isn’t it. ABBA receives once again the ‘‘tithe’’ he paid out as a lesson for us but there is a lot more.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
And here is the best part of all.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. (KJV)
Now if you think this a little bit out of place, go back now and see that ABBA has no intention of sharing HIS GLORY.
21 And the king of Sodom said unto THE GREAT FATHER, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
22 And THE GREAT FATHER said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made THE GREAT FATHER rich:
The king of Sodom has nothing to offer ABBA. ABBA is not about to play worldly games with any worldly king. But look at HIS only favor,
24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion. (KJV)
We servants will ‘eat’ off the spoils of our battle(s). What does not kill us only makes us stronger. But here again ABBA gives place to pagans. It seems strange yet it repeated itself in the story of Ittai and the battle with Absalom. In this end time ‘‘battle’’ the ARMY of GOD will not be backed up by a Christian church dead in it’s works. But by those who come to the LIGHT OF OUR TESTIMONY in the midst of spiritual darkness/persecution. It has been going on in China for 50 years, the old Soviet Union for over 70 years, India, Africa, the Islamic nations.
Now it comes to us. Which leads me to Melchisedec and
Hebrews 7
1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Notice something wrong in this verse. Granted it is subtle and overlooked. But that is only we do not see it in a prophetic light. Hebrews is usually taught as done happened already. Except it is forth speaking. Simply the fact is that Abraham did not pay the tithe.
No I am not trying to split hairs. Abram met Melchisedek. Abram has not yet had his name changed. So what follows is really yet to happen.
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Abram was given promises. Abraham received them. And now Abraham, THE FATHER OF A MULTITUDE, is about to render the tithe of his seed. We call it the REMNANT, THE BRIDE
7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
This is an open reference to the prophetic nature of this whole passage. And an abstract reference to us today as the fullness of the tithe THE RIGHTEOUS KING will be given.
11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
THE ARMY OF GOD is a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD and all a priest is meant to be is a servant of GOD, AND GOD ALONE. We often speak of Aaron and the ANOINTING because we esteem the anointing above obedient service. We cater to the ‘royal’ aspect and forget the priest did all the scut work of cleaning up after the sacrifice. ABBA made the blood sacrifice everything but glamorous. Being a priest or levite did not give a man room to develop a ministry. unless he built his own alter and his own idols. Sadly this is where most “ministries” begin and end.
THE ARMY OF GOD requires our being birthed in HIS HOUSE, and being ‘trained’ as servants not as superstar warriors with booty to show off. ABBA has a plan and purpose for a specific few willing to ‘pray the price’, and submit to HIS WILL.
It requires a cost as in Caleb’s waiting nearly 70 years with only ABBA’S PROMISE.
It requires a complete obedience that goes far beyond our understanding as in the 300 that followed Gideon.
It requires a violent positive response to the leadings of the MOST HOLY SPIRIT as Saul rose up.
It requires a devotion to our KING and our beloved in the midst of the wilderness.
It requires a “go for broke gamble” in faith as in Ittai.
It requires a simple and clear understanding of obedient duty over our own interests as in Shamgar.
It requires us to take the place of a servant in HIS HOUSE. Not because we want in on the fight. But we desire to serve ABBA above all else.
JESUS said many are called but few are chosen, but to be one of the 318.
Selah
Bob in Miami
Armies of God 8 - The Faceless And The Nameless
Bob Neumann, 1998
For a very long time the disparity of what the Church should be and the way it presents itself has grieved and shocked me. Like the lone Japanese soldiers found in deep and impenetrable jungles or on long forgotten islands long after their war was over. What is ‘real’ today has nothing that resembles the bits and pieces of memory or dreams that they held on to for so long. Of such is this image of the ARMY OF GOD. On the simple bible software the entire old testament has but seven verses where the terms GOD and army appear together. And in none does GOD speak of the army as HIS. In the new testament the term army only appears three times. The first time is in Acts and is a Roman soldier describing the rescue/arrest of Paul. The last two mentions are in Revelations, first chapter 9, the army of the King’s of the east which numbers 200,000,000. Then in Rev 19 we finally find GOD has an army for John uses a third person personal pronoun: “HIS army”. Therefore it is safe to surmise that the only actual army THE CAPTAIN OF THE HOSTS OF HEAVEN actually acknowledges as “HIS” are those who follow HIM in HIS RETURN to make war with the beast. Yet in verse 14 it says “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” That one little ‘s’ speaks of more than one army, yet outside of the angelic legions you wonder why we are so jubilantly militant in our praise and worship while our sessions for early morning prayer and “intercession” are few and far between.
In the body of the new testament, “soldier” appears five times, and two of those times Paul is speaking to Timothy. Now the term ‘‘soldiers’’ appears 23 times and refers to Roman soldiers only. Likewise the “term” warrior appears once in the whole bible, Isaiah 9:4. Maybe if anyone would read this one verse and the context it is given the reality and scope of a warrior of THE MOST HIGH GOD would lose it’s romantic luster very quickly. The term “warriors” does not appear in the new testament and the two references in the old testament deal with the same group of Benjaminites. Not “GOD’S got an army” types by a long shot. So where has all this “stuff” come from?
Well we could say it all came from “inspiration”, “revelation”, or “indoctrination”. But a little LOGOS is needed to fill those claims. Remember that Paul who had a close relationship with many of Rome’s finest being in tight proximity told us that there is no place for vain and empty words:
Ephesians 5:6-7
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (KJV)
Likewise Peter taught that “20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” So what do we do with all the hoopla we have raised in this area? All the books sold, seminars staged, and ministries erected without a firm scriptural anchor? Well first each of us is accountable for our own actions. And in the long run obedience wins over sacrifice hands down. So let a little discernment and Wisdom guide you. In a real pinch simple common sense will keep your feet firmly planted. Case in point there is a well known ‘‘prophetic/prayer/intercession ministry’’ that declares that all in it bears the rank of “general”. It is the name of their ministry.
Cute. Reminds me of the story of too many chiefs and not enough indians. No army in history survived where everyone was giving orders and no one was taking them. I wonder whether anyone is cognizant that all of these images which ‘sound’ good in many aspects fail to get us any farther than where we already are?
Within our ‘music’, ‘artwork’, and our ‘preaching’ certain images have been portrayed about warriors and soldiers. These images are derived by our remembrance of images experienced in our youth. Too often these images come from things not quite biblical.
Often we have a graphic visual image of a lone warrior with a banner lifted up. Dressed in shinny armor with a large red cross emblazoned on the Breast Plate. This image has been around a long time now. A more recent image is “THE BRAVEHEART” image of rough dressed men standing together for a common cause. If you saw the movie you may have noticed that the ones wearing shinny armor with crosses on their armor and their banners were the villains. Selah.
So you may think my purpose is to ‘come against’ the stirrings in your heart for you have “seen” the “Great End Times Army”. No I am not. What I am called to do is to take those Hollywood DREAMS and TV VISIONS and to stand them up against THE LORD OF HOSTS and HIS WORD. If your dreams vanish or your visions fade alongside HIS TRUTH be thankful now. For if they cannot take light evaluation in the time of peace which shortly wanes, where would you be when the battle rages? Behold a scripture verse to validate this ‘point of view’!
Jeremiah 12:1-7
1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
(This “day of slaughter” is a lesser used term for THE END TIMES/THE DAY OF THE LORD)
4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
(Too many of our ‘prayer warriors’ have been wearied and wounded in a ‘time of peace’ that precedes the ‘main event’. Please read all of chapter 12 to understand why GOD is preparing to “JUDGE HIS PEOPLE”)
6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
7 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. (KJV)
(Yet is this not the world we are in (verse6) and the JUDGEMENT the prophets of today have continuously warned about (verse 7) ????)
If your dreams and visions of GOD’S ARMY do not line up with any LOGOS image I assure you there will come images, most unwanted. One such image is the statement of a Union General during the U.S. Civil WAR. He simply responded to a question about a battle won with three simple words; “WAR IS HELL”. He gave no room for the poetic or romantic in the ‘line of battle’. Yet we have had a strange evolution on how the ‘average Christian’ views spiritual warfare and it does not encompass what the intercessors have travailed through over the years. Simply put this is error. Go a little deeper and you may find deception.
There is an END TIME ARMY loyal and obedient to THE LORD GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, and JACOB. Many have been called to it and have been given glimpses of it over the years. Throughout the Scriptures there are images and shadows that have preceded it. Each adding to the full picture. Yet many ministries will see a scriptural image and take one small aspect of it and begin to build ministries. If THE HOLY ONE of ISRAEL blesses this ministry, keep on keeping on. But if it has run itself into the ground and there is only grief and weakness where PEACE and STRENGTH should be then reassess your position and march on.
Seven times this series was directed to bring forth an image and an attribute buried and ‘lost’ in the HEART of HIS WORD that should shape together a scriptural image of the END TIMES ARMY. Now it is time to bring forth this image in it’s simple TRUTH and it’s PROPHETIC implications that destroy the schemes and works of the enemy.
THE ARMIES OF GOD/ part 8 THE FACELESS AND THE NAMELESS, in other words the army no one recognizes and no one notices, nothing to brag about. Absolutely nothing to build on for your own profit, recognition, or edification. Yet that is all we have seen over the years. SO after an introduction that the lukewarm and the ‘offended children’ would have decided not to persevere through here is THE ARMY OF THE LORD. THE PROPHETIC COMPANY THAT STANDS AGAINST THE DARKNESS .... EVEN IN THE MIDST OF DEEP DARKNESS.
This Army is wrapped about images that play out as we speak. In reality the story literally begins when man perverts a GODLY ANOINTING and the TRUE END TIME BATTLE is seen. So we see the confrontation between the Son of Disobedience, and THE FAITHFUL SERVANT.…
1 Samuel 16:13-15.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
(now we have often read this verse but please notice what immediately occurred when a ‘new anointed one’ is created)
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15 And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
(immediately GOD withdraws HIS MOST HOLY SPIRIT and something most foul is quick to fill the gap. And no one had any doubt what old Saul was troubled with. But to make things more interesting can i point something interesting out? THE LAW of FIRST Mention places GOD SENDING an EVIL SPIRIT against a “ruler over Israel”. In fact the situation is mentioned in
Judges 9:22-23.
22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: (KJV)
GOD seems to create patterns and follows them even today. Maybe this might shed a new light on Ephesians 6:12. (I pray it does)
So the Faithful SERVANT returns home to Ramah and is forgotten, for a season. But that ‘evil spirit’ has been given time to grow and to fester, and according to nature and to the WORD strikes out to destroy David/Beloved. THE ANOINTED ONE. In these end times there is only one place to flee. Let’s look at it in KING JAMES.
1 Samuel 19:18-24
18 So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.
20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.
23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night.
Wherefore they say, is Saul also among the prophets? (KJV)
You can say this is all a nice story. True but it is THE WORD and you need to allow deep to call to deep. Let’s look at Saul in his present state and an image he is playing out for us. THEN, Please allow me to translate this literally.
Saul is a King ruled by an EVIL SPIRIT that seeks to destroy GOD’S ANOINTED / BELOVED. ANY resemblance to Daniel’s and John’s description of THE BEAST / ANTI-CHRIST is not a coincidence. We have been warned that THIS MAN OF SIN would not only arise but to make war upon THE SAINTS. Daniel gives a time scale to this persecution, but few will ever teach on it. THE PROPHETIC INSTRUCTION IN THIS SHORT PASSAGE POINTS US TO THE PLACE OF SAFETY IN THE TIMES OF JACOBS TROUBLES. BUT IT SHOWS HOW TO HOLD THE BEAST AT BAY.
1 Samuel 19:18-24
18 So BELOVED/ANOINTED fled, and escaped, and came to GOD HEARS to THE HIGH PLACE , and told him all that DEMAND had done to him. And he and GOD HEARS went and dwelt in THE PLACE OF BEAUTY /CELEBRATION /REST.
19 And it was told DEMAND, saying, Behold, GOD’S BELOVED is at THE PLACE OF BEAUTY/CELEBRATION/GOD’S PRESENCE in THE HIGH PLACE OF GOD.
20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
(By this time you understand what the names of these places really mean. Now look at what the WORD says. Saul’s messengers run into a ‘company’ , it is only once used as company according to Dr Strong’s Concordance. It comes from an unused root meaning “no’’ as in negation of something. Now look at how Samuel is described as ‘standing’. Here Dr Strong states to abide/stand/appoint. Now try to think of a military unit under command. Stationed and ready for the battle that lays ahead. AND THE BATTLE DOES COME...IN THREE WAVES)
21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
(We often hear the old cliché ‘the third time is a charm’, but not for Saul and he has to go to Ramah himself. But the battle does not change.)
22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.
23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets? (KJV)
I can assure you that King Saul had no intention to do like Balaam and to prophecy the WORDS GOD’S SPIRIT put in his mouth. Likewise Saul never expected to strip himself naked before the old PROPHET and JUDGE. BUT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS “I WILL BE EXALTED AMONG THE HEATHEN. I WILL BE EXALTED UPON THE EARTH.”
There is a funny thing about Ramah. According to some scholars it sat on a hill just to the north of the city of the JEBUSITES. Even today we call it MOUNT ZION. And Naioth was somewhere there. Makes it easy to understand why David chose to capture JERUSALEM, to make it HIS CITY, to erect THE TABERNACLE on ZION and the TEMPLE on MORIAH. The place where MELCHIZEDEK ruled over Salem. WHERE ABRAHAM saw THE RAM. SELAH.
But the main issue is of this company of unnamed and unknown prophets who speak the WORDS of GOD that demolishes the plans of the enemy. Reminds me of the 70 JESUS sent out as HE did the 12. No one knows there names. No one sees there faces. Just servants/soldiers doing their job. And this is the final page in this story.
The Weapons of our Warfare are mighty. Yet they only have one purpose.
The SWORD of THE SPIRIT is THE RHEMA WORD OF GOD lifted in prayer against the powers of this world/present age so “that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
BUT LIKE UNDER SAMUEL THE “COMPANY” DOES NOT FIGHT FOR ITSELF, BUT FOR A KING WHO IS CONCERNED FOR HIS “SHEEP”.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
The ARMY OF GOD are the prophets who stand in THE DEEP DARKNESS of Isaiah 60 and let their LIGHT SHINE. SPEAKING/DECLARING GOD’S WILL IN THE CAMP OF THE ENEMY TO FULFILL Isaiah 61. The WATCHMEN GOD PLACED ON THE WALLS to intercede unto HIM on behalf of HIS PEOPLE as declared in Isaiah 62 that prepare the highway to ZION. They are not the watchmen chosen by a rebellious people that spurned GOD and HIS PROPHET in Ezekiel 33. Yes we hear it all the time from the pulpits across America and the WORLD. Yet no one discerns that GOD places on man appointed hirelings the same level of accountability as HIS OWN PROPHETS carry. They just have no anointing and move entirely in the flesh.
In the scope of these now eight images a solid image and description of GOD’S ARMY has been placed before you.
The first image is of ceaseless DETERMINATION. Look at Caleb. The second image is uncompromising DISCIPLINE. Look at THE 300. The third image is DIVINELY DRAFTED. Look at ‘young’ Saul. The fourth image is an intimate DEVOTION. Look at Abishai and the men of valor. The fifth image is a DISCERNMENT OF GOD’S WILL. Look at Ittai and those that stayed with GOD’S BELOVED/ANOINTED. The sixth image is DUTY, plain and simple. Look at Shamgar. The seventh image is GOD’S DEPLOYMENT OF HIS SERVANTS. Look at the 318.
This final image combines all seven to create a “new thing’’ in the land. The image of the DESTRUCTION of BABYLON and all that stands against the GLORY OF GOD. THIS IS NOT A GENERAL CALLING TO A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE, BUT A WORD OF CONFIRMATION TO THOSE THE CAPTAIN HAS CALLED. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. HE WHO CALLED YOU, CHOSE YOU, ANOINTED YOU SHALL SHORTLY PLACE AND EMPOWER YOU TO PERFORM THAT WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN PREPARED TO DO.
SELAH
BOB IN MIAMI
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