Judah's Glory is Still the Same: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Notice:

Judah's Glory, founded in 1987 has been an ongoing project of Elizabeth Kirkley Best who is sole author of the materials on the site.   Over the past few years,  there has been an unfortunate move of several persons to try and take over and rewrite sections of the site, or bible studies and tracts to reflect their own points of view,  often in doctrinal error, or because they wish to market the materials which they had no part in for a profit motive and nothing else.   This notice is to inform the Messianic and Christian community, that neither the site or materials have in any way legally changed hands, and will be in my hands without exception.    We encourage honesty and truth in Christian work:  the bible instructs us to 'hold things hones in the sight of all men',  to "defraud not one another",  and not to build on another's foundation.  While we have strictly adhered to this,  the same regard has not been given to my work,  which has become so difficult now as to constitute a civil rights issue of shutting down free speech.  The following should be self evident according to basic Christian principles, but are also issues of the law:

1.  My name and yours are LEGAL MARKS:  they cannot be used without our express and usually written permission.

2. The copyright of a work belongs first to the creator of the work, even before or without registration!!!!  Rewriting a work is a copyright violation and punishable by fines and even imprisonment.

3. All of us write on the same bible topics, so through 2000 years there must be hundreds or thousands of studies on Jairus' daughter, or the woman at the well, or on Elijah, etc,  but that does not mean that we can write exactly the same thing on a topic, or write in a way that prohibits someone from putting out their own work.  I recently had my bible notes stolen,  and now several very similar items are appearing on the net, one from someone known for being 'in the shadows' way too often.   We are supposed to go out of our way not to ruin another ministry.

4. WEBSITES AND BLOGS ARE OWNED:  So is email.  That means that even if you can illegally gain the password, you are not allowed on the site or its editor:  a stolen password is not implicit permission.  Very little on the net is so open source that anyone can 'have at it'.   Every site is owned and registered.

5. You do not own a copyright just by filling out a copyright registration:  the copyright is owned as mentioned above by the creator of the work,  who has to be a signatory to the copyright.

While this should be self evident, there are too many who are not aware of the legalities of work online or other published materials.   In the recent past someone ghosted a copy of my drive and began to freely pass around materials without knowledge of them to anyone who would pay a few bucks.  This is causing us and whoever they sold it too unending heartache,  when people put out versions of my work they do not know is over 15 or 20 years old:  while we still will mostly win,  it brings trouble and strife into the christian community which is unnecessary and divisive.

Judah's Glory will continue until my death, and then I will make a decision about whoat to do with the materials.  Please be wary of anyone claiming to be associated with this ministry, who tries to present or sell the material as open source or available for a fee:  our materials have always been free for use, but the use is not to steal copyrights but to teach Christ, the Messiah.

In His Love,
Elizabeth Kirkley Best

The Indwelling Christ

A favorite discussion of mine with Baptists, is on the topic of the 'indwelling' of the Holy Spirit, since most Baptists become immediately defensive, fearing I suppose that they may be tempted to believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and that might lead, well , who knows to a deeper commitment to the Lord and Savior. Using tried and true but scripturally incorrect arguments, I have often heard of cry of 'well, you know, "indwelling" is mentioned no where in the scriptures. ???? Truth be told, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is mentioned frequent in the Scriptures, both in the Old and New Testaments. While the exact phrase "indwelling" does not occur in the KJV or other widely known translations, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer, as the earnest of redemption and sealing of Salvation is seen in prophecy, types and shadows and in various references to "Christ within us, the Hope of Glory".

Before expounding the point of the Indwelling in Christian understanding, one of the clearest and most definitive foreshadowings of the 'temple within' of the dwelling of God with and within, is seen in the pattern given Moses for the Tabernacle.

to be continued.

Mysteries: The Mystery of Iniquity

NOTE: THE NOTES from this study are not in the bound notebook any longer where they were originally, there are only partial notes.  I am having to reconstruct of few of these studies from 2 or 3 years ago, and ask for your patience.  In the meantime,  please pray for those who are basically harrassing and stealing from this ministry:  it is unconscionable.

When we consider 'mysteries' we most often begin with the more eminent in Scripture: the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Mystery of the church or other of the mysteries known to most believers. Yet one of the less eminent, is a critical point for doctrine, though hardly discussed as doctrine apart from the notion of sin: The Mystery of Iniquity.

Second Thessalonians contains the one passage with the direct naming of this mystery:

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.

What is the mystery of iniquity? For 27 years I have stayed in the word of God, and like others, I equate it with ‘sin’: so often the iniquity mentioned has to do with some failing of Israel, or of individuals, so we tend to pass over the concept anduse it as a synonym for sin. Delving into the Word though, one finds a broader concept, a more detailed aspect of God dealing with man. Further, the general concept of Iniquity is mentioned in many shades, while the concept of the “Mystery of Iniquity” refers to a specific process, which begins early in the Scriptures, (Gen 15:16)

Gen 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites [is] not yet full.

It is interesting that the first mention of iniquity in the scriptures refers to:

1. A gentile nation, and

2. A process, that grows to fulfillment

Already, we see the weaving and wafting through God’s history with man, involving a mystery of a process which will grow over time, and which effects both Israel and the nations.

The last mention in the Scriptures, is Rev 18:5

For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

which intertwines the mystery of iniquity coming to fulfillment, in the Mystery of Babylon, as ‘mystery Babylon’, the ‘great harlot’ which has devoured God’s world and saints, is judged. Nations of a false god(s) seem to provide a root for the growth of iniquity.

The direct mention though, to the Mystery of Iniquity is mentioned in 2 Thessalonians by Paul, thusly:

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.

This hidden process of iniquity, which flowers and blooms into a world system which poisons and taints all world systems and individuals, is held in check by some restricting act ,process or policy, which is normally taken to refer to the power of the Holy Spirit in limiting the degree to which evil can grow, to which iniquity can go in its destructive and entropic force, as long as the Holy Spirit and the saved of the earth are still on earth.

At some point, most consider, that the great evil attendant since the Garden of Eden which has grown steadily, is still at the outside reaches limited by some unseen bounds. When the ‘mystery of Iniquity goes too far, there appears to be a point of quenching and grieving the Holy Spirit that is so great, that the limit is removed. It could be that the Holy Spirit turns away; it could be that the Word of God is finally removed entirely from the earth, though for now the exact way the scriptures are fulfilled is unseen.

The Mysteries

As Jesus, (Yshua) walked through the region of Galilee, he took time to teach those who would listen (the number grew to thousands) about the Kingdom of God. In the course of his teaching, he almost always used parables to teach the principles of the Kingdom of God, as well as other 'mysteries'. The parables were not just moralistic stories as some presume, but they taught what the Kingdom of Heaven was, they employed metaphors of faith, and they showed what was expected of man by God. The teachings were so astounding, that before his ministry on earth was fulfilled, he was acclaimed by his disciples and others as having 'the only words of eternal life',

Jhn 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

so much so that even the more difficult teachings were received readily, and with faith.(e.g. Luke 22:19)

Jesus was very clear in his reason for teaching in parables, the mysteries
of the Kingdom:

Mar 4:11 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:

Mar 4:12 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.

Mar 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

The heart of man is in the hands of man and God, and parables provided a way of teaching the mysteries of God laid forth in the scriptures, while maintaining a vail across the eyes of those without faith, who refused to seek it. He notes in 4:13 that the disciples understand the parables, but others hear them only as stories.

Mystery in the Word of God

By definition, a 'mystery' is a truth that is either fully or partially hidden from view, or from the understanding of many. Baker's Evangelical Dictionary describes the biblical concept thusly:

Mystery [E]

Scripture frequently describes God as one who knows all things, even that which the human mind could never know or finds incomprehensible. Thus he sees the secret intentions of human hearts ( Psalms 139:1-4 Psalms 139:23 ; Matt 6:4-6 ; Rom 2:16 ; 1 Cor 4:5 ; 14:25 ; Heb 4:13 ), comprehends the seemingly unfathomable mysteries of the universe ( Job 38:1-39:30 ), and, most important, understands the meaning of human history. God understands human history because the events that comprise it correspond with his own intentions: he wills all that happens, and does so to accomplish his own purpose ( Dan 2:37 ; 5:21 ; Rom 11:25-36 ). People, on the other hand, both because of their sin and because of their human limitations, remain ignorant of God's purpose when left to their own reckoning ( Daniel 2:27 Daniel 2:30 ; Mark 4:10-12 ; Luke 19:41-44 ). God graciously responds to this human inadequacy by revealing his purpose to his people. When God's purpose is revealed in this way, the Bible frequently refers to it as a "mystery."

The content of the divine mystery is painted in broad strokes in the Old Testament, takes on greater detail in the Gospels, and receives its finishing touches in Paul's letters. In Daniel, where the term first appears (raz in Aramaic, always translated with mysterion [musthvrion] in the LXX), it refers to God's understanding of the symbols in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, symbols that stand for the rise and fall of human empires and to the eventual establishment of God's own, eternal kingdom ( 2:44 ; cf. Rev 1:20 ; Revelation 17:5 Revelation 17:7 ). The details of these events, however, and the nature of God's kingdom, once established, remain sketchy in Daniel. The mystery of God's purposes gains greater specificity in the Gospels, where Jesus, particularly in his parables, reveals the "mystery of the kingdom of God" ( Mark 4:11 ; cf. Matt 13:11 ; Luke 8:10 ). Paul also identifies the divine mystery with the revelation of God in Christ ( Col 2:2 ; 4:3 ) but gives the concept even greater clarity in three ways. First, he equates the divine mystery with the gospel of Christ's atoning death on the cross ( 1 Cor 2:1 ); second, he describes it as God's plan, through Christ's atoning death ( Eph 2:13-16 ), to include the Gentiles among his chosen people; and third, he defines it as the reconciliation of all things to God ( Eph 1:9-10 ). Thus, Daniel described the divine mystery in general terms as the eventual establishment of God's eternal kingdom; Jesus defined it more specifically as his proclamation of God's kingdom; and Paul described it more specifically still as the constitution of a new people, from among both Jews and Gentiles, through the atoning death of Christ on the cross.

This understanding of divine mystery illustrates three aspects of God's character. First, it emphasizes God's omniscience. After God revealed the "mystery" of the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream to Daniel, Daniel thanked God in prayer for his wisdom and power ( 2:23 ; cf. 2:20 ) and described him as a God who "knows what lies in darkness" ( 2:22 ). Paul, similarly, after revealing the mystery of God's plan to include the Gentiles among his chosen people breaks into praise of the "depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God" ( Rom 11:33 ).

The word comes from the Greek "Mysterion" According to Thayer's lexicon it denotes something hidden, secret, mysterious, (particularly of a religious nature), or 'secrets hidden from mortals'. The concept of mystery in the Word may refer also to the secret will or counsels of God for the righteous, hidden from ungodly men. Mysteries, as some prophecies are seen as revealed in visions, dreams, or other similitudes. Rabbinical approaches may include the sense of something mystic or hidden. Vine's dictionary describes the word as deriving from 'mustos' which refers to 'the initiated', or muco, initiate. 'Mucomal' is rendered "I have learned the secret".

The mysteries of the Word of God are sometimes directly referred to, and occasionally implied. Theologians may differ on the number of mysteries discussed in the Scriptures, but the following are this author's count (verses are representative samples):

1. The Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 13:10)
2. The Mystery of the Kingdom of God (I Cr 4:1, Mark 4:11)
3. Mystery of the Kingdom of Christ (Ephesian 5:5)
4. Mystery of the blindness of Israel(slumber) (Rms 11:25)
5. Mystery of the Salvation & Preservation of the Saints (Rm 16:25)
6. Mystery of the Wisdom of God (Logos) (I Cor 2:7)
7. Mystery of the Rapture (catching away) and transformation (I Cor 15:51)
8. Mystery of his (God's) Will (Ephesians 1:9)
9. Mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3:4, Col 4:3)
10. Mystery of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:2)
11. Mystery of the Gospel (Eph 6:19)
12. Mystery of Iniquity (2 Thess 2:7)
13. Mystery of Faith (I Tim 3:9)
14. Mystery of Godliness (I Tim 3:16)
15. Mystery of the 7 Stars [spirit of the churches] (Rev 1:20)
16. Mystery of the Woman and the Beast (17:7)
17. Mystery of the Gathering of all things in Christ [All in All] (I Cor 15:28)


One of the foremost mysteries, is the Mystery of the Jews, and their meaning, purpose and role in God's Word and House. While the word 'mystery' is used only a few times, the Mystery of the Jews is eminent among the set. In this bible study, we will take time over the next few weeks to more fully explore each of the several mysteries which are revealed in the Word.

As a peripheral comment, there are a few other times when mystery is expressly brought forth in the Scriptures. "Mystery Babylon" refers to spiritual/religious and invisible system behind the systems of the world which oppose Christ, or the Messiah. While there was a tangible place and kingdom 'Babylon', "Mystery Babylon" is the real but intangible force or entity behind the warfare against the Word of God, the Kingdom of God, the House of God, his Messiah, belief,faith and love. It is a hidden but warring faction aligned with the power of 'Shatan' or satan, which stands opposed in all ways to the Kingdom of Heaven, but which may manifest itself differently in different centuries, times and cultures. The term comes from the passage in Revelation which states:

Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

The force of Mystery Babylon represented by the woman in purple (royalty and earthly sovereignty and riches) and scarlet (the blood of the saints and other innocents) rides on the blood colored beast full of 'names of blasphemy' and is characterized often by those seeking world domination and the emulation or replacement or erasure of the right sovereignty of God.

There are other allusions to mystery (ies) as well such as the 'fellowship of the mystery', referring to the sharing and partaking of the Gospel and attendant mysteries, and to the 'mystery of all things', and creation and salvation.

The parables, as mentioned at the outset, were the means by which Jesus taught mysteries. Those who would receive truth, understood readily, and the rest must have thought it some religious fables. By the time though of Pentecost and beyond, as the church took root and grew, the understanding of 'all' mysteries was seen as a gift of the Holy Spirit, one often neglected today even among those expressing the gifts.

And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. I Cor 13:2
1Cr 14:2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

The role of Mystery is foundational and fundamental in the understanding of doctrine, in walking in faith, in 'putting on the Mind of Christ' and in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the latter rightly taking its place as mystery as well.

Over the next few weeks, we will look at each of they mysteries, a key and critical exercise in comprehending the fullness of the Gospel and our role in the divine battle. What is hidden, in faith becomes known, what is secret is revealed, and the vail is lifted, when we find that man does not die, 'seeing God'.

1Cr 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory
Deu 29:29 The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God: but those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law.

Where are the Jews in the Modern Bible Translations?

Overcoming: Taking Ground for the Lord in Love

This week's Bible study on Overcoming: Taking Ground for the Lord in Love, through prayer.

Abiding in the Vine of Christ: Study Notes