Treasure in Every Verse

02/09/2025

Hello everyone. In today’s teaching, I answer the following question from Hoseya Wa Chilungamo.

“If unclean creatures were made clean in the New Testament, why are there unclean birds in the book of Revelation?”

Below is my answer.

One must remember that the Revelation is a culmination of all scriptures from the entire Bible.

By taking the whole of scriptures we can begin to define what is meant by clean and unclean birds. Remember what the Lord Jesus said, that the scriptures are spiritually discerned.

The birds in scripture represents two things:
1. Clean - Christ’s sacrifice and biblical doctrine
2. Unclean - Satan’s false gospel and unbiblical doctrine

God instructed Noah to bring 7 clean birds and 2 unclean birds. Why? The 7 Spirits of God mentioned by Isaiah representing Christ while the two unclean birds represented Satan and his anti-christ.

When Noah exited the Ark which also represent Christ, he sacrificed the clean birds which is the only acceptable payment for sin to a holy God.
Gen. 8:20-21
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.

Then we have Abraham with his covenant with God regarding the SEED, who is Christ Jesus. Abraham prepared a sacrifice of the clean animals and birds just like Noah as instructed by God. The clean birds remained whole which means that all of Christ is consumed and acceptable to God.

God then put Abraham to “sleep” which means God killed him. Remember that Adam was put to “sleep” when God took his bride from his side. That also represents Christ and His bride with the irritants in His side being our sin. Then God walked through the sacrifices alone in the flaming fire of His holy wrath upon sin, yet Abraham was spared because God hid Him in Christ and Christ, the sacrifices, took God’s wrath meant for Abraham the sinner. The years old speaks of Christ’s ministry duration on earth.

What happens next is astonishing! Before God passed through the sacrifices alone, the unclean birds, vultures, attempted to pervert the gospel by devouring it but the faithful man of God chased them away.

Gen. 15:8-21
…So He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him…And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying:
"To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates…

Joseph’s interpretation of the baker’s dream where the birds ate the baked goods. The butler represented Christ while the baker represented Satan. Christ the new wine, died without a cause, restored to the glory of the Father and blossomed. Satan faces the wrath of God.

Gen. 40:9-23
…In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head."
So Joseph answered and said, "This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you."

In Deuteronomy, God commanded that we can eat the clean birds which is biblical doctrine and taste to see that the Lord is good. Yet we are forbidden to eat the ungodly doctrine of the unclean false teachings. Birds that prey upon flesh, men.

Deut. 14:11-19
"All clean birds you may eat. But these you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard…Also every creeping thing that flies is unclean for you; they shall not be eaten.

Jeremiah 5:25-27
Your iniquities have turned these things away,
And your sins have withheld good from you.
'For among My people are found wicked men;
They lie in wait as one who sets snares;
They set a trap; They catch men. AS A CAGE IS FULL OF BIRDS, So their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich.

Now listen to the Lord Himself explain the birds.
Matt. 13:4,18-19
And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them…"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

Matt. 13:31-32
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."

In Romans 1:23 men made idols of themselves and birds, false gods.

In Revelation 19:17-21, The Lord calls all the birds of prey to eat the men who remain in their flesh instead of being born of water and Spirit, the new birth creation.

The conclusion. What are the unclean birds? The unclean birds represents Satan and his demons!

Hope that helps.

01/15/2025

Today I want to address a widely misunderstood passage of scripture. I am making reference to Hebrews 10:26-27 which has terrified numerous believers however unnecessarily.

Lets read the passage:

Hebrews 10:26-27
"For if we SIN willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries."

Did you notice that the verse state "sin" and not sins? This means that there was a single particular "sin" that these first century Jews were capable of committing.

Do you know which particular "deliberate sin" to which the writer of Hebrews is referring?

The answer is within the text of the context. It begins in chapter 9 where the writer differentiate between the earthly tabernacle and the heavenly tabernacle. Both represent Christ. Hebrews 9:1-5

The writer then differentiate between the earthly tabernacle service and the heavenly tabernacle service by the priests. Both again represents Christ. Hebrews 9:6-10

The writer then differentiate between the earthly High Priest offering the blood of the covenant and the Heavenly High Priest offering His own blood for the effectual covenant. Both again represents Christ. Hebrews 9:11-15

Next the writer tells us how the offering of the single sacrifice provided by and conducted by the Heavenly High Priest brought into effect the heavenly new covenant which is superior to the earthly old covenant. Hebrews 9:16-22

The writer then turns his attention to the greatness of Christ's the Creator sacrifice verses over the earthly sacrifice of cursed created animals which were made out of the cursed created earth. Hebrews 9:23 - Hebrews 10:4

The writer then explains the necessity of Christ's the Messiah sacrifice by quoting the Old Testament scriptures from Psalm 40. The writer surely expected the intended Jewish readers to know the passage from Psalm 40. No Gentiles would have understood what the writer was referring too, as evident by the interpretation of most of today's Gentile readers, as indicated by the constant misquote and misunderstanding of this passage. Hebrews 10:5-10

The writer's intent is to prove through the OT scriptures that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Jewish Messiah. The writer now brings it home by explaining to this Jewish audience that it was necessary for the Messiah to die because it for prophesied that He would by quoting Jeremiah 31. Hebrews 10:11-18

Therefore what was the writer's goal by stating this? The writer was attempting to stop these first century Jews from returning to participating in the ritual of animal sacrifice currently being conducted in that day in the Jewish temple king Herod was building.

These Jews were trying to determine whether to trust that Jesus is the Messiah or to go back to sacrificing animals thereby revealing that they do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah hence they are awaiting the "true Messiah".

Beginning in verse 19 the writer presents his closing argument against returning to animal sacrifices and fully trusting in Christ. The writer tells them to do something that only the Jewish High Priest was allowed to do, only once per year. He instructed them to enter not only the Holy Place but the Holy of Holies!!!! This was utter blasphemy to this Jewish audience but to us Gentiles it's utterly meaningless. God would kill any PRIESTS for doing such a thing as well as the High Priest if he would enter any other day outside of the Day of Atonement. Therefore he begs them to holdfast to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. That He is the true High Priest. That He is the only acceptable sacrifice for sins. That He is alive and intercedes for all true born again believers. That the animal sacrifices, the priesthood, and the covenant of Law written on tables of stone has ended. Do you understand how difficult that was for a first century Jewish person to believe? Nearly impossible because they misread, misunderstood, and misapplied the OT scriptures. Hebrews 10:19-23

The writer now sends this these non-believing Jews who were torn between Judaism and following Christ who is the God and object of Judaism a very stern warning given by the Lord Himself in Luke. First, don't delay, come to Christ. Second, don't waver in that decision, be decisive. Third, come join the loving fellowship of your brothers and sisters in Christ. Fourth, we must begin preparing for that which the Lord told us would soon come to pass, the destruction of the Jewish temple that will eliminate the possibility of any future animal sacrifices. That event will make Judaism incomparable to the Law and impossible to meet the Laws demand for payments for sin. No blood, no remission of sins. No temple, no sacrifices. No sacrifices leaves the Jews in Judaism with no hope!
Hebrews 10:24-25

Finally, we get to Hebrews 10:26-31. What is the writer telling these Jews who are torn between a decision of committing to faith Christ or returning to Judaism and the temple sacrifices which is now blasphemy against God. Going back to the animal sacrifices would be calling God a liar, Christ unholy, and displaying hatred for the only sacrifice and offering for sin acceptable to God!

How would they sin willfully? By returning to the temple to participate in a sacrifice that God can no longer accept since Christ has died, been buried, and raised from the dead.

What knowledge and truth did the Jews receive? Everything the writer told them concerning Christ, he preached the gospel to them.

Why is there no longer any sacrifices for sins? The writer told them verses 11-14, 18: And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified...Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Verse 27-31 tells them the penalty they will receive if they choose to return to the temple and the temple sacrificial system.

Hopefully, this is helpful to you all.

Now, with this background, reread Hebrews 10:26 and you decide what it is saying.

You can find many more questions and answers on my webpage below.

You can return to our homepage by clicking here, or you can try searching for the content you are seeking by clicking here.

01/07/2025

Hello everyone. I want to address an important issue with respect to believers targeting specific sins of people who are not born again believers in Jesus Christ.

These kinds of discussions are absolutely pointless. I don't mean that in a condescending way however we must fully understand God's requirements to enter heaven for both OT and NT believers.

Here is God's standard:
1. Perfection (equal with God's perfection) - Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Mat. 5:48

Will you please answer this question? Are you as perfect as God is, from conception or from the time you were born again, every second of everyday in all ways? If not, then you still need a Savior or still need a Savior. For the believer, our perfection is imputed to us.

Hebrews 10:14
For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Col. 1:28
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

2. Holiness (equal with God's holiness) but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

Ephesians 4:20-24
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man WHICH WAS CREATE according to God, IN TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS.

Colossians 1:21-22
And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He (God) has reconciled (how Lord?) in the body of His flesh (Christ's) through death, (why Lord?) TO PRESENT YOU HOLY, AND BLAMELESS AND ABOVE REPROACH IN HIS SIGHT.

The believer inherits Christ's holiness through the new birth by the death (blood payment for SIN inherited through conception), burial (separation as payment for acts of SINS via omission, commission, intent, thoughts, and influence), resurrection (life given to the sinner who was lifelessly, hopelessly, and eternally DEAD in trespasses and sins).

3. Glory (equal with God's glory) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

For those of you who do not know what the glory of God looks like, I will let the scriptures describe it for you.
Exodus 19:16-20
Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

Exodus 24:16-17
Now the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. The sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.

Ezekiel 1:26-28
And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.

For the believer, in Christ we have God’s glory imputed to us. He is our only hope of ever obtaining God’s glory.

Col. 1:27
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY.

4. Righteousness (equal to God’s righteousness) Isaiah 64:6-7 But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us,
And have consumed us because of our iniquities.

Matthew 5:20
For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
The righteousness of God is imputed to the believer who is in Christ through faith.

Romans 4:5-8
But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-31
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. BUR OF HIM (GOD) YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO BECAME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SANCTIFICATION, AND REDEMPTION, THAT, AS IT IS WRITTEN, “HE WHO GLORIES (BOAST) LET HIM GLORY (BOAST) IN THE LORD.”

My prayer is that the LORD God will open hearts and minds so that people will hear and believe the true gospel of Christ and not these false gospels of human effort, wills, and desires. For none of those things will ever take away sin, while at the same time giving the dead sinner the life of God, the perfection of God, the holiness of God, the glory of God, nor the righteousness of God.

Why not listen to Jesus - You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. John 5:39-40

What does the sinner who is dead – in trespasses and sins need? No tattoos? Attend some religious service? Join some religious organization? Continue in his all-out rebellion against God? Say some sinner’s prayer? Confess sins? Repent?

What good would any of that do for someone WHO IS DEAD!!!!!! The sinner is DEAD THEREFORE CANNOT pray, confess, believe, repent, attend religious services! Dead means dead!

Then what does the sinner need? The sinner who is dead in trespasses and sins needs only one thing, LIFE!!!

John 1:4
IN HIM (Christ) WAS LIFE, and the life was the light of men.

John 3:36
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John 5:21
For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

John 6:47-48
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life.

John 10:10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 17:1-3
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Friend the sinner needs life. Once the sinner receives life then God will instruct the newly born child of God how to live through His Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God.

Ephesians 2:1
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

Ephesians 2:5-10
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 4:17-24
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.