Preparation for the Coming Confrontation With Carnality

While I was quietly waiting before the Lord, the Spirit of God suddenly and without warning transported me into a very vivid trance. I heard the sound of something being whirled just above my head! Quickly I opened my eyes and the Lord Himself was standing over me with a glistening razor-sharp sword in His hand.

As the Lord whirled the sword, extremely fast, mere inches above my head, the swishing sound was extremely loud. I could feel the wind generated by the sword’s blade, and understood that I must not attempt to raise my head. The Lord said, "Yes! You must remain in a posture of humility. That is the only way to keep your head in what is coming."

Then the Lord in a swift motion hurled the whirling sword into the floor near my feet. However, to my utter astonishment, the moment it stuck into the floor the sword became a long, sharp spear. The force had driven the spear into the floor, and it was vibrating from the impact. The sound of the vibration was very peculiar. God said, "Take notice of what angle the spear stuck into the floor." It had impaled at a 45-degree angle. At the time, I knew it had to do with judgment and inheritance.

Then the Lord said, "The commissioning of the "Sword and Spear has come!"

I pleaded, "Oh, Lord, what does this mean? Please grant me understanding."

He replied, "I am calling forth the ZADOK PRIESTHOOD. They are being appointed and anointed to confront carnality in the modern-day church."

I knew that Zadok speaks of those who are "righteous," and was reminded of the warning stated in 1 Peter 4:17: "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. If it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" In a similar way, God says in Jeremiah 25:29, "‘For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,’ says the LORD of hosts."

It Is Time to Take a Stand

The Lord directed me to Numbers 25:1-15:

Then Israel remained in the Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. "Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’" Now the name of the Israelite who was killed, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s house among the Simeonites. And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a father’s house in Midian.

In this passage of Scripture we discover the judgment of God against the wicked whoredom of His people. In the New Testament we are warned not to make the same mistakes. Paraphrasing Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:6-12:

From this lesson we are warned that we must not desire evil things as they did, nor worship idols as they did. The Scripture warns us, "The people sat down to eat and drink and then got up to dance" in worship of the golden calf. Another lesson for us is what happened when some of them sinned with other men’s wives, and 23,000 fell dead in one day. And don’t try the Lord’s patience–they did and died from snake bites. And don’t murmur against God and his dealings with you as some of them did, for that is why God sent his Angel to destroy them. All these things happened to them as examples–as object lessons to us–to warn us against doing the same things; they were written down so that we could read about them and learn from them in these last days as the world nears its end. So be careful. If you are thinking, "Oh, I would never behave like that"–let this be a warning to you. For you too may fall into sin.

The Reward

In Psalm 106:28-31 it is recorded: "They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices make to the dead, Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, and the plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stopped. And that was accounted to him for righteousness to all generations forevermore."

So, who or what is "Baal of Peor"? Baal-peor means "lord of the gap" or "lord of the hole." This is the name given the false god worshiped at Peor with extremely immoral and debauched rites. Baal of Peor represents a very wicked form of sexual idolatry. This is one of the most potent forms of delusion and deception, combining sexual perversion and idolatry. It is an extremely devastating combination: a religious spirit joined with a perverted sexual spirit, both of which appeal to the carnal appetites of fallen man.

The word "Peor" signifies an "opening" or "hole." Baal of Peor speaks of sexual perversion during one of the most grievous moments in Israel’s history. We see the seriousness of becoming involved in idolatry and perversion.

Names and Places

The Spirit of Truth will release much-needed revelation for us as we look into the meaning of the names and places involved in this chilling episode.

First, we will look at "PHINEHAS," the son of Eleazar and the grandson of Aaron. His name means "mouth of brass," which speaks of straightforwardness and earnestness to speak out for the things of God. His father’s name, "Eleazar," means "God has helped," and his grandfather’s name, "Aaron," means "Light-bearer." God is raising up those who will boldly speak out and stand against wickedness. He will stand with them and be their Helper, and they will be known as the "Light-Bearers." Remember, Jesus exhorted us to let our light shine before men (Matt. 5:48).

The Place

"Shittim" means "the acacia groves." Many times in Israel’s history it was at this place that God called on them to make decisions. Acacia wood seems to be a type of the nature of man. The acacia or shittim tree was used to build many of the furnishings of the Tabernacle. We are told that this wood is very difficult to work with. It is extremely hard and gnarly. Nevertheless, this is also one of the most indestructible and durable types of wood.

Moses instructed the master craftsmen to overlay this wood with pure gold. To me this speaks of the transforming grace of God coming into one’s life. It was at this place of Shittim, "the acacia groves," that the Israelites made many of their decisions. It is the same today: God calls us to make many decisions in the hard, twisted, difficult places in our lives.

The People

"Moab" speaks of incest. The literal meaning of Moab is "of his father." The nation began with the drunken incest between Lot and his oldest daughter. The Moab nation descended from the son of Lot.

Notice in Numbers 25:6 that the woman was identified as a Midianite woman. The word Midianite speaks of "strife" and "contention." The man who was responsible for bringing this woman of strife and contention into the camp of God’s people was named "Zimri," which means "my music." This speaks of a person doing their own thing, one who will not walk in unity. The name of the Midianite woman was "Cozbi," which means "My Lie." You can clearly see that this deals with rebellion and deception.

It is extremely important that we understand the timing of Zimri and Cozbi’s defiant, rebellious act. At this very moment real repentance was taking place. All of the leaders were in a time of true brokenheartedness and genuine, heartfelt repentance. In Numbers 25:6 we read that they acted "in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation." This is when the devil will fight the hardest, just as God’s leaders are beginning to cry out in humble repentance.

This is an extremely crucial lesson for us, because the next great move of the Spirit across the body of Christ will be that of true repentance and a brokenhearted turning back to God. There is about to be released a corporate prayer of repentance similar to David’s prayer in Psalm 51. The weeping of repentant hearts will be heard across the land. As we sow in tears, we will reap in joy (Ps. 126:5-6).

During Israel’s time of repentance, this rebel made his move. However, notice how swift and sure the judgment of God falls (Num. 25:7). Also notice the result of this act of zealousness by Phinehas (Num. 25:9-13). He was a peace maker, not a trouble maker.

The Confrontation of Carnality

The Lord is a refining fire, and He has turned up the burner. He is not trying to punish us but purify us. In Malachi 3:1-7, the Lord warns of this coming judgement:

"Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts.

"For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts.

This Judgment Must Commence at the House of God

Deuteronomy 4:23-24 says, "Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."

The writer of the book of Hebrews brings this verse to our attention, reminding us that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God (Heb. 10:31). Our God is a jealous God. He is worthy of our love and loyalty.

Playacting in the church is over! It is time to get all our pretense out of the way. We are about to understand that "holiness" is a real demand by God, and not something we can take or leave! Isaiah 33:14 says, "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: ‘Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?’"

Get ready to see a time of transition and transformation. The Word of God will come like a fire to purify and like a hammer to destroy and construct. "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" (Jer. 23:29) The Word of God will destruct what we have constructed, in order to construct what God desires to build. The Scriptures warn us that unless the Lord builds the house, we work in vain (Ps. 127:1). We shouldn’t attempt to hold up what God wants to pull down.

Many say, "Oh, that is just the Old Testament concept of God." However, we must never forget the similar warnings of the New Testament: "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" (Lk. 12:49) Remember: Our God is a consuming fire. This fire will remove the dull dross from our lives in order for us to better reflect the glory of God.

It Is Time to Deal With Deception

No one desires to hear a warning concerning God’s judgment, but it is time to awake out of sleep, and awake to righteousness. We are in a state of serious delusion and deception to think we can continue to walk in rebellion to the Word of God. It is a real mistake to think we can live that way and still escape the judgment of God.

However, the correction of God will be very fruitful in our lives. In Proverbs 3:11-12 we read: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights." The correcting hand of Father God upon our lives is one of the greatest confirmations that we do in fact belong to Him. If one is without the correction of God, they are illegitimate and not a son.

The writer of the book of Hebrews calls our attention to this same passage in Hebrews 12:5-16:

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

Grace Does Not Release Us From Responsibility

A further warning is found in Hebrews 10:26-39:

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. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: "For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

We will do well to ponder the events spoken of by the prophet in Ezekiel 9:1-7:

Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, "Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand." And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it." To the others He said in my hearing, "Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were before the temple. Then He said to them, "Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!" And they went out and killed in the city.

Consider these other sobering verses:

And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien–because they do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts (Mal. 3:5).

And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! (Lk. 12:47-49).

It is time to attack everything in our life that stands in opposition to the Word of God! We must put on the full armor of God, for things are about to heat up in the spiritual realm. We must learn how to stand in the power of the Word of God:

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled (2 Cor. 10:4-6).

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:10-17).

Now is the time to awake and walk in the light of the Word of God. It is time to deal with all the darkness and deception in our lives:

The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts (Rom. 13:12-14).

May God grant us the grace to seek HIM until HE comes and rains righteousness upon us. It is comforting to know that God’s judgments always guides us to the truth.

	Eagle's View Ministries Bobby Conner Box 1028 Moravian Falls, NC 28654