February 2000

by Carole Forde

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the FEET of Him
Who presents Good News (Gospel), Who proclaims peace,
Who brings good, happy tidings, Who declares salvation,
and Who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’!! Listen! Your
watchmen will lift up their voices and sing for joy together
when they see the Lord return to Zion with their own eyes!
Break forth and shout for joy and sing together, you waste
places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted His people
and He has redeemed Jerusalem! The Lord has bared His
holy Arm in the sight of all the nations (revealing Himself
as the One by Whose direction the redemption of all Israel
from captivity is accomplished!) ALL the ends of the earth
shall see (Heb. 7200: "experience") the Lord’s salvation!"
( Isa 52:7-10 )

                Many years ago the Lord brought this verse to my attention and revealed hidden treasures in its words. That was the first time He made known to me that EVERY SINGLE WORD of Scripture is a parable that "conceals as it reveals"! Each Word is a locked treasure chest to which only the Holy Spirit has the key! In this way our wise Creator prevents "The natural man who cannot receive spiritual things- for they are foolishness to him" from touching and defiling holy things that must be "Spiritually discerned". ( 1 Cor 2:14 ) Blind, prideful, prying eyes are restricted to the "Letter (literal translation) of the Law which kills"; ( 2 Cor 3:6 ) while all the humble, hungry "eyes of understanding" ( Eph 4:18 ) are enabled to see the "Spirit of the Law that gives Life"!
                In our opening text, we see a clear picture of the Sons of God whose unique privilege it is to bring the Gospel of Light to a darkened world! But who are these blessed Sons of light? And what qualifies them for such a high calling? Father hid the answer to this in three words of the first verse which He anointed me to search out, and share with others.

1) "Beautiful"- (from Heb. root 4998) means: "TO BE AT HOME (in a pasture)".

2) "Mountains"- Ps 36:6 says,"Thy RIGHTEOUSNESS is like great mountains!"

3) "Feet"- (from Heb. root 7272) means: *"BE ABLE TO ENDURE"!

[*This translation is used once in Gen 33:14 at the reunion and reconciliation
of Jacob and Esau when Esau wanted his brother’s caravan to travel with his;
but Jacob digressed because his troop had to progress more slowly so that
his children would "be able to endure" the journey!" This is why our times
of chastisement seem endless- our dear Father wants us to be able to endure!

Interposing these definitions into the above verse, it now reads:

"HOW TO BE AT HOME IN RIGHTEOUSNESS

ARE THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO ENDURE!!"

               Jesus warns His Sons in Mk 13:13, "You shall be hated by all men for My Name’s sake; BUT HE THAT IS ABLE TO ENDURE TO THE END SHALL BE SAVED!" Observe the phrase, "Endure to the end"; and how the word "end" actually starts the word "endure". Although these words have dissimilar roots, their meanings are not unrelated. In fact they hold the revelation that ENDURANCE is not "ENDLESS", it has a definite objective! We are to endure to "THE END"! In Rev 22:13, JESUS CHRIST declares, "I AM...THE END"! So "enduring to the end" means: "PRESSING TOWARD THE MARK FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS!!" ( Php 3:14 )
                Christ Jesus is the priceless "End" for whom, by Whom, and through Whom, all Sons are required and enabled to "ENDURE ALL THINGS for the elect’s sakes; that they may also obtain Salvation and Eternal glory in Christ Jesus! It is a faithful saying that, ‘If we be dead with Him, we shall live with Him; and if we suffer with Him, we shall reign with Him!". ( 1 Tim 2:10 -12 )
                "Behold how we count ALL WHO ENDURE as blessed and happy! You have heard of the patience (endurance) of Job, and you have seen "The End" of the Lord (as He rewarded Job with DOUBLE for all he had loss- including a new wealth of children); and you can see for yourselves that the Lord is not ungenerous, but is full of pity, compassion and tender mercy!" (Jas 5:11) Also the Lord tells Isaiah to speak to His Bride, His Body, His True Church, (seen as the New Jerusalem in Gal 4:26; Heb 12:22; Rev 3:12; and 21:2-10), "Comfort. comfort My people...speak tenderly to the heart of Jerusalem; and cry to her that her warfare is ENDED; her chastisement is completed and her iniquity is pardoned! Now she has received DOUBLE (compensation) for her sins."
                So remember, dear overcomer, when your fiery trials become so hot that you momentarily cannot see Christ for the flames all around you, "Weeping only ENDURES for the night season; but JOY SHALL COME IN THE MORNING!" (Ps 30:5) Amen!