EXPRESS IMAGE GLORY MINISTRIES
THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 5, No. 20 – Sunday, 24th May, 2020
(1 Sam.10:3-4, Rev.6:6, Gen.14:18-20)
THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE MEN, THE THREE KIDS, THE THREE LOAVES AND THE ONE BOTTLE OF WINE
One basic characteristic of the Holy Scripture is that ‘the Scripture of Truth’ known as the Bible neither uses words carelessly nor without purpose. When insignia, emblems or events are used by the Bible, such references always carry symbolic interests and intentions.
The point is an obvious one; to every story, event, account, insignia, word or emblem engaged by the Bible, there is a mystery to unravel, a moral lesson to imbibe and a message for direction. Without much ado, as someone has said, ‘the Bible is God in book form’. And I conclude that God is a mystery, a mystique, a message of messages and the self-existing mentor of all past, existing and impending mentees.
With these alliterational descriptions, a journey into the Holy Scriptures will do the greater good. For nothing else teaches wisdom more than the words of Him who is the ‘power’ and the ‘wisdom of God’ (1 Cor.1:24). The content of 1 Samuel chapter 10 verses 3 and 4 states in verbatim as follows:
‘3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine;
4 And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands’.
If the Bible does not use words carelessly and without purpose, what then is the purport, the interest and the unequivocal intention of these emblems as contained in verse 4 above? Are there similar passages in the Holy Scriptures where any of these words have been engaged or used?
I can never understand the kind of queer person king Saul was. A man who was told about the type of life that awaited him yet nonetheless, he could not say no to becoming the king (1 Sam.9:11-18, 10:25). I can never understand king Saul’s psychy and psychological make-up. A man who was informed about his disastrous end, and yet he held onto the power which was soon to come to an end (1 Sam.13:10-15, 15:10-29 and 28:3-6, 15-19).
I can only conclude that king Saul was a man who had inaudinate affection for power; a man who was full of himself and a man who preferred ending pleasure to eternal pain.
But really and truly, were these ailing attitudes the original problem of king Saul? The unequivocal answer is NO! King Saul’s problem was originally from the very start. King Saul missed it right from the very beginning of his ministry and calling.
O dear pastor, what is God saying to you about your divine assignment? Are you still on the right track? What is your fire life like now in comparison to the time of your beginning?
Remember Pastor, certain signs were given to you by the Lord from the start. Are you still keeping those signs in view? O Pastor, like king Saul, are you not in position of authority? Are you therefore power drunk? Are you the Lord over your congregation?
O my dear brother Pastor, remember from where you have fallen and return and pursue your first love afresh (Rev.2:4-5). The call of every man remains in unraveling mode through the years of existence. As such, it is for everyone to always revisit his initial calling, renew his/her anointing and always return to ‘Bethel’ for fresh consecration, fresh commitment and fresh encounter like the first time.
King Saul was a perfect opposite of spiritual remembering, purposeful return and fresh reanointing. Spiritual remembering of initial encounter, purposeful return and fresh reanointing in the secret place with one’s Maker and instructor always helps one to ask the needful questions.
Not once did King Saul ask God for the mystery behind the ‘three men’ who met him, the ‘three kids’ being carried by ‘one’ of them, the ‘three loaves of bread’ out of which he was given only ‘two loaves’. At no time did he attempt to find out why he was given only two loaves and the one kept back. And not once did it bother him to inquire about the ‘one bottle of wine’ which was never offered to him.
Unfortunately, all these ten emblems or insignia (three men, three kids, three loaves and one bottle of wine) represented things so necessary for his career and call to divine assignment.
Brother Pastor, do you know fully well your spiritual job description? Are you mimicking someone else’s bishoprick office? If that is the case Sir, then I dare tell you Sir that you are not likely to last long.
Brother Pastor, do you know your inner carcus well enough? Who is the zebra-like personality (partly black and partly white) among them? Brother Pastor, do you respect governing authority of your church—like a spiritual Samuel? Do you flout governmental instruction O brother Pastor because you are a spiritual authority and you consider the government a mere political wing of authority? Then Sir, I suppose that you are yet to absorb Romans chapter 13:1-7 and Mark chapter 12:17 into your spiritual system. And dear brother Pastor, flouting governmental authority is same as flouting divine instructions which was the inherent custom of king Saul.
When God calls a man, he informs that man about that man’s impending personal problems and the present problems of the people that He, God is sending him to (Acts.9:10-16, 26:12-18, Jer.1:4-12, Ex.3:4-22, 1-15). These information are expectedly given by God for the purpose of a compass which will keep the called one in focus.
Apostle Paul for example constantly kept his conversion experience and initial divine instructions perfectly in view. But king Saul failed to unravel the mystery behind his encounter. Therefore, he did not receive the divine instructions nor understand them. And neither could he keep up with them nor keep them in view.
What a mystery! King Saul met ‘three men’. These were a type of the Blessed Holy Trinity carrying seven emblems of spiritual importance. They were seven items for sacrifice, physical satisfaction, sustenance and solution’s-perfect.
Sacrifice because the three kids represented his personal problems which was willful disobedience (1 Sam.13:8-14, 15:19-20, 22-23, Heb.10:26-28). Kids are the young of goat and no such animal is known with stubbornness and egregious disobedience as the generation of goats. Throughout the old testament, goat or kids which are young goats were used as sin offering to mellow down the offence of sin and disobedience. Examples are found Numbers 28:15&22.
God Almighty knows all men inside-out (Jn.2:23-25). So, by the sight of kids on his journey back home prior to his coronation, king Saul was to deal with his life’s most fundamental problem which is disobedience to divine instructions (1 Sam.13:11-14, 15:24).
In other words, king Saul was the man in the mirror who at the same time was the greatest enemy of his own life. If he had conquered himself, then God would have established him and God would have been the enemy of his enemies—revenging on his behalf (2 Cor.10:6).
Satisfaction, because the three loaves represented satisfaction for the body. But such physical satisfaction for the body was three-quarter for he got two out of three loaves. Again, such satisfaction of the body which was without the inclusion and attention of the Holy Spirit which the wine represented was absolutely incomplete.
One question is- why is the wine a representation of the Holy Spirit? Wine makes the heart merry and springs up liveliness during celebrations. So does the Holy Spirit too in the life of the Christian. There are certain emblems in the Bible which represent the Holy Spirit or His presence. Water (Ezek.47:1-9, wind (Acts.2:1-4 and wine and oil (Rev.6:6).
The next question of serious concern is but why was king Saul’s case different from that of Abraham? In Genesis chapter 14 verses 18-20, the two emeblems of both wine and bread were given over to Abraham, not the bread alone like the case of king Saul. So why was he given the two loaves excluding the bottle of wine?
The simple answer is that Most gifts are got from God by the process of making request (Matt.7:7). Undoubtedly, the Holy Spirit is got by the process of asking (Lk.11:13). He is never free like physical sustenance.
But one may raise the question that but Abraham did not ask before he was given. True! But Abraham had triggered a spiritual action by sowing seeds of ten percent of everything ahead which meant that the spiritual law of reciprocity was already triggered in return. For is it not written that ‘he that watereth shall be watered also himself? (Prov.11:25).
King Saul got body/flesh support by grace without asking but he did not obtain spiritual might and strength—that is, the Holy Spirit and His comforting joy which comes strictly by asking. No wonder, he had physical strength to win physical battles (1 Sam.14:47). but he could not go far with God. Why? Because God is a Spirit, and those who will serve Him satisfactorily will only succeed through Spirit led media (Jn.4:23-24).
Dear brother Pastor, is your ministry Spirit led or fleshly controlled? Are you engaging dark powers in order to enhance ministerial progress? There is something which sustains more than physical food. It is the Spirit of God. His triumphal and transforming influence in the life of a believer is both resplendent and splendid.
The Holy Spirit is the dynamite power of God; should any ministry be so prosperous, enormous in number and countless in success made, if it lacks the guide of the Holy Spirit, it will soon fizzle into oblivion or such ministry will die with the death of the founder.
In summary, all the seven items carried by the three men signified the first seven years of king Saul’s reign. Had King Saul obtained all the seven items and understood the mystery behind them and worked in line with the divine instructions encoded in them, his kingdom would have been established forever. But king Saul’s failures began after he had reigned only for two years—two years for the two loaves of bread (1 Sam.13:1-15, Acts.13:21-22).
There would have been no need for king David had king Saul been steadfast in obedience. Albeit, the Holy Scriptures must be fulfilled that the throne of David shall not be left empty. Obedience pays; obedience establishes (1 Pet.5:10); obedience brings blessings.
IN THE END BROTHER, IN THE END SISTER, WHERE DO YOU STAND IN ALL THESE? HAVE YOU ASKED GOD ABOUT YOUR WEAKNESSES AND THE WEAKNESSES OR THE WICKEDNESS OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU AND YOUR INNER CARCUS? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THEM? ARE YOU CONSTANTLY KEEPING PACE WITH THE HOLY GHOST? DO YOU ALLOW HIM DIRECT YOUR PATHS? IN THE END OF THE VERY END, A MAN WHO DOES NOT DESTROY HIS ENEMY ON TIME WILL HAVE HIS ENEMY DESTROY HIM WITH TIME (DEUT.7:2).
Question and Answer Section
Question: The great questions again! When was the last time that you preached to any soul? Do you serve God with joyful heart or with reluctance? How much hurt is in your soul against that fellow? Won’t rather forgive them and forget their mischief so that you can rightly serve your loving Father? When was the last time you smiled genuinely and truly from your heart about yourself bearing in mind the bright days to come? when was the last time you heard a force praying within your belly without your consciousness? When was the last time you gave some thing to support God’s work apart from your tithes and offerings? When was the last time you supported any man to fulfill a divine or a personal agenda? When was the last time you put smile on the face of someone?
Answer: Hmmm!.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Counseling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com Alternatively, meet us every Sunday at the address below:
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ALTAR CALL:
Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Ps.54 in closing and pray more).
HYMN: Trust And Obey
PRAY NOW:
1 O God, save my soul from eternal destruction.
2 Mighty God, empty my life before me and help me by revelation to know what lies ahead of me in my remaining years.
3 O Thou grace of God, dwell with me and in me always.
4 Father in heaven, build in me the attitude to please you always.
5 Holy Spirit, make me die to self and sin and alive to righteousness.
6 Please help me O God to live a Spirit-controlled life.
Present your personal petitions.
