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God guides us and is an ever-present protection even in the valley of the shadow of death. Our faith is tested constantly during the course of our lives. In all this, God remains God, He never changes, though we do change and vacillate (alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive) between belief and unbelief in Him, His presence, knowledge and observation of all things and people, with absolutely nothing hidden from Him (including evil or negative deeds: darkness is as light to Him; Psalm 139). When He does not move the mountains in our lives that we want Him to move, or does not walk the water that we want to walk, or answer us when we cry out to Him, do we still trust in Him and His existence?

Adversity, trials, and tribulations are unavoidable periods all individuals experience. It is often during the wilderness seasons of distress when we seek to comprehend God’s plan and guidance in our lives.

Whilst in your wilderness or valley you might experience a range of emotions and thoughts that must immediately be checked so that your faith will properly align with God’s guiding power in your life.

As a Christian one should expect to enjoy the abundant life of Jesus Christ, John 10 v 10; The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full, but shouldn’t be naïve in believing that trials will not occur. That is one thing we should expect, especially when one is truly living as an ambassador for Christ. Weapons may be formed against you, but thanks be to God that they WILL NOT Prosper!

Isaiah 54 v 17

No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

During some of the most challenging moments in life remember that God guides you:

In a career setback

When an unexpected health report is disclosed

In a financial setback

When in-laws, relatives and family members ignore, scowl and exclude you

In the midst of an unexpected pregnancy

During the challenges of conception

Through the loss of a loved one

In revealing toxic relationships, business partnerships and associations

When individuals attempt to bully and intimidate, only because they are jealous and insecure

When a college professor challenges your Christianity beliefs and values

By disclosing the character of colleagues who have clandestinely worked together to disqualify you for a promotion

When colleagues discount your ideas

When family, friends and loved ones misunderstand you

When you feel lonely (remember you are not alone, God is with you)

In Pressure

After the rejection letter, notice and statement

During the challenges of God-honoring relationships

When you are forced to relocate and start over.

Isaiah 58 v 11

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

When new opportunities and breakthroughs appear

Although adversity shows up, be encouraged that God knows all and He will never leave you nor forsake you. God is guiding you and ordering your steps in the midst of the pressure, pain, heat and discomfort you currently face.

1 Peter 4 v 12-13

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

Be mindful today that God is working everything out for your good, because you love him and have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8 v 28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Even in the most intense seasons of life, God guides us and is producing something in us that will fulfill his overall purpose in our lives. When He does not move the mountains in our lives that we want Him to move, or does not walk the water that we want to walk, or answer us when we cry out to Him, He remains God whether we belief in Him or not. He was, is and forever will be God. The heavens and earth may disappear, vanish, He remains forever. He is love. His Love is everlasting and because of His Love for us, from which nothing can separate us, He continues to protect us, and to the very end avail us the opportunity to partake in the Greatest Gift, Salvation through Christ. God guides You!

The basis and reason.

THE BODY OF HIS HOLY ONE SHALL NOT SEE DECAY

2 Kings 2 v 9-10

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

2 Kings 2 v 15

The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. “

2 Kings 2 v 23-24

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.

2 Kings 4 v 27

When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”

2 Kings 4 v 32-35

When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

2 Kings 2 v 11-12

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

2 Kings 13 v 14

Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”

2 Kings 13 v 21

Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.

Psalm 16 v 10

because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

David was speaking prophetically of the coming Messiah (Jesus, who was truly God’s “Holy One”), and the manner in which God would raise Jesus from the grave following his crucifixion and burial, without allowing corruption (the normal process of bodily decay) to occur after Jesus’ physical death.

Acts 2 v 17- 21

“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood (solar and lunar eclipses) before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Acts 2 v 24- 36

But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

Bible study Exposition of Psalm 16 v 10

EXPOSITION

Verse 10. Our Lord Jesus was not disappointed in his hope. He declared his Father’s faithfulness in the words, thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, and that faithfulness was proven on the resurrection morning. Among the departed and disembodied Jesus was not left; he had believed in the resurrection, and he received it on the third day, when his body rose in glorious life, according as he had said in joyous confidence, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Into the outer prison of the grave his body might go, but into the inner prison of corruption he could not enter. He who in soul and body was preeminently God’s “Holy One,” was loosed from the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. This is noble encouragement to all the saints; die they must, but rise they shall, and though in their case they shall see corruption, yet they shall rise to everlasting life. Christ’s resurrection is the cause, the earnest, the guarantee, and the emblem of the rising of all his people. Let them, therefore, go to their graves as to their beds, resting their flesh among the clods as they now do upon their couches.

“Since Jesus is mine, I will not fear undressing,

But gladly put off these garments of clay; To die in the Lord is a covenant blessing, Since Jesus to glory through death led the way.”

Wretched will that man be who, when the Philistines of death invade his soul, shall find that, like Saul, he is forsaken of God; but blessed is he who has the Lord at his right hand, for he shall fear no ill, but shall look forward to an eternity of bliss.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, etc. The title of this golden text may be – – The embalming of the dead saints: the force whereof is to free the souls from dereliction in the state of death, and to secure the bodies of God’s saints from corruption in the grave. It is the art which I desire to learn, and at this time, teach upon this sad occasion, even the preparing of this confection against our burials. George Hughes, 1642.

A Funeral Sermon.

Verse 10. Many of the elder Reformers held that our Lord in soul actually descended into hell, according to some of them to suffer there as our surety, and according to others to make a public triumph over death and hell. This idea was almost universally, and as we believe, most properly repudiated by the Puritans. To prove this fact, it may be well to quote from Corbet’s witty itinerary of,

“Four clerks of Oxford, doctors two, and two That would be doctors.”

He laments the secularisation of church appurtenances at Banbury, by the Puritans, whom he described as, “They which tell That Christ hath never descended into Hell, But to the grave.”

C.H.S. The quotation is from Richard Corbet’s Poems, 1632.

Verse 10. My soul in hell. Christ in soul descended into hell, when as our surety he submitted himself to bear those hellish sorrows (or equivalent to them), which we were bound by our sins to suffer for ever. His descension is his projection of himself into the sea of God’s wrath conceived for our sins, and his ingression into most unspeakable straits and torments in his soul, which we should else have suffered for ever in hell. This way of Christ’s descending into hell is expressly uttered in the person of David, as the type of Christ. Psalms 86:13 116:3 69:1-3. Thus the prophet Isaiah saith, “His soul was made an offering.” Isaiah 53:10 . And this I take it David means, when he said of Christ, “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell.” Psalms 16:10 Ac 2:1-47. And thus Christ descended into hell when he was alive, not when he was dead. Thus his soul was in hell when in the garden he did sweat blood, and on the cross when he cried so lamentably, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 26:38 . Nicholas Byfield’s “Exposition of the Creed,” 1676.

Verse 10. In hell. Sheol here, as hades in the New Testament, signifies the state of the dead, the separate state of souls after death, the invisible world of souls, where Christ’s soul was, though it did not remain there, but on the third day returned to its body again. It seems best of all to interpret this word of the grave as it is rendered; Ge 42:38 Isaiah 38:18 . John Gill.

Verse 10. Thine Holy One. Holiness preserves the soul from dereliction, in the state of death, and the body of the saint from corruption in the grave. If it be desired by any that doubt of it, to see the clear issue of this from the text, I shall guide them to read this text with a great accent upon that term, “Thine Holy One,” that they may take special notice of it, even the quality of that man exempted from these evils. In this the Spirit of God puts an emphasis on holiness, as counter working and prevailing over death and the grave. It is this and nothing but this, that keeps the man, dead and buried, from desertion in death, and corruption in the grave. George Hughes.

Verse 10. The great promise to Christ is, that though he took a corruptible body upon him, yet he should not see corruption, that is, partake of corruption: corruption should have no communion with, much less power over him. Joseph Caryl.

Verse 10. Quoted by the apostle Peter ( Acts 2:27 ); on which Hackett (Com. in loc.) observes: — “The sense then may be expressed thus: Thou wilt not give me up as prey to death; he shall not have power over me, to dissolve the body and cause it to return to dust.”

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 9-10. Jesus cheered in prospect of death by the safety of his soul and body; our consolation in him as to the same.

Verse 10. Jesus dead, the place of his soul and his body. A difficult but interesting topic.

Verse 10-11. Because he lives we shall live also. The believers, therefore, can also say, Thou wilt show me the path of life. This life means the blessedness reserved in heaven for the people of God after the resurrection. It has three characters. The first regards its source — it flows from his presence. The second regards its plenitude — it is fulness of joy. The third regards its permanency — the pleasures are for evermore. William Jay.

2 Timothy 3 v 16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness,

Proverbs 11 v 14

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.

Proverbs 2 v 6-9

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.

Purposely aligning with God’s word is vital for any believer to be guided in Christ, Jesus. In order to be led by Christ, we must first and foremost follow Christ and not focus on what others are doing. Intentionally positioning yourself under God’s directive leadership is the only way to know you are in the right place to receive his guidance in every aspect of your life. God guides us through his written word, the Bible, the Holy Spirit and with many other divine resources that will indeed capture one’s attention, but we must be receptive and ready when God’s guidance is introduced.

Jesus is to be LORD overall, and when one deliberately journeys through life, choosing to intentionally live independently from Jesus, it leads towards a definite danger zone absent from God’s divine covering whilst enduring uncomfortable consequences.

It is important to spend time studying and meditating on God’s word, because the Bible is our instructional reference guide regarding any circumstance we face in life. Wisdom, repentance, trust, faith and application of God’s word opens up the divine directive pathway God can work with as he guides his children according to his plan and purpose.

God’s way is not popular with the world, and Satan’s lies appear alluring, but do not be deceived by the mirage of believing it is better to go through life Your way and not God’s way. Do not be discouraged as you take a stand to follow Christ’s guidance, and teasing, mocking and harassing ensue. Also be encouraged today that as you begin following God’s guidance some relationships will come to an end. You must guard your heart and put on the full armor of God as you allow God to guide you into your destiny.

Today make sure your heart is receptive, repentant, and ready to receive God’s loving guidance. God is our divine guide and when we align with him, we are in the best position to thrive. It’s time for children of covenant to heed, listen and follow God’s plan and thank God in advance for continually guiding his children!

Language is an aspect of culture, and culture is a dynamic concept which evolves and changes with time. Economy can be defined as the wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services. However, the word economy has evolved and assumed the same meaning for death and destruction of planet earth.

Do not take my word for it, according to Dr. Fauci appointed Director of NIAID in 1984. He oversees an extensive research portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat established infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, and malaria as well as emerging diseases such as Ebola and Zika. He put it bluntly that in order to open up the economy to where it was before corona virus involves a trade off between life and death. Lockdown and physical distancing or death through corona virus as a result of resumption of economic activities. “How many lives are you willing to lose”.

As if that was not clear enough, a former Trump adviser on CNN said it was a choice between “Live and livelihood” in an interview on 6^th of May 2020, though in her defence, she probably did not hear herself talking, otherwise common sense should have kicked in and tell her that, if you do not choose life, then you are choosing death, if you are dead, you can not choose livelihood from your grave.

In another example of the blind leading the blind (again not my words, but that of Jesus Christ), in late February, as a result of United Kingdom’s headlong obstinate diametric opposition to the EU, a high ranking member of the “Leave campaign clan of Boris Johnson & co” attended the SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group Emergency) meetings, and the advise of the UK chief scientific adviser was “Herd immunity”, which resulted in a delay in enforcing a Lockdown in UK. Even Donald Trump was laughing at UK in front of the world media because of the dumb advice or directive of the UK government. And when the person who suggested that people should be injected with disinfectant starts laughing at you, then you should know that you can not get any “stupider”. By the way this is the same Donald Trump who discriminated against Europeans, banned them from entering the US at the height of the corona crisis, while allowing people from UK and Ireland. As of 6^th of May 2020, United Kingdom has the highest number of deaths from corona virus in all of the European nations. Talk about special relationship between US and UK, the two countries with the highest number of deaths from corona virus in the whole world.

A test of the air quality of the megacities of the world during the worldwide lockdown, shows a remarkable improvement, and almost smog free skies. Which indicates that an adjustment to our way of life and running of economies (there were still economic activities going on during lockdown) has a direct correlation with the state of planet earth. And yet world leaders like Donald Trump thinks “Greenhouse gas and rising global temperature” is a hoax. The planet is dying, being destroyed at an alarming, rapidly accelerating rate, from our economic activities. Which means, we are caught between a rock and a hard place, the corona virus is killing people, and yet some people (some in the US and elsewhere) are complaining that they should be allowed to go back to work thereby increase economic activities which in turn leads to the destruction of the planet. Economy is indeed the new synonym for human death and destruction of the planet Earth. The choice is between life and death. Modified living in a post corona virus age with adjusted economic activities and physical distancing, or loss of human lives from corona virus and related deaths, combined with the destruction of planet earth and life as we know it. Choose wisely.

The Names

Jesus is both Priest — the One who faithfully bears us into God’s presence by virtue of his self-sacrifice — and Prophet — the One who perfectly communicates God’s Word to us. We are called to listen to him, to trust in his work, and to take our places as part of a kingdom of priests who in Christ Jesus offer ourselves on behalf of others. As you pray to Jesus as both Priest and Prophet, ask him to help you understand the deep meaning of these titles so that you can live out their truths in your life.

Key Scriptures

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Hebrews 4:14

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. Hebrews 1:1

His Names Revealed

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”

The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.” Deuteronomy 18:15 – 18

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:1-3

Thank you, Lord, for understanding what it means to be weak and tempted, and thank you also for never giving in to temptation. You are the only one able to bring me to the Father so that my sins can be forgiven. Through your life and through your death you have told me who God is and what his plans are for me. Now I pray that you will help me to imitate you, so that others might know you as both Priest and Prophet. Amen.

Understanding the Names

Prophet, priest, and king — these were the three major offices in Israel, titles also ascribed to Jesus. While the king governed as God’s representative on earth, the priest’s role was to represent the people to God by offering sacrifices, prayers, and praise on their behalf. Unlike kings and priests, which were normally hereditary offices held only by males, prophets had to be commissioned by God, and they could be either male or female.

The role of the priest was to bring the people before God. Moses’ brother, Aaron, was the first Jewish priest. Thereafter priests were drawn from among his descendants, and they were given charge of worship, which eventually became centralized in the Jerusalem temple. Unlike worship in many churches today, Jewish worship primarily consisted not in singing songs and listening to sermons but in offering sacrifices as prescribed by the Mosaic law. The priest’s role was to offer sacrifices for his own sins and for the sins of the people.

The animals killed in the temple served as a continual reminder to both priests and People that the penalty for sin is death.

The priesthood consisted of three groups: the high priest, ordinary priests, and Levites. The Levites occupied the lowest rung of the ladder, taking care of the temple service.

The priests, who alone could offer sacrifice, were next. At the pinnacle stood the high priest, the only one authorized to enter the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement. On his ephod (a garment attached to the breastpiece) were stones that bore the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, a physical reminder that the high priest was bearing the people into God’s presence.

The New Testament identifies Jesus as a priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Melchizedek, a priest who was a contemporary of Abraham, predated the Levites). This was a way of indicating that his priesthood was both different and superior to that of the Levitical priesthood. Though most priests in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus rejected him, the book of Hebrews, emphasizing Jesus’ role as High Priest, may have been aimed primarily at priests who became believers after the resurrection. The Greek word for “priest” is hierus (hee-uh-REUS).

While the primary role of the priest was to speak to God on behalf of the people, the prophet’s primary responsibility was to speak to the people on behalf of God. The great prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures included Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah, and Elisha. While prophets sometimes predicted future events, more often they called people to faithfulness.

Jesus acknowledged that his cousin, John, was a prophet — and more than a prophet because he prophesied most clearly about the Messiah. Though the common people acclaimed Jesus as a prophet and though he seemed comfortable with this title, most of the priests rejected this title for Jesus. In a Jewish context, Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, when the Spirit descended on him, would have been understood as a time of commissioning by God as a prophet. But unlike the prophets who preceded him, Jesus would be the one Prophet who not only perfectly revealed God’s Word but who perfectly revealed God himself.

The New Testament identifies several people besides John the Baptist as prophets or as people who prophesied at one time or another. These included John’s father, Zechariah; Anna; Simeon; Elizabeth; the high priest Caiphas; Agabus; and Barnabas. The New Testament also indicates that there were prophets in the early church and that prophecy was considered one of the spiritual gifts. The Greek word prophetes (pro-PHAY-tays) is found 144 times in the New Testament, which in proportion to its length, contains as many references to prophets and prophecies as do the Hebrew Scriptures.

Studying the Name

Why do you think it is important that Jesus, as High Priest, is able to sympathize with our weaknesses?

What about Jesus made him capable of sympathizing with us?

Why do you think Jesus was more effective than the priests of the Old Testament?

What do you think it means to say that “the Son is the radiance of God’s glory”?

How has Jesus as Prophet revealed God to you?

Reference: https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/prayingnamesgod/praying-the-names-of-god-may-14.html?utm_source=Praying%20the%20Names%20of%20God,%20with%20Ann%20Spangler&utm_campaign=Praying%20the%20Names%20of%20God&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3259103&bcid=6fd36d2c4984deb491599514588ab2ed&recip=528989851%20