THE SEVEN VOICES
OF THE SON OF GOD
Publication #94.77
(Part 6)
THE VOICE OF TWISTING
The Voice of the Lord
SHAKETH THE WILDERNESS OF KADESH
(Psalm 9:8)
Great and mighty are all the voices of the Lord: from His Voice of Thunder that initially opened our hearts and loosened our tongues so we could confess the Lord Jesus, to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit of promise and power, and onward. His voice carried us through the Majesty of Sonship, the Breaking of our tenacious will, and then to the Carving of the flames of fire, the carving that refines His Word in us, as well as refining the flames of our lives.
We now hear His sixth voice resounding from the heavens of His glory — the Voice of SHAKING. After the breaking, and then the carving, must we also be shaken? Yes, we must, but it is not the shaking we came to know when our determined will was being broken. It is not the shaking Hebrews 12:26 speaks of: "Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven." It is different.
The Word shaketh in Psalm 29:8 is more correctly translated — TWISTING. Verses five and seven (breaking and carving) harbor more the thought of the shakings we are familiar with, while twisting is more in line for the third work of refinement that draws everything together.
We first received the grace of God's salvation, secondly His power, and then the majesty of Sonship. These three heavenly glories, however, must be brought to perfection. They cannot remain immature in our lives, and fortunately our Lord reserved three worthy agents for the task — Breaking, Carving, and Twisting. These three work in harmony with each other until they bring God's Grace, Power, and Majesty together as One — then to be manifested.
Some believe such refining is of the devil and not of God, but "...What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10). For in receiving evil also, we shall not be as a cake unturned (half–baked, and unfit for the Kings table) (Hosea 7:8). When the evil of God's hand is finished with its perfect work, we will be as one of the ancients who exemplified the sons of God and their trying walk: "So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning..." (Job 42:12).
Once the voice of breaking and of carving have finished their refining work, the time comes for the final phase of forming the sons into the express image and likeness of their Lord. Hence, the Voice that Twists the Wilderness of Kadesh.
I do not like to expounded too much upon the Hebrew and Greek to stress a point; for if we are not careful we can get caught up in the semantics of scripture and miss the Spirit of the Word. The letter is then relied upon, and regardless of its accuracy, it becomes pointless and avails little, if anything. With so many translated errors in our Bibles, however, and with our English language being so different than in the days of King James, at times it becomes necessary to do so. We will therefore notice two or three Hebrew and Greek words throughout this study, and trust they bear witness to what is already stirring in the Spirit of every reader of these few pages.
The word in our text verse for shake (chuwl) simply means to twist, as previously mentioned, but when it is merited by context, the thought is carried farther. We will note a few such places for the purpose of having it before us as we continue on:
"Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made (chuwl) before the hills?" (Job 15:7). "By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens; His hand hath formed (chuwl) the crooked serpent" (Job 26:13). "Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve (chuwl)?" (Job 39:1). "Behold, I was shapen (chuwl) in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psa. 51:5). "Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed (chuwl) thee." (Deut 32:18). "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed (chuwl) the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God." (Psa. 90:2).
Each twisting in the verses above is in the sense of something being cohesively formed into a living body, and so it is in the forming of His own Body of Sons. First, our tenacious will is broken, then our flames keenly carved, and finally comes the time for TWISTING and FORMING into ONE BODY that which God refined — the 'Wilderness of Kadesh.'
WILDERNESS is translated from midbar, and Strong's gives this as its meaning: "...from dabar in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication a desert; also speech (including its organs)." The same dictionary renders this root word, dabar, from which wilderness is translated: "...to arrange; but used figuratively (of words) to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense)."
This certainly gives us quite a different view of what a wilderness is, and when we consider KADESH, we should see even more. Again we borrow from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. The Hebrew word is qadesh, and its simple definition is A SANCTUARY. The root word from which it comes is qadash, which means, to be clean. It is the same word from which qodesh is derived. Qodesh means HOLY and is the word that is used for the HOLY place (qodesh maqowm ) and the MOST HOLY place (qodesh qodesh). The Holy of holies would be written, Qodesh ha qodeshim.
The above may be a little difficult to follow, so let me simplify it this way: There were three sanctuaries that made up the one Sanctuary, called the Tabernacle — the OUTER COURT, the HOLY PLACE, and the HOLY OF HOLIES. These three were in the WILDERNESS. And all the Holy Sanctuaries (the Qodesh Kadeshim) were eventually defiled. (Deut. 32:51, Ezk. 5:11).
We, as it was with Israel of old, are not guiltless of the same; but praise God, at the closing of the age we see the Lord doing wondrous works in His sons. He is sounding His transforming voices in our lives. His sanctuaries are being purified, making them habitable places to live — paradise, if you please. The breaking of our will and carving the flames brought us to this new and final processing of the Lord — to the twisting/forming the wilderness of Kadesh. Whether we understand it or not, we are being twisted into a living working, viable body. The Voice of Twisting will bring forth our manifestation. Until now we have roamed the open fields of the wilderness, with the Lord working largely on an individual basis.
Although the Body of Christ has always been one body, there has not been the twisting whereby it is formed. When we were called out of Babylon and Egypt (the church system and the world), everyone seemingly went their own way. It appeared that we were doing our own thing, but we were not. We were walking in obedience to the voice of our Lord, as He guided each of us in our long journey of obscurity.
Some, however, were not guided by the fire nor the cloud, for they were not sons at all. They were, and still are, wild asses sniffing the wind. Every new doctrine wafting its way through the air of men's imaginative minds was their drawing enticement. They never subjected themselves to the holy law of God, nor did they fulfill it. Others may have heard His voice in the beginning, but wavered as they attached themselves to a man, having more faith in the creature as their leader than the Lord who called them.
Regardless of what everyone else was doing or not doing, we, nevertheless, were hidden away as we marched through the wilderness. In this hiding, our sanctuaries were being prepared for molding. We had to be made pure, for had the Lord formed His Body too early, He would have drawn many impurities into it. But by breaking the will of our cedars of Lebanon, igniting our candles, and carving our flames, He has brought us to this hour of being formed into one mighty Body of the Lord — a Body that is pure and holy and filled with blazing glory awaiting its release.
FIRE
Throughout the Bible we find this glorious element, His Holy flame, i.e., Godfire. The fact is, almost everywhere fire is mentioned in the scriptures, it speaks of God or has something to do with Him and His Glory. Sometimes it was God's fire of judgment. In Egypt it was used to roast the Passover lamb. Later on it was used to purify and sanctify His holy vessels, or to consume the burnt offerings and sacrifices. It was used to burn the incense in the tabernacle and the temple — the fire was hallowed. God came in the form of the pillar of fire in the wilderness, and He descended in the fire of glory upon mount Sinai. Fire was used to burn the clothing that had been infected with the plague of leprosy.
There were other times when fire was used; such as when Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord and they were devoured by His fire (Lev 10:1–2). Korah, along with 250 others, offered incense when they raised up against Moses and Aaron, and they were all consumed by the fire that came out from the Lord (Num 16:1–35). In apostasy, Israel passed their children through the fire to Molech (Jer 32:35). Nevertheless, fire in the scriptures was rarely used other than in reference to God and His Hallowed Glory. When this holy flame was abused, however, the people were severely judged and usually suffered the sin unto death. There was one major theme for fire, and it was to God and His Glory. It was not a thing to be taken lightly, and it is this fire within His saints that will be twisted together in these latter days. What a glory to behold!
Israel trembled at the sight of His consuming fire and glory: "And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai...And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel" (Ex. 24:16–17).
Everything in the Lord's presence passes away, is devoured, swallowed up, or is changed. It cannot remain in its natural state: "And a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them" (Rev. 20:11). After His ministering flames are twisted, framed, and formed as One Body — the glory of God's fire is revealed, and everything caught in this Holy Flame shall tremble and dissolve. Man's heavenly pride and earthy accomplishments shall humbly withdraw and vanish when the King of Glory sits upon His Great White Throne. In His presence there is no place for man's religions, his thoughts, his rhetoric, nor his works. They all flee away.
When God opens His hand every soul unrolls like a scroll. Men can no longer hide the secret thoughts and intents of the heart, and in the presence of His glory — judgment begins. Judgment first begins, of course, in His own household (1 Ptr 4:17), for it is therein that He first appears, and from there His blaze reaches out to the rest of the world as the Voice of the Lord forms His Body of Fire.
THE LAKE
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged (Grk. krino, distinguished or decided) out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works" (Rev. 20:12–13).
Herein we see something of God's infinite grace toward His beloved creation, and we rejoice! Nevertheless, we know — He does not make light of sin, and neither should we. Some feel that God so loves that there is no penalty for sin. Let these unbelievers be informed that God established a divine law in every man with which to help stop sin. Paul wrote: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7). If he does not reap it in this lifetime, he will in the next. Sow to the flesh, reap corruption — it is the law. Sow to the wind, reap a whirlwind — it is the law.
The law is so exacting that it even works instantly in one's life when they sin. If one abides in sin, it will lead to corruption and hopeless despair later on in life. This cannot be avoided — it is the law. This law, however, is much closer to a person than the distant future. The reaping judgment begins the moment of the sin. When a man lusts, lies, cheats, steals, or covets — a dark mark is instantly inscribed upon his character. He immediately begins his judgment of reaping whatever he sows — IT IS THE LAW! The judgment first comes in the mark upon his inner character, and finally manifested outwardly in the fruit of corruption.
When a man stands before the God of fire and glory, and his reaping has not turned him to Christ for victory over sin, he continues to be judged. He is distinguished, a decision is made. It is decided what must be done to stop the run of sin and cure its feverish effects — forever. And God who is a consuming fire is not only able to do what is necessary to accomplish His purpose, but He will do it!
His decree declares that He will destroy hell and death. Their single destiny is oblivion, for they both have reservations in the Holy Lake of Fire, the United Sons of God, the Second Death (Rev. 20:14). "And death and hell (hades) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death" (Rev. 20:14).
Death and hell permeate creation, but the promising word is — there is an end to both. If they are not destroyed, Jesus will never truly reign supreme nor be Lord of all. Paul stated clearly that "He must reign, til He hath put all enemies under His feet. The LAST ENEMY that shall be destroyed is DEATH" (1 Cor. 15:25–26). It is then that GOD WILL BE ALL IN ALL! (vrs. 28). To everyone God will be everything, for death is finally swallowed up in victory and destroyed from His creation (vrs. 54–57). And where will death and hell be destroyed? Once again — in the Lake of Fire, in the glorious presence of God's Sons! It is in the lake that is formed as the result of God's Ministering flames of fire being twisted together as one fiery body. They hear His Voice and are no longer single flames scattered throughout the earth, but become a blazing body of fire. This is where death and hell are cast in the day of the Great White Throne Judgment.
Furthermore, we see in Revelation 20:15 that "...Whosoever was not found written in the book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." From verse 12 through 15 we see that everything related to death in any manner, including people, is cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.
GOD, and His Body of Sons, IS A CONSUMING FIRE! Therefore, everything that has to do with death — that which is in the sea (of humanity), death (all who are void of Christ's life), the grave (that which holds the dead), and hell (every unseen realm that harbors death) — they all give up their dead and find themselves in the midst of the living flames of God's consuming fire. Death has served its purpose throughout the ages, and like the ages that have an appointed end — so does all death. When its course is finished, it and all its associates shall die, as John saw and wrote. They are to be no more. The fire of God was seen consuming them all. Everything that had to do with death vanished, root and branch (Mal 4:1).
It should be clear that this fire is not some cosmic blaze that all death is spirited to for destruction, or where souls go for eternal torment. Nor is it the molten lava core in the center of our earth, nor is it a maze of fiery, underground caverns. The fire is God, simple and plain! God is fiery Spirit, and likewise His lake. The lake of fire is Spiritual fire, it is God–fire, it is Hallowed–fire, it is Holy–fire, it is Brimstone–fire; but be assured, it is not natural–fire!
His Word is fire, and His Ministers are flames of fire. Each spirit in man is the candle in the hand of the Lord, and when that candle is lit, it burns and shines with the same glory of God–fire that lit it. One light such as this will light the world around it. If God so chooses to light two or three candles, the light then shines brighter, and the circle of illumination grows wider. When two or three hundred candles are lit and held together in the hand of the Lord, it is a blazing torch on a dark night that will light the way for many to follow. Should He choose to light the candles of two or three thousand, a small pool of fire may rise in flames that would ignite a forest and transform a multitude. But when the day comes for all the candles of all the Sons of God in all the world to be lit, and they are twisted together in one accord, their fiery glory shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas! Thus — THE LAKE OF FIRE — THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD!
God is fire, His Word is fire, His Ministers are fire, all that has to do with His glory is fire. Everything and everybody who has anything to do with death will find themselves in the midst of this God–fire. Again, it is called the Lake of Fire! This Holy fire of Brimstone will bring the hardest of hearts to repentance, and bend the stiffest knees. It will loosen the tightest tongues, whereby they can, and will, confess the Lord Jesus. The flames of this fire will not lick the searing flesh of writhing bodies, but it will consume the carnal nature of humanity — the wood, hay, and stubble. In the day of God's judgment every soul will be made willing, and worship Him (Isa 26:9, Rev 15:4). This, dear ones, is the Lake of Fire that burns with Brimstone (Grk. Theon, Godfire). It purifies, destroys death, changes one's will, and lights the candle of every spirit — Coming into the world, Jesus lights every man! (Jn. 1:9).
Can we now see the tremendous effect the Voice of the Lord has upon His scattered Body of Sons? And can we not see that it twists, forms, and molds the arranged wilderness of Kadesh — His Flaming Sanctuaries of Holiness? Isn't it clear that His voice draws and forms the many members of Christ into one Body, fitly joined together in the bond of love? Until now we have not had that unity, but with the sounding of the sixth voice, we should not be surprised to see this marvelous work performed. Afterwards, His last voice, the final voice, the seventh voice shall be heard. It is the Voice of the Lord that will cause the Hinds to Calve. . . . next issue.
Elwin R. Roach
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