ASK, SEEK, KNOCK...

And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? (Mark 4: 13 KJV)

Jesus, while enlightening the twelve on the Parable of the Sower, poses what looks to be a question, but in reality, for us end-time, New Testament believers, it may be a statement of warning. We must always remember that punctuation marks and italicized words were not part of the original texts; they were added by the translators and were based upon their understanding of the scriptures.

The passage above appears to be self explanatory, but is it? Do we understand the depth and consequence of what Jesus is saying and how does it relate to us as reformers?

We have become increasingly aware during our search for reformational understanding of the scriptures, that many hidden truths are really not hidden at all; but rather right before our eyes; we just never sought them out, therefore we never saw them.

seek = find

Martin Luther sought a deeper relationship with God and in that seeking came across "the just shall live by faith" 1. But why was it that no one prior to Luther saw that passage? It had been there for 1500 years; why hadn't anyone else seen it sooner?

The answer is really quite simple; he looked.

In our society and season, the culture we live in demands results without effort. This has led to the development of fast foods, the immediate response to informational requests (i.e.: the internet) and the total breakdown of the human will to search. We are a couch potato society that demands instant gratification without the corresponding effort required to justify the result. There is an old saying that "the end justifies the means", but in our search for a deeper relationship with God, the means that we employ will bring us to the justified end.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 9:11 KJV)

This often quoted passage is used to calm the human spirit in times of trouble, to appease the senses of those in the daily fires of life.
But for us in this present truth season of God, it is our "confirming word", the one that drives us to seek the deeper waters of revelatory wisdom. It is that word from the Father that assures us, in our hearts, that He has His hand upon us and will bring us to 'telos', the conclusion of an act or state of being that results in the immediate, ultimate or prophetic purpose of God for our lives.

That place where we are conformed to the image of His son.

I (Romans I: 17 KJV) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

But as with all of the work that the Father does within us, a process must be adhered to. For most, if not all of us, our walk with the Lord could be characterized as a crises/call relationship. We find ourselves in a crisis and we call upon the Lord! This is not a new phenomena, it has been this way from the beginning. And this is what the Father was outlining when he gave this word to Jeremiah.

As we delve into this passage we must always remember that everything that happened to Israel happened unto them for our admonition that we may be able to stand in the end.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
(1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV)

The parallel of the season in Jeremiah can easily be a mirror of the day in which we find ourselves. Israel had been carried away as captives into Babylon. Babylon is a prophetic type of the worldly systems and Israel a picture of the Church.

As Israel had no choice in being exiled to Babylon, we have no choice in our captivity in this world. We are here because God has placed us here. Our being placed in this time and season was never a matter of chance, but rather it was a divine decision. It is as Mordecai spoke of Ester: "thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this ". 2

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; (Jeremiah 29:4 KJV)

It seems that we have a mirror image presenting itself here. Israel had been carried from Jerusalem to Babylon and we have been translated from this present corrupted world to the kingdom of His son, but the technology of this passage is quite revealing.

Historical Background:
God had sent Jeremiah to the leaders of Israel with a prophetic revelation concerning Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire. It was God's decree that all of the nations of the earth should serve Nebuchadnezzar and this included Israel. But as is the case today, false prophets had risen and released a contradictory word. God had told Jeremiah that the captivity would be long and gave specific direction to the captives. The false prophets released the seemingly encouraging word that the captivity would be short.

What are the parallels (similarities) to our present truth season?

What are the admonitions (warnings)?

2 (Esther 4: 14 KJV) For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

As stated earlier, none of us is here by chance. We are in the season and locations that were preordained by God. Even if in our own mortal mentality, we have made decisions that we perceive as being wrong ones (such as moving to this city or that, or changing jobs...), God still knew and will always know, where we are and what we will be doing! Nothing happens anywhere in this realm that He is not involved in. We may have permitted mental blocks to that truth, but that does not negate the truth.

Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? (Romans 9: 19 KJV)

The reality of this passage that needs to be internally digested and received into your spirit is that no man can resist the will of God and in this case of captivity it was Gods will that Israel be taken captive, BUT, it was also Gods will that some would resist. Remember that all that happened to Israel happened unto them for us to whom the end of the age was to come. They were forced to this place in order that we would have insight from previous historical accounts on how to accurately stand in the end time season of God.

All Old Testament scripture is to be viewed through the words and actions of Jesus. One of the most dangerous positions a New Testament believer can assume is to attempt to make Old Covenant scripture stand on its own merits, without first filtering it through Jesus and the writing of the New. The Old Covenant was for the ancients and then it was only to serve until the New came along. Jeremiah wrote:

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: {32} Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
(Jeremiah 31:31-32 KJV)

This same passage is carried over into the New Testament.

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
(Hebrews 8:8-9 KJV)

One of the keys to releasing the power of the New Covenant is found in defining the phrase not according. The word according is the word 'kata' and has numerous definitions depending upon the case that it is joined to; and in this instance it is joined to the word not. Some of the more applicable meanings of kata in this case would be: not pertaining to, or as not touching the previous covenant. One usage of the word that appears more accurate and to the point is not after the manner of. If we re-state Jeremiahs prophetic release with this definition in place of the word according, we can gain a clearer understanding of the separation between the Old and the New.

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not after the manner of the covenant that I made with their fathers...

Simply stated the New Covenant would not be bound by the restrictions, manners and customs required by the Old. The New Covenant is not an extension of the Old Covenant, but rather a reference material to be used by the NT believer to guide them to accuracy in the end.

One of the greatest technological instruments for use by the NT believer is found in the Hebrews Eight confirmation of Jeremiahs prophecy. It states that God found fault with the first Covenant.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. (Hebrews 8:7 KJV)

The fault with the first was man, not with the covenant itself or with God, but with mans inability to fulfill the requirements of it. This, too, God had foreknowledge of, but the technology that we need to glean from this passage is that we have a right and a responsibility to find fault with our current belief systems. As previously discussed when we examined James Chapter Five, if your accepted doctrinal positions do not enable you to stand accurately in any given situation or circumstance, they need to be reviewed for erroneous foundations. God will not do this for you, but can make you wish that you had!

Returning to Jeremiah:

Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
(Jeremiah 29:5-7 KJV)

God had directed the children of Israel that had accurately received the word from Jeremiah to integrate into the Babylonian culture. Not change the Babylonians, but live amongst them. The directive was to increase the kingdom of God within the operating system of Babylon, no to change Babylon into the kingdom of God.

The New Covenant directive that could parallel this passage can be found in John, chapter Seventeen.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil. (John 17:15 KJV)

The word evil used here is ‘poneros’ and as we have previously discussed, ‘poneros’ is an evil influence rather than a personality (the devil).

We are to be in the system, but not influenced by it. We operate according to different patterns and frequencies within the same physical parameters as the Babylonians, but we do not accept the influence of the Babylonians as truth.

The parallel between the old and the new as it relates to separatism can clearly be seen in those that refused to leave Jerusalem and move into Babylon. There is a large segment of the current church body that see holiness from a strictly OT point of view. Under the Law it was forbidden to touch many animals that were seen as unclean; the Gentiles on the other hand regularly did just that. So the mentality of Jews of that day was that the Gentiles were unclean, therefore to be avoided. This has carried over to the New Covenant by misinterpreting Paul's dissertation to the Corinthians.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (2 Corinthians 6: 17 KJV)

Many today relate this scripture to the separating of the believer from the influences of this world, when in fact Paul was relating it to the influence that the unbelieving Jew could have had upon the believer.

And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. (Jeremiah 29:7 KJV)

Many today have utilized this passage without filtering it through the NT as a scriptural basis for the many prayer movements aimed at changing this environment. But once again without the accurate filtering of Jesus, this too becomes corrupted.

For Jesus said:

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. (John 17:9 KJV)

If we are to be Christ-like then why are we doing something that He did not do?

How can we relate and discern this scripture (Jeremiahs) from an accurate NT frame of mind without violating Jesus example?

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and/or all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
(1 Timothy 2:1-2 KJV)

Paul is telling us here what to pray for. He states that the object of our prayer is to be the end that the leadership of Babylon will allow us to live and worship in peace. And it must be said that in the same way that we filter the OT through Jesus, we must also filter the writings of Peter, Paul and the other NT writers through Jesus' teachings. For it is just as feasible to be deceived by NT scriptures as it is by the Old.

And speaking of the deception:

For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 29:8-9 KJV)

The admonition here is for judgment; the accurate reception of the words that are spoken. The best defense against false prophets and prophecies are the words and teaching of Jesus. Any word that is released in prophetic stature is to be judged.

Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
(1 Corinthians 14:29 KJV)

How does what the prophets are saying relate to what Jesus said must come to pass? And remember that anything that contradicts Jesus' teachings concerning the end is of the deceiver, not from God. It says, "let them speak" but then judgment must occur. For too long we have been afraid to challenge the "prophets" of God, when the reality and responsibility of the NT believer is to do just that. By challenging the false, light enters in. And we are called to be light; the revealers of all that is false. And as God spoke through Jeremiah, “I have not sent them, saith the Lord". So if God didn't send them, what harm can come from challenging them?

Notice that the prophets and diviners are in our midst. They are amongst us. The difference between a prophet and a diviner is that the prophet speaks by inspiration or by discourse of future events, whereas the diviner determines future events by lot or by magical scrolls. The diviner sounds as if it would be easy to spot, but the same people who utilize the name of Jesus as a magical incantation can utilize the written word in the same fashion. Consider the date-setters or the end-time dispensationalists who have supposedly foretold of how the end-time will unfold by the way they interpret scripture.

We are also warned against hearkening to our own dreams, which we cause to be dreamed. The word dream used here comes from the root word ‘chalam’, and means to bind firmly with the implication of being made plump. It also implies of something being in a good liking. This speaks into the personal desires that invade our thought processes. We can twist scripture to our own liking, for our own gain and have it corrupt our ability to remain clear-headed. Bad doctrine when yoked together with corrupted thought processes will always lead us to a place of deception. As a man thinketh...

For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. (Jeremiah 29:10 KJV)

Here we have the Father placing a length to the season of the captivity: 70 years. It would be easy to jump to the conclusion that the Father is speaking in the literal human time of kronos, but as with many of the promises of the Father, they are conditional. And in this case the Father says that the captivity will last seventy years and then you will call on me and I will hear you. (29:14)

But what if Daniel had not had this passage revealed to him? What if he hadn't been searching the scriptures and discovered that the seventy years had passed? 3 How long would Israel have waited?

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
(Jeremiah 29:12-14 KJV)

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 KJV)

What if there is not a generation or a remnant in the earth that is actively seeking the return of the Lord, Will he return?

3 (Daniel 9:2-3 KJV) In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years inthe desolations of Jerusalem. (3) And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: