The Baptism And Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

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< > Appendix Two God's parables, puzzles, riddles, and dark sayings In Numb.12v1-15., Miriam and Aaron were very critical of Moses when he married a Cushite woman. Some think that Zipporah, Moses first wife, may have died and Moses had married again, for over forty years had passed since his marriage to Zipporah. Others think that it could have been Zipporah the Midianite, the sister of Jethro and the daughter of Reuel, the priest of Midian, and the mother of his two sons Gershom and Eliezer; because they say the land of Midian in Arabia was included in the land of Cush as well as Ethiopia, for Habakkuk links Midian with Cushan. Ex.2v21. 4v24-26. 18v2,6. Hab.3v7. Midian was a son of Abraham through Keturah. Gen.25v1-4. An Israelite was forbidden to marry a Canaanite, but not an Egyptian or a Cushite woman; Joseph married an Egyptian woman. Gen.24v3. 41v45. Exod.23v1-8. 34v11-16. Josh.17v18. The wife of Moses could have been a dark skinned Ethiopian, or a less dark Midianite, but Miriam and Aaron did not approve, they were full of racial prejudice, and thought that his marriage was a great mistake. Did Miriam and Aaron carry this bitter criticism in their hearts against the marriage of Moses to Zipporah for over forty years old? It is possible; for the wives of leaders have often been bones of contention. Some think that Zipporah could have died ,and Moses had married again. Miriam and Aaron used the prophetic ministries that God had given them as a basis for criticising Moses, they said in Numb.12v2., “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” God heard this and was displeased, because they were using their God-given spiritual ministries and gifts as a means of arrogantly criticising Moses. They pretended they were equal to Moses in prophetic ministry and spiritual experience, when he was far superior to them in both, and the Lord let them know it. The Lord says in His inspired commentary in Numb.12v3., “Now the man Moses was very meek and humble more than all men who were on the face of the earth.” God told Moses to write this down, for He who knew all men's hearts, knew that it was true. The word for “very” is “meh-ode,” and can be used with other words, like the English, as an intensive or superlative; the superlative is given in the Divine commentary. The word for “meek” is “anav,” (from “aw-naw,” “looking down;”) it can be used for those who are depressed, or poor in circumstances. However, Hebrew scholars agree that the thought behind “anav” in Numb.12v3., is that Moses was not only little in his own eyes, and was very meek, humble, and lowly-minded; he was also very saintly, patient, gentle and kind. The Authorised Version translates “anav;” as “meek” in Ps.22v6. 25v9. 37v11. 76v9. 147v6. 149v4. Is.11v4. 29v19. 61v1. Amos.2v7. and Zeph.2v3.; and humble in Ps.9v12. 10v12,17. 34v2. and 69v32.; and “lowly” in Prov.3v34. and 16v19.; and “poor” in Job.24v4. Ps.18v18. Is.32v7. and Amos.8v4. The character of Moses is the key to his prophetic ministry, the mightiest man in spiritual power under the Old Covenant; was the gentlest, humblest,, and kindest soul in all the world. The criticism of Moses was totally uncalled for, and his brother and sister had to be taught a lesson in humility. God calls them to the tabernacle and comes down in a pillar of cloud and talks to them. This was almost certainly the Lord Jesus, God the Word, the messenger of the Father. We can learn a great deal about prophetic ministry from the words of our Lord on this occasion. GOD SHOWS THE GREAT SUPERIORITY OF THE PROPHETIC MINISTRY OF MOSES. The difference between dream and vision ministry and open visions of God. Our Lord told Miriam and Aaron, in Numb.12v6-10., of the vast difference between a dream and vision ministry and the direct face-to-face conversation with Himself, He said that Moses had reached the pinnacle of prophetic ministry, but they had still a long way to go. Our Lord said, “If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make myself known to him in a vision, and speak to him in a dream. v7. But not so with my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. (Heb.3v2-6.) v8. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he beholds the form of the Lord. v9. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and He departed. v10. And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was a leper.” This discipline brought illumination, humiliation, and repentance. Moses asked God to heal Miriam, but the Lord insisted that Miriam should remain leprous, and be shut out of the camp for seven days. This was a necessary lesson for them and all the people of God, they were warned not to criticise such a great prophet. This stopped their niggling criticism, and doubtless brought a healthy fear among the people of God. When Ananias and Sapphira died for their sin, it brought a very healthy fear of God and sin, in the early Church at Jerusalem. Acts.5v5,11. God explained to Aaron and Miriam that there are revelation gifts, and great revelation gifts; the very top level of prophetic ministry is face to face communion with God The greatest seers have all had visions of God, and we should be suitably humbled by this, and not think more highly of ourselves than we should. We should not deceive ourselves; no one has reached the highest level of prophetic ministry until they have had visions of the Father and Jesus, and continual revelations directly from them, of their plans, knowledge and wisdom. To these great prophets God unveils facts that His all seeing eye sees, and which He desires them to know, they see things as God sees them, without symbolic pictures, visions and dreams, with direct, clear impartation of knowledge personally from the mouth of the Lord. This was the very point that Paul made in 2Cor.12v1-4., when he was defending his ministry against the attacks of the Judaizers. Paul states that he had an experience similar to Moses, he was caught up to heaven and heard such confidential Divine secrets that God would not allow him to repeat them; this proved that his ministry had reached the highest levels of spiritual power and authority. In Gal.1v11,12., Paul states that he received his Gospel by direct face-to-face revelation from the Lord Jesus. The difference between Divine puzzle visions and open conversation with God. The word for “dark sayings” in Numb.12v8., is “chiydah,” (Strong 2420,) which means, “a puzzle, a trick, conundrum, dark saying, hard question, parable, proverb, oracle and riddle.” “Chiydah” occurs 17 times, in the Hebrew Old Testament. In Numb.12v8., God uses “chiydah,” when He tells Miriam and Aaron that His face to face conversation of Moses was the ultimate in methods of revelation, and a far superior to His normal method of revelation by “dark sayings” to most prophets. God's use of it here gives a valuable insight into prophetic ministry, and God's methods of revelation to His prophets. In Judges.14v12-19., “chiydah” occurs eight times over Samson's riddle. The Philistine Lords threatened Samson's wife and her family with death if she did not find out the riddle, and so she coaxed the meaning of the riddle out of Samson. In 1King.10v1. and 2Chron.9v1., “chiydah” is used of the “hard questions” that the Queen of Sheba tried Solomon with. In Prov.1v6., Solomon states that one of his reasons for writing his book of proverbs, was to help people understand dark sayings, which are too profound to be understood by the foolish and simple. In Ps.49v4., “chiydah” is used of a psalmist with a harp, singing a proverb and dark saying, which told the sad end of those who trust in riches; this was a riddle indeed to the greedy rich, but open truth to the children of God. In Ps.78v2., Asaph uses “chiydah” in his prophecy that Jesus would tell hidden truths and dark sayings in His parables. This is quoted in Mt.13v34,35., when Jesus told a series of parables to the people, with the stated intention of hiding Divine truth from those who did not want to receive it, while revealing Divine truths and mysteries to those who did. Mt.13v10-17. In Ezek.17v2., God gives a parabolic riddle of the vine, Israel, and two eagles, Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh. God warns that Israel's hope of deliverance by aid from Pharaoh was in vain; there was no escape from the Divine discipline of the Babylonian captivity, the Lord finishes with a message of hope in v22-24., God does not leave them without hope, this Divine encouragement in Divine discipline, is a very necessary mark of true prophecy. Ezek.17v1-24. In Hab.2v6., God makes a proverb and “taunting riddle” to the greedy and idolatrous in Israel. In Dan.8v23. of Satan's dark sayings. God uses “chiydah” to reveal that the Antichrist, “the little horn” of Dan.7v8,11,21,22,24,25., “will understand dark sayings.” Antichrist is the most powerful occultist of all time, and he not only knows the evil plans of Satan, but is also the chief instrument in bringing them to pass. Some have said that “understand dark sentences,” is referring to Antichrist's diplomatic cunning and deceit. That “chiydah” can mean much more than diplomatic cunning, can be seen from its use in the above Scriptures; and also from the fact that the diplomatic cunning and deceit of Antichrist is referred to in Dan.8v25., where it states, “through his policy also, he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many.” The Scriptures tell us that Satan will give his power to Antichrist and dominate and direct his mind and actions. Dan.8v24. Rev.13v4. Antichrist revels in the power that flows from the supernatural knowledge that Satan possesses and gives to him. The knowledge that is given by Satan's “dark sentences,” gives Antichrist power over men, as well as supernatural diplomatic deceit, and guidance and strategy in war. Satan has long used the bait of false knowledge as a snare to mankind, he used it to corrupt Adam and Eve; and he has made morons of the wise and intelligent in the areas of science and evolution, in a vain effort to explain away God as the great Creator. Gen.3v5-7. Rom.1v18-23. In v22., “fools,” is “moraino.” The fallen angels, who came and took upon them human form, and lived as men; are called, among other names, by the name “Nephilim.” They are reported in ancient legends to have obtained influence over mankind, and worship as Gods, by their superior knowledge. An alternative name for the Nephilim, is “rephaim,” which means “healers,” and in the Septuagint it is actually rendered as “iatroi,” that is, “physicians,” in Ps.88v10. and Is.26v14.; but in other places “rephaim” has been translated into the Greek as “giant” or “Titan.” Superior medical knowledge has always impressed mankind; when Satan is expelled from the heavenly places into the earth at the start of the great tribulation, he will undoubtedly make superior medical knowledge one of his ploys to deceive mankind. The claim to superior knowledge has always been made by the servants of Satan, the Gnostics, Theosophists, and other occult masters, they often claim that their knowledge was derived from angels, or other supernatural beings. According to Rev.7v7-12. and 13v42., after Satan is cast out of the heavenly places to earth, he gives his power, knowledge and wisdom to the Antichrist. Antichrist will be possessed and energised by Satan. Gabriel told Daniel in Dan.8v24, that Antichrist's “power shall be mighty, but not by his own power.” The apostle John on Patmos, over 600 years later, was told the identical facts, “the dragon gave him his power, and his throne and great authority.” Satan shares his powers of mind and being with the Antichrist. It is out of the malevolent, vicious and sadistic mind of Satan that the horrors of the last days are conceived and brought into being. Antichrist is the most powerful occultist of all time, and he not only knows the evil plans of Satan, but is also the chief instrument in bringing them to pass. 2Thes.2v7. Antichrist, like Judas, will be possessed by Satan and fulfil his evil plans; they are both called “the son of perdition,” having reached the ultimate in evil; Judas by his betrayal of Jesus, and Antichrist by bringing into reality Satan's plans to dominate and destroy the world. Jn.13v27. 2Thes.2v3. The children of God have revealed to them, not only the wonderful plans of our heavenly Father, “the mysteries of the kingdom of God;” they have also been told about Satan's evil plans, “the mystery of iniquity.” Mt.13v11,16,17. Rev.10v7. Eph.3v10,11. 2Thes.2v7. IT IS A FACT THAT GOD SPEAKS IN PUZZLES, RIDDLES AND DARK SAYINGS. These ambiguous puzzles, enigmas, and riddles are divinely ordained. When critics say that visions and dreams are dangerous, because they an at times be vague, and be misunderstood, they criticise the wisdom and will of God; for God has decreed that He is going to speak in this way, and we have to accept it. Paul speaks of the blurred image of Divine revelation. In 1Cor.13v12., Paul speaks of our present knowledge of God and spiritual things, as being like looking in a mirror that gives only a dim blurred reflection of reality. We do not have a silvered mirror, which can reveal every wrinkle and detail, we see, “as in a riddle, or enigma,” “ainigma,” but when perfection comes, we shall see in reality, face to face.” This face-to-face vision is the open vision of God in Heaven. Moses had this face-to-face revelation on earth, before he was in the kingdom, which shows he was at the pinnacle of prophetic ministry. Moses shows us that the quality of revelation has a great deal to do with the growth of love, and the quality of love. It is not without reason that Paul states the truth about Divine enigmas in the chapter on love and its relation to our Christian character and work. God desires to develop love in us through the events in our private lives and public ministries, and His gifts and ministries to us. Sometimes God deliberately veils the revelations He gives through visions and dreams, they are real enigmas, and two or three different meanings are possible. God does this very deliberately, and with infinite wisdom, to make us think and pray about the meaning of His visions and dreams. Samson's riddle was a real puzzle, and God can and often does, give us puzzles to solve with His parables and prophetic revelations. N.B. The present enigma of clear revealed truth being mixed with Divine prophetic puzzles. God has given the understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom to us, but we still experience clear revealed truth being mixed with Divine prophetic puzzles. Mt.13v10-17. Our perception of heaven and prophetic truth is fragmentary, we see an indistinct mirror image, as in a riddle or an enigma, until God's perfect kingdom comes. 1Cor.13v9,12. Daniel was puzzled and alarmed by some of the revelations he received. In Dan.7v1-28., Daniel had “a dream and visions of his head upon his bed:” of the world empires from Babylon to Rome, and the final antichrist, and this was followed by an awesome vision of the last great judgement, and this even filled the great prophet Daniel with awe, anxiety and alarm. The glory and the solemnity of seeing the Father judge the life histories of hundreds of millions of people, and directing and instructing millions of angels, all at the same time, devastated Daniel. He saw the eternal future of every creature being decided by the Almighty, and the effect even upon the great soul of Daniel was overwhelming. He says, in v15., “As for me, my spirit was grieved and anxious within me, and the visions of my head alarmed and agitated me.” Again, in v28., he says, “my thoughts greatly troubled and alarmed me, and my countenance was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.” There was no elation at receiving such a wonderful vision, Daniel was quite overwhelmed, awed and alarmed, and wondered what it all meant. He did not excitedly tell it out, he kept it to himself. It is important to note that Daniel had these immense eternal realities revealed to him in a dream, it was not a vague shadowy dream, but an actual living reality, and more authentic and factual than life. Daniel's “visions of his head,” were not just simple pictorial visions, they were mighty visions from God. Daniel had revealed to him the overruling providence of God in the empires of men, and saw in one mighty vision events covering many thousands of years, from the Babylonian empire right up to the last judgement at the end of the Millennium. This great revelation was almost too much for Daniel, the meaning of the judgement was clear; the puzzle was, Why to me? Why now? The answer was that God was sharing with Daniel, and revealing to the people of God some of the major events of world history. b. In Dan.8v26,27., we see the effects of another mighty vision, “And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterwards I arose and went about the king's business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.” The visions of future events concerning Medo-Persia and Greece and the final antichrist, were very puzzling, even to Daniel. The power of God quite overwhelmed Daniel and caused him to faint and be sick for several days. I have personally seen this happen to people under great prophetic power and revelation. Daniel was both enlightened and confused by the revelations God gave to him. In Daniel 9 to the end of 12, we see angelic ministry explaining major world events and the heavenly puzzles to Daniel. Gabriel came to Daniel with the most accurate prophecies concerning “thy people and thy holy city,” and the first and second coming of Christ. Dan.9v21,24. This kind of angelic ministry can take place when God desires to give major prophetic revelations to his prophets, the apostle John had the book of Revelation given to him by Christ's angel, “His angel.” Rev.1v1. 7v13-17. 10v8-11. 17v7-18. 19v9,10. 22v6-10. Peter's insight into the prophet's soul-trying puzzles. Many prophecies were soul-trying puzzles to the prophets. Peter tells us, in 1Pet.1v10-12., that the prophets had to seek God very diligently to find out WHAT, WHEN, and TO WHOM, their prophecies were addressed. Peter uses three very strong words to show the extent and intensity of their earnest seeking of God for the meaning of His prophetic word to them. "Enquired," v10, is “exezetesan,” the aorist active indicative of “ekzeteo,” to seek out,” it occurs here and in Lk.11v50,51. Acts.15v17. Rom.3v11. Heb.11v6. and 12v17. It speaks of an exhaustive seeking of God until an answer is obtained. The preposition in the compound is intensive. "Searched diligently," v10, is “exeraunesan,” the first aorist active indicative of “exereunao,” to search out diligently, it only occurs here in the New Testament; it speaks of a detailed and minute scrutiny, and a diligent and determined process of thought and investigation behind the seeking; a searching out. The preposition in the compound is intensive. "Searching," v11, is “ereunontes,” the present active participle of “ereunao,” to search; the uncompounded verb of the compound verb “exeraunesan” in v10., it occurs in Jn.5v39. 7v52. Rom.8v27. 1Cor.2v10. Rev.2v23.. The present tense shows the continuous seeking. These three words show how diligently and earnestly the prophets had to seek God to obtain the meaning and the timing of their prophecies; and they show us that real and protracted prayerful seeking of God is often needed to explain and understand the prophecies that God gives to us. God was speaking of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that would follow this, and it was revealed to them that these prophecies were not for themselves, but for the Church of Jesus. N.B. We often have to seek God more earnestly for enlightenment on a predictive prophecy than we do when we are seeking God for the reception of a prophecy. Finding out what a prophecy means is often more demanding than seeking God for the reception of a prophecy. Indeed, the prophetic Word of the Lord, can often come without warning, and without seeking God for it, whereas finding the meaning of a prophecy can demand considerable spiritual effort, and sometimes great personal pain, as in the case of Joseph. Great prophets were often puzzled and alarmed by the revelations they received; the prophecies in Is.53 and Ps.22., about the sufferings of Christ, were quite without meaning to the prophets who prophesied them until God revealed their meaning to them, after considerable diligent seeking of God. These revelations were usually partial revelations of the truth, the fulfilment of the prophecy giving the full light as to its meaning. A n example of this is the prophecy of Is.53v4., which states that Messiah would heal the sick; which Mt.8v16,17., expands the prophecy to mean that Christ would heal all through the merits of his future atonement. The fulfilment of the prophecy, filled out to the full, the meaning of the prophecy. The prophet’s utterances were often like a jigsaw puzzle, one prophet would give one piece of the jigsaw, another prophet another piece of the puzzle, their combined prophecies gave the full picture of God's purposes, and His wonderful plan of the ages. Eph.3v10,11. “God spoke in time past in many fragments and by various methods.” Heb.1v1. WHY GOD SPEAKS IN PUZZLES AND RIDDLES. We have a loving and good heavenly Father, and there are good reasons why He speaks to us in puzzles and riddles. God's puzzles can be a censoring device to hide facts until the right time comes. God's puzzles are a means of revealing truth and yet hiding it until the right time comes for its fulfilment. This principle is clearly seen in the story of Joseph, which we have just considered, and in Peter's vision of the animals in the sheet in Acts.10.. God did not explain the vision that He gave to Peter, the unclean animals in the sheet represented Peter's opinion of the Gentiles; God warned Peter that his attitude was wrong, and would hinder the purposes of God; and that what He had cleansed, Peter was not to call common, or unclean. God did not explain the revelation; He let events give illumination to it. This warns us not to try to force a premature interpretation, or give an authoritative immediate answer to every revelation; time alone may give the meaning to some of God's puzzles and riddles. Our Lord said that the truths that were revealed, perceived and experienced by the Christian babes under His care, were hidden even from “many prophets and kings,” because the time had not come for the revelation of those truths. Mt.13v16,17. Lk.10v21-24. God's puzzles can be censoring device to save embarrassment. God often gives His revelations in such a way that only the person to whom the prophecy applies can understand it. God desires to meet the deep needs of people, but He does not want to cause embarrassment to the person the prophecy applies to. God respects a person's desire for privacy. God can also confirm a revelation that has been given personally and privately to a child of God, by a puzzle that no one else understands. This shows, not only God's omniscient love; but also His respect for our privacy, and His desire not to cause embarrassment. God's puzzles can be deliberately ambiguous in meaning to bless us and test us. God's puzzles can try and test our faith and character. The Lord Jesus deliberately gave an ambiguous prophecy to Mary and Martha, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God.” It tested them to the very limit of their faith and character. This was the best thing that God could do for them, they would not have realised their limitations in faith without it.; nor would they have had the tremendous evangelical witness and spiritual impetus of the resurrection of Lazarus, or the revelation of our Lord as the resurrection and the life. They had prayed for our Lord's ministry to be manifest in full to the people, their trial was God's answer to their prayers. Our Lord knew exactly how Mary and Martha felt, both by revelation, and by experience too, for the Lord Jesus was tested and tried more than anyone. He had continual trials of faith, and had to believe God for bigger and bigger things. Christ's life was under continual testing and trial for the work of Saviour and High Priest. Our Lord had tens of thousands of trials of faith, and tens of thousands of victories of faith over trial. We can be tested by our interpretation of God's riddles. What is the reason for our interpretation? Is it motivated by love or criticism? If we have any wrong attitudes in our hearts, God will expose them, not just by revelation, but also by our interpretation of His Divine puzzles and riddles. The ambiguity of God's puzzles can both test us and bless us at the same time, just as the trials in the wilderness, humbled, tested and proved the Israelites. It is only when we are tested that we begin to realise the wonderful education of God, and we know that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Trials are a pressure point of God; God allows trials to test and improve our characters and spiritual state, and to do us good in the end. Deut.8v2-5,16. Gen.22v1-19. God's puzzles can be ambiguous in order to meet several needs at the same time. In a Christian gathering, there can be people with widely differing needs, but one ambiguous Divine riddle can meet the needs of several people at the same time, the Holy Spirit applying the interpretation to each heart. It is, therefore, very unwise to be dogmatic about the interpretation of some of God's pictorial and prophetic puzzles; God, in His wisdom, deliberately makes them ambiguous, in order to bless and meet the needs of several people at once. God's puzzles reveal spiritual truth to seekers and hide truth from the wilful. Our Lord's parables were not stories that He made up, Jesus said that His teaching was not His own, and that He only spoke what he received from the Father; God revealed to Jesus the parables He was to preach, they were prophetic revelations received directly from the Father. Jn.5v18,19,30. 8v28,38. Ps.78v2. with Mt.13v34,35. Jesus said that He spoke in parables in order to reveal truth to God's children, and to hide truth from those who wanted to be wilfully ignorant. Mt.13v10-17. The illumination was “given” and “revealed” by God to his children, and “hidden from the wise and prudent;” the illumination of God's riddles has never been due to human intellect; it has been by Divine revelation. Mt.11v25-27. 13v11. Lk.10v21-24. God's puzzles were used as a means of correction and conviction of sin. Nathan's parable of the rich man with many herds, and the poor man who had the one beloved little ewe lamb taken off him by the rich man, brought David to repentance when it was applied with a forceful, “Thou art the man.” 2Sam.11v1 to 12v15. Prophecy is used in the New Testament as a means of conviction and conversion, our Lord's riddle of the fountain of living water, which He offered to the Samaritan woman, being the most well known. Nicodemus was also challenged by the riddle of the new birth, and the wind of the Spirit. See also 1Cor.14v23-25. Christ's parables were used as a means of correction and defence, when opposition from His enemies was strong; His enemies perceived that He spoke some of His parables against them. Mt.21v45. Mk.12v12. Lk.13v1-8. 16v14-31. 20v19. etc. Christ's parables were also used on many occasions to correct the wrong ideas of His disciples. God's puzzles are intended to make us seek God and keep us in deep prayer. God's riddles can make us pray until we come to a place of power; in seeking God for clarification of a vision, we can get to a place of real power with God, just as Jacob did at Peniel, when God renamed Jacob, and called him Israel, a prince with God. Gen.32v22-32. It is a wonderful thing when the trials of life and God's puzzles make us into princes with God. In praying for a revelation Word of God to come to pass, our motives can be purified and purged, and our characters can be so transformed, that we reach the point where God can safely tell us clearly what His Divine puzzles mean. God's puzzles are designed to make us feel the fellowship of God's sufferings. There is joy in prophetic ministry, but there is also great pain, and the fellowship of God's suffering over His creation. The pain Joseph experienced in seeing God's revelation through, brought him the fellowship of the God's sufferings, and a ministry to millions. Our Lord's heart-broken weeping over Jerusalem was part of His prophetic burden for Israel, His body shook with the heavy sobbing; God has the deepest personal involvement with His creation. True prophets will always have this kind of burden; the burden of the word of the Lord. Words alone are certainly not sufficient to meet the deep needs of people; God wants us to feel as He feels, and speak as He speaks. The Divine puzzles are a means of causing us to seek Him until His love is revealed, not only TO US, but also IN US. It is not enough to just have the truth in our minds; for Paul informs us in 1Cor.13v2., that we can know all the Divine secrets, and be nothing; we need to experience the emotions and feelings of God in our hearts. God has educated prophets through life's problems, puzzles and trials. After God's request for Hosea to go and marry a harlot, Hosea experienced great traumas in his home life. These traumas with an unfaithful wife enabled Hosea to understand the feelings of God over unfaithful Israel. The experiences of daily life enabled Hosea to convey not only the truth of God, but also the feelings of God, and gave great weight to the utterance of his prophecies. God's puzzles make us marvel at the gentle and incredible wisdom of God. Paul said in Rom.11v33-36., “Oh, the depth (“O bathos”) of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out!” Is.40v13,14. We too can thank our dear heavenly Father, for the unfathomable depths and riches of His kind, and thoughtful wisdom, and His totally sacrificial love. “Unsearchable,” is “anexerauneta,” some of God’s wisdom can be known, much of it goes beyond human, or even angelic comprehension. “Past finding out,” is “anexichniastoi,” from the privative “a,” and “exichniazo,” to trace out by tracks, so it means, “not to be tracked out, incomprehensible, inscrutable.” We can see some of God's wisdom, but much of it is quite beyond our ability to trace and understand. Our all-wise Father can always outsmart Satan and his evil angels. When our Father's Divine puzzles come to pass, we often stand in open-mouthed astonishment at the manifold wisdom and grace of God, and His wonderful answers to our manifold temptations and trials. Eph.3v10. 1Pet.4v10. 1v6. The puzzles of the Divine silence, half revelation and unfulfilled prophecy. Sometimes God is totally silent when we think it is critically important to have direction by revelation. Elisha knew by revelation that the great woman of Shunem was in deep distress, but God hid the reason from him; her child had died, and yet God had not told Elisha about it. Perhaps the key is in the faith of this great woman of Shunem, when her child died, she did not even let her husband know about it, and said to him, “It is well,” and went to Elisha; she wanted an answer from God through Elisha. Her agonising question demanded an answer, “Did I ask a son of my Lord? Did I not say, 'Do not deceive me?” 2Kings.4v18-23,26-28. Her reply of, “It is well,” to Gehazi, reveals her expectation of faith; there was a mixture of great distress and great faith; she was saying, “God does not give, to take away, and distress and disappoint.” It was both a great trial of her faith, and a great victory of faith; and God would not allow Elisha to intervene prematurely. God may stop us from intervening in people's trials, so that they can prove Him for themselves. God hides facts from the very best prophets; and springs real surprises and outstanding miracles upon them, through other people's faith. The half revelations that leave out critical information can be very trying. This happened to most of the prophets. When this happens, we have to look up into the face of Divine love and say, I do not understand why; but I love you and trust you with all of my heart. The prophecy about the death of Lazarus, was an ambiguous half revelation, which tried the faith of Mary and Martha to the very limit, but Divine grace carried them through. The puzzles of unfulfilled prophecy. God's promises have a conditional, “If;” Israel did not get into Canaan as God had promised, because of their unbelief and sin. Heb.3v19 to 4v2. The Ninevites repented after Jonah's preaching and escaped God's judgement. The Divine potential in God's prophetic Word is conditional upon our response; even Jesus could do no great works in Nazareth. Mk.6v1-6. THE PAIN AND PRESSURE OF PROPHETIC MINISTRY AND GOD'S PUZZLES. Many people long for prophetic ministry, but do not realise the suffering that goes with it. We see from 2Chron.36v15-23., and our Lord's words in Mt.23v35-37., that prophets usually had a very hard time, and were often killed for their message. There is real suffering and heartbroken tears, as well as prediction. Lk.19v41-44. Ps.69v20,21. Joseph had the pain and pressure of providing material provision. Joseph suffered hatred persecution, slander, and imprisonment before God fulfilled His prophetic word to him; but God used all of this as part of His plan to prepare Joseph to be Prime Minister of Egypt. Joseph went through about fifteen years of severe trial because of the visions that God had given to him, and a further eight or nine years, before his brothers knelt before him as God had foretold. Gen.45v11. There was real pain in his soul, but God used the pain and pressure to produce the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit in Joseph's life. For years, one trial followed another, and everything seemed to go wrong for Joseph, then God gave Pharaoh his dreams. God had used all these problems to develop Joseph's prophetic ministry, and make Joseph His perfect instrument for saving the whole of the Middle East from tragic loss of life through famine, a fact which the Pharaoh himself clearly recognised. Ps.105v17-19. Gen.41v38. 50v20. Pharaoh elevated Joseph to the position that God had prepared him for. Suddenly, in one day, the first part of the vision was fulfilled; and a few years later, as Joseph's brothers knelt before him, everything became perfectly clear. God had worked the vision out. Gen.39v1,5,6,23. 41v39-44. 42v6. Joseph said God sent him to preserve life, even though his brothers' intentions were evil. Gen.45v5-8. 50v15-21. What wonderful forgiving love! Joseph was a really beautiful person; he was a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches ran over the wall. The Master of arrows, Satan, had shot at Joseph; through his family, and others who had evil motives; but the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, made Joseph strong, and blessed him, because he was separate from his brethren and dedicated in love. Gen.49v22-26. We can get into difficulty, if we try to work out a prophetic word with our efforts. God was with Joseph and prospered him, and He worked it all out. Moses had the pain of prophetic leadership. The pain over a nation's rebellion and criticism; and the pain for their spiritual progress. The mighty signs that God did through Moses shook the Middle East for hundreds of years; they filled the Philistines with awe and fear over 400 years after they occurred. 1Sam.4v7-9. Yet the Israelites rebelled repeatedly, and in the end broke the patience of this meekest, kindest and gentlest of men, and because of this God said he could not enter the Promised Land. Ps.106v32,33. Numb.20v10-12. 27v14. Deut.1v37. 3v26. 4v21. 34v4. Moses did not need puzzles to spur him on; he had the greater revelation of face-to-face conversation with our Lord. Elijah had the pain and pressure of persecution, spiritual opposition, exhaustion and loneliness. Elijah said, “I, I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” His spirit was broken, and he ran away from a revival; but God's grace and love restored him. 1Kings.19v1-21. N.B. v10-16. This is a lesson for us not to get isolated and lonely. Our Lord Jesus had the greatest pain and pressure of any prophet, yet He stood true. Christ had more persecution and spiritual opposition than any one. People continually spoke violently against Him, and the sufferings and reproach broke His heart and made Him full of heaviness and physically ill (Amplified Version); but He triumphantly endured it. Heb.12v2,3. Ps.69v20,21. In Mk.14v33., we are told that Jesus began to be “sore amazed,” “ekthambeo,” and deeply troubled and depressed at the extreme conflict and pressure he experienced in the garden of Gethsemane. “Ekthambeo,” means, “to throw into amazement or terror, to alarm thoroughly;” it is used of the people being “greatly amazed and fearful,” when they saw the residual glory and majesty that was still upon the face and person of Jesus as He came down from “the holy mount” of transfiguration. Mk.9v15. The glory of that experience strengthened our Lord to set His face steadfastly, like a flint, to go to Jerusalem; this flinty determination so effected His countenance, that it amazed and greatly frightened His disciples. Lk.9v51. Is.50v3-7. Mk.9v30-32. 10v32-34. “Ekthambeo” is also used to describe the amazement and fear of the women when the angel met them at the empty tomb. Mk.16v5,6. The pressure and conflict that Jesus endured in His determination to live sinlessly, and to fulfil His mission perfectly, was absolutely enormous, and is beyond our comprehension, and completely beyond praise. Jn.4v34. 17v4. 19v28,30. In spite of all Satan's efforts, Jesus lived sinlessly, and fulfilled His mission perfectly. When our Lord shouted in victory, “It is finished,” “tetelestai,” He was stating His perfect completion of the Father's will in every respect. Jn.19v30. “Tetelestai,” is the perfect passive indicative of “teleo,” “to bring to an end,” it carries the thought of completing and bringing to a goal; Jesus had fulfilled perfectly every goal the Father had set before Him. The perfect tense shows our Lord's continual state of perfect obedience to the Father's will. Jesus had perfectly fulfilled every Messianic prophecy, and every task that the Father had given Him to do up to the point of His death; and His death and resurrection would perfectly fulfil every other redemptive Messianic prophecy and type. The lamentations of Jesus over Jerusalem reveal the pain of true prophetic ministry. Our Lord’s intense grief, His words interrupted by uncontrollable sobbing, show the terrible pain and frustration Jesus felt over Israel's rejection of Himself and their consequent awful fate. Mt.23v37-39. Lk.19v41-44. The “strong cryings and tears” Jesus uttered in Gethsemane show the extreme pain He suffered in His soul in accomplishing our redemption. Heb.5v7. All prophets experience, in some measure, the fellowship of God's sufferings and the pain in His heart over human suffering. A revelation from God can be a truly painful puzzle. We can also see from Heb.11v35-39., that God has allowed some of His greatest prophets and servants to endure great trials and privations for the Word and Name of God. Serving God needs faith and courage and He gives “a good report” to those who suffer for truth. Josh.1v5-9. Heb.11v39. True prophetic ministry goes far beyond having the revelation and power gifts; it manifests the heart of God, as well as the mind and power of God. HOW TO OBTAIN VICTORY AND RELEASE FROM THE PUZZLES THAT PERPLEX. Release from prophetic pain and pressure by praise and worship and prophetic praise. Praise and worship are a major secret of victory according to Ps.95., which is quoted several times in Hebrews 3 and 4, when dealing with entering into our spiritual Canaan. This praise and worship can be with Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Eph.5v18,19. Col.3v16. The spiritually mature need the great hymns to feed and satisfy their souls; they will not be satisfied with infant music. With the prophetic puzzle, we need the prophetic praise and worship inspired by the Holy Spirit; a praise that is tailor made by the Holy Spirit to meet our need. Prophetic praise brings great release. This is a necessary but neglected sphere. 1Chron.16. and 25. Release from prophetic pain and pressure by resting in the Divine presence. God may puzzle us at times, but He will never leave or forsake us, so we can boldly say the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me. Heb.13v5,6. Draw near to God, our Father does not puzzle us to make idiots of us, unsearchable wisdom and love fully know our limitations, and will not test, try, or puzzle us above what we are able. 1Cor.10v13. CONCLUSION. God will bring us through our puzzles to an open face-to-face vision of Himself. One day all puzzles will be over, we will see our Father face to face and fully know as we are fully known. We will have the experience that Moses had on an even greater and more wonderful level. 1Cor.13v12. < >
The Disastrous effects Of The Doctrine Of Original Sin \| By His Stripes We Are Healed \| The Book Of Revelation \| The Second Coming Of Christ \| The Baptism And Gifts Of The Holy Spirit \| The Comforter Is Come

Appendix Two

God's parables, puzzles, riddles, and dark sayings

In Numb.12v1-15., Miriam and Aaron were very critical of Moses when he married a Cushite woman. Some think that Zipporah, Moses first wife, may have died and Moses had married again, for over forty years had passed since his marriage to Zipporah. Others think that it could have been Zipporah the Midianite, the sister of Jethro and the daughter of Reuel, the priest of Midian, and the mother of his two sons Gershom and Eliezer; because they say the land of Midian in Arabia was included in the land of Cush as well as Ethiopia, for Habakkuk links Midian with Cushan. Ex.2v21. 4v24-26. 18v2,6. Hab.3v7. Midian was a son of Abraham through Keturah. Gen.25v1-4. An Israelite was forbidden to marry a Canaanite, but not an Egyptian or a Cushite woman; Joseph married an Egyptian woman. Gen.24v3. 41v45. Exod.23v1-8. 34v11-16. Josh.17v18.

The wife of Moses could have been a dark skinned Ethiopian, or a less dark Midianite, but Miriam and Aaron did not approve, they were full of racial prejudice, and thought that his marriage was a great mistake. Did Miriam and Aaron carry this bitter criticism in their hearts against the marriage of Moses to Zipporah for over forty years old? It is possible; for the wives of leaders have often been bones of contention. Some think that Zipporah could have died ,and Moses had married again.

Miriam and Aaron used the prophetic ministries that God had given them as a basis for criticising Moses, they said in Numb.12v2., “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” God heard this and was displeased, because they were using their God-given spiritual ministries and gifts as a means of arrogantly criticising Moses. They pretended they were equal to Moses in prophetic ministry and spiritual experience, when he was far superior to them in both, and the Lord let them know it. The Lord says in His inspired commentary in Numb.12v3., “Now the man Moses was very meek and humble more than all men who were on the face of the earth.” God told Moses to write this down, for He who knew all men's hearts, knew that it was true. The word for “very” is “meh-ode,” and can be used with other words, like the English, as an intensive or superlative; the superlative is given in the Divine commentary. The word for “meek” is “anav,” (from “aw-naw,” “looking down;”) it can be used for those who are depressed, or poor in circumstances. However, Hebrew scholars agree that the thought behind “anav” in Numb.12v3., is that Moses was not only little in his own eyes, and was very meek, humble, and lowly-minded; he was also very saintly, patient, gentle and kind. The Authorised Version translates “anav;” as “meek” in Ps.22v6. 25v9. 37v11. 76v9. 147v6. 149v4. Is.11v4. 29v19. 61v1. Amos.2v7. and Zeph.2v3.; and humble in Ps.9v12. 10v12,17. 34v2. and 69v32.; and “lowly” in Prov.3v34. and 16v19.; and “poor” in Job.24v4. Ps.18v18. Is.32v7. and Amos.8v4.

The character of Moses is the key to his prophetic ministry, the mightiest man in spiritual power under the Old Covenant; was the gentlest, humblest,, and kindest soul in all the world. The criticism of Moses was totally uncalled for, and his brother and sister had to be taught a lesson in humility. God calls them to the tabernacle and comes down in a pillar of cloud and talks to them. This was almost certainly the Lord Jesus, God the Word, the messenger of the Father. We can learn a great deal about prophetic ministry from the words of our Lord on this occasion.

GOD SHOWS THE GREAT SUPERIORITY OF THE PROPHETIC MINISTRY OF MOSES.
The difference between dream and vision ministry and open visions of God.
Our Lord told Miriam and Aaron, in Numb.12v6-10., of the vast difference between a dream and vision ministry and the direct face-to-face conversation with Himself, He said that Moses had reached the pinnacle of prophetic ministry, but they had still a long way to go. Our Lord said, “If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make myself known to him in a vision, and speak to him in a dream. v7. But not so with my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. (Heb.3v2-6.) v8. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he beholds the form of the Lord. v9. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and He departed. v10. And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was a leper.” This discipline brought illumination, humiliation, and repentance. Moses asked God to heal Miriam, but the Lord insisted that Miriam should remain leprous, and be shut out of the camp for seven days. This was a necessary lesson for them and all the people of God, they were warned not to criticise such a great prophet. This stopped their niggling criticism, and doubtless brought a healthy fear among the people of God. When Ananias and Sapphira died for their sin, it brought a very healthy fear of God and sin, in the early Church at Jerusalem. Acts.5v5,11.

God explained to Aaron and Miriam that there are revelation gifts, and great revelation gifts; the very top level of prophetic ministry is face to face communion with God The greatest seers have all had visions of God, and we should be suitably humbled by this, and not think more highly of ourselves than we should. We should not deceive ourselves; no one has reached the highest level of prophetic ministry until they have had visions of the Father and Jesus, and continual revelations directly from them, of their plans, knowledge and wisdom. To these great prophets God unveils facts that His all seeing eye sees, and which He desires them to know, they see things as God sees them, without symbolic pictures, visions and dreams, with direct, clear impartation of knowledge personally from the mouth of the Lord. This was the very point that Paul made in 2Cor.12v1-4., when he was defending his ministry against the attacks of the Judaizers. Paul states that he had an experience similar to Moses, he was caught up to heaven and heard such confidential Divine secrets that God would not allow him to repeat them; this proved that his ministry had reached the highest levels of spiritual power and authority. In Gal.1v11,12., Paul states that he received his Gospel by direct face-to-face revelation from the Lord Jesus.

The difference between Divine puzzle visions and open conversation with God.
The word for “dark sayings” in Numb.12v8., is “chiydah,” (Strong 2420,) which means, “a puzzle, a trick, conundrum, dark saying, hard question, parable, proverb, oracle and riddle.” “Chiydah” occurs 17 times, in the Hebrew Old Testament.

In Numb.12v8., God uses “chiydah,” when He tells Miriam and Aaron that His face to face conversation of Moses was the ultimate in methods of revelation, and a far superior to His normal method of revelation by “dark sayings” to most prophets. God's use of it here gives a valuable insight into prophetic ministry, and God's methods of revelation to His prophets.

In Judges.14v12-19., “chiydah” occurs eight times over Samson's riddle. The Philistine Lords threatened Samson's wife and her family with death if she did not find out the riddle, and so she coaxed the meaning of the riddle out of Samson.

In 1King.10v1. and 2Chron.9v1., “chiydah” is used of the “hard questions” that the Queen of Sheba tried Solomon with.

In Prov.1v6., Solomon states that one of his reasons for writing his book of proverbs, was to help people understand dark sayings, which are too profound to be understood by the foolish and simple.

In Ps.49v4., “chiydah” is used of a psalmist with a harp, singing a proverb and dark saying, which told the sad end of those who trust in riches; this was a riddle indeed to the greedy rich, but open truth to the children of God.

In Ps.78v2., Asaph uses “chiydah” in his prophecy that Jesus would tell hidden truths and dark sayings in His parables. This is quoted in Mt.13v34,35., when Jesus told a series of parables to the people, with the stated intention of hiding Divine truth from those who did not want to receive it, while revealing Divine truths and mysteries to those who did. Mt.13v10-17.

In Ezek.17v2., God gives a parabolic riddle of the vine, Israel, and two eagles, Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh. God warns that Israel's hope of deliverance by aid from Pharaoh was in vain; there was no escape from the Divine discipline of the Babylonian captivity, the Lord finishes with a message of hope in v22-24., God does not leave them without hope, this Divine encouragement in Divine discipline, is a very necessary mark of true prophecy. Ezek.17v1-24.

In Hab.2v6., God makes a proverb and “taunting riddle” to the greedy and idolatrous in Israel.

In Dan.8v23. of Satan's dark sayings. God uses “chiydah” to reveal that the Antichrist, “the little horn” of Dan.7v8,11,21,22,24,25., “will understand dark sayings.” Antichrist is the most powerful occultist of all time, and he not only knows the evil plans of Satan, but is also the chief instrument in bringing them to pass. Some have said that “understand dark sentences,” is referring to Antichrist's diplomatic cunning and deceit. That “chiydah” can mean much more than diplomatic cunning, can be seen from its use in the above Scriptures; and also from the fact that the diplomatic cunning and deceit of Antichrist is referred to in Dan.8v25., where it states, “through his policy also, he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many.” The Scriptures tell us that Satan will give his power to Antichrist and dominate and direct his mind and actions. Dan.8v24. Rev.13v4. Antichrist revels in the power that flows from the supernatural knowledge that Satan possesses and gives to him. The knowledge that is given by Satan's “dark sentences,” gives Antichrist power over men, as well as supernatural diplomatic deceit, and guidance and strategy in war.

Satan has long used the bait of false knowledge as a snare to mankind, he used it to corrupt Adam and Eve; and he has made morons of the wise and intelligent in the areas of science and evolution, in a vain effort to explain away God as the great Creator. Gen.3v5-7. Rom.1v18-23. In v22., “fools,” is “moraino.” The fallen angels, who came and took upon them human form, and lived as men; are called, among other names, by the name “Nephilim.” They are reported in ancient legends to have obtained influence over mankind, and worship as Gods, by their superior knowledge. An alternative name for the Nephilim, is “rephaim,” which means “healers,” and in the Septuagint it is actually rendered as “iatroi,” that is, “physicians,” in Ps.88v10. and Is.26v14.; but in other places “rephaim” has been translated into the Greek as “giant” or “Titan.” Superior medical knowledge has always impressed mankind; when Satan is expelled from the heavenly places into the earth at the start of the great tribulation, he will undoubtedly make superior medical knowledge one of his ploys to deceive mankind. The claim to superior knowledge has always been made by the servants of Satan, the Gnostics, Theosophists, and other occult masters, they often claim that their knowledge was derived from angels, or other supernatural beings. According to Rev.7v7-12. and 13v42., after Satan is cast out of the heavenly places to earth, he gives his power, knowledge and wisdom to the Antichrist.

Antichrist will be possessed and energised by Satan. Gabriel told Daniel in Dan.8v24, that Antichrist's “power shall be mighty, but not by his own power.” The apostle John on Patmos, over 600 years later, was told the identical facts, “the dragon gave him his power, and his throne and great authority.” Satan shares his powers of mind and being with the Antichrist. It is out of the malevolent, vicious and sadistic mind of Satan that the horrors of the last days are conceived and brought into being. Antichrist is the most powerful occultist of all time, and he not only knows the evil plans of Satan, but is also the chief instrument in bringing them to pass. 2Thes.2v7. Antichrist, like Judas, will be possessed by Satan and fulfil his evil plans; they are both called “the son of perdition,” having reached the ultimate in evil; Judas by his betrayal of Jesus, and Antichrist by bringing into reality Satan's plans to dominate and destroy the world. Jn.13v27. 2Thes.2v3. The children of God have revealed to them, not only the wonderful plans of our heavenly Father, “the mysteries of the kingdom of God;” they have also been told about Satan's evil plans, “the mystery of iniquity.” Mt.13v11,16,17. Rev.10v7. Eph.3v10,11. 2Thes.2v7.

IT IS A FACT THAT GOD SPEAKS IN PUZZLES, RIDDLES AND DARK SAYINGS.
These ambiguous puzzles, enigmas, and riddles are divinely ordained.
When critics say that visions and dreams are dangerous, because they an at times be vague, and be misunderstood, they criticise the wisdom and will of God; for God has decreed that He is going to speak in this way, and we have to accept it.

Paul speaks of the blurred image of Divine revelation.
In 1Cor.13v12., Paul speaks of our present knowledge of God and spiritual things, as being like looking in a mirror that gives only a dim blurred reflection of reality. We do not have a silvered mirror, which can reveal every wrinkle and detail, we see, “as in a riddle, or enigma,” “ainigma,” but when perfection comes, we shall see in reality, face to face.” This face-to-face vision is the open vision of God in Heaven. Moses had this face-to-face revelation on earth, before he was in the kingdom, which shows he was at the pinnacle of prophetic ministry. Moses shows us that the quality of revelation has a great deal to do with the growth of love, and the quality of love. It is not without reason that Paul states the truth about Divine enigmas in the chapter on love and its relation to our Christian character and work. God desires to develop love in us through the events in our private lives and public ministries, and His gifts and ministries to us. Sometimes God deliberately veils the revelations He gives through visions and dreams, they are real enigmas, and two or three different meanings are possible. God does this very deliberately, and with infinite wisdom, to make us think and pray about the meaning of His visions and dreams. Samson's riddle was a real puzzle, and God can and often does, give us puzzles to solve with His parables and prophetic revelations.

N.B. The present enigma of clear revealed truth being mixed with Divine prophetic puzzles.
God has given the understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom to us, but we still experience clear revealed truth being mixed with Divine prophetic puzzles. Mt.13v10-17. Our perception of heaven and prophetic truth is fragmentary, we see an indistinct mirror image, as in a riddle or an enigma, until God's perfect kingdom comes. 1Cor.13v9,12.

Daniel was puzzled and alarmed by some of the revelations he received.
In Dan.7v1-28., Daniel had “a dream and visions of his head upon his bed:” of the world empires from Babylon to Rome, and the final antichrist, and this was followed by an awesome vision of the last great judgement, and this even filled the great prophet Daniel with awe, anxiety and alarm. The glory and the solemnity of seeing the Father judge the life histories of hundreds of millions of people, and directing and instructing millions of angels, all at the same time, devastated Daniel. He saw the eternal future of every creature being decided by the Almighty, and the effect even upon the great soul of Daniel was overwhelming. He says, in v15., “As for me, my spirit was grieved and anxious within me, and the visions of my head alarmed and agitated me.” Again, in v28., he says, “my thoughts greatly troubled and alarmed me, and my countenance was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.” There was no elation at receiving such a wonderful vision, Daniel was quite overwhelmed, awed and alarmed, and wondered what it all meant. He did not excitedly tell it out, he kept it to himself.

It is important to note that Daniel had these immense eternal realities revealed to him in a dream, it was not a vague shadowy dream, but an actual living reality, and more authentic and factual than life. Daniel's “visions of his head,” were not just simple pictorial visions, they were mighty visions from God. Daniel had revealed to him the overruling providence of God in the empires of men, and saw in one mighty vision events covering many thousands of years, from the Babylonian empire right up to the last judgement at the end of the Millennium. This great revelation was almost too much for Daniel, the meaning of the judgement was clear; the puzzle was, Why to me? Why now? The answer was that God was sharing with Daniel, and revealing to the people of God some of the major events of world history.

b. In Dan.8v26,27., we see the effects of another mighty vision, “And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterwards I arose and went about the king's business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.” The visions of future events concerning Medo-Persia and Greece and the final antichrist, were very puzzling, even to Daniel. The power of God quite overwhelmed Daniel and caused him to faint and be sick for several days. I have personally seen this happen to people under great prophetic power and revelation. Daniel was both enlightened and confused by the revelations God gave to him.

In Daniel 9 to the end of 12, we see angelic ministry explaining major world events and the heavenly puzzles to Daniel. Gabriel came to Daniel with the most accurate prophecies concerning “thy people and thy holy city,” and the first and second coming of Christ. Dan.9v21,24. This kind of angelic ministry can take place when God desires to give major prophetic revelations to his prophets, the apostle John had the book of Revelation given to him by Christ's angel, “His angel.” Rev.1v1. 7v13-17. 10v8-11. 17v7-18. 19v9,10. 22v6-10.

Peter's insight into the prophet's soul-trying puzzles.
Many prophecies were soul-trying puzzles to the prophets. Peter tells us, in 1Pet.1v10-12., that the prophets had to seek God very diligently to find out WHAT, WHEN, and TO WHOM, their prophecies were addressed. Peter uses three very strong words to show the extent and intensity of their earnest seeking of God for the meaning of His prophetic word to them.

"Enquired," v10, is “exezetesan,” the aorist active indicative of “ekzeteo,” to seek out,” it occurs here and in Lk.11v50,51. Acts.15v17. Rom.3v11. Heb.11v6. and 12v17. It speaks of an exhaustive seeking of God until an answer is obtained. The preposition in the compound is intensive.

"Searched diligently," v10, is “exeraunesan,” the first aorist active indicative of “exereunao,” to search out diligently, it only occurs here in the New Testament; it speaks of a detailed and minute scrutiny, and a diligent and determined process of thought and investigation behind the seeking; a searching out. The preposition in the compound is intensive.

"Searching," v11, is “ereunontes,” the present active participle of “ereunao,” to search; the uncompounded verb of the compound verb “exeraunesan” in v10., it occurs in Jn.5v39. 7v52. Rom.8v27. 1Cor.2v10. Rev.2v23.. The present tense shows the continuous seeking.

These three words show how diligently and earnestly the prophets had to seek God to obtain the meaning and the timing of their prophecies; and they show us that real and protracted prayerful seeking of God is often needed to explain and understand the prophecies that God gives to us. God was speaking of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that would follow this, and it was revealed to them that these prophecies were not for themselves, but for the Church of Jesus.

N.B. We often have to seek God more earnestly for enlightenment on a predictive prophecy than we do when we are seeking God for the reception of a prophecy. Finding out what a prophecy means is often more demanding than seeking God for the reception of a prophecy. Indeed, the prophetic Word of the Lord, can often come without warning, and without seeking God for it, whereas finding the meaning of a prophecy can demand considerable spiritual effort, and sometimes great personal pain, as in the case of Joseph. Great prophets were often puzzled and alarmed by the revelations they received; the prophecies in Is.53 and Ps.22., about the sufferings of Christ, were quite without meaning to the prophets who prophesied them until God revealed their meaning to them, after considerable diligent seeking of God. These revelations were usually partial revelations of the truth, the fulfilment of the prophecy giving the full light as to its meaning. A n example of this is the prophecy of Is.53v4., which states that Messiah would heal the sick; which Mt.8v16,17., expands the prophecy to mean that Christ would heal all through the merits of his future atonement. The fulfilment of the prophecy, filled out to the full, the meaning of the prophecy. The prophet’s utterances were often like a jigsaw puzzle, one prophet would give one piece of the jigsaw, another prophet another piece of the puzzle, their combined prophecies gave the full picture of God's purposes, and His wonderful plan of the ages. Eph.3v10,11. “God spoke in time past in many fragments and by various methods.” Heb.1v1.

WHY GOD SPEAKS IN PUZZLES AND RIDDLES.
We have a loving and good heavenly Father, and there are good reasons why He speaks to us in puzzles and riddles.
God's puzzles can be a censoring device to hide facts until the right time comes.
God's puzzles are a means of revealing truth and yet hiding it until the right time comes for its fulfilment. This principle is clearly seen in the story of Joseph, which we have just considered, and in Peter's vision of the animals in the sheet in Acts.10.. God did not explain the vision that He gave to Peter, the unclean animals in the sheet represented Peter's opinion of the Gentiles; God warned Peter that his attitude was wrong, and would hinder the purposes of God; and that what He had cleansed, Peter was not to call common, or unclean. God did not explain the revelation; He let events give illumination to it. This warns us not to try to force a premature interpretation, or give an authoritative immediate answer to every revelation; time alone may give the meaning to some of God's puzzles and riddles. Our Lord said that the truths that were revealed, perceived and experienced by the Christian babes under His care, were hidden even from “many prophets and kings,” because the time had not come for the revelation of those truths. Mt.13v16,17. Lk.10v21-24.

God's puzzles can be censoring device to save embarrassment.
God often gives His revelations in such a way that only the person to whom the prophecy applies can understand it. God desires to meet the deep needs of people, but He does not want to cause embarrassment to the person the prophecy applies to. God respects a person's desire for privacy. God can also confirm a revelation that has been given personally and privately to a child of God, by a puzzle that no one else understands. This shows, not only God's omniscient love; but also His respect for our privacy, and His desire not to cause embarrassment.

God's puzzles can be deliberately ambiguous in meaning to bless us and test us.
God's puzzles can try and test our faith and character. The Lord Jesus deliberately gave an ambiguous prophecy to Mary and Martha, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God.” It tested them to the very limit of their faith and character. This was the best thing that God could do for them, they would not have realised their limitations in faith without it.; nor would they have had the tremendous evangelical witness and spiritual impetus of the resurrection of Lazarus, or the revelation of our Lord as the resurrection and the life. They had prayed for our Lord's ministry to be manifest in full to the people, their trial was God's answer to their prayers. Our Lord knew exactly how Mary and Martha felt, both by revelation, and by experience too, for the Lord Jesus was tested and tried more than anyone. He had continual trials of faith, and had to believe God for bigger and bigger things. Christ's life was under continual testing and trial for the work of Saviour and High Priest. Our Lord had tens of thousands of trials of faith, and tens of thousands of victories of faith over trial.

We can be tested by our interpretation of God's riddles. What is the reason for our interpretation? Is it motivated by love or criticism? If we have any wrong attitudes in our hearts, God will expose them, not just by revelation, but also by our interpretation of His Divine puzzles and riddles. The ambiguity of God's puzzles can both test us and bless us at the same time, just as the trials in the wilderness, humbled, tested and proved the Israelites. It is only when we are tested that we begin to realise the wonderful education of God, and we know that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Trials are a pressure point of God; God allows trials to test and improve our characters and spiritual state, and to do us good in the end. Deut.8v2-5,16. Gen.22v1-19.

God's puzzles can be ambiguous in order to meet several needs at the same time.
In a Christian gathering, there can be people with widely differing needs, but one ambiguous Divine riddle can meet the needs of several people at the same time, the Holy Spirit applying the interpretation to each heart. It is, therefore, very unwise to be dogmatic about the interpretation of some of God's pictorial and prophetic puzzles; God, in His wisdom, deliberately makes them ambiguous, in order to bless and meet the needs of several people at once.

God's puzzles reveal spiritual truth to seekers and hide truth from the wilful.
Our Lord's parables were not stories that He made up, Jesus said that His teaching was not His own, and that He only spoke what he received from the Father; God revealed to Jesus the parables He was to preach, they were prophetic revelations received directly from the Father. Jn.5v18,19,30. 8v28,38. Ps.78v2. with Mt.13v34,35. Jesus said that He spoke in parables in order to reveal truth to God's children, and to hide truth from those who wanted to be wilfully ignorant. Mt.13v10-17. The illumination was “given” and “revealed” by God to his children, and “hidden from the wise and prudent;” the illumination of God's riddles has never been due to human intellect; it has been by Divine revelation. Mt.11v25-27. 13v11. Lk.10v21-24.

God's puzzles were used as a means of correction and conviction of sin.
Nathan's parable of the rich man with many herds, and the poor man who had the one beloved little ewe lamb taken off him by the rich man, brought David to repentance when it was applied with a forceful, “Thou art the man.” 2Sam.11v1 to 12v15. Prophecy is used in the New Testament as a means of conviction and conversion, our Lord's riddle of the fountain of living water, which He offered to the Samaritan woman, being the most well known. Nicodemus was also challenged by the riddle of the new birth, and the wind of the Spirit. See also 1Cor.14v23-25. Christ's parables were used as a means of correction and defence, when opposition from His enemies was strong; His enemies perceived that He spoke some of His parables against them. Mt.21v45. Mk.12v12. Lk.13v1-8. 16v14-31. 20v19. etc. Christ's parables were also used on many occasions to correct the wrong ideas of His disciples.

God's puzzles are intended to make us seek God and keep us in deep prayer.
God's riddles can make us pray until we come to a place of power; in seeking God for clarification of a vision, we can get to a place of real power with God, just as Jacob did at Peniel, when God renamed Jacob, and called him Israel, a prince with God. Gen.32v22-32. It is a wonderful thing when the trials of life and God's puzzles make us into princes with God. In praying for a revelation Word of God to come to pass, our motives can be purified and purged, and our characters can be so transformed, that we reach the point where God can safely tell us clearly what His Divine puzzles mean.

God's puzzles are designed to make us feel the fellowship of God's sufferings.
There is joy in prophetic ministry, but there is also great pain, and the fellowship of God's suffering over His creation. The pain Joseph experienced in seeing God's revelation through, brought him the fellowship of the God's sufferings, and a ministry to millions. Our Lord's heart-broken weeping over Jerusalem was part of His prophetic burden for Israel, His body shook with the heavy sobbing; God has the deepest personal involvement with His creation. True prophets will always have this kind of burden; the burden of the word of the Lord. Words alone are certainly not sufficient to meet the deep needs of people; God wants us to feel as He feels, and speak as He speaks. The Divine puzzles are a means of causing us to seek Him until His love is revealed, not only TO US, but also IN US. It is not enough to just have the truth in our minds; for Paul informs us in 1Cor.13v2., that we can know all the Divine secrets, and be nothing; we need to experience the emotions and feelings of God in our hearts. God has educated prophets through life's problems, puzzles and trials. After God's request for Hosea to go and marry a harlot, Hosea experienced great traumas in his home life. These traumas with an unfaithful wife enabled Hosea to understand the feelings of God over unfaithful Israel. The experiences of daily life enabled Hosea to convey not only the truth of God, but also the feelings of God, and gave great weight to the utterance of his prophecies.

God's puzzles make us marvel at the gentle and incredible wisdom of God.
Paul said in Rom.11v33-36., “Oh, the depth (“O bathos”) of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out!” Is.40v13,14. We too can thank our dear heavenly Father, for the unfathomable depths and riches of His kind, and thoughtful wisdom, and His totally sacrificial love. “Unsearchable,” is “anexerauneta,” some of God’s wisdom can be known, much of it goes beyond human, or even angelic comprehension. “Past finding out,” is “anexichniastoi,” from the privative “a,” and “exichniazo,” to trace out by tracks, so it means, “not to be tracked out, incomprehensible, inscrutable.” We can see some of God's wisdom, but much of it is quite beyond our ability to trace and understand. Our all-wise Father can always outsmart Satan and his evil angels. When our Father's Divine puzzles come to pass, we often stand in open-mouthed astonishment at the manifold wisdom and grace of God, and His wonderful answers to our manifold temptations and trials. Eph.3v10. 1Pet.4v10. 1v6.

The puzzles of the Divine silence, half revelation and unfulfilled prophecy.
Sometimes God is totally silent when we think it is critically important to have direction by revelation.
Elisha knew by revelation that the great woman of Shunem was in deep distress, but God hid the reason from him; her child had died, and yet God had not told Elisha about it. Perhaps the key is in the faith of this great woman of Shunem, when her child died, she did not even let her husband know about it, and said to him, “It is well,” and went to Elisha; she wanted an answer from God through Elisha. Her agonising question demanded an answer, “Did I ask a son of my Lord? Did I not say, 'Do not deceive me?” 2Kings.4v18-23,26-28. Her reply of, “It is well,” to Gehazi, reveals her expectation of faith; there was a mixture of great distress and great faith; she was saying, “God does not give, to take away, and distress and disappoint.” It was both a great trial of her faith, and a great victory of faith; and God would not allow Elisha to intervene prematurely. God may stop us from intervening in people's trials, so that they can prove Him for themselves. God hides facts from the very best prophets; and springs real surprises and outstanding miracles upon them, through other people's faith.

The half revelations that leave out critical information can be very trying.
This happened to most of the prophets. When this happens, we have to look up into the face of Divine love and say, I do not understand why; but I love you and trust you with all of my heart. The prophecy about the death of Lazarus, was an ambiguous half revelation, which tried the faith of Mary and Martha to the very limit, but Divine grace carried them through.

The puzzles of unfulfilled prophecy.
God's promises have a conditional, “If;” Israel did not get into Canaan as God had promised, because of their unbelief and sin. Heb.3v19 to 4v2. The Ninevites repented after Jonah's preaching and escaped God's judgement. The Divine potential in God's prophetic Word is conditional upon our response; even Jesus could do no great works in Nazareth. Mk.6v1-6.

THE PAIN AND PRESSURE OF PROPHETIC MINISTRY AND GOD'S PUZZLES.
Many people long for prophetic ministry, but do not realise the suffering that goes with it. We see from 2Chron.36v15-23., and our Lord's words in Mt.23v35-37., that prophets usually had a very hard time, and were often killed for their message. There is real suffering and heartbroken tears, as well as prediction. Lk.19v41-44. Ps.69v20,21.

Joseph had the pain and pressure of providing material provision.
Joseph suffered hatred persecution, slander, and imprisonment before God fulfilled His prophetic word to him; but God used all of this as part of His plan to prepare Joseph to be Prime Minister of Egypt. Joseph went through about fifteen years of severe trial because of the visions that God had given to him, and a further eight or nine years, before his brothers knelt before him as God had foretold. Gen.45v11. There was real pain in his soul, but God used the pain and pressure to produce the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit in Joseph's life. For years, one trial followed another, and everything seemed to go wrong for Joseph, then God gave Pharaoh his dreams. God had used all these problems to develop Joseph's prophetic ministry, and make Joseph His perfect instrument for saving the whole of the Middle East from tragic loss of life through famine, a fact which the Pharaoh himself clearly recognised. Ps.105v17-19. Gen.41v38. 50v20. Pharaoh elevated Joseph to the position that God had prepared him for. Suddenly, in one day, the first part of the vision was fulfilled; and a few years later, as Joseph's brothers knelt before him, everything became perfectly clear. God had worked the vision out. Gen.39v1,5,6,23. 41v39-44. 42v6. Joseph said God sent him to preserve life, even though his brothers' intentions were evil. Gen.45v5-8. 50v15-21. What wonderful forgiving love! Joseph was a really beautiful person; he was a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches ran over the wall. The Master of arrows, Satan, had shot at Joseph; through his family, and others who had evil motives; but the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, made Joseph strong, and blessed him, because he was separate from his brethren and dedicated in love. Gen.49v22-26. We can get into difficulty, if we try to work out a prophetic word with our efforts. God was with Joseph and prospered him, and He worked it all out.

Moses had the pain of prophetic leadership.
The pain over a nation's rebellion and criticism; and the pain for their spiritual progress. The mighty signs that God did through Moses shook the Middle East for hundreds of years; they filled the Philistines with awe and fear over 400 years after they occurred. 1Sam.4v7-9. Yet the Israelites rebelled repeatedly, and in the end broke the patience of this meekest, kindest and gentlest of men, and because of this God said he could not enter the Promised Land. Ps.106v32,33. Numb.20v10-12. 27v14. Deut.1v37. 3v26. 4v21. 34v4. Moses did not need puzzles to spur him on; he had the greater revelation of face-to-face conversation with our Lord.

Elijah had the pain and pressure of persecution, spiritual opposition, exhaustion and loneliness.
Elijah said, “I, I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” His spirit was broken, and he ran away from a revival; but God's grace and love restored him. 1Kings.19v1-21. N.B. v10-16. This is a lesson for us not to get isolated and lonely.

Our Lord Jesus had the greatest pain and pressure of any prophet, yet He stood true.
Christ had more persecution and spiritual opposition than any one. People continually spoke violently against Him, and the sufferings and reproach broke His heart and made Him full of heaviness and physically ill (Amplified Version); but He triumphantly endured it. Heb.12v2,3. Ps.69v20,21. In Mk.14v33., we are told that Jesus began to be “sore amazed,” “ekthambeo,” and deeply troubled and depressed at the extreme conflict and pressure he experienced in the garden of Gethsemane. “Ekthambeo,” means, “to throw into amazement or terror, to alarm thoroughly;” it is used of the people being “greatly amazed and fearful,” when they saw the residual glory and majesty that was still upon the face and person of Jesus as He came down from “the holy mount” of transfiguration. Mk.9v15. The glory of that experience strengthened our Lord to set His face steadfastly, like a flint, to go to Jerusalem; this flinty determination so effected His countenance, that it amazed and greatly frightened His disciples. Lk.9v51. Is.50v3-7. Mk.9v30-32. 10v32-34. “Ekthambeo” is also used to describe the amazement and fear of the women when the angel met them at the empty tomb. Mk.16v5,6.

The pressure and conflict that Jesus endured in His determination to live sinlessly, and to fulfil His mission perfectly, was absolutely enormous, and is beyond our comprehension, and completely beyond praise. Jn.4v34. 17v4. 19v28,30. In spite of all Satan's efforts, Jesus lived sinlessly, and fulfilled His mission perfectly. When our Lord shouted in victory, “It is finished,” “tetelestai,” He was stating His perfect completion of the Father's will in every respect. Jn.19v30. “Tetelestai,” is the perfect passive indicative of “teleo,” “to bring to an end,” it carries the thought of completing and bringing to a goal; Jesus had fulfilled perfectly every goal the Father had set before Him. The perfect tense shows our Lord's continual state of perfect obedience to the Father's will. Jesus had perfectly fulfilled every Messianic prophecy, and every task that the Father had given Him to do up to the point of His death; and His death and resurrection would perfectly fulfil every other redemptive Messianic prophecy and type.

The lamentations of Jesus over Jerusalem reveal the pain of true prophetic ministry. Our Lord’s intense grief, His words interrupted by uncontrollable sobbing, show the terrible pain and frustration Jesus felt over Israel's rejection of Himself and their consequent awful fate. Mt.23v37-39. Lk.19v41-44. The “strong cryings and tears” Jesus uttered in Gethsemane show the extreme pain He suffered in His soul in accomplishing our redemption. Heb.5v7. All prophets experience, in some measure, the fellowship of God's sufferings and the pain in His heart over human suffering. A revelation from God can be a truly painful puzzle. We can also see from Heb.11v35-39., that God has allowed some of His greatest prophets and servants to endure great trials and privations for the Word and Name of God. Serving God needs faith and courage and He gives “a good report” to those who suffer for truth. Josh.1v5-9. Heb.11v39. True prophetic ministry goes far beyond having the revelation and power gifts; it manifests the heart of God, as well as the mind and power of God.

HOW TO OBTAIN VICTORY AND RELEASE FROM THE PUZZLES THAT PERPLEX.
Release from prophetic pain and pressure by praise and worship and prophetic praise.
Praise and worship are a major secret of victory according to Ps.95., which is quoted several times in Hebrews 3 and 4, when dealing with entering into our spiritual Canaan. This praise and worship can be with Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Eph.5v18,19. Col.3v16. The spiritually mature need the great hymns to feed and satisfy their souls; they will not be satisfied with infant music. With the prophetic puzzle, we need the prophetic praise and worship inspired by the Holy Spirit; a praise that is tailor made by the Holy Spirit to meet our need. Prophetic praise brings great release. This is a necessary but neglected sphere. 1Chron.16. and 25.

Release from prophetic pain and pressure by resting in the Divine presence.
God may puzzle us at times, but He will never leave or forsake us, so we can boldly say the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me. Heb.13v5,6. Draw near to God, our Father does not puzzle us to make idiots of us, unsearchable wisdom and love fully know our limitations, and will not test, try, or puzzle us above what we are able. 1Cor.10v13.

CONCLUSION.
God will bring us through our puzzles to an open face-to-face vision of Himself. One day all puzzles will be over, we will see our Father face to face and fully know as we are fully known. We will have the experience that Moses had on an even greater and more wonderful level. 1Cor.13v12.

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