Historical records have always
been relegated to a lower class or position regarding Biblical history while
the Bible has been elevated over historical documentation. Yet we find some
interesting answers to Biblical obscurities when reading history. The death and
body of Moses seem to be a subject surrounded in some mystery. Moses wrote in
the sacred books that he died, which is obviously something he wrote before he
died. The devil wanted his body after he died. But why? When we look into
Josephus’ documentation, we realize that Josephus had been using other
historical writings, as he was not an eye witness to Moses and the exodus. If
we quickly dismiss Josephus or the writings he used to document history, we
will be lost in our understanding, allowing the prince of this world to use our
misunderstanding to his advantage. It may be that the answers to some of our
questions haven’t been made known because we have been looking behind and not
ahead. We will explore this idea.
Moses’ death had quite the
fanfare. We have recorded a couple of chapters of instructions for the
Israelites as they enter into the Promised Land. Moses gives them the bad news
as to what will happen if they forsake Yahweh. If they forsake Yahweh they will
go into slavery. They did. But then Moses gives them the good news that one day
Yahweh would bring them back. Also, Moses tells them he’s going to die. But
what we see first as part of Moses’ exposition is that Moses himself reminds
them that he was in more peril for his life by them, the children of Israel,
rather than any of their enemies.
Josephus 4.8.2…….And that God,
who has been till now your Leader, and by whose goodwill I have myself been
useful to you, will not put a period now to his providence over you, but as
long as you desire to have him your Protector in your pursuits after virtue, so
long will you enjoy his care over you. Your high priest also Eleazar, as well
as Joshua, with the senate, and chief of your tribes, will go before you, and
suggest the best advices to you; by following which advices you will continue
to be happy: to whom do you give ear without reluctance, as sensible that all
such as know well how to be governed, will also know how to govern, if they be
promoted to that authority themselves. And do not you esteem liberty to consist
in opposing such directions as your governors think fit to give you for your
practice, - as at present indeed you place your liberty in nothing else but
abusing your benefactors; which error if you can avoid for the time to come,
your affairs will be in a better condition than they have hitherto been. Nor do
you ever indulge such a degree of passion in these matters, as you have
oftentimes done when you have been very angry at me; for you know that I have
been oftener in danger of death from you than from our enemies. What I now put
you in mind of, is not done in order to reproach you; for I do not think it
proper, now I am going out of the world, to bring this to your remembrance, in
order to leave you offended at me, since, at the time when I underwent those
hardships from you, I was not angry at you; but I do it in order to make you
wiser hereafter, and to teach you that this will be for your security; I mean,
that you never be injurious to those that preside over you, even when you are
become rich, as you will he to a great degree when you have passed over Jordan,
and are in possession of the land of Canaan.
Apparently Moses grew on them and
now they were sad to know that they were not going to have Moses to lead them
any longer. They even seemed to make a competition out of their grieving, as to
who was grieving more the young people or the old people.
Josephus 4.8.48. When Moses had
spoken thus at the end of his life, and had foretold what would befall to every
one of their tribes afterward, with the
addition of a blessing to them, the multitude fell into tears, insomuch that
even the women, by beating their breasts, made manifest the deep concern they
had when he was about to die. The children also lamented still more, as not
able to contain their grief; and thereby declared, that even at their age they
were sensible of his virtue and mighty deeds; and truly there seemed to be a
strife betwixt the young and the old who should most grieve for him. The old
grieved because they knew what a careful protector they were to be deprived of,
and so lamented their future state; but the young grieved, not only for that,
but also because it so happened that they were to be left by him before they
had well tasted of his virtue. Now one may make a guess at the excess of this
sorrow and lamentation of the multitude, from what happened to the legislator
himself; for although he was always persuaded that he ought not to be cast down
at the approach of death, since the undergoing it was agreeable to the will of
God and the law of nature, yet what the people did so overbore him, that he
wept himself. Now as he went thence to the place where he was to vanish out of
their sight, they all followed after him weeping; but Moses beckoned with his hand
to those that were remote from him, and bade them stay behind in quiet, while
he exhorted those that were near to him that they would not render his
departure so lamentable. Whereupon they thought they ought to grant him that
favor, to let him depart according as he himself desired; so they restrained
themselves, though weeping still towards one another. All those who accompanied
him were the senate, and Eleazar the high priest, and Joshua their commander.
Now as soon as they were come to the mountain called Abarim, (which
is a very high mountain, situate over against Jericho, and one that affords, to
such as are upon it, a prospect of the greatest part of the excellent land of
Canaan,) he dismissed the senate; and as he was going to embrace Eleazar and
Joshua, and was still discoursing with them, a cloud stood over him on the
sudden, and he disappeared in a certain valley, although he wrote in the holy
books that he died, which was done out of fear, lest they should venture to say
that, because of his extraordinary virtue, he went to God. http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/ant-4.htm
Let’s look at this closely. Moses
was in a cloud. It was not unusual for Moses to be in a cloud. Moses had a few
other odd experiences in his life, burning bushes, tablets written by the
finger of God, God’s glory, just to name a few. Moses was probably familiar
with the cloud. The people probably understood the cloud from what they heard,
as many may have died who saw the cloud on Mt Sinai, or on the tent of the
congregation. Eleazar and Joshua, had seen the cloud on several occasions so it
is understandable that they were not scared or shocked by the cloud that stood
over Moses.
They were all on a mountain near
Jericho called Abarim, but suddenly Moses disappeared into a valley. Moses was
on a mountain, then in a valley. Did he fall? Did he jump? Did he simply die
and his body roll downhill? Or did Moses
just walk down into the valley? The old time legends claim he died, fell into a
valley, and an earthquake covered his body with rocks. In any event, Moses was
on a high mountain, then in a valley.
Moses recorded his death before
he died to make sure it was recorded that he died and that he wasn’t taken, we
can assume, like Enoch. Moses did this out of fear that future people would
distort his death. Or maybe he knew that the devil might distort the story of
his death. That’s an interesting reason. Moses knew he was not going to be translated
and he didn’t want people to make up stories that he was translated. How did he
know that he wasn’t going to be translated? Because Yahweh had told him he was
going to die. As a comparison, Yahweh told both Enoch and Elijah that they were
going to be translated and not die. Up to this point in time Enoch was the only
one translated. Later, as we know, Elijah was translated. But Moses was going
to die, and he didn’t want anyone to make any mistakes about that. So if he
wasn’t going to God, where was he going? As we previously studied, all the
righteous dead went to a compartment of Hades called “Abraham’s bay or creek”.
This was a separate place in Hades from the place of fire as Jesus explained to
us.
What did Moses presumptively
write concerning his death?
Deut 34:1-7 AND MOSES went up
from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is opposite
Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land — from Gilead to Dan, 2 And all
Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah to
the western [Mediterranean] sea, 3 And the South (the Negeb) and the plain,
that is, the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palm Trees, as far as Zoar. 4 And
the Lord said to him, This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, saying, I will give it to your descendants. I have let you see it with
your eyes, but you shall not go over there. 5 So Moses the servant of the Lord
died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, 6 And He
buried him in the valley of the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor, but no man
knows where his tomb is to this day. 7 Moses was 120 years old when he died;
his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated. [Deut 31:2.] AMP
Moses wrote that he died in the
land of Moab. There seems to be a Masoretic alteration here as the TR and NA27,
taken from the Masoretic text say that the Lord buried him in the valley. The
Septuagint records this as people
burying Moses, not the Lord burying
Moses. Moses also conveniently says no one knows where his tomb is. Also it’s
recorded that Moses is entombed near the house of Peor.
Deut 34:5G2532AndG5053[2came to
an end G15633there G*1Moses], G3588theG3610servant G2962of the lord,
G1722in G1093the land G*of Moab G1223by G4487the word G2962of the lord .
6G2532And G2290they entombed G1473him G1722in G1093the land G*of Moab G1451near G3624the house G*of Peor. G2532And G3756not G1492has [2known
G37621any one] G3588 G5027his burial place
G1473 G2193until G3588 G2250this day. G3778
7G*And Moses G1161 G1510.7.3was G1540a hundred G2532and G1501twenty G2094years old G1722at G3588 G5053his coming to an end.
G1473 G3756[2were not
G268.53darkened G3588 G37881His eyes], G1473 G3761nor G5351were [2corrupted
G3588 G5501.21his lips]. G1473
Deut 34:5 So Moses the
servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab by the word of the
Lord. 6 And they buried him in Gai near the house of Phogor; and no
one has seen his sepulchre to this day. 7 And Moses was a hundred and
twenty years old at his death; his eyes were not dimmed, nor were his natural
powers destroyed. http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Deuteronomy/index.htm
It seems that the Masorites
altered the text a bit to suggest that Moses was buried by Yahweh, but the
older records, the Septuagint, do not support that idea, neither does Josephus’
record. Eleazar and Joshua were both there when Moses was consumed by a cloud
and went from the mountain to the valley. The record Moses wrote is that he
died, and was entombed near the house of Peor.
Peor is interesting and we need
to look at this. Peor is the place where Balaam was tempted by Balak to curse
the Israelites. But there was a house there, known to the Moabites. It was the
house of Baal-Peor, the Lord of the House
of Horus. Moses was entombed near the house of Horus? Peor also means opening which could indicate deep
valley’s or caverns. The House of Horus could have been in a cave. Peor
could also be indicative of bodily orifices, and in later years, because of the
evil practiced there, people attempted to call it a latrine with the idea of
smearing excrement as ritual practice. The location of the Lord of the House of
Horus was a place where the Moabites worshipped Horus, the falcon headed sky
god, and Moses was entombed somewhere near there. Somehow that part gets left
out of the story of Moses’ death. One would think that Yahweh would have hewn
out a nice tomb in a beautiful land where the people didn’t worship evil gods
for Moses, since Moses was so close to Yahweh. Oddly this is not the case.
Moses dies in the land of the Moabites, the region where Balaam attempted to
curse them, and where the Israelites became mixed with the Moabite women while
passing through the land.
Think about this, we know from
Elisha, that his bones healed a dead man. What would Moses’ bones, buried in a
cave, or deep crevasse, do to the spiritual atmosphere of the temple of Baal
Peor? Instead of remembering that place as a place of evil, people can remember
that place as the place their beloved Moses was entombed.
OT:1187 Ba`al Pe`owr —Baal-peor =
"lord of the gap" the deity worshiped at Peor probably with
licentious rites (from The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver
& Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright © 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship,
Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.)
Hos 9:10 I found Israel like
grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first ripe fruit on the fig
tree in its first season, but they went to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves
to that shameful thing [Baal], and they became detestable and loathsome like
that which they loved AMP
Osee 9:10 I found Israel as
grapes in the wilderness, and I saw their fathers as an early watchman in a
fig-tree: they went in to Beel-phegor, and were shamefully estranged, and the
abominable became as the beloved. http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Osee/index.htm
Hos 9:10 "Long ago when I
came upon Israel, it was like finding grapes out in the desert. When I found
your ancestors, it was like finding a fig tree bearing fruit for the first
time. But when they arrived at Baal-peor, that pagan shrine, they took to sin
like a pig to filth, wallowing in the mud with their newfound friends. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary
Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
This was the plan of Balaam, as
he could not curse the Israelites. It is interesting that Moses died after
viewing the Promised Land. He saw where the Israelites should settle but did
not enter the land himself. He wrote of his death in sacred books before he
died so that no one would make the mistake that somehow he went to God, like
Enoch. But after Moses died we have Jude referring to a debate between the
devil and the archangel Michael. Let’s look at this.
Jude 9G3588 G1161And G*Michael G3588the G743archangel, G3753when G3588[2the G12283devil G12521litigating against], G1256reasoned G4012concerning G3588 G*Moses's G4983body, G3756did not G5111dare G2920[3case G20181to bear G9882a blasphemous], G235but G2036said, G2008May [2reproach
G14733you G29621 the Lord].
1252 διακρίνω diakrinō dee-ak-ree'-no
From G1223 and G2919; to separate thoroughly,
that is, (literally and reflexively) to withdraw from, or (by
implication) oppose; figuratively to discriminate (by
implication decide), or (reflexively) hesitate KJV
Usage: contend, make (to) differ (-ence), discern, doubt, judge, be partial,
stagger, waver.
1256 διαλέγομαι
dialegomai dee-al-eg'-om-ahee Middle voice from G1223 and G3004; to saythoroughly, that is, discuss (in
argument or exhortation)KJV Usage: dispute, preach (unto), reason (with),
speak.
4983 σῶμα sōma so'-mah From G4982; the body (as a sound whole),
used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively KJV Usage: bodily,
body, slave.
5111 LSJ Gloss: τολμάω to
undertake, take heart
Dodson: τολμάω I dare, endure, am
bold I dare, endure, am bold, have courage, make up the mind.
τολμάω tolmaō tol-mah'-o From τόλμα tolma
(boldness; probably itself from the base of G5056 through the idea of extreme conduct);
to venture (objectively or in act; while G2292 is rather subjective or in feeling);
by implication to be courageous KJV Usage: be bold, boldly, dare,
durst.
2920 LSJ Gloss: κρίσις a
separating, power of distinguishing
Dodson: κρίσις judging, divine
judgment judging, judgment, decision, sentence; generally: divine judgment;
accusation.
κρίσις krisis kree'-sis (Subjectively
or objectively, for or against); by extension a tribunal; by
implication justice(specifically divine law) KJV Usage:
accusation, condemnation, damnation, judgment.
2018 ἐπιφέρω epipherō ep-ee-fer'-o From G1909 and G5342; to bear upon (or further),
that is, adduce (personally or judicially [accuse, inflict ]), superinduce
KJV Usage: add, bring (against), take.
988 LSJ Gloss:βλασφημία a profane
speech
Dodson: βλασφημία abusive or
scurrilous language, blasphemy.
βλασφημία blasphēmia blas-fay-me'-ah From G989; vilification (especially against
God) KJV Usage: blasphemy, evil speaking, railing.
2008 LSJ Gloss: ἐπιτιμάω to lay a
value upon
Dodson: ἐπιτιμάω I rebuke, chide,
admonish, warn (a) I rebuke, chide, admonish, (b) I warn.
ἐπιτιμάω epitimaō ep-ee-tee-mah'-o From G1909 and G5091; to tax upon, that
is, censure or admonish; by implication forbid
KJV Usage: (straitly) charge, rebuke.
The first thing we see is that
litigation took place between the devil and God, and Michael stepped in. How do
we know that the litigation is between the devil and God?
Rev 12:10 Then I heard a strong
(loud) voice in heaven, saying, Now it has come — the salvation and the power
and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (the
sovereignty, the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the accuser of our
brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and
night, has been cast out! [Job 1:9-11.] AMP
The timing of this verse in
Revelation is after Jesus is crowned, and the devil and his angels are thrown
out of the upper heaven, where the throne of God is. But the devil is arguing
about imposing his will on humans before the throne of God day and night. This
is what we see in Job and in Zacharias.
Zacharias 3:1 And the Lord
shewed me Jesus the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and the
Devil stood on his right hand to resist him. 2 And the Lords said to
the Devil,
3 The Lord rebuke thee, O
Devil, even the Lord that has chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: behold! is not this
as a brand plucked from the fire? 4 Now Jesus was clothed in filthy
raiment, and stood before the angel. 5 And the Lord answered
and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy raiment
from him: and he said to him, Behold, I have taken away thine iniquities: and
clothe ye him with a long robe, 6 and place a pure mitre upon his
head. So they placed a pure mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments:
and the angel of the Lord stood by.
We studied this section before,
Jesus is the name Joshua, but this
first Jesus, in this section, is a prophetic insight of the future Jesus. Jesus
is covered in excrement, and then given clean clothes and a crown. The devil
accused Job before the throne as well, and we know that that is what he does to
us. That is where he was at the time that the seventy were preaching the
kingdom, Jesus saw him make a beeline back to earth to organize his kingdom
here.
Moses’ death was a little
different though. Arguing for Moses’ body was a little different. Jesus told us
that there were two compartments in Hades. Was satan arguing that Moses
belonged in the place of torment rather than Abraham’s bay? Moses did murder someone.
That is one possibility, but probably not the case. Michael didn’t rise up with
such boldness as to judge and inflict villainous speech to the devil but
instead stated the Lord admonishes him. The devil, who at that time had the
keys to hell and death, did not deem Moses righteous to enter Abraham’s bay,
but that is only part of the story. The second idea we should question is what
was the devil going to do with Moses’ body? He wanted the body of Moses for
something. We will look at the shortly.
People believe that Jude is
quoting from the text The Assumption of
Moses, a section that has been lost today, but was quoted by first and
second century Christians. Since we cannot view the exact section, only the
commentary of ancient writers, we cannot know with certainty what took place
between the devil and Michael. But imagine that Moses is in Abraham’s bay, now
awaiting the Messiah to come, and the devil wants his body. Moses showed up on
a mountain when Jesus was transfigured. But he didn’t’ have his body with him.
In fact Jesus’ body changed into a spiritual form so that he could communicate
with Moses and Elijah.
Luke 9:28-35 Now about eight days after these teachings,
Jesus took with Him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to
pray. 29 And as He was praying, the appearance of His countenance became
altered (different), and His raiment became dazzling white [flashing with the
brilliance of lightning]. 30 And behold, two men were conversing with Him —
Moses and Elijah, 31 Who appeared in splendor and majesty and brightness and
were speaking of His exit [from life], which He was about to bring to
realization at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those with him were weighed down
with sleep, but when they fully awoke, they saw His glory (splendor and majesty
and brightness) and the two men who stood with Him. 33 And it occurred as the
men were parting from Him that Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is delightful
and good that we are here; and let us construct three booths or huts — one for
You and one for Moses and one for Elijah! not noticing or knowing what he was
saying. 34 But even as he was saying this, a cloud came and began to overshadow
them, and they were seized with alarm and struck with fear as they entered into
the cloud. 35 Then there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is My Son,
My Chosen One or My Beloved; listen to and yield to and obey Him! AMP
Notice that they saw Moses and Elijah. How did they know it
was Moses and Elijah? They didn’t have pictures of them. Remember the writers
of the gospels were not eye witnesses of this event. Truly we don’t know who
they were and Jesus does not confirm who he was speaking with, but they were
not in physical bodies. When the disciples woke up they were dazed, then they
heard a voice from a cloud. Moses did converse with Yahweh in clouds didn’t he?
In any event, the disciples saw something out of the ordinary. But that does
not explain why the devil wanted Moses’ body. If this was Moses he wasn’t using
his body; and since the word #4983, soma,
means body, it really seems the devil wanted the physical body of Moses.
There is another possible answer as to why the devil wanted
Moses’ body. The devil didn’t want a dead body or a bunch of bones. The
Israelites wouldn’t’ have worshipped his bones, any more than they worshipped
anyone else’s bones. Dead men’s bones were unclean. What if the devil wanted to
do something with Moses’ body, just like he will do in the future with other
men?
Rev 13:2-3 And the beast that I saw resembled a leopard,
but his feet were like those of a bear and his mouth was like that of a lion.
And to him the dragon gave his [own] might and power and his [own] throne and
great dominion. 3 And one of his heads seemed to have a deadly wound. But his
death stroke was healed; and the whole earth went after the beast in amazement
and admiration. AMP
In the future, during the second half of the tribulation,
known as the Great Tribulation, a ruler who will be an overlord will rise up. Under
his command he will have a ruler who had a deadly wound but rises from the
dead.
Rev 13:11-14 Then I saw another beast rising up out of the
land [itself]; he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke (roared) like a
dragon. 12 He exerts all the power and right of control of the former beast in
his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell upon it to exalt and
deify the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed, and to worship him. 13 He
performs great signs (startling miracles), even making fire fall from the sky
to the earth in men's sight. 14 And because of the signs (miracles) which he is
allowed to perform in the presence of the [first] beast, he deceives those who
inhabit the earth, commanding them to erect a statue (an image) in the likeness
of the beast who was wounded by the [small] sword and still lived. [Deut
13:1-5.] AMP
“He causes the earth
and those who dwell upon it to exalt and deify the first beast, whose deadly
wound was healed, and to worship him”. If the devil can raise a false ruler
from the dead, to use against God and the people of the earth, couldn’t he have
used Moses’ body to raise him up as a false prophet for the Israelites at that
time? Moses wasn’t using his body any longer but a spirit could infiltrate that
body to lead the sons of Jacob astray. All false prophets lead people astray,
but the ones we can think of all have a human spirit in them. They weren’t born
evil they chose evil. However, in the end times a dead person will rise from
the dead and lead people astray. The dead person will have a body.
Now think about this for a moment. If one dies apart from
the Lord, they go to hell. Why would someone who has been in hell, now knowing
all the secrets of their own future destiny, come back to earth to lead others
to hell. Instead, after being tormented, that one would probably do whatever
possible to get out of going back to hell, and would probably confess Jesus as
Lord, along with leading people to Jesus. But if the devil has the ability in
the end times to raise the body of someone and to give breath life to the image
of the beast, he could give breath life to the shell of a body, and the person’s
soul and spirit would remain in Hades. Is this what he was arguing for, the
shell of Moses to lead the sons of Jacob astray? However, in the timing of the
world Yahweh wills for all men to be saved, and in a six thousand year time
frame, before the millennial kingdom, allowing the body of Moses to be
used/propped up to lead humankind astray would not be acceptable. If that was
satan’s plan, the disgust of Michael is explained in his reply, similar to ‘get
lost you idiot’.
Moses gave us the clue to this as he didn’t want people to
think he went to God, but instead died. If he had gone to God, like Enoch, he
would have possibly come back like Enoch did. Moses didn’t want any of that
confusion. He didn’t want people to think he would come back and talk to them
about God as Enoch did. What an incredible risk that could be for the
Israelites, if the devil argued for Moses’ body and was granted that request.
Oh boy would there have been a mess. It seems the devil doesn’t mind arguing,
litigating, and contending over humans and getting his way in hurting people.
Think of Job. He didn’t even do anything wrong. Satan argued that if something
bad happened to Job that Job would curse Yahweh. Not so. Subsequently, while we
really don’t know what satan had in mind regarding his request for Moses’ body,
we can assume it is something similar in regards to the future beast who will
be raised from the dead and his image that will be given breath. This wouldn’t
work for us today, as we don’t’ have any pictures of Moses to know what he
looked like.
If someone calling himself Moses was given spirit life and
walking the earth, we would probably commit that “body” to a mental
institution. So this idea of satan’s wouldn’t work today, it could only work in
the time the Israelites all knew Moses. In the future, the telecommunication
industry will help people to see the witnesses and their miracles, death, and
resurrection, as well as the death of a ruler and his resurrection, as well as
his image coming alive. Moses, being so concerned about this decided to write
his own obituary. He somehow knew that the devil would try to use his death to
trick the Israelites.
Moses was a wonderful leader. He overcame obstacles and led
a stiff-necked people into the land given to their forefathers. Josephus
documents some of Moses’ last words to the children of Jacob. The source
Josephus used to document Moses’ words give us a wonderful clue to the secrets
of happiness. We should take these words into consideration in our own
lives.
Josephus4..8.2……..Come, therefore, let me suggest to you by
what means you may he happy, and may leave an eternal prosperous possession
thereof to your children after you, and then let me thus go out of the world;
and I cannot but deserve to be believed by you, both on account of the great
things I have already done for you, and because, when souls are about to leave
the body, they speak with the sincerest freedom. O children of Israel! there is
but one source of happiness for all mankind, the favor of God for he alone is able to give good things to
those that deserve them, and to deprive those of them that sin against him;
towards whom, if you behave yourselves according to his will, and according to
what I, who well understand his mind, do exhort you to, you will both be esteemed
blessed, and will be admired by all men; and will never come into misfortunes,
nor cease to be happy: you will then preserve the possession of the good things
you already have, and will quickly obtain those that you are at present in want
of, - only do you be obedient to those whom God would have you to follow…….
