Bible Study at Surabaya - Monday, August 20, 2007

We still discuss Jude which points to the badger skins in Tabernacle. The terms 'badger skins' refer to the protection and blessing of God for His true churches. It also points to the separation of the true churches from the false ones. It is like wheat which is divided from coarse grasses. We have to beware of the false churches which grow like coarse grasses and it is meant that they are more prominent and faster. However, they will be burnt because they only give the main place to the earthly things, not to the word of God. It means that they are void. On the other hand, the true churches are like wheat which is going to be harvested because they give priority to the word of God so that they are filled with the true teaching word to get into the barn/ the everlasting kingdom of heaven.

There are four kinds of false churches as follows:

1. churches which are not shepherded > vs. 4
   
2. churches which use the law of Moses > vs. 5
   
3. Satan churches which are similar to Sodom and Gomorrah > vs. 6&7
   
4. fleshly churches > starts from vs. 8
   

Now, we are discussing vs. 17-19. We have read them several times, but we will reread them to look up the signs of the fleshly churches.

Jude 1: 17-19 > fleshly churches
17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:
18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

In short, the characters of fleshly churches are:

1. they are mockers > vs. 18
   
2. they are sensual persons, who cause divisions > vs. 19
   

We are going to learn about the fleshly churches as mockers > vs. 18.

What do they mock? 2 Peter 3:3-6
3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."
5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.

So, they mock the Word of God which tells about Jesus' second coming in His glory as the King of all kings and the Bridegroom of heaven/ the sanctification word of God/ the word of God which is sharper than two-edges sword. These false churches mock and refuse the sanctification word of God and their lives are according to their fleshly lusts as what has done in the era of Noah/ in vs. 6, it is related to the condemnation of God in the form of great flood. It is also referred to the era of Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah.

Luke 17:26-30
26 "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
27 "They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
28 "Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
29 "but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
30 "Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Vs. 26> days of the Son of Man = the end of days/ the end of the world. In the end of the world, the false churches refer to the Christians who reject the sanctification word of God/ the true teaching word, which is based on Tabernacle/ the bride tidings, and live in the fleshly lusts. They go back to the era of Noah and Lot.

What are the practices of going back to the era of Noah and Lot/ living in the fleshly lusts?

1. they ate, they drank, they married wives, and they were given in marriage (vs. 27). They are ruled over by the spirit of evil and filthiness --> Satan which stays in the air so that they cannot live in truth and holiness. The sins of eating- drinking start from smoking, being drunk, consuming illegal drugs, etc. The sins of marrying and giving in marriage are the sins of filthiness.
   
   
2. they bought, and they sold (vs. 28). They are ruled over by the spirit of buying and selling/ antichrist. They are defined as Christians who refuse the sanctification word of God and live in the fleshly lust. The spirit of buying and selling gets into the church of God.
   
   Jesus had whipped the sellers and in the end of the world, the false churches which are ruled by the spirit of buying and selling will undergo the same as the sellers. They are too busy in buying and selling/ trading/ seeking money and studying and they do not have time to trade talents/mina.
   
   The parable about mina --> there were some which are multiplied, but one who was given one talent/ mina did not want to trade it= he was not faithful in the gifts of Holy Spirit and his ministry. The talent was kept because he was too busy in looking for money. It does not mean that we are not allowed to trade/ look for money, study, etc. However, we may not be ruled by the spirit of buying and selling because it means we are included in the era of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah. I hope we can understand it.
   
   Or, we do our devotion and service to get the earthly things --> in the form of money, position, etc. It is similar to the spirit of buying and selling. Yesterday, in the devotion in Malang, I explained that there are a lot of churches of God = the world which uses the motto "money is everything" and it means that God is not everything anymore. One who gives priority to money is empty of the word of God so that he can say that money is everything. Nevertheless, one who is fulfilled with the word of God will say that "God is everything". Thus, we have to be careful because the spirit of selling and buying has entered the churches.
   
   This is the practice of people who reject the sanctification word of God/ the true teaching word and bride tidings. They live in the lust of flesh like in the era of Noah and Lot. The next practice is
   
   
3. they planted and they built (vs. 28).
   Plant = field. Build = building --> being active in the activity of false field and building --> it means they are ruled by false prophet so that they are active in the field of pigs, not in the field of God. Cain's field --> Cain murdered Abel/ field of hatred/ field of filthiness. He said that he served God, yet what he said is false since he kept hatred and filthiness.
   
   Build --> they are not included into the edifying of the body of Christ, but get into the building of body of Babylon. It means that they are ruled by false prophet with false/ lying spirit.
   

Hence, we have to be aware of them. It starts from me as the servant of God. If I have false/ lying spirit, it will be harmful for the congregation because they will be led to the false field/ building of body of Babylon. Thus, we have to pray for shepherds since it is they, who have to responsible for the safety of the congregation. The consequence is like in the era of Noah in which many people were condemned with the great flood and the era of Lot in which they were condemned with the fire from heaven. So is in the end of the world, the false churches/ Christians who refuse the sanctification word will be back to the era of Noah and Lot with those three practices mentioned above and will be condemned with fire from heaven so that they are perished with this world until they reach the everlasting condemnation in hell. Therefore, we have to be serious nowadays.

These are mockers who say --> what is sanctification? We do not need the devotion which takes so long time. However, we need a long time to clean something, e.g. to wash clothes with our hands needs time.

We should explain about the sanctification word slowly, but if it is refused, we will be false churches which live in the lusts of flesh like in the era of Noah and Lot with three practices mentioned-above. Consequently, they will be condemned with fire from heaven and they will perish in this world and in the hell forever. I hope we can understand it.

Now, what is the solution to avoid the condemnation of God like what have happened in the era of Noah and Lot? We have to notice three things, they are:

1. Luke 17:31a "In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. Staying on the housetop. It is the place for wind and it means that it is a cool place. In short, to escape from the condemnation of God like what have been done in the era of Noah and Lot, we have to stay on the housetop which is meant: we have to live in peace/ being calm and still/in quietness nowadays. God has given an example that we have to live in peace whatever we face in this world. He said that His disciples had to be calm and still within the storm. Do not leave the housetop = whatever our problems, we may not be too busy with them.
   
   How can we get peace?
   
   • by making peace: making peace with God (vertically): confessing our sins honestly and if we are forgiven, we may not do them again. The evidence that we are forgiven is we do not do the sins again because our sins have been reconciled. If you still do your sins, you have not been set free from your sins. Making peace with our fellows (horizontally): confessing and forgiving and forgetting our fellows' sins. We may not remember their sins. It means that those sins do not have power anymore since they have been nailed on the cross. As a result, we will feel peace. Let us now be in peace (Matthew 5) with God and our fellows.
     
     
   • by giving up our worries. We often think something before it happens so that our heart is not in peace/ does not stay on the housetop, but we are trapped in a very narrow room and we become hot.
     
     1Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. But let us now give up our worries, doubt and fear to God, we will feel peaceful/ calm and still. When we are calm and still/ in peace, we are able to pray since the housetop is the place to pray --> 1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
     
   
   It is the end of the world. So, whatever we face, we have to keep on staying in peace. In peace, calmness and stillness, we can lift prayer which invites the power of God to soothe wind and storms which strike the ship of our life (in economics, marriage, health, our future). However, we have to be calm and still/ give up our life to God so that we are not included in the condemnation of God like what have happened in the era of Noah. I hope we can understand it.
   
   Nevertheless, if we murmur a lot and there is no peace because we want to solve our problems by ourselves, the great flood will come. Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. Instead, being calm and still is we keep away from quarrel and fight which invites great flood to strike and destroy the ship of our life until we are sunk and not able to be helped.
   
   Now, let us keep these things to confront our problems:
   
   • peace: no more sins (hatred, bitterness) to God or our fellows
     
   • no more worries. Instead, we have to trust and believe in God so that we are able to pray and the power of God will resolve our problems, not we. If it is we who solve the problem,
     
   
   God will not solve them and the great flood will come to destroy everything. I hope we can understand it. There are three things which we have to notice so that we keep on being peaceful and giving up to God in our problems, whatever they are.
   
   
2. Luke 17:31b And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.
   To escape from the condemnation of God, we have to stay in the field of God. Field = job/ service. So, staying in the field of God = being faithful to God in our devotion and service. However, not being faithful is like we open the badger skins (also called the covering of condemnation) which are used to restrain the condemnation of God. I have explained about the beginning of the epistle of Jude which has four coverings and the upper covering is the badger skins. Opening the badger skins indicates that we give a chance to the coming of the condemnation of God. It is truly the sayings of God. He wants us to keep on staying in the field/ being faithful in our service and devotion whatever our activities. I hope we can understand it.
   
   Another definition of field, besides the place to work, is the place to sow the seed of the word of God. In short, this service is related to the sowing of the seed of the word of God. It is a spiritual field and the spiritual seed. In conclusion, field is the place to serve and sow the seed of the word of God. It indicates that the right service starts from the sowing of the seed of the true teaching word. Thus, we may not serve and sow the seed as what we like.
   
   For instance: Mary and Martha. Martha was too busy to serve God, but she was blamed. Now, there are a lot of us who serve God, but we have to start with the sowing of the seed firstly. Luke 10: 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. Heard His word = the beginning of our service is hearing to the word of God. Now, for you who are longing for serving God, start with hearing the true teaching word! As a result, God will lift us in His time.
   
   I have just known about it. I had served in another church in my hometown in about 1980s before I moved to Surabaya. I had served the Sunday school every day, preached the word of God, served the Holy Communion and become song leader there. However, when I moved to Lemah Putro, the late Rev. In Juwono said that I had to hear the word of God firstly before I might serve. This is the example of Mary's service, not Martha's.
   
   Luke 10: 40-42
   40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
   41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
   42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
   
   So, it is the example of Mary who started her service by sitting at Jesus' feet to hear His word which is the true teaching word. So, we may not hear any word of God. Instead, we have to hear the word of God whose secret is revealed/ verses explain verses in Holy Bible. I say 'in Holy Bible' because there are a lot of verses in law, etc. The word of God is explained by verses which are the sayings of God. In short, all verses in Holy Bible are the sayings of God.
   
   However, when the word of God is explained by science or jokes, it is not the sayings of God anymore, yet men's sayings. The opening of the true teaching word is the command in our service so that it can be acceptable before God. On the other hand, the command from men is not always the same as what God wants, e.g. a pastor calls and asks a wood seller to contribute some of his wood for the church because it needs the wood, but the pastor's want is not the same as God's even though it is logical if the pastor asks for the wood. God perhaps needs power or prayer from the wood seller, not his wood at that time. Nonetheless, if you are motivated by the word of God, do it! Because it is God's want for sure. You may not refuse it as it will be harmful for you. Thus, let the true teaching word become the command for us to make our service satisfactory before God like what Mary has done! I hope we can understand it.
   
   However, the sowing of the seed in the field of God has to fulfill these following requirements: Leviticus 19:19
   19 'You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.
   
   My statutes = determination from God. Field with two kinds of seed is disgusting/ filthiness in front of God since it breaks the determination of God. Garment also may not from two clothes. Fields may not be sowed with two different seeds. It represents that there is only one true teaching word which is:
   
   • written in Holy Bible
     
   • revealed by God, that is verses explain verses.
     
   
   This is one kind of seed. All churches in this world have one Holy Bible. If they go back to the opening of the word of God/ the revealing from God/ Holy Bible, they will be in one teaching word. Why can they not be in one teaching word? Because they are not back to Holy Bible --> having one Holy Bible, but they still read other books. How can be we less than mathematics? 1 + 1 = 2 in every part of this world because it has one book. Let us go back to Holy Bible and we will be in one teaching word.
   
   Likewise clothes, we may not mix two kinds of true teaching words, yet there is only one true teaching word; that is:
   
   • written in Holy Bible, not other books, including philosophy books
     
   • revealed by God (not with science); that is verses explain verses in Holy Bible.
     
   
   This is one kind of word of God. It is also related to garment which may not be made of two kinds of clothes --> seed is correlated with garment and it is the determination in the sowing of the word of God. Revelation 19:11, 13, 16
   11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
   13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
   16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
   
   vs. 11 --> He who sat on a white horse is Jesus
   vs. 13 --> a robe dipped in blood = the word of God --> one kind of robe, one kind of word of God
   vs. 16 --> KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS = the bridegroom of heaven.
   So, robe is the word of God and on the robe is written the bridegroom of heaven = Bride tidings. One kind of seed means one kind of true teaching word which is written in Holy Bible and revealed by God.
   
   There is only one sort of Bride tidings/ true teaching word which is based on Tabernacle. It is revealed by God to the late Rev. V. Gessel and we hold until now. We may not mix it with another doctrine. I hope we can understand it.
   
   This is Mary who started her service with the word of God/ sitting at Jesus' feet. It is meant that we have to start our service by hearing and doing the Bride tidings/ true teaching word which is based on Tabernacle and revealed by God to the late Rev. V. Gessel. We are not fanatic to the late Rev. V. Gessel, but to the revealing from God!
   
   Mary started her service by hearing and doing the true teaching word. As a result, God praised her and said that she had chosen the good part which will not be taken away from her. This is really wonderful thing. Luke 10:42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
   
   God emphasized --> 'But one thing'. Mary had served God with her best and she also felt the best service from God that is a beautiful future and everlasting life which will not be taken away from her. In conclusion, Mary's service is:
   
   • the best before God
     
   • lasting because it cannot be taken away from her
     
   • inviting God to give the best for her
     
   • for eternal life.
     
   
   Therefore, we have to give the best for God and he will give the best for us. I hope we can understand it.
   
   We have to stay in the field, but we also have to:
   be faithful and do our service based on the command of the true teaching word. If the command is not clear and you doubt it, what will you serve?
   choose the good part which will not be taken away from us. I hope we can understand it.
   Thus, we have to hear a lot to the word of God to make our service satisfactory before God. I hope we can understand it.
   
   Nevertheless, Martha served hard without the right command and God blamed her. It is a comparison to the type of service nowadays. A lot of people say that service is more important than the true teaching word like Martha.
   
   Luke 10: 40-41
   40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
   41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
   
   So, Martha served God without the true teaching word and as the consequence, she worried of money --> we want to serve God, yet we worry of flight' fee and other things so that we are in the atmosphere of curse. Martha was worried and troubled = the atmosphere of curse/ thorns.
   
   Let us look up our service! We have to hold a clear command of the word of God. Field is the place to serve and sow the seed --> they are one and not able to be separated. Separating them = Martha = not satisfactory before God. I hope we can understand it.
   
   
3. Luke 17:32 (WE HAVE TO REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE)
   32 "Remember Lot's wife.
   
   What is "Lot's wife" meant? When Lot stayed in Sodom and Gomorrah, God commanded Lot and his family to run to the mountain when God was going to condemn the cities with fire and brimstone --> Escape to the mountains, do not stay anywhere in the plain, do not look behind you, but Lot's wife looked back.
   
   We have to be watchful in the end of the world. We have to do these following things to escape from the punishment of God; they are:
   
   • we have to stay on the housetop --> remain in peace, without quarrel, bitterness, or worries
     
   • we have to stay in the field --> remain faithful in our service which is based on the true teaching word/ do the word of God.
     
   • we have to remember Lot's wife.
     
   
   Genesis 19:17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."
   
   Lest you be destroyed = get the fire of punishment. This what God commanded to Lot and his family to escape to the mountains and avoid the brimstone and fire. However, Lot's wife looked back behind her. Remember Lot's wife = remember not to look back.
   

Looking back is defined as:

1. Remembering and being tied to Sodom and Gomorrah. It means our mind is not sanctified and we like to think of past things, those are sins and pride. Israelites also did it by making a golden calf when Moses went to Mount Sinai. They made the golden calf because they remembered their experience to worship the golden calf in Egypt/ Memphis. Thus, we have to be aware! If our mind is not sanctified, we will remember all things which we are used to do before we know Jesus when we are urged --> looking back = Lot's wife.
   
   
2. Disobeying God. The angels of God had told her to escape to the mountains and not to look behind --> in fact, she looked back. She did not obey the word of God because her heart/ feeling was not sanctified. So, one who looks back is one whose heart and mind are not sanctified/ refusing the sanctification word/ are not sanctified by the work of the true teaching word which is sharper than two- edged sword. Remember Lot's wife. Now let us receive the work of the true teaching word which is sharper than two- edged sword and able to sanctify our mind and feeling.
   

We have to keep on remembering Lot's wife so that our heart and mind are sanctified. Thus, let us receive the work of sanctification word/ the bride tidings and tabernacle/ the true teaching word which is sharper than two- edged sword and able to stab our mind and feeling. Do not become Lot's wife!

Hebrews 4: 12, 13
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

So, to escape ourselves from becoming like Lot's wife, we have to receive the work of the word of God which is sharper than two-edged sword to sanctify everything which is hidden in our heart and mind. It seems that everything is right, but actually we hide something in our heart and mind --> Lot's wife had gotten the brimstone and fire but she still looked behind. This is a very serious thing. I, the servant of God, have given all of my life to Him and may not look back at my pride and sins.

If our heart and mind are sanctified, we will be able to see God. If our heart and mind are not sanctified, we will look back to Sodom. Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

Refusing the true teaching word makes us like Lot's wife. We do not have ability to face the end of the world because there is only one teaching word which is based on Holy Bible. The men in the end of the world are not able to confront the era of globalization because they still look back when they have to face the brimstone and fire which is the description of the fire of hell. It is only the sword of the true teaching word and bride tidings which are able to face the era of globalization and the fire of punishment. The results when our heart and mind are sanctified:

• we see God so that our eyes do not have chance to look back
  
• we see God and are able to escape to the mountains
  

The sanctification word/sword is wonderful. We only one need sword to face anything --> brimstone, marriage (like Solomon who faced fornication), children (Solomon solved it with sword), and globalization problems. All of these problems will be solved with sword if our heart and mind are sanctified and our eyes see God. We only need the old way that is using sword like Solomon, Solomon had changed the sword with others, yet he was failed because he worshiped idol. His failure is like when the ark of covenant was going to be lifted with cart/ modern way, but it was failed. We have to keep on using the old way which is according to the Holy Bible/ God's way although people say that it is an old way. The ark of covenant had to be carried on the shoulders. As a result, it reached the right destination.

Paul said --> I forget = his heart and mind were sanctified and his eyes looked forward Philippians 3: 12- 14
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

vs. 13 --> I forget = he did not want to look back = his heart and mind had been sanctified. Reaching forward = his eyes saw God. Paul's heart and mind had been sanctified so that he did not look back and:

• he was able to see God
  
• he was able to press toward the prize of the upward call of God as well as Lot and his family escaped to the mountains to get perfection.
  

Thus, we have to be sanctified seriously by:

• staying on the housetop/ peace --> all things are in peace/all problems are solved. If you are in troubles, you have to remain in peace and not to doubt of God. Moreover, we have to be calm and still/ look into ourselves. If you find your faults, you have to confess it and then cast your worries to God. As a result, God will get involved in solving your problems.
  
  
• staying in the field --> if we face problems, we have to remain faithful in our service which is commanded by the true teaching word. Accordingly, God promises the best things for us.
  
  
• remembering Lot's wife/ do not look back --> Do not look beside and behind you!
  

When Moses had been mature, he got out from the palace and helped an Israelite who was fighting with an Egyptians. He looked at his left and right because he had murdered the Egyptian and buried him in sands. The service which looks beside is a hypocrite and corrupt service. Thus, we have to see God in our service and we will be able to reach perfection/ escape to the mountains.

There are two levels of mountains as follows:

1. mountain of worship --> Israelites called it Mount Tabor on which Jesus asked Peter, John and Jacob to worship God and His face and clothes were changed. If our eyes are able to see God, we will be able to worship God and get the renewing of our life as Jesus. We have to change started from our heart that is an obedient heart which can shine lights.
   
   
2. mountain of New Jerusalem/ the Bride of heaven/ perfection.
   

This is what is meant by pressing toward to the mountains like what Paul had said --> 'I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.'

Revelation 21: 9- 10
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
vs. 10 --> a great and high mountain? God pointed this mountain to Lot --> escape to the mountain --> it starts from Genesis to Revelation and the direction is perfection.
Lot escaped to the mountains = perfection. Paul --> 'I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.' = perfection. In the end of the world in Revelation is also to a great and high mountain = New Jerusalem = the Bride of heaven which is our aim = perfection.

I emphasize once again that:

• we have to stay on the housetop --> peace
  
• we have to stay in the field
  
• we have to keep our eyes to see God in our service
  
• we have to go to the mountain of worship (worship God) so that we can be renewed started from an obedient heart until we reach the mountain of perfection.
  

However, when God asked Lot to escape to the mountains, Lot said that he was not able to reach the mountain. This is the fact for us that we, including I, are not able to go forward to the mountains since we still have a lot of faults and weaknesses. Genesis 19: 19-23
19 "Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.
20 "See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live."
21 And he said to him, "See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken.
22 "Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar.

Our goal is the mountains/ perfection. The perfection of the bride of heaven is described by the ark of covenant (please check: http://www.gptkk.org/tabernacle_the+ark+of+covenant.html). It is put in the furthest place in Tabernacle so that men cannot reach it. Lot and Paul admitted it?' Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected'. Let alone we, you and I, are not able to reach the mountains of worship even more the mountains of perfection, e.g.:

• we are sleepy, sleeping and snoring when we are worshipping God
  
• our worship is dry
  

We are not able to reach the mountain of worship/ altar of incense (please check: http://www.gptkk.org/tabernacle_the+golden+altar+of+incense.html), the closer place than the ark of covenant, because we still have a lot of faults and weaknesses.

One with a lot of faults, weaknesses and sins should be punished with brimstone and fire, but Lot pointed that there was a nearer city. The nearer place from the gate of Tabernacle is the altar of burnt incense (please check: http://www.gptkk.org/tabernacle_the+altar+of+burnt+offerings.html)/ the nearest city/ Zoar/ the cross of God/ Christ's sacrifice. This small city is often underestimated and regarded as foolishness? in 1 Corinthians --> the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.

The cross of God/ Christ's sacrifice is the place for us to confess our faults, failure and weaknesses (not our proud). Maybe we are failed in our worship (sleepy) and devotion (bored to go to church), yet we still have an opportunity in the cross of God/ Christ's sacrifice/ Holy Communion in which we are able to confess our faults, weaknesses and failure. Accordingly, when Lot arrived at Zoar/ when we confess our sins to God ad our fellows, we do not get brimstone and fire, but sunrise. Sun is a description of great love of God.

The functions of the great love of God which we get from Christ's sacrifice:

1. to cover our sins. If there is no love of God, we, especially I, will get the fire and brimstone. However, because of sunrise, the love of God covers countless sins. Therefore, we may not quarrel, but we love each other as love covers countless sins. 1Peter 4: 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
   We should not make sins anymore in our marriage, church, etc. Instead, let us try to confess our sins and the love of God will covers our sins until we are perfect.
   
   to give us, as sheep for the slaughter, strength so that we are not separated from God. Romans 8: 35-37
   35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
   36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
   37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
   
   Although we confront famine, distress, etc, the love of God will give us strength. Moreover, in all those things we are more than conquerors.
   
   We are more than conquerors because the love of God fights for us who are weak and solves our problems.
   
   Let us beg for the love of God through Christ's sacrifice to:
   
   • cover our sins until we are perfect;
     
   • give us strength so that we are not hopeless, disappointed and separated from God. In other words, we do not leave God whatever we face;
     
     
   • give us victory. We are powerless, yet we are more than conquerors in every single problem since the love of God fights for us.
     
     
2. to make us perfect Colossians 3: 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. It means that we reach the mountains/ the ark of covenant/ the bride of heaven to meet God forever in His second coming. We are not punished with this world as what had happened in the era of Noah and Lot. Instead, we are lifted by God to be with Him forever in the mountains of New Jerusalem.
   

God blesses us!1