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In order for us to follow the mission of Christ we need to be in one accord with Christ and therefore with each other. The [[Pharisees]] thought they were in accord with Moses just as many people thinking they are Christians believe they are in accord with Christ...
{{the rod}}


If we have [[Christ]] in us we will seek to follow [[The Way]] of Christ naturally. Therefore we must actually love the real [[Christ]] and not one made up by men who creep into homes deceiving and snaring people that have a desire to follow sinful or covetous ways.<Ref>2 [[Timothy 3]]:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with [[Divers_lusts|divers lusts]],</Ref>.
{{iron rod}}


True love, challenges our hearts to [[Sacrifice|sacrifice]] ourselves in service to Christ and for those who seek Him. This love is like the love of a parent for their children and they may also challenge their own children to love others in righteousness.
{{shepherd rod}}


* ''Spare the rod spoil the child'' comes from Proverbs 13:24 "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."


This word ''rod'' is from טבשׁ shebet<Ref> 07626 ^טבשׁ^ shebet \@shay’- bet\@ from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; n m;  AV-tribe 140, rod 34, sceptre 10, staff 2, misc 4; 190 1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe    1a) rod, staff    1b) shaft (of spear, dart)    1c) club (of shepherd’s implement)    1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)    1e) clan, tribe</Ref> ''ShemBeitTet'' from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; and is normally translated ''tribe'' some 140 times but also ''rod'' 34 times.
----


What is the meaning or sense of a word that means both ''rod'' and ''tribe''?
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Another word  הטמ matteh<Ref> 04294 ^הטמ^ matteh \@mat-teh’\@ or (fem.)      ^הטמ^ mattah \@mat-taw’\@ from 05186; n m;  AV-tribe 182, rod 52, staff 15, staves 1, tribe + 04294 1; 251 1) staff, branch, tribe    1a) staff, rod, shaft    1b) branch (of vine)    1c) tribe      1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally) </Ref> ''MemTetHey'' composed of different letters is also translated tribe 182 times, rod 52 times, staff 15 times, staves once. It is said to be from the word  הטנ natah NunTetHeywhich means to ''stretch out'' or ''turn''. Letters in Hebrew have meanings that can help us understand the full meaning of a word. See [[Sophistry]].


[[Proverbs 13]]:24 is a part of a list and is preceded by Proverbs 13:23 "Much food [is in] the tillage of the poor: but there is [that is] destroyed for want of judgment."
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This is a reference to the precept that was the sin of Sodom which is mentioned in Ezekiel 16:49 "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."
 
Giving without judgment weakens and even destroys people.<Ref>[[Plutarch]], [[Polybius]], [[Benefactors]]</Ref>
 
If we go back to the word chasteneth in Proverbs 13:24 we see that it is normally defined instruction and correction. The word jbv shebet has to do with the growth of a branch of a tree among many branches All growing toward the light and each one growing in its own place guided by the example and firmness of others.
 
The rod of a shepherd is not used to beat the sheep into submission. It is a rod of guidance and direction to encourage the straight and safe path. In fact from over 4 decades of herding sheep I know that if you try to force sheep to go in one direction they will resist and try to go around you. The last thing you would want to try to do to get sheep to go down a narrow path is hit them with your staff.
 
It is hard to win the trust of sheep but with consistent guidance of love and patience it can be done.
 
It takes patience to raise a family or form a [[CORE|congregation]] based on the love of Christ.
 
We cannot force compliance to Christ by forcing others to comply with what we believe is doctrine. We exercise faith by doing all we do in love.
 
I will not spare the rod of a good shepherd.
[[File:Pharaoh.jpg|right|thumb|Pharaoh had a sheep crook and a whip. The sheep crook was to guide the people but the whip was to punish or discipline or fire people like [[Moneychangers|Jesus did in the temple]].]]
Most of us do wrong by habit and of course you can train people to do good by forcing them to do it over and over again and by fear of punishment. But to win the hearts of people according to the ways of Christ, our tactics and policies must be his. That does not mean that a parent or even an adult may never use force to obtain compliance. You may. But force is not used to win the hearts and minds of the people.


Habitually returning to error is usually the result of Trauma where there is a part of our heart and mind that has been stunted or closed off. It becomes like a dark corner or room in our minds from which evil may influence us or those around us.


People need compassion and love to remove the influence coming from the dark trauma in our hearts. Sin can be nothing more than [[Addiction]].
== Footnotes ==


From the beginning God has wanted us to choose to follow Him and walk with Him. He did not want brother to rule over brother like [[Cain]] and [[Nimrod]] by force. He wants us to follow the ways of Abraham, Gideon, Moses and Jesus Christ.


We must choose to follow the narrow path He leads us on. This is not an intellectual choice but a spiritual one. Many will not understand this because they live in the tree of knowledge and imagine they make choices by their own reason. Somewhere in our spirit our pride or humility will filter the evidence of truth, accepting and rejecting that validity and reason of God and His divine will. Our intellect is often used as a rod to steer us away from the inconvenient truths that God has laid before us.
<references />


Many who we have loved will not love Christ enough to hear His whole gospel. Anything less than the whole gospel is a lie.
[[Category:Articles]]


The truth is there are many people who think they are Christ-loving, Bible-honoring, grace gospel-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving believers but are not. You know they are not because they do not do what Christ said to do. In fact they are doing exactly what the Pharisees did.
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In truth most modern day people who call themselves christian, are not serving God but are by their ways and means serving the ends of the Fathers of the world and Satan.
 
'''How do they do that?'''
 
They fail to be the social welfare of the people according to the perfect law of liberty by providing for one another through true love and pure religion that is not a snare or a trap. Even more, their ministers encourage and condone the people to go pray to the men who call themselves benefactors and exercise authority one over the other by offering a welfare that is a snare and a trap. This action entangles them in the [[Bondage|bondage]] of the [[World|world]] again.
 
In order to keep the people under a strong delusion of false salvation these benefactors will need some ministers and priests out there doing good works to keep fooling many. They need to present some form of godliness but will be denying the power thereof.
 
: 2 Timothy 3:5 "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
 
They will need to keep pointing to the few quotes that talk about belief in Christ and that supposedly being all you have to do. They will never point to all those places where He instructs a person to...
* keep commandments in order to have eternal life,
* seek the kingdom first,
* strive if you want to be saved,
* give or you will not receive,
* forgive or you will not be forgiven,
* be doers or you are not one of mine.
* pray to your father in heaven
 
If you really believed, all these things would be evidence of your faith. But that is not what we see in the modern Church.
 
Do we believe in what Jesus said?
 
Or do we believe in the doctrines of men gleaned from parts of the gospel?
 
The true ministers of God know the love and patience of God and know that he has sent them to rebuke those who think they are Christ-loving, Bible-honoring, grace gospel-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving believers. Those people are actually allowing, promoting and condoning the same Corban of the Pharisees along with many other "damnable heresies" and delivering the people back into the yoke of bondage of the world.
 
Many preachers water down the gospel to keep their congregations whole. But we are not to be preaching our gospel but Christ's. The congregation must belong to Christ, not to the pastors. The ministers of God are supposed to be calling all to repentance, including those who think they are Christ-loving, Bible-honoring, grace gospel-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving believers. Instead, those calling themselves ministers are going the way of the Pharisees and sending the people to pray to the men who call themselves benefactors but exercise authority.
 
We were directed not to be that way, and those who believe in Jesus should easily see that it is coveting your neighbor's goods to desire those benefits. This was and is the gospel of Christ and those who will not receive it are not Christ-loving or Bible-honoring and they will not be saved until they truly repent.
 
Many will not repent just as many Pharisees did not repent because they knew neither Moses nor Christ even though they thought they were Moses-loving, Torah-honoring, God-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving Pharisees.
 
Yes! Many ministers will say they prophesied and preached in His name, and in His name cast out devils, and in His name have done many wonderful works and outwardly appear righteous unto men by their own standards, but within they are full of hypocrisy and iniquity... because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold and they will not sustain a society by faith, hope and charity.
 
Instead of doing it as Christ said and the early Church did, they will not attend to the weightier matters and they will not turn away from the Corban of the modern state Church which encourages all to pray to Caesar, Pharaoh and Nimrod to feed His sheep. Nor will they lift a finger to set the table of the Lord.
[[File:Sheepdog.jpg|right|thumb|The rod of the shepherd is never used to beat the sheep. You absolutely cannot train sheep with physical discipline. The more you push them the more they will push back or try to go the opposite way. It is used to guide the sheep or occasionally restrain them and care for them.  ''"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"'' John 10:27]]
 
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[[Category:Topics]]


== Footnotes == <references />
[[Category:Words]]

Latest revision as of 22:42, 3 December 2023

If someone has to spank their child that is often a sign that they have already failed or neglected their child somewhere or somehow as a parent.

The Rod

In order for us to follow the mission of Christ we need to be in one accord with Christ and therefore with each other. The Pharisees thought they were in accord with Moses just as many people thinking they are Christians today believe they are in accord with Christ... but are not.

If we have Christ in us we will seek to follow The Way of Christ naturally. Therefore we must actually love the real Christ and not one made up by men who creep into homes deceiving, seducing and snaring people that may have a desire to follow sinful or covetous ways.[1].

True love, challenges our hearts to sacrifice ourselves in service to Christ and for those who seek Him. This love is like the love of a parent for their children and they may also challenge their own children to love others in righteousness.

  • Spare the rod spoil the child comes from Proverbs 13:24 "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."

This word rod is from טבשׁ shebet[2] ShinBeitTet from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; and is normally translated tribe some 140 times but also rod 34 times.

What is the meaning or sense of a word that means both rod and tribe?

The appearance of the word rod here includes the letter Vav. This is the only place we see this form of ShinBeitTetVav.

The Vav at the end of the word may suggest a connection to the next word or following context for a fuller meaning of the BeitNun but here is seen as BeitNunVav. This word for son is followed by the word וְ֝אֹהֲב֗וֹ VavAlefHeyBeitVav which would commonly appear as AlefHeyBeit meaning "to love".

The next word in the original test[3] is shachar[4] שָׁחַר which is said to mean "to look early or diligently for". But again in this text of Proverbs 13:24 only the word shachar[4] has an additional Vav שִֽׁחֲרֹ֥ו.

The last word in the text is musar[5] from the word yasar[6] meaning "to discipline, chasten, admonish". Yasar is YodShemachReish while musar is MemYodShemachReish in the Hebrew.

The word rod in Proverbs 13:24 only appears as ShinBeitTetVav in this one verse but there is another form that ends in Vav in Judges 21:24 where we see the word ləšiḇṭōw לְשִׁבְט֖וֹ with the letters LamedShinBeitTetVav in the verse meaning something like returning "to his tribe" or taking their place among the branches or rods of the tree of their tribe.


Beatest him

We also see in Proverbs 23:

"Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. 13 Withhold not correction from the child:[7] for [if] thou beatest[8] him with the rod[2], he shall not die. 14 Thou shalt beat[8] him with the rod[2], and shalt deliver his soul from hell." Proverbs 23:12

The Hebrew word naar translated "child" in this text is far more often translated "young man" or "servant".[7] The root word consists of the Hebrew letters NunAyinReish but in this text we see MemNunAyinReish. That variation only has 4 occurrences in the Bible. The three other times it is always used to denote young and old women or men[9] not children.

The Hebrew word we see for beat is NunKafHey.[8] But here in Proverbs only we see TavNunKafHey. The word we are told means beat without the additional letter Tav is said to mean everything from "smite" or "slay" to "stricken" or "given". To add a Tav, the letter for "Faith", it could be reasonable to suggest the correction these verses are calling for include speaking the truth. Since the truth can hurt it would seem reasonable that the rod is not made of iron or wood but actually represents something else.

The word for rod has the root of shebet[2] ShinBeitTet. But it appears as BeitShinBeitTet. The letter Beit added to a word that can mean branch or God's house here[10] suggest that by the adding of this one letter at the beginning of the word can suggest the rod consists of the housholds of God. The only other place this form appears is in Ezekiel 47:23 where it is translated relating to the word "tribe".

A literal interpretation that some how these verse are encouraging the beating of anyone or much less children to teach them about God is absurd.

The Kingdom of God was a network of families that set a moral standard of what was right and wrong based on the leading of the branches of the tree of life cultivated in a peculiar nations that were baptized in the Ten Commandments.


Branches or rods

As we saw in Proverbs 13:24 the term for "rod" appears as ShinBeitTetVav but there is another form that ends in Vav in Judges 21:24 where we see the word ləšiḇṭōw לְשִׁבְט֖וֹ beginning with the letter LamedShinBeitTetVav. related to returning "to his tribe" or taking their place among the branches or rods of the tree of their tribe by what you do.


"And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance." Judges 21:24

This idea of returning everyone to their family and to their inheritance was part of the essential message of the Jubilee and the coming of the Messiah. The law of God is built into God's creation and through the power of the Love that created it and gives life. To stray from those principles is to stray from life and the righteousness of God.

This is what the faith of Abraham and the nation of Israel was all about. The the ministers of Christ like the Levites before them served the tents of the congregations as the people were willing to gather and serve one another. The same was true of the congregations of Christ who gathered in tens as he commanded to provide a daily ministration of pure religion through faith, hope, and charity providing the wages of righteousness through love. Seeking that government of God called the kingdom of God instead of the wages of unrighteousness of the world requires that we repent of the covetous practices of force, fear, and fealty.


Israel as a nation was not to be bound together by schemes like the Golden calf nor by compacts of forced corban. It was to be bound together by love. The same is true of the early Church. And certainly should be true for the family.

Another word הטמ matteh[11] MemTetHey composed of different letters is also translated tribe 182 times, rod 52 times, staff 15 times, staves once. It is said to be from the word הטנ natah NunTetHey which means to stretch out or turn. Letters in Hebrew have meanings that can help us understand the full meaning of a word. See Sophistry.

A parent by nature is a giant to a child and by nature a child wants to please their friendly giant. If a child is displaying a willful spirit where did that spirit come from?
Could it have come from the spirit of a parent or other willful spirits given influence over the child who want to impose their will on the child by the use of fear through physical violence by the infliction of emotional if not physical pain?
More about Golem.

Proverbs 13:24 is a part of a list and is preceded by Proverbs 13:23 "Much food [is in] the tillage of the poor: but there is [that is] destroyed for want of judgment."

This is a reference to the precept that was the sin of Sodom which is mentioned in Ezekiel 16:49 "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."

Giving without judgment weakens and even destroys people.[12]


The family of man

What is true in a family applies when you seek to form a congregation based on the love of Christ.

It is hard to win the trust of sheep but with consistent guidance of love and patience it can be done.


We cannot force compliance to Christ by forcing others to comply with what we believe is doctrine. We exercise faith by doing all we do in love.

I will not spare the rod of a good shepherd.

Pharaoh had a sheep crook and a whip. The sheep crook was to guide the people but the whip was to punish or discipline or fire people like Jesus did in the temple.
  • Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.[13]

Most of us do wrong by habit and of course you can train people to do good by forcing them to do it over and over again and by fear of punishment. But to win the hearts of people according to the ways of Christ, our tactics and policies must be His tactics and policies. That does not mean that a parent or even an adult may never use force to obtain compliance what righteousness is at stake and certainly not when safety of others is at stake. You may. But force is not used to win the hearts and minds of the people. And we need to desire that our children hear the wisdom of Christ in us.



Habitually returning to error or the habit of sin is usually the result of Trauma where there is a part of our heart and mind that has been stunted or closed off. It becomes like a dark corner or room in our minds from which evil may influence us or those around us.

People need compassion and love which often includes forgiveness and patience to remove the influence coming from the dark trauma in our hearts or the hearts of others. Sin can be nothing more than Addiction.

From the beginning God has wanted us to choose to follow Him and walk with Him. He did not want brother to rule over brother like Cain and Nimrod by force. He wants us to follow the ways of Abraham, Gideon, Moses and Jesus Christ.

  • "I am the good shepherd, and know my [sheep], and am known of mine." John 10:14

We must choose to follow the narrow path He leads us on. This is not an intellectual choice but a spiritual one. Many will not understand this because they live in the tree of knowledge and imagine they make choices by their own reason.

Somewhere in our spirit our pride or humility will filter the evidence of truth, accepting or rejecting that validity and reason of God and His divine will. Our intellect is often used as a rod to steer us away from the inconvenient truths that God has laid before us.

Many who we have loved will not love Christ enough to hear His whole gospel. Anything less than the whole gospel is a lie.

The truth is there are many people who think they are Christ-loving, Bible-honoring, grace filled, gospel-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving believers but are not. You know they are not because they do not do what Christ said to do. In fact they are doing exactly what the Pharisees did.

In truth most modern day people who call themselves christian, are not serving God but are by their ways and means serving the ends of the Fathers of the world and Satan.

How do they do that?

They fail to be the social welfare of the people according to the perfect law of liberty by providing for one another through true love and pure religion that is not a snare or a trap. Even more, their ministers encourage and condone the people to go pray to the men who call themselves benefactors and exercise authority one over the other by offering a welfare that is a snare and a trap. This action entangles them in the bondage of the world again.

In order to keep the people under a strong delusion of false salvation these benefactors will need some ministers and priests out there doing good works to keep fooling many. They need to present some form of godliness but will be denying the power thereof.

2 Timothy 3:5 "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

They will need to keep pointing to the few quotes that talk about belief in Christ and that supposedly being all you have to do. They will never point to all those places where He instructs a person to...

If you really believed, all these things would be evidence of your faith. But that is not what we see in the modern Church.

Do we believe in what Jesus said?

Or do we believe in the doctrines of men gleaned from parts of the gospel?

The true ministers of God know the love and patience of God and know that he has sent them to rebuke those who think they are Christ-loving, Bible-honoring, grace gospel-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving believers. Those people are actually allowing, promoting and condoning the same Corban of the Pharisees along with many other "damnable heresies" and delivering the people back into the yoke of bondage of the world.

Many preachers water down the gospel to keep their congregations whole. But we are not to be preaching our gospel but Christ's. The congregation must belong to Christ, not to the pastors. The ministers of God are supposed to be calling all to repentance, including those who think they are Christ-loving, Bible-honoring, grace gospel-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving believers. Instead, those calling themselves ministers are going the way of the Pharisees and sending the people to pray to the men who call themselves benefactors but exercise authority.

We were directed not to be that way, and those who believe in Jesus should easily see that it is coveting your neighbor's goods to desire those benefits. This was and is the gospel of Christ and those who will not receive it are not Christ-loving or Bible-honoring and they will not be saved until they truly repent.

Many will not repent just as many Pharisees did not repent because they knew neither Moses nor Christ even though they thought they were Moses-loving, Torah-honoring, God-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving Pharisees.

Yes! Many ministers will say they prophesied and preached in His name, and in His name cast out devils, and in His name have done many wonderful works and outwardly appear righteous unto men by their own standards, but within they are full of hypocrisy and iniquity... because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold and they will not sustain a society by faith, hope and charity.

Instead of doing it as Christ said and the early Church did, they will not attend to the weightier matters and they will not turn away from the Corban of the modern state Church which encourages all to pray to Caesar, Pharaoh and Nimrod to feed His sheep. Nor will they lift a finger to set the table of the Lord.

The Rod of iron

Revelation 19:15 "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty."

Actual swords are not held in the mouth. So the use of this sword denotes something else other than an actual cutting sword. The word sharp which is translated from 'oxus' also appears as sharp and swift.

The word 'mouth' can reference words. We have all heard that the pen is mightier than the sword.

In Matthew 4:4, we see, "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

The word 'smite' is also of interest. It is translated from 'patasso'[14] meaning smite or strike but is defined "1) to strike gently: as a part or a member of the body." It is also defined, "2) to stroke, smite: with the sword, to afflict, to visit ..." But this is a sword that comes out of the mouth which may be the word of God that comes swiftly.

The word 'rule' is very important. But which Greek word is it that is translated into 'rule'. There are five different words that appear as rule in the New Testament.

The word 'archo' is translated "rule over, reign over". It also produces the word 'archon' meaning a "a ruler, commander, chief" and is translated "ruler, prince, chief, magistrate, chief ruler". But this is not the Greek word here.

Another word like 'kanon' is translated 'rule' and means '1) a rod or straight piece of rounded wood' and is a metaphor for 'any rule or standard, a principle or law of investigating, judging, living, acting'

And the word 'proistemi'[15] is translated rule 5 times and means "1) to set or place before 1a) to set over... 1d) to care for, give attention to"

The word 'hegeomai'[16] appears three times as "have rule over" or twice as "be governor" and can mean "to lead" as in "to go before" or "to rule, command, to have authority over. a prince, of regal power, governor, viceroy, chief, leading as respects influence, controlling in counsel, overseers or leaders of the churches... leader in speech, chief, spokesman" It can also mean "to consider, deem, account, think"

In Revelations we find only the word 'poimaino'[17] which is a verb meaning "to feed, to tend a flock, keep sheep ... to cherish one's body, to serve the body."

The phrase "and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." Can give us the idea of ferocious violence. The word wrath is from the word 'orge' which can merely mean the actions of a magistrate. Words like fierceness which is from 'thumos' which can denote passion and ardour. But we see these words associated in the text with the metaphor of the winepress. These words are not associated with word like furnace or 'the pit'. A wine press is used to press grapes for the making of wine which is a good thing. Wine presses are made to crush the grape without crushing the seed and is part of the process of producing a useable finished product. It is the culmination of the harvest.

Another way to say this is:

Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth comes the swift cutting words, that with it he should touch the nations: and he shall feed them with a a strong Royal scepter: and he treadeth the winepress with passion and God's good judgment.

How does God do this. He does this through his sons and daughters and servants who rightly divide the truth because God writes His laws upon their hearts and upon their minds.

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. God. Revelation 2:25-29

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:1-11


The rod of the shepherd is never used to beat the sheep. You absolutely cannot train sheep with physical discipline. The more you push them the more they will push back or try to go the opposite way. It is used to guide the sheep or occasionally restrain them and care for them. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" John 10:27

The Rod of a Shepherd

If we go back to the word chasteneth in Proverbs 13:24 we see that it is normally defined instruction and correction.

The same with the word טבשׁ shebet[2] we have seen as rod has to do with the growth of a branch of a tree among many branches. All branches growing toward the light and each one growing in its own place guided by the example and firmness of others.

Another word for rod is matteh[11] composed of different letters is also translated tribe 182 times, rod 52 times, staff 15 times, staves once. It is like the staff or rod of Moses. It is said to be from the word נָטָה‎ natah which means to stretch out or turn. Letters in Hebrew have meanings that can help us understand the full meaning of a word. See Languageland.

The rod of a shepherd is not used to beat the sheep into submission. It is a rod of guidance and direction to encourage the straight and safe path.[18]

In fact from over five decades of herding sheep on the high deserts I know from experience that if you try to force sheep to go in one direction they will resist and try to go around you. The last thing you would want to try to do to get sheep to go down a narrow path is hit them with your shepherds rod. So, why would a nation of shepherds think it is a good idea to hit your children with a rod?

If someone has to spank their child that is often a sign that they have already failed or neglected their child somewhere or somehow as a parent.

What should you do to make your children want to do good:

  • Bribing your children with gifts makes them mercenaries or prostitutes.
  • Threatening violence to your children teaches them to intimidate or be intimidated by others.
  • Causing pain by forcing submission may teach them to surrender to whom ever carries the biggest stick.

It takes a diligent practice patience to raise children.

You are not your children's buddy but their parent. https://youtu.be/

In the video an Orangutan Tries to discipline her offspring who is determined to Escape Mom. Being a good parent takes time, sacrifice, patience and love We need to be consistent, fair and firm, drawing clear lines for moral behavior for all children. When a monkey shows better parenting skills than a human-being there is a problem. Time 2:30
  • "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

The word "train up" is from a Hebrew word[19] that is more often translated "dedicate". People do not know what it means to be a parent.

Being a parent is a full time job that requires complete dedication of time and resources. While as a parent I had a right to spank my children I almost never found any need to do so.

When they were disobedient or simply could not control their emotions, I attended to the matter by restriction with holding them or confining them with consistency. This was, for the most part, when they were very small. This involved many hours and much sacrifice but that is what love is all about.

They were home taught and taught what was acceptable and not acceptable early on and again consistently.

Most parents whose children are out of control there is a reason for that. Parents need to be dedicated parents but unfortunately many do not know what that means, This is a good reason to gather with other parents and learn from them, from their success and from their failures.


The shepherds of Christ

In order for us to follow the mission of Christ we need to be in one accord with Christ and therefore with each other . The Pharisees thought they were in accord with Moses just as many think they are in accord with Christ...

If we have Christ in us we will see Christ in others but we must decide if we love Christ more than family and friends.

True love challenges our hearts as the love of a parent challenges their own children in righteousness.

Spare the rod spoil the child comes from Proverbs 13:24 "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." is not so much about children as it is the nation. Everyone knows that if you do not give firm correction and instructions to the children in the family they will be spoiled but the quote concerning hating means that the lack of discipline shows a lack of love.

There is the love associated with milk and care but their is the love that includes wisdom and direction meant to keep people from sloth and foolishness.

"While the welfare system of a free nation nation has elements of the Macro it must begin in the Micro of the individual and their family. Charity, what Jesus calls love, begins at home but we are also told that to spare the rod spoils the child. Understanding why you do not boil meat in milk is why you do not spare the rod." From Milk and meat, Exodus 23:3

Proverbs 13:24 is a part of a list and is preceded by Proverbs 13:23 "Much food [is in] the tillage of the poor: but there is [that is] destroyed for want of judgment." which is not about raising children but about food, the poor and wasting because of a lack of judgement.

This is a reference to the precept that was the sin of Sodom which is mentioned in Ezekiel 16:49 "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."

Giving without judgment weakens and even destroys people.


Trust

It is hard to win the trust of sheep but with consistent guidance of love and patience it can be done.

It takes patience to form a congregation based on the love of Christ.

We cannot force compliance to Christ by forcing others to comply with what we believe is doctrine. We exercise faith by doing all we do in love.

I will not spare the rod of a good shepherd.

From the beginning God has wanted us to choose to follow Him, walk with Him, and did not want brother to rule over brother like Cain and Nimrod. He wants us to follow the ways of Abraham, Gideon, Moses and Jesus Christ.

We must choose to follow the narrow path He leads us on. This is not an intellectual choice but a spiritual choice. Many will not understand this because they live in the tree of knowledge and imagine they make choices by their own reason. Somewhere in our spirit our pride or humility will filter the evidence of truth, accepting and rejecting that validity and reason of God and His divine will. Our intellect is often used as a rod to steer us away from the inconvenient truths that God has laid before us.

Many who we have loved will not love Christ enough to hear His whole gospel. Anything less than the whole gospel is a lie.

The truth is there are many people who think they are Christ-loving, Bible-honoring, grace gospel-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving believers but are not. You know they are not because they do not do what Christ said to do. In fact they are doing exactly what the Pharisees did.

In truth they are not serving God but are serving the ends of the Fathers of the world and Satan.

How do they do that?

They not only fail to be the social welfare of the people according to the perfect law of liberty by providing for one another through true love and pure religion and is not a snare or a trap but they even encourage and condone the people to go pray to the men who call themselves benefactors who exercise authority one over the other who offer a welfare that is a snare and a trap which entangles them in the bondage of the world again.

In order to keep the people under a strong delusion of false salvation they will need some ministers and priests out there doing good works to keep fooling many and need to present some form of godliness but will deny the power there of.

2 Timothy 3:5 "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

They will need to keep pointing to the few quotes that talk about belief in Christ and that supposedly being all you have to do and never point to all those places where He says keep commandments to have eternal life, seek the kingdom first, strive if you want to be saved, give or you will not receive and forgive or you will not be forgiven and be doers or you are not one of mine.

If you really believed all these things would be evidence of your faith but that is not what we see in the modern Church.

Do we believe in what Jesus said or the doctrines of men gleaned from part of the gospel.

The true ministers of God know the love and patience of God and know that he has sent them to rebuke those who think they are Christ-loving, Bible-honoring, grace gospel-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving believer's but are actually allowing and promoting and condoning the same Corban of the Pharisees along with many other "damnable heresies" and delivering the people back into the yoke of bondage of the world.

Many preachers water down the gospel to keep their congregations whole. But we are not preaching our gospel but Christ's. The congregation must belong to him, not the pastors. The ministers of God are suppose to be calling all who think they are Christ-loving, Bible-honoring, grace gospel-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving believers to repentance but are going the ways of the Pharisees and sending the people to pray to the men who call themselves benefactors but exercise authority.

We were not to be that way and those who believe in Jesus should easily see that it is coveting your neighbor's goods to desire those benefits. This was and is the gospel of Christ and those who will not receive it are not Christ-loving or Bible-honoring and they will not be saved until they truly repent.

They will not repent just as many Pharisees did not repent because they knew neither Moses nor Christ even though they thought they were Moses-loving, Torah-honoring, God-preaching, self-debasing, peace-loving Pharisees.

Yes!

Many ministers will say they prophesied in His name, and in His name cast out devils, and in His name have done many wonderful works outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within they are full of hypocrisy and iniquity... because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold and they will not sustain a society by faith, hope and charity. They will not attend to the weightier matters and they will not turn away from the Corban of the modern state Church which encourage all to pray to Caesar, Pharaoh and Nimrod to feed His sheep instead of doing it as Christ said and the early Church did... nor will they lift a finger to set the table of the Lord.





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Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 07626 שֵׁבֶט‎ shebet [shay’-bet] from an unused root probably meaning to branch off ShinBeitTet; n m; [BDB-986b] [{See TWOT on 2314 @@ "2314a" }] AV-tribe 140, rod 34, sceptre 10, staff 2, misc 4; 190 appearances often including at least 4 different additional letters in as many as 30 different variations.
    1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe
    1a) rod, staff
    1b) shaft (of spear, dart)
    1c) club (of shepherd’s implement)
    1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)
    1e) clan, tribe
    ש Shin Eternal Flame of Spiritual Revelation, bound to the coal of righteousness, the Divine Essence. [sun... teeth... consume destroy] (Numeric value: 300)
    ב Beit Purpose: God's Dwelling Place Below - a house or God's house here. [household, in, into] (Numeric value: 2)
    ט Tet Introversion - The Concealed power of good or paradoxically evil [to twist a snake... wheel To surround (gestation)] (Numeric value: 9)
  3. Westminster Leningrad Codex
    חֹושֵׂ֣ךְ בְטֹו שֹׂונֵ֣א בְנֹ֑ו וְ֝אֹהֲבֹ֗ו שִֽׁחֲרֹ֥ו מוּסָֽר׃
  4. 4.0 4.1 07836 שָׁחַר‎ shachar [shaw-khar’] a primitive root; v; [BDB-l007b] [{See TWOT on 2369 }] AV-seek early 4, seek 2, diligently seek 2, betimes 1, misc 3; 12
    1) to seek, seek early or earnestly, look early or diligently for
    1a) (Qal) to look for diligently, seek
    1b) (Piel) to seek, seek early
  5. 04148 מוּסָר‎ muwcar [moo-sawr’] from 03256; n m; [BDB-416a] [{See TWOT on 877 @@ "877b" }] AV-instruction 30, correction 8, chasten 4, chastisement 3, check 1, bond 1, discipline 1, doctrine 1, rebuker 1; 50
    1) discipline, chastening, correction
    1a) discipline, correction
    1b) chastening
  6. 03256 יָסַר‎ yacar [yaw-sar’] a primitive root; v; [BDB-415b] [{See TWOT on 877 }] AV-chastise 21 instruct 8, correct 7, taught 2, bound 1, punish 1, reformed 1, reproveth 1, sore 1; 43
    1) to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish
    1a) (Qal)
    1a1) to chasten, admonish
    1a2) to instruct
    1a3) to discipline
    1b) (Niphal) to let oneself be chastened or corrected or admonished
    1c) (Piel)
    1c1) to discipline, correct
    1c2) to chasten, chastise
    1d) (Hiphil) to chasten
    1e) (Nithpael) to teach
  7. 7.0 7.1 05288 ^רענ^ na‘ar \@nah’- ar\@ from 05287 shake out or overthrow; n m; AV-young man 76, servant 54, child 44, lad 33, young 15, children 7, youth 6, babe 1, boys 1, young 1; 238
    1) a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer
    1a) boy, lad, youth
    1b) servant, retainer
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 05221 ^הכנ^ nakah \@naw-kaw’\@ a primitive root NunKafHey; v; {See TWOT on 1364} AV-smite 348, slay 92, kill 20, beat 9, slaughter 5, stricken 3, given 3, wounded 3, strike 2, stripes 2, misc 13; 500
    1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill
    1a) (Niphal) to be stricken or smitten
    1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten
    1c) (Hiphil)
    1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust
    1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast)
    1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage
    1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy
    1d) (Hophal) to be smitten
    1d1) to receive a blow
    1d2) to be wounded
    1d3) to be beaten
    1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain
    1d5) to be attacked and captured
    1d6) to be smitten (with disease)
    1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
    This term in its original meaning may be similar to the Greek term 1605 ekplesso [ἐκπλήσσω] from 1537 and 4141 and translated "be astonished" but is said to mean "to strike out, expel by a blow, drive out or away" for other synonyms see 5841 for the Greek and The TWOT for commentaries on The Hebrew naka.
  9. Genesis 19:4, Joshua 6:21, Esther 3:13
  10. ב Beit Purpose: God's Dwelling Place Below - a house or God's house here. [household, in, into] (Numeric value: 2)
  11. 11.0 11.1 04294 מַטֶּה‎ matteh [mat-teh’] or (fem.)מטה‎ mattah [mat-taw’] 05186 MemTetHey; n m; [BDB-641b] [{See TWOT on 1352 @@ "1352b" }] AV-tribe 182, rod 52, staff 15, staves 1, tribe + 04294 1; 251
    1) staff, branch, tribe
    1a) staff, rod, shaft
    1b) branch (of vine)
    1c) tribe
    1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)
    מ ם Mem Fountain of water, a flow, a fountain of the Divine Wisdom [massive, overpower chaos] (Numeric value: 40)
    ט Tet Introversion - The Concealed power of good or paradoxically evil [to twist a snake... wheel To surround (gestation)] (Numeric value: 9)
    ה Hey Expression--Thought, Speech, Action. Manifest seeds of thought and life. [Emphasize, jubilation, window, fence] (Numeric value: 5)
  12. Plutarch, Polybius, Benefactors
  13. Proverbs 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.
  14. 3960 πατάσσω patasso [pat-as’-so] probably prolongation from 3817; v; TDNT-5:939,804; [{See TDNT 607 }] AV-smite 9, strike 1; 10
    1) to strike gently: as a part or a member of the body
    2) to stroke, smite: with the sword, to afflict, to visit with evils, etc. as with a deadly disease
    3) to smite down, cut down, to kill, slay
  15. 4291 προΐστημι proistemi [pro-is’-tay-mee] from 4253 and 2476; v; TDNT-6:700,938; [{See TDNT 664 }] AV-rule 5, maintain 2, be over 1; 8
    1) to set or place before
    1a) to set over
    1b) to be over, to superintend, preside over
    1c) to be a protector or guardian
    1c1) to give aid
    1d) to care for, give attention to
    1d1) profess honest occupations
  16. 2233 ~ἡγέομαι~ hegeomai \@hayg-eh’-om-ahee\@ middle voice of a (presumed) strengthened form of 71; TDNT-2:907,303; {See TDNT 289} v AV-count 10, think 4, esteem 3, have rule over 3, be governor 2, misc 6; 28
    1) to lead
    1a) to go before
    1b) to be a leader
    1b1) to rule, command
    1b2) to have authority over
    1b3) a prince, of regal power, governor, viceroy, chief, leading as respects influence, controlling in counsel, overseers or leaders of the churches
    1b4) used of any kind of leader, chief, commander
    1b5) the leader in speech, chief, spokesman
    2) to consider, deem, account, think
    For Synonyms see entry 5837
  17. 4165 ~ποιμαίνω~ poimaino \@poy-mah’-ee-no\@ from 4166; TDNT-6:485,901; {See TDNT 647} v AV-feed 6, rule 4, feed cattle 1; 11
    1) to feed, to tend a flock, keep sheep
    1a) to rule, govern
    1a1) of rulers
    1a2) to furnish pasture for food
    1a3) to nourish
    1a4) to cherish one’s body, to serve the body
    1a5) to supply the requisites for the soul’s need
    It does not mean to rule but to tend to the temporal needs. For Synonyms see entry 5824
  18. Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
  19. 02596 ^ךנח^ chanak \@khaw-nak’\@ a primitive root; v; AV-dedicate 4, train up 1; 5
    1) to train, dedicate, inaugurate
    1a) (Qal)
    1a1) to train, train up
    1a2) to dedicate