Cadle’s Home Fellowship
STUDY GUIDE
Spotlight on Israeli
(Gen 12:3 & Ps 122:6)
The Jerusalem Post was recently
hacked by pro-Iranian forces in
retribution for the assassination of
Qasem Soleimani in Jan 2020. His
body was completely blown apart
and he had to be identified by the
red stone ring he always wore -
https://www.israel365news.com/
142901/was-soleimani-found-
wearing-the-ring-of-haman/
Mohammad wore a silver ring with
a carnelian stone, generally
regarded to be the most important
gemstone in Islam. Tradition holds
that the carnelian stone protects the
wearer from enemies and
misfortune. Ironically, the
gemstone that was meant to protect
Soleimani was used to identify his
dead body.
Some Israeli’s are equating this
irony to the biblical Haman who
was ironically executed on the
gallows that were built for
Mordecai. The connection is found
in Esther 3:10 where the King
gives Haman, the enemy of the
Jews, his signet ring. Later in the
story, this same ring is ironically
given to Mordecai.
Furthering our study on the use of
trees in the Bible, the word gallows
comes from the Hebrew word used
for trees. Here a tree is used to
convey death as opposed to life.
Feb 18, 2022
Review Elijahs Flight
1 Kings 20:1-12
Elijah must have set the wrong expectation of what God
was going to accomplish at Mt. Carmel. He thought the
entire nation of Israel would repent and turn from their
ways when they saw the power of God. When this did not
happen, he was despondent. He did not understand what we
learn from Paul in Rom 9, that not all Israel is true Israel.
This false expectation led him into questioning God and
falling into the lying playbook of Satan. In order to turn
Elijah’s faith around he brought him to himself, just as he
did the Hebrews, at Mt. Horeb. God’s Mosaic covenant was
for the people to listen and obey (the law), then God would
treat them as his treasured possession ensuring that things
would go well with them. God had to remind Elijah of this
truth and its application to his own life. Elijah obeyed God
and defied King Ahab and his court by telling him there
would be no rain until he said so. In return God took care of
him at Wadi Cherith with water and food from Ravens. God
told him to go to a gentile widow in Zarepath. He did and
fed them both for 3.5 years and resurrected the widows son
from death. Elijah should have known that God was going
to take care of him after his obedient stance at Mt. Carmel.
So, God brought him to Mt. Horeb to be reminded at the
place where the covenant with his people began.
We must pay extra attention too the repurposing of OT
scripture within the NT. Jesus and many authors did this.
Jesus said in Luke 11:29, that an adulterous and evil people
seek after signs. Jesus is reminding the people, in his day,
that they are no different then the people in Elijah’s day.
They are easily deceived and manipulated by the signs and
wonders given to them by the foreign gods. God showed
Elijah at Mt. Horeb that his essence is not found in the
typical signs associated with divine power. God’s presence
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Spotlight on Israeli
(Continued from Page 1)
Gal 3:13 - “Christ redeemed us
from the curse of the law by
becoming a curse for us—for it is
written, “Cursed is everyone who
is hanged on a tree.” Even in death,
Christ fulfilled the law of Deut
21:22-23 which mandates that
anyone who dies by hanging must
be buried the same day.
Trees in the Bible are also used as
an association. Fig, Palm and Olive
trees are associated with Israel.
John 1:43-51 records the calling of
Nathanael as one of the 12
disciples by his brother Phillip. In
this passage, Jesus greets him by
stating he is an Israelite in which
there is no deceit. Jesus reveals his
identity as the Messiah by showing
Nathanael that he saw him under a
fig tree. Jesus uses the fig tree to
connect Nathanaels righteous
character with the unrighteous
character that defined Israel’s
forefather Jacob as a deceiver.
Jacob was ultimately transformed
from his old self to a new life
through faith - Gen 32:24-30.
Jacob wrestled with giving up his
old nature and putting his faith in
God at a difficult confrontation
with his brother Esau. The struggle
lasted all night and since Jacob
would not let go of his old nature,
the Lord had to break him by
touching his hip and forcing him to
submit to God. Jacob, newly
named Israel, finally realizes he is
not to depend on his own will.
Funny how trees can be used to
remind us “not my will, but
yours, be done.” - Luke 22:42
Feb 18, 2022
can be found in material things such as the Ark of the
Covenant (Hashem or “the name”) or in the things of nature
such as a pillar of clouds or in fire such as the burning bush.
However, these do not represent God’s true nature as Spirit.
God is distinguishing and contrasting his nature with the
trappings of the foreign gods. God is teaching Elijah that it is
not by some grand display of God’s power or might that
turns people to repentance. It will certainly get people’s
attention but it is by and in his Spirit that true repentance
can be found. Jesus rebuked many for always looking after
signs and wonders, despite the fact that God did give many
of them. Signs were given as proof that God is who he says
he is, and contrasts himself with the trickery of sorcerers and
magicians. At his mountain, God shows Elijah his true nature
and it is this that changes people. True change, through
repentance, in people does not occur with signs but by the
still, quiet voice of his Spirit - Zech 4:6 says, “Not by might
and not by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.”
The Lord’s revealing of himself to Elijah is a critical part of
God’s restoration process. In this same way, God dealt with
the doubt of Job by showing him who he was - the infinite
creator of all things. Are we able to see God for who he truly
is or are we relegated to only seeing a glimpse or a shadow of
his true self ? Often times it is in the moments of our greatest
need that we strive to see God and know him for who he
truly is. This begs the question, can we see God? There are a
number of scriptural passages which address this question
but some seem to contradict each other. To uncover this
mystery, let’s first know and understand that one day all true
believers will see God for who he truly is and live. Rev 7:9-12
depicts the great multitude of believers being presented
before the throne of God following the Rapture and
Resurrection of the saints. In our glorified bodies, through
the power of the living Christ, we will stand before the
throne of God wearing our white robes, sinless, holy, and
glorified. This day is not yet upon us so what can we say
about seeing God in the meantime.

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The following verses indicate there were times when God was seen face to face.

Gen 32:30 - Jacob wrestles with God and says - “For I have seen God face to face,” he said,
“yet my life has been spared.” Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord - a physical
manifestation of Yahweh.

Ex 24:9-12 - twice in these passages it is said that the 70 elders “saw God” and he did not
harm them. No doubt these elders were is the presence of Yahweh on his mountain. They
saw his feet standing on a heavenly pavement like sapphire and they saw his hand as it did
not touch anyone. They ate and drank as they beheld him.

Ex 33:11 - “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his
friend.”

Deut 34:10 - “And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the
Lord knew face to face.” These occurred often at the tent of meeting in which the Angel
of the Lord was visible in the cloud above the tent.

Despite these examples and many others, scripture also indicates that “No one has seen God” - 1
John 4:12. Also, in Ex 33:20 - “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” How
can both passages be true, is this not a contradiction? Our logical minds have a hard time
reconciling these seemingly contrasting passages. That is, until, we understand that our view of
God is incomplete. When we are reminded of the Trinity, then we begin to see it is God’s three
personages that must come in to view to reconcile these passages. It is God the Father that is the
one that cannot yet be seen. In contrast, however, it is the Son (Jesus) who comes into view as
the Angel of the Lord in the passages that describe face to face encounters. These Old Testament
encounters are also consistent with Jesus’ face to face encounters as the only begotten Son who is
seen face to face in the New Testament. So the Bible remains consistent and not contradictory
because we must see God as the self existent, triune godhead.

For further study, determine if these passages support the idea of face to face encounters with
God are associated with the Angel of the Lord, who is Jesus the Christ himself - Num 14:14,
Deut 5:4, Judges 6:22, 1 Cor 13:12.

1 Kings 19:15-21
The Call of Elisha
God replaces Elijah’s negative thinking with a new task to perform. Elijah needed to stop focusing on his
circumstances and instead focus on what God wanted him to do. Perhaps this is a good practice and habit
for us to incorporate into our own lives. Instead of letting the things of this world get us down, we should
focus all the more clearly on what God would have us do.
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God commissions Elijah to do three things - anoint a new king over Syria, anoint of new king over Israel,
and anoint a new prophet. God reveals the purpose for these changes are to bring about judgment upon
everyone who bowed a knee to Baal. He does, however, reserve 7,000 in Israel as his faithful remnant. I
tend to think these are the true Israel that responded to the still small voice of the Spirit and obeyed the
command to go to Mt. Carmel and repented of their sin.

God provides Elijah with both a traveling companion and a replacement helping him to understand he
isn’t alone in his battle against the forces of Baal. This must be much like Moses taking comfort in having
Joshua as his companion and replacement - Ex 24:13. Elijah will be so busy and focused on mentoring
Elisha, that he won’t have time to feel sorry for himself. Elijah can now take comfort in knowing he has
nothing fear from Jezebel. He knows Ahab will be replaced and this includes her.

Elijah carries out God’s instructions but it happens in reverse order as he travels north to Damascus. The
reason becomes apparent as future events unfold between Syria and Israel. As Elijah travels north he first
encounters Elisha working in the field with a team of 12 yoked oxen. Elijah drapes his cloak on Elisha,
adorning him with the mantle of being God’s prophet. Garments conveyed special significance in Middle
Eastern culture. Joseph’s multi-colored robe conveyed that he was his fathers favorite. Believers will be
given white robes to wear in God’s kingdom signifying they are favored by God as their sins are washed
away and presentable before a holy and righteous God - Zech 3:3-4.

It appears that Elijah’s cloak and the 12 oxen are a metaphor symbolizing Elisha’s prominence and
authority over all 12 tribes, and not just those of the northern kingdom. It may also be these 12 oxen are
yoked together to symbolize the common yoke of sinful disobedience and the worship of foreign gods.

Elisha requests that he turn back home to say goodbye and is granted permission. What Elisha does next
is important. He ceremonially sacrifices the 12 oxen and gives it away as charity to the people. Clearly this
is a huge sacrifice since these oxen must have been a prized possession and worth a very handsome sum.
Elisha does this in order to turn away from and makes an end of his former life as a farmer. There is no
turning back for Elisha. He is 100% sold out to being a man of God regardless of the personal cost. He
has a new life now as a prophet of God. Behold, the old has passed away and the new has come - 2 Cor
5:17.