Ezekiel's prophecy (and the different perspectives)

DavidPT said:

As to this land, apparently Amils don't take this to be meaning literal land in a specific region of the earth, such as in the middle east. What about anyone that takes this to be literal land? If one takes it to be meaning literal, what does one then do after 70 AD, the fact they are expelled out of this land? How does that square with the following?

Ezekiel 37:24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

If literal land is meant, how were they fulfilling verse 25 once the events of 70 AD occurred? That verse indicates they shall dwell in this land forever, and not temporarily instead. It seems to me then, if the land meant is literal, this can't be fulfilled prior to 70 AD, but has to be fulfilled post 70 AD. And if that is the case, we have to keep this in mind when we are trying to interpret Ezekiel 38-39. We also have to keep in mind that 70 AD caused Jews to once again be led away captive into all nations, and that a little before mid century last century, Jews began returning to their land, literal land.

Click to expand...

Yes, exactly. Let's look at Ezekiel chapters 36-39, bearing in mind that it's all one narrative (there were no chapter divisions in it until thousands of years after it was written):

Chapter 36:
1-15 God is talking to the mountains of Israel which had been bare and waste and taken by other nations as their possession because Israel (all Israel) had been exiled and scattered among the nations for a prolonged period.

16-38 God is talking to the house of Israel saying he will gather them back into the land and sprinle clean waters on them, take the stony heart of flesh out of them and give them a heart of flesh, put His Spirit in them, etc.

It's all New Testament language.

Chapter 37:
1-14 Dry bones living again. Verse 12: God opens their graves. Verse 14: God puts His Spirit in them.

15-28 The house of Israel's 10 tribes and the house of Judah's two tribes are united again into one nation in the land, under their King, David God's servant. (Paul says in Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile). The tabernacle of God is in their midst from now, and forever more.

Chapters 38-39
God is now talking to Gog/Magog, telling them that after the people (the same people mentioned in chapters 36 & 37) have been living in the land for a long time in peace, safety and prosperity in unwalled villages, God is going to allow Gog to attack them.

In chapters 38-39 God is talking about both Gog/Magog and the people they have come to attack. There is no judgment mentioned for the people Gog/Magog have come to attack - the judgment is against Gog/Magog.

The overall picture of Israel and Judah being gathered out of the nations to which they had been scattered, back into the literal land in the Middle East, at the beginning of a prolonged period of peace, safety and prosperity ties up very well with the literal one thousand years and reign of Christ over the nations. The release of Satan at the close of this period and going out to deceive the nations ..

The overall picture is Premil IF taken literally - but Gog/Magog's destruction is not described in the same way in Ezekiel 38 &39 as it is in Revelation 20. You mentioned the birds being invited to eat the flesh of kings, etc, which ties in only with what Revelation 19 states regarding the close of this age and the armies of the beast (so this would agree with Amil).

All I know is that the souls in Revelation 20 had been beheaded for a reason - and the reason is given in the same part of the passage - and the reason also gives the time of their beheading (whether at the beginning or the end of the thousand years), and that's aside from all the other reasons I listed in that other thread for my belief that the millennium is literal.

The overall picture supplied in Ezekiel 36-39 is the same as a literal thousand years, IF both Ezekiel chapters 36-39 AND Revelation 20 are taken literally and chronologically, but even so, some (though not all) of the details between Ezekiel and Revelation clash, as you have pointed out, and as Amils have pointed out.

This is why when it comes to Ezekiel, I don't try to get to the bottom of it all.

Spiritual Jew said:

Can you try one more time to show me where in Ezekiel 38-39 it says something about unsaved people being surrounded? Please quote the verses where you think it says that and highlight the parts that you think say something about unsaved people being surrounded.

I see a description of Magog and other nations surrounding Israel after being brought back from exile, but that's all.

Click to expand...

That's the question I've been wanting to ask David and was about to ask him, but you have asked for me. So now I won't ask him unless he does not answer you.

Spiritual Jew said:

But, my guess would be that most likely they would see it as I do, which is that Gog and Magog figuratively represent "the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth" (Rev 20:8) and since it is referenced figuratively, there's no reason to assume it relates directly to Ezekiel 38-39.

Click to expand...

I've also wondered if Gog/Magog is a figurative "name" given to "the (unbelieving) nations which are in the four quarters of the earth". I don't have the answer to my own question - but it would make sense if "Gog/Magog" is a "name" figuratively speaking about the nations in the four corners of the earth who are in rebellion against God and His Christ - the way "Babylon" and "Zion" became "names" which figuratively speak of certain cities in prophetic language, and the way the dragon is a figurative reference to Satan. This is, after all, prophetic language which is always full of prose and symbols.

sovereigngrace said:

This proves that we are looking at recaps. This also forbids Premil. That is why you have to dismiss it. Your approach to every end-time passage is: what must I believe that will not expose my beloved Premil. This is not objective interpretation. This is twisting Scripture to support your error.

You let the cat out of the bag in your first post:

"About the only thing I might disagree with in the images you provided, is that Ezekiel 38-39 is connected with Revelation 20:7-8, the fact that would not prove Premil since Ezekiel 38 only involves things in this age before the 2nd coming, and not after the 2nd coming instead."

Click to expand...

Here is some of my thinking in the past. If it can be shown that some of the events recorded in Ezekiel 39 are parallel to the events recorded in Revelation 19:17-18, and if some of the events recorded in Ezekiel 38 can be shown to be parallel to the events recorded in Revelation 20:7-9, these together would not be proving Premil, they would undeniably be proving Amil. Why? Because Ezekiel 38 and 39 together would be revealing the correct chronology of Revelation 19 and 20, therefore showing Revelation 20 does not chronologically follow ch 19, but that both are speaking of the same events the same way Ezekiel 38 and 39 are speaking of the same events.

That was some of my thinking in the past. At the time I didn't realize Ezekiel 38 and 39 are not involving the same ones being surrounded in Revelation 20:7-9. But now I do realize it, and based on that, I'm no longer seeing the possibility I was initially seeing per my first paragraph above, unless one can provide compelling evidence that some of Ezekiel 38 does parallel Revelation 20:7-9, regardless that Ezekiel 38-39 has those God is hiding His face from at the time, being surrounded by it's enemies, while Revelation 20:7-9 has those that God is not hiding His face from at the time, being surrounded by it's enemies. It simply doesn't match, based on that alone, at least IMO anyway.

Spiritual Jew said:

Can you try one more time to show me where in Ezekiel 38-39 it says something about unsaved people being surrounded? Please quote the verses where you think it says that and highlight the parts that you think say something about unsaved people being surrounded.

Click to expand...

In this particular case, and in a lot of cases, I'm simply using deductive reasoning. If the ones being surrounded at the time are meaning ones God is still hiding His face from, that does not add up to the saved to me, that adds up to the unsaved. Do some of you think God would be hiding His face from the saved? Do some of you think, in Revelation 20:7-9 that it is the unsaved being surrounded? I'm sure you agree that no is the answer to both of those questions. And this is one of the reasons I'm not seeing anything in Ezekiel 38 paralleling anything in Revelation 20:7-9.

There is not a problem with Acts 2 explaining some of Ezekiel 39 if the events recorded in Ezekiel 38-39 are referring to a time prior to the time of Acts 2. But there is a problem with Acts 2 explaining some of Ezekiel 39 if the events recorded in Ezekiel 38-39 haven't even been fulfilled yet.

Ezekiel 39:17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.
20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
23 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.
24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.
25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.
27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
28 Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

The chronology of events are crystal clear. At least to me anyway. Until God executes the judgment recorded in verses 17-20, He is still hiding His face from the house of Israel meant. Once He executes this judgment, He is no longer hiding His face from them ever again, from that time forth. That obviously means they convert to Christianity after God has executed this judgment. And not that they had already converted to Christianity before God has executed the judgment recorded in Ezekiel 39:17-20.

DavidPT said:

Here is some of my thinking in the past. If it can be shown that some of the events recorded in Ezekiel 39 are parallel to the events recorded in Revelation 19:17-18, and if some of the events recorded in Ezekiel 38 can be shown to be parallel to the events recorded in Revelation 20:7-9, these together would not be proving Premil, they would undeniably be proving Amil. Why? Because Ezekiel 38 and 39 together would be revealing the correct chronology of Revelation 19 and 20, therefore showing Revelation 20 does not chronologically follow ch 19, but that both are speaking of the same events the same way Ezekiel 38 and 39 are speaking of the same events.

That was some of my thinking in the past. At the time I didn't realize Ezekiel 38 and 39 are not involving the same ones being surrounded in Revelation 20:7-9. But now I do realize it, and based on that, I'm no longer seeing the possibility I was initially seeing per my first paragraph above, unless one can provide compelling evidence that some of Ezekiel 38 does parallel Revelation 20:7-9, regardless that Ezekiel 38-39 has those God is hiding His face from at the time, being surrounded by it's enemies, while Revelation 20:7-9 has those that God is not hiding His face from at the time, being surrounded by it's enemies. It simply doesn't match, based on that alone, at least IMO anyway.

Click to expand...

My struggle is that you always seem to come from a bias Premil position - and that determines your view of every passage. You did not conceal that in your first post here. You seem unable to take Premil out of your thinking and leave yourself open to letting the text interpret itself.

DavidPT said:

The chronology of events are crystal clear. At least to me anyway. Until God executes the judgment recorded in verses 17-20, He is still hiding His face from the house of Israel meant. Once He executes this judgment, He is no longer hiding His face from them ever again, from that time forth. That obviously means they convert to Christianity after God has executed this judgment. And not that they had already converted to Christianity before God has executed the judgment recorded in Ezekiel 39:17-20.

Click to expand...

David, what it means is that the Jews have been blinded to the fact that Jesus is the Lord their God. They will not come to that realization until the middle of the 7 years when the blinders come off. And they turn to Jesus for the remainder of the 7 years.

Spiritual Jew said:

The fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32 is described in Acts 2 and I think Ezekiel 38-39 could be speaking of the same thing.

Click to expand...

mkgal1 said:

I agree.

Click to expand...

1.) The 2 (northern and southern) kingdoms are to become one nation under one king.
IMHO, I believe this is found fulfilled with the nations coming together with the Jews under Christ:

Ezekiel 37:22 And I have made them become one nation in the land, on mountains of Israel, And one king is to them all for king, And they are no more as two nations, Nor are they divided any more into two kingdoms again.

Hosea 1:11 and gathered have been the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel together, and they have appointed to themselves one head, and have gone up from the land, for great [is] the day of Jezreel.

Romans 9:23-26 nd that He might make known the riches of His glory on vessels of kindness, that He before prepared for glory, whom also He did call — us — not only out of Jews, but also out of nations,as also in Hosea He saith, ‘I will call what [is] not My people — My people; and her not beloved — Beloved,and it shall be — in the place where it was said to them, Ye [are] not My people; there they shall be called sons of the living God.’

Colossians 1:18 And himself is the head of the body — the assembly — who is a beginning, a first-born out of the dead, that he might become in all [things] — himself — first,

Ephesians 2:15-17 the enmity in his flesh, the law of the commands in ordinances having done away, that the two he might create in himself into one new man, making peace, and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity in it, and having come, he did proclaim good news — peace to you — the far-off and the nigh, because through him we have the access — we both — in one Spirit unto the Father.

2.) Christ is God's sacrifice for us. We eat Christ's flesh and drink His blood to remain in Him.
Ezekiel 39:17 And thou, son of man, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Say to the bird — every wing, and to every beast of the field: Be assembled and come in, Be gathered from round about, For My sacrifice that I am sacrificing for you, A great sacrifice on mountains of Israel, And ye have eaten flesh, and drunk blood.

John 6:53-60 Jesus, therefore, said to them, ‘Verily, verily, I say to you, If ye may not eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and may not drink his blood, ye have no life in yourselves; he who is eating my flesh, and is drinking my blood, hath life age-during, and I will raise him up in the last day; for my flesh truly is food, and my blood truly is drink; he who is eating my flesh, and is drinking my blood, doth remain in me, and I in him. ‘According as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, he also who is eating me, even that one shall live because of me; this is the bread that came down out of the heaven; not as your fathers did eat the manna, and died; he who is eating this bread shall live — to the age.’ These things he said in a synagogue, teaching in Capernaum; many, therefore, of his disciples having heard, said, ‘This word is hard; who is able to hear it

Douggg said:

David, what it means is that the Jews have been blinded to the fact that Jesus is the Lord their God. They will not come to that realization until the middle of the 7 years when the blinders come off. And they turn to Jesus for the remainder of the 7 years.

Click to expand...

Why do you act as if all Jews have been blinded? That is not the case. Even in Paul's day there was a remnant who believed and there have been Jews who have put their faith in Christ ever since. On the day of Pentecost alone, about 3000 Jews put their faith in Christ and were saved (Acts 2:41).

Why are you trying to postpone the salvation of the Jews? Salvation has been available to all of them for a long time. Do you not believe that God wants all people to be saved (1 Tim 2:3-6)? Is it just all people except for the Jews that He wants to be saved? Of course not.

Romans 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

DavidPT said:

In this particular case, and in a lot of cases, I'm simply using deductive reasoning. If the ones being surrounded at the time are meaning ones God is still hiding His face from, that does not add up to the saved to me, that adds up to the unsaved.

Click to expand...

I think you're missing that when they are brought back from exile, He is no longer hiding His face from them. He was only hiding His face from them before He brought them back together from exile.

Do some of you think God would be hiding His face from the saved? Do some of you think, in Revelation 20:7-9 that it is the unsaved being surrounded? I'm sure you agree that no is the answer to both of those questions. And this is one of the reasons I'm not seeing anything in Ezekiel 38 paralleling anything in Revelation 20:7-9.

Click to expand...

Gog and Magog surround Israel after the Israelites return there from exile. There's no description of unsaved people being surrounded. I'm just not getting what you're saying.

Brian Mcnamee said:

distinction
in Ezekiel 38: 15 it is talking about gog being the nation to the far north; this northern distinction is repeated in chapter 39 an the LORD notes he has put hooks in their jaws to turn them to make this move. If you get a globe and find Jerusalem and point straight up North you will go through Moscow so that northern indicator is important. No the plunder desired does include cattle and many other items as well. The motive will be clear in the moment but it seems a food shortage is a possible reason. Russia also has signed mutual defense pacts with Syria Turkey, Iran and they all have troops in Syria right now. Perhaps an Israeli strike into that region is the trigger. We will have to wait and see.

Click to expand...

You cannot honestly make scripture say what it does not.

DavidPT said:

As to this land, apparently Amils don't take this to be meaning literal land in a specific region of the earth, such as in the middle east. What about anyone that takes this to be literal land? If one takes it to be meaning literal, what does one then do after 70 AD, the fact they are expelled out of this land? How does that square with the following?

Ezekiel 37:24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

If literal land is meant, how were they fulfilling verse 25 once the events of 70 AD occurred? That verse indicates they shall dwell in this land forever, and not temporarily instead. It seems to me then, if the land meant is literal, this can't be fulfilled prior to 70 AD, but has to be fulfilled post 70 AD. And if that is the case, we have to keep this in mind when we are trying to interpret Ezekiel 38-39. We also have to keep in mind that 70 AD caused Jews to once again be led away captive into all nations, and that a little before mid century last century, Jews began returning to their land, literal land.

Click to expand...

Here's what you are missing. Israel is the Church and the promised land is the whole world culminating in heaven. Even Abraham knew Canaan was a symbol of heaven and sought it's fulfillment there.

Spiritual Jew said:

Why do you act as if all Jews have been blinded? That is not the case.

Click to expand...

I did not say all. I was referring to the nation of Israel as a whole.

mkgal1 said:

I'm thinking the dry bones (and most of this prophecy) is still relevant mostly to old covenant Isaelites as it was given to Ezekiel as an overview of their future even though they were in captivity at the time (the prophecy offered both hope/life....or judgement/death).

This look at the earlier chapters, I think, is helpful:

"Video: Overview: Ezekiel 1-33 | BibleProject™" Video: Overview: Ezekiel 1-33 | BibleProject™

Click to expand...

We've read through Ezekiel in recent years in our main bible study group at our church (I've attended all of our groups, but this one is the most thorough). In each chapter, we'd hear the view from 2-4 commentaries. Having all of that background already, I'd like to point to something far more interesting than those kinds of backgrounds and overviews. When you read fully through all of the bible, especially on the 2nd or 3rd time, you begin to hear the themes that are in all the bible, both the old and new testaments, all the way through, such as how the gospel message of grace for instance is already presented in the old testament (such as in Isaiah chapter 55). Wonderfully, God has planned our rescue since even before we began here on Earth.

mkgal1 said:

Ezekiel 37:5 seems to undeniably be about when God poured out His Spirit on Old Covenant Israel (recorded in Acts 2). To me....that offers us insight into the entire prophecy and its timing. Why is this ignored or denied?

Click to expand...

It is ignored and denied because it is not accurate!

Let us look at one part of the prophecy in 37.

11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

13 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.

verse 11- this is for all Jews or Israelites ( i use these terms interchangably), not all Jews heard in Acts 2.
verse 12. God WILL bring all the house of Israel into the land-hasn't happened yet.
verse 13 you SHALL know-- this hasn't happened yet either.
verse 14 they were in the land and those exiled still have freedom to return to the land. God SHALL place them. this hasn't happened yet either.

So this prophecy could not have been fulfilled in Acts 2.

Alsothe Ez. 38 invasion is not the same as the Rev. 20 Invasion.

He wrongly allegorizes the specific list of nation in Ez. 38 with a global invasion. There is no warrant or even hint that this should be the case.

also when one looks at the results of teh Ez. 38-39 invasion and compare them with the Rev. 20 invasion, the events that take place afterwards are vastly different.

In Rev. 20:
1. God destroys the armies
2. Casts Satan into the Lake of Fire
3. the great white throne descends
4. The present universe disappears
5. The second resurrection
6. People cast into the lake of fire

Now let us look at the results of the Ez. 38-39 invasion:

1. Invasion against Gods people Israel.
2. The war causes great tectonic activity and great fear.
3. The results of the destruction of the invaders is a global revival.
4. the dead of the invading armies will be eaten by birds
5. Gods name is known amongst His people Israel. who were brought back to the land of Israel.
6. A fire hits Magog (Russia ) and the isles and those people will know God is God.
7. Israel burns the weapons of war for 7 years (do we need that in eternity?)
8. Israel buries the dead into eternity? Seems silly.
9. After 7 months, Israel hires people to search for bones and place a sign to show where they are to be buried. This does not happen in eternity.
10. Israel will know that Jehovah is their god. Teh great white throne is a time for judgment not soul winning and revival.
11. The gentiles will learn that Israel was scattered globally for their sin and regathered by gods goodness. The great white throne and eternity is not the place for these revelations, but for living for the saved.

The results are too vastly different to say they describe the same thing.

nolidad said:

It is ignored and denied because it is not accurate!

Let us look at one part of the prophecy in 37.

11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

13 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.

verse 11- this is for all Jews or Israelites ( i use these terms interchangably), not all Jews heard in Acts 2.
verse 12. God WILL bring all the house of Israel into the land-hasn't happened yet.
verse 13 you SHALL know-- this hasn't happened yet either.
verse 14 they were in the land and those exiled still have freedom to return to the land. God SHALL place them. this hasn't happened yet either.

So this prophecy could not have been fulfilled in Acts 2.

Click to expand...

It might help if you actually read Acts 2.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

Dave L said:

You cannot honestly make scripture say what it does not.

Click to expand...

Those who spiritualize Scripture can only make Scripture say what it does not. They make it up as they go. That is called theology.

Getting people to think is one thing. Claiming they have to think one's spiritual interpretation is the "only" truth is totally different.

Timtofly said:

Those who spiritualize Scripture can only make Scripture say what it does not. They make it up as they go. That is called theology.

Getting people to think is one thing. Claiming they have to think one's spiritual interpretation is the "only" truth is totally different.

Click to expand...

How can someone spiritualize that which is already spiritual?

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.