2 Samuel 18:4

He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.

being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;

Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.

He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is by interpretation, Peter).

but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of Yahweh’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says Yahweh.

praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

All Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.

many times they have afflicted me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me.

You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until today.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.

I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.

to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,

The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies.

from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Canaanite; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,

Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever.

His foundation is in the holy mountains.

Yes, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one was born in her;” the Most High himself will establish her.

Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.

I said, “In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the residue of my years.”

I will give them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

They will call them “The Holy People, Yahweh’s Redeemed”. You will be called “Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken”.

and speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies says, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build Yahweh’s temple;

The chieftains of Judah will say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in Yahweh of Armies their God.’

Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;

But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”

For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.

and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.

This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly.

Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.”

You shall set up the court around it, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.

Moses raised up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and put in its bars, and raised up its pillars.

for Yahweh your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”

Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua rose up early in the morning, mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

The Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter; for thirty thousand footmen of Israel fell.

When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for God’s ark. When the man came into the city and told about it, all the city cried out.

Then they said, “What should the trespass offering be which we shall return to him?” They said, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.

He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Your house and your kingdom will be made sure forever before you. Your throne will be established forever.” ’ ”

But Absalom fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him.

David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

They took Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, each to his own tent.

and he said: “Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;

He set up the pillars at the porch of the temple. He set up the right pillar, and called its name Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called its name Boaz.

Nevertheless for David’s sake, Yahweh his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem;

Do this thing: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their place.

Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’ ”

Judah was defeated by Israel; and each man fled to his tent.

The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city; and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set on them above, and all their hindquarters were inward.

Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, there is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.”

An arm of flesh is with him, but Yahweh our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.” The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Have mercy on me, Yahweh. See my affliction by those who hate me, and lift me up from the gates of death,

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Yahweh of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards.

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won’t be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Yahweh builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more; but the righteous stand firm forever.

A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.

If she is a wall, we will build on her a turret of silver. If she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from within it, by the spirit of justice and by the spirit of burning.

What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people will take refuge.

In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks.

and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.

Yahweh is exalted, for he dwells on high. He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.

Look at Zion, the city of our appointed festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tent that won’t be removed. Its stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.

You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God: and they will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.

I will stand at my watch, and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you.

I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until God’s Kingdom comes.”

For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.

Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;

“Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?”

(but how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule one’s own house take care of God’s assembly?)

Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”