No Pearls for Pigs
Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Matthew 7:6
The Scriptures are sufficient for the Christian life. They show the way of Salvation, Jesus Christ, and they instruct in righteousness, fully equipping the man of God for every work of service. The Scriptures are not the sum total of everything knowable about God of course, for Jesus Himself said that He had much more that He wanted to share that He couldn’t, because it would be too much for His disciples (John 16:12). The Holy Spirit is here to guide us into all truth. But, when that comes, the object is not necessarily to write a new book about it.
There is nothing inherently wrong in books, or making what God has revealed concerning the Scriptures available to others. But, the Kingdom of Heaven is Eternal, and the same rules that applied to you to get you to where you’re at will apply to others. There are no shortcuts, even if there are overseers who can show you the true way.
Just as the carnal mind cannot understand the things of God, so the “dogs” and “pigs” cannot receive holy things. These animals are completely incapable of recognizing the higher value of a thing. They see things that appeal to their senses, and if it does not smell or taste interesting, they will simply discard it. So it is with the things of God.
God releases revelation for understanding according to His Kingdom. Yet, what is able to be received often depends on the state of the individual. Even as fasting at the wrong point in the process can yield destruction on the wine-skin, so, even for Jesus, there was some truth that even his new apostles were not able to handle.
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
Song of Songs 8:4 NIV
The revelation you have received, if it die with you, is not lost. If you received it, and are faithful with it, it has served its purpose. If need be, God can release the same revelation to another, at His digression. There is no need to fear the loss, unless it is the Lord’s will that the revelation be shared.
It is an edifying thing to hear prophetic words, to hear of visions of heaven and hell, and know of angelic encounters and revelatory experiences. They can provoke us to a godly jealousy, not for someone else’s experiences, but for our own, so that we may know Him more!
But, there are cult watch pages abounding calling this and that man a false prophet, simply because he believes he has seen an angel. Jesus saw angels, and so did many throughout the Old and New Testament. Even Jesus said he had angels attending to Him (John 1:51). And, today, when someone says they have an angel that God has assigned to do this or that, we see unstable dogs accusing good and able ministers of being devils. Why? Because they have no understanding of heavenly things.
Pearls are wonderful things to share, and written accounts of heavenly encounters throughout history still inspire many today to pursue godliness, righteousness, and the faith of Jesus Christ in their own lives. But, perhaps, there is a wisdom in God’s methods… Perhaps, He keeps his most special and sensitive members, the ones that see His glory, covered, even from themselves. Perhaps, in what man’s fame and glory calls ignoble, God sees a place for glory to dwell, like he did in the manger in Bethlehem.
God’s ways are perfect. He is able to make all grace abound to us, so that we always have enough for everything so that we can have an abundance for every good deed (2 Corinthians 9:8). This is His will in Christ.
It isn’t to compete with the world in their building programs and businesses. It isn’t to try to demonstrate to the world that we are more blessed than them by our wealth. They will know we are His by our love for one another (John 13:35).
The Kingdom of Heaven consists of holy things. Jesus came and showed His holy things through a parable. People still squabble over their meaning, even today. The vast variety of interpretations, even ones that directly contradict each other, is so comical so that if they were ever brought into the same place at the same time, you would wonder that they were reading the same book! Some people even say that they aren’t meant to be understood, that Jesus was just that profound… As if Jesus actually was just here wasting His time blabbing on about nonsense and then told us that if we didn’t do it, we should expect a great crash.
But, I will follow a group whose interpretation of these sayings look like our Master. If the result of the interpretation of these sayings results in us looking much like the Pharisees and Sadducees, I would imagine you know where that interpretation came from. But, if, it results in perfect strength clothed in perfect humility and dignity, that speaks the truth, and radiates life, filled with love, that is the camp I would follow, regardless of whether you could understand their speech, or even agree with much of what they’re saying.
Jesus came to teach us His Kingdom, and His Kingdom is here for violent overthrow of the Kingdom of darkness. It is marked by signs, wonders, miracles, but the foundation of its throne is in justice and righteousness.
Even in the days of David, even then, God asks what right the wicked have to recite His laws? (Psalm 50:16).
Psalm 50:16-23
But to the wicked God says, What right have you to tell of My statutes and to take My covenant in your mouth?
For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you.
When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you associate with adulterers.
You let your mouth loose in evil and your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.
These things you have done and I kept silence; you thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.Now consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.
He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.