SALT COVENANT

[Witness]

 

 Matt 5:13 - “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

Salt was a strong catalyst in the physical and spiritual biblical world.  If we look into its great significance, we can then discern the meaning of Christ’s words.

In Ezra 4:14, the letter written to Artaxerxes in Arabic, is read:

 ^“Now since we are UNDER OBLIGATION to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king…”

The original word for “under obligation” has salt in its basic meaning.

mĕlach (Aramaic) - to eat salt, i.e. (generally) subsist:— have maintenance.

Salt ‘maintains’ or preserves not only food but figuratively, represents a partnership, friendship, agreement or contract between parties.   Both the physical use of salt and its figurative meaning joined in creating traditions and customs set in Bible times. If a host chose to eat with his guests instead of standing, it represented a “salt covenant” or a solid friendship that was born, since salt seasoned the food.  The expression “there is salt between us” verbally signified the establishment of that friendship and its mutual loyalty.

God referred to the nation of Israel as a people not “washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt (a cleanser for the skin; and even deeper, the soul) or wrapped in cloths” before He chose them as His nation.  Ezek 16:1-5  Once His people, they were purified through His laws and wisdom as long as they remained steadfast and ‘maintained’ their obligations to the Lord. Deut 30:15-18  Aside from a salt covenant with King David (2 Chron 13:5), the Bible speaks of God’s salt covenant made with His chosen priesthood established through Aaron.  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezek+16%3A1-5%3B+Deut+30%3A15-18%3B++2+Chron+13%3A5&version=NIV

^“Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.” Lev 2:18

“Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord for both you and your offspring.” Num 18:19

 It was necessary to salt every sacrifice offered as a continual reminder of the mutual agreement made between God and the priesthood. He chose them as His “special possession” and if they were loyal and obedient to the responsibilities put upon them, He promised to preserve and protect the priesthood eternally.  Ezek 44:28; Num 18:1,5-8; Mal 2:7; 1 Pet 2:5,9,10  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezek+44%3A28%3B+Num+18%3A1%2C5-8%3B+Mal+2%3A7%3B+1+Pet+2%3A5%2C9%2C10++&version=NIV

Salt is an unchanging element of the earth, an excellent protection from contamination, and is a purifier when it permeates the food.  The significance of adding salt to all the sacrifices, even grain offerings, represented pure, unadulterated worship to God in unchanging, enduring TRUTH. The entire nation of Israel was to be a “seasoned” people, set apart from the pagan nations and their corruptive teachings and sacrifices to their idols. Ezek 16:5-8; Deut 7:6-9;12:2-4  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezek+16%3A5-8%3B+Deut+7%3A6-9%3B12%3A2-4&version=NIV

The temple priesthood lost their “saltiness” at times throughout the Bible’s history. (Mal 2:1-8) This was the case when King Ahaz ruled Judah, a king whose wickedness rivaled that of all the ruthless kings of Israel.  His lust for pagan worship resulted in his shutting the doors “to the Lord’s temple” and setting up pagan altars “at every street corner in Jerusalem”.  2 Chron 28:19,22-25  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mal+2%3A1-8%3B+2+Chron+28%3A19%2C22-25&version=NIV

All of this, sounds rather familiar in a recent, symbolic way.  Have the “doors” to the “Temple” been shut today by the pagan leaders of spiritual “Israel”.  Yes, the GB/Harlot has admonished God’s priesthood, the dwelling of God, to become indiscernible; achieved through a spiritual, mental and emotional “trampling” by its Beast. 1 Pet 2:5,9; 1 Cor 3:16,17, Matt 24:15;2 Thess 2:3,4; 2 Cor 11:19,20; Col 2:8 Thus, they have shut the doors to pure worship, substituting false worship to a pagan god; the organization.  New “temples” in many forms are now revered and worshipped in the Watchtower.  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Pet+2%3A5%2C9%3B+1+Cor+3%3A16%2C17%2C+Matt+24%3A15%3B2+Thess+2%3A3%2C4%3B+2+Cor+11%3A19%2C20%3B+Col+2%3A8+&version=NIV

The holy priesthood is silent, and unrecognized. Dan 12:7 They are unable to offer their spiritual sacrifices as God intended. Dan 8:11 They are to follow the example, Christ, the Head of the anointed Body, as also a “living sacrifice”; yet, for those priests under the power of the Harlot and her Gentile army, God’s anointed ones who are the “salt of the earth” have not retained their “saltiness”.  Rom 12:1,2; Rev 13:1,11  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Dan+12%3A7%3B+8%3A11%3B+Rom+12%3A1%2C2%3B+Rev+13%3A1%2C11&version=NIV

Pearl Doxsey, from her article, "Salt":

"It is a certainty that the Temple of God (1Cor.3:16; Eph.2:20,21,22) is trampled in the time of the end (Rev.11:2; Dan.12:4,1;Matt.24:9; 10:22; Rev.11:9,10,7; John16:2; Dan.11:33; Rev.13:10)
(Isa.5:5; Jer.12:10; Rev.11:2; 13:7). Why does God allow this to happen?   

Jesus tells us why God would subject His own Temple priests (1Pet.2:5,9) to endure this discipline (Mal.2:7-9; 3:1,2,3; Eze.44:10;Rev.13:8; Hosea4:6; Rev.2:23,20; Zech.13:9; Luke21:22).

Matt.5:13 reads;
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT."

God allows His Temple priests to be trampled, because they have lost their "saltiness" (Num.18:19; 2Chron.13:5; Lev.2:13). 

These have abdicated their royal and priestly authority (Luke10:19; Rev.17:17) and have allowed the Beast to remove their continual sacrifice ("constant feature") (Luke10:19; Rev.17:13) as priests and kings, in favor of subjecting themselves to the Image / Idol, of the Wild Beast! (Rev.13:7,8; 2Thess.2:4; Dan.8:11,24,25; 11:31,36; 12:11) (2Cor.11:20; Col.2:8; Rev.13:10,7,8)."     (4womaninthewilderness)

King Hezekiah, whose name means “YHWH Strengthens”, had a wicked ball of yarn to untangle after his father Ahaz had died.  Ahaz began his rule at the mere age of 20 by worshipping the Baals and sacrificing his own sons to the god Molech.  (Deut 18:9-13; Lev 20:1-5)  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deut+18%3A9-13%3B+Lev+20%3A1-5&version=NIV

More idolatry followed, as well as a very expensive pact made with the Assyrian king for his protection from Syria and Israel. 2 Chron 28:16; 2 Kings 16:7-9   It is astonishing that early on, God gave him a way out of his troubles, yet he chose the Assyrians instead of relying on God’s words through Isaiah. Isa 7:1-12  The Assyrians gave him “trouble instead  of help”. (2 Chron 28:20,21)  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chron+28%3A16%3B+2+Kings+16%3A7-9%3B+Isa+7%3A1-12%3B++2+Chron+28%3A20%2C21&version=NIV

“In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. ²³ He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.” 2 Chron 28:22,23

 Thus, his corrupt pagan desires reached the point of cutting up the articles of the temple before closing its doors.  Upon becoming king, Hezekiah re-opened the temple doors and completely sanctified all articles according to the laws of God, utilizing the efforts of the sanctified Levites and priests. All forms of idolatry were removed in his effort to restore true worship.  2 Chron. 29:3-9,31; 31:1 When Assyria came up against him, his reliance on God protected Jerusalem.  2 Chron 31:21;32:22  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chron.+29%3A3-9%2C31%3B+31%3A1%3B+2+Chron+31%3A21%3B32%3A22&version=NIV

I watched the Watchtower movie on Hezekiah, and after the event of Assyria breaking through the walls of Samaria, “Hezekiah” said, “these things came upon them because they sinned against God. The character “Isaiah” replied, “The king is right.  From King Omri’s day the people of Samaria (coincidently meaning, “watch tower”) have served false gods. They openly practiced idolatry.  ‘Jehovah’ foretold that these consequences would come upon them, but again and again they rejected his warnings.”

 JWs, can you see that this is why Watchtower’s reliance on a political “arm of flesh”(as the movie’s“Hezekiah” put it) to fight their battles in Russia will not be fruitful?   They have “gone down to Egypt".  Isa 31:1  Remember the final cut of the movie focuses on the words, “Jehovah rescues those who are loyal to him”.   The True God, YHWH has rescued those who are loyal and faithful only to Him and His Son in TRUTH, not to the Watchtower Idol, Satan’s fabrication to destroy the anointed ones.   

For those of you who have awakened to Watchtower’s deceit, you will effectively discern the underhanded 'threat' that this movie reveals toward God’s anointed ones.  You may detect a few innuendos, relating the Assyrian army and its threats, to an army of “locusts” that today we realize has come against spiritual “Jerusalem” – the anointed ones.  Rev 9:1-6  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rev+9%3A1-6&version=NIV

Recall when “Hezekiah” told the little girl holding a wounded turtle dove (a sacrificial offering for the temple),  “Ah yes, this is important.  You have to promise me not to keep the bird locked up in a cage.  When it can fly, set it free.”

By the strength of YHWH, God’s people have been set free.  After years of being “trampled” by a Gentile army under the direction of a false prophet/”king”, the Temple “door” has been re-opened.  God’s priests can present their sacrificial offerings of pure worship in God’s Temple/Zion, by having “salt in themselves”.  Rev 12:6; Luke 17:37;Heb 13:15; 1 Pet 2:9; Rev 19:4,5 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rev+12%3A6%3B+Luke+17%3A37%3BHeb+13%3A15%3B+1+Pet+2%3A9%3B+Rev+19%3A4%2C5&version=NKJV

 

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ⁸ I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ⁹ I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

¹¹ I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ¹² The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. ¹³ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  Rev 3:7-13

 

Who claims to "represent the 'royal priesthood', who are spiritual "Jews"? (Rom 2:29; Heb 8:10; 1 Pet 2:5,9,10)  (w02 8/1 pp. 9-14)

The elder body, who "tramples underfoot" the "salt of the earth".