What Does God Require of Us?

    It was just before dawn when we all got up, and it seems that we all started talking at the same time about the same scriptures, as we all had the same thoughts during the night. So we dug out our notes and Bibles to be armed for action....we gathered around the fire as it was still a bit chilly in the early morning air. We started just before where we had left off and here is what we all came up with during the night:

Here we have the wiles or cunning of the Devil. Here's where they come from so listen closely.

2Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioned himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. 

2Corinthians 11:3-4 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

2Corinthian 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his

devices.

From here on is what was added during the nights sleep:

Matthew 4:1-11a Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward a hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, if you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Then the devil takes him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, If you be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, it is written again, Thou shall not tempt the Lord your God. Again, the devil takes him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And said to him, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me. Then said Jesus to him, get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him.

Galatians 1:3-10 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

      I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ (this is not found in the Old Testament of Genesis through Acts 11 and James, 1 &2 Peter, 1, 2 &3 John, Jude and Revelation). But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel (the Old Testament of Genesis through Acts 11 and James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1,2 &3 John, Jude and Revelation) to you than that which we have preached to you (Acts 11 through Philemon), let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (See Revelation 12:9)

     Acts is a letter of transition from the Old Testament of God's dispensational dealings with Israel on their time line into the New dispensation of God’s dealing with Humanity during this Church Age or the Age of God's Grace. The letter to the  Hebrews we found out is a letter of persuasion for the Jews who changed from a works and a separatist theology to a faith plus nothing theology. It exposes the New Covenant of God's grace as found in the face of Jesus Christ the risen LORD and King of Israel. Not to mention their spiritual idolatry or whoredom with the gods of the nations and their economy. 

    Now Peter has some very interesting and powerful things to say in 2 Peter 3:15, which gives us some more understanding though his letter was written to the scattered Jewish believers that were waiting for the Jewish tribulation to start at any time, and he said:  

2Peter 3:15-18 "And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you (the letter to the Hebrews) according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, (the letters to the Romans through Philemon) which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
     But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

Romans 10:3-4 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believe. 

   

    These were the scriptures that were running through our thoughts all night, but what to do with them, that was our question. We were hoping that the old guy would be at his work later this morning, maybe he could help us understand these things. As none of us fully understood them as we were taught the Old Covenant was for us and that all that we had to believe was John 3:16 and in that Jesus had died and risen. That this is our salvation and we were told to stay away from Paul's letters as we were not meant to understand them and they would only led us to err and confusion.

    Now we had more questions to ask, such as, what is the gospel of grace, what is the new covenant of grace, how do we receive the promises of God and under what conditions. Boy the guys just through more questions that I could make note of, hope the old guy is back to work, we need help and answers.

What God Requires of Us, cont E

    After a long day with the old man we finally made our way back to the auto. While walking back we decided to pitch our tents and stay the night along the road side where we had parked. Because we had gotten into a good discussion about what the old guy had said and we wanted to possibly find him again on the morrow and maybe find out more. After dinner we gathered around our fire with our Bibles and some other books that we had carried with us, in order to dig a little further into what we had learned from the old guy. Some of us also had flashlights to share. So we began:

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11

Jesus said in Mark 13:21-23 "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For THERE WILL RISE UP false Christs and false PROPHETS, DISPLAYING SIGNS AND PRODIGIES with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People, the elect. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything.”

Now comes the question of how could He have warned us of this? Let us learn something from 1 Kings 22:22 as the Old Testament after all is meant for our learning and instruction only. To set the stage we need to see who are the ones talking, so look at verse 2

1Kings 22:2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. (Ahab husband of Jezebel, was king of Israel at that time. Why does it say that he, Jehoshaphat, came down, when Israel consisted of the ten northern tribes.).  

1Kings 22:13-14  And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, what the LORD said to me, that will I speak.       
(All the prophets gave good reports to the kings, but one, Micaiah.)

1Kings 22:15-18 So he came to the king. And the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD? And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, these have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? 

1Kings 22:19-23 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand (strength) and on his left (iniquity). The LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.  The LORD said to him, wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and has the LORD spoken evil concerning you?

Now this is for our understanding. Who was it that sent the lying spirit? The “LORD” did, why? because of Israel’s backslidden condition. Ahab was and evil man, he stood by while his wife did all manor of evil. Ahab only followed what his priests were already allowing in the temples of God their in the northern kingdom. Let us take a close look at and upright man and a just man….Job.

Job 1:7-12 And the LORD said to Satan, Where are you coming from? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Does Job fear God for naught? Have you made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon him put not forth your hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.  

God, in order for us to get the picture, repeats this in chapter 2 again for our learning and instruction.

Job 2:3-6 And the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews evil? And still he holds fast his integrity, although you move me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has will he give for his life. But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face. And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; but save his life.

Why do you suppose that these scriptures are written for us?

    For the mystery of lawlessness does already work: only there is one that restrains now, until he (the mystical Body of Christ should be capitalized here “He” or maybe church should be used) is taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one (the anti-Christ or false prophets, all in iniquity, the wicked as these all are storing up wrath unto the day of wrath), whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to naught by the manifestation of his coming; even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: ...that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

1Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
2Corinthians 5:7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight); {sight here means any of our five natural senses as they require a sign, wonder or miracle..ie. for the earthy to believe and what do they believe, a lie.}

Now to clear the air we’ll take a scripture from 2 Corinthians chapter 4.

2Corinthians 4:1-7 Therefore, being engaged in this service and being mindful of the mercy which has been shown us, we are not cowards. Nay, we have renounced the secrecy which marks a feeling of shame. We practice no cunning tricks, nor do we adulterate God's Message. But by a full clear statement of the truth we strive to commend ourselves in the presence of God to every human conscience. If, however, the meaning of our Good News has been veiled, the veil has been on the hearts of those who are on the way to perdition, in whom the god of this present age has blinded their unbelieving minds so as to shut out the sunshine of the Good News of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God.  (For we do not proclaim ourselves, but we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord of the resurrection and a live from the dead, and ourselves as your bondservants for the sake of Jesus, who was put to death in mans flesh.) For God who said, "Out of darkness let light shine," is He who has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory, which is radiant on the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in a fragile vase of clay, in order that the surpassing greatness of the power may be seen to belong to God, and not to originate in us.

So what does the word "wiles" mean? Webster 1828 Dictionary says: WILE, n. A trick or stratagem practiced for ensnaring or deception; a sly, insidious artifice. v.t. To deceive; to beguile.

Thayer’s says: Thayer's Definition: Strong’s # G3180 wiles

1) cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery

Part of Speech: noun feminine

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from a compound of G3326 and G3593 [compare “method”]

What is method? Webster 1828 Dictionary says: METH'OD, n. [L. methodus; Gr. with, and way.]

1. A suitable and convenient arrangement of things, proceedings or ideas; the natural or regular disposition of separate things or parts; convenient order for transacting business, or for comprehending any complicated subject. Without method, business of any kind will fall into confusion. To carry on farming to advantage, to keep accounts correctly, method is indispensable.

We have to turn to Strong’s # 3326:  met-ah'

A primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly denoting accompaniment; “amid” (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive case association, or accusative case succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between G575 or G1537 and G1519 or G4314; less intimate than G1722, and less close than G4862): - after (-ward),X that he again, against, among, X and, + follow, hence, hereafter, in, of, (up-) on, + our, X and setting, since, (un-) to, + together, when, with (+ -out). Often used in composition, in substantially the same relations of participation or proximity, and transfer or sequence.

These definitions above can all be found in Genesis 3:1  Look in The Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary/Concordance. The Hebrew definition here is numbered H6175:

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle (H6175) than any beast of the field which Elohim God had made. And he said to the woman, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?” 

H6175  

        ערוּם

‛ârûm

aw-room'

Passive participle of H6191; cunning (usually in a bad sense): - crafty, prudent, subtil.

H6191

ערם

‛âram

aw-ram'

A primitive root; properly to be (or make) bare; but used only in the derived sense (through the idea perhaps of smoothness) bo be cunning (usually in a bad sense): -  X very, beware, take crafty [counsel], be prudent, deal subtly.

Here we have the wiles or cunnings of the Devil. This is where it is coming from so listen closely.

2Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioned himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. 

That sounds like what the old guy told us. Even down to the meaning of the trees and the tombs. Boy, that has really given us something to sleep on. 

What God Requires of Us cont D

    As we were sitting listening to the old mans stories of the false prophets we noticed that there was a number of trees that had been cut down and there was one tree, rather large that looked as if it were dying from what looked like the top down and that there was a smaller tree nearby that was full of life and some taller trees also full of life. When the old fellow paused to take a deep breath we asked him about the trees. He said that the ones that had been cut down were from the Old Testament times and that they were reminders of God's dealings with people in His dispensations and epoches. Naturally we wanted to know more as we had not heard about such things in our college days nor in our classes on theology or philosophy. These were strange words and we did not know their meaning.
    The old guy explained that during the old times God set standards for each people group that He dealt with and that each had basic rules or orders of conduct to follow with its own limits or penalties for not following the rules. This was the meaning of dispensation, he said you see it is like buying an ice cream cone, the man behind the counter dispenses to you what flavor and the amount that you request. He said that we set the standard for the dispensing out in that case, if we did not we could have the whole thing. Now he said that the epoch is a word meaning a set time or a set season, its limited in starting and limited in ending, in other wards it is preset and it will not start before nor end before the limit.
    Now he said as for the trees, there are seven that had been cut down. The first one was for the beginning of man, the next for Israel, then the four kingdoms (Babylon, Persians-Medians, Grecian, Romans), the fifth was for the (Romans now silent or sleeping) time of the gentiles (the Church Age not revealed to any of the old testament saints, though the prophets searched for its meaning.) this one is the one dying from the top down (as it is nearing its end and has been corrupted by the false prophets and teachers since Satan took upon himself the form of an angel of light and has been deceiving even the elect into believing a lie, you see it is actually dead on the inside.), these last two are still growing and are bright green and they stand for the tribulation period, and the millennium (with a great war at its end, between Satan and his forces against the King Jesus Christ) then the judgment and then on into eternity.
    So again who are the false prophets in those tombs? Are they the old or the new? He said they are made up of them both. Now what about that small tree, what is it? He said that it is for the mystical Body of Christ as it belongs to Him because He is its Head and that those who are a part of Him make up its form. He also said that it is so small because there are not a lot of members that form it and make it up, only a few are grafted into Him. He said that he could not reveal why or how or where the ones came from that became a members of the body, it was a mystery to him.
    As the day was getting well spent and we needed to get back to our auto and some food we decided to leave off with our conversation with the old guy, but asked if we could return as we had more questions than we had answers from him. All he said was that today was the day of our salvation and that we were not guaranteed tomorrow, what ever that meant.

What God Requires of Us cont C

    Today it is raining outside and the sound is wonderful, though it means that I'll not get my walk and inspiration for today, or will I?
    Yesterday, the Lord gave me more insight to our travelers and the situations that they'll encounter along the road.
    Seems like our group is made up of six or more individuals from many walks of life and varying backgrounds. It also sounds like their trip is all but non eventful. Seems like they'll met up with many interesting people and situations even before they get turned around and headed in the right direction. My problem is that I'm not sure just who they encounter first maybe that does not really matter, we'll see. (pause to listen)
    Seems like they just pulled over into a turn about along the side of the roadway, maybe having some kind of trouble with the auto. No, someone wants to turn around and head back in the right direction and there seems to be a heated debate going on among them. Remember that there are no warning signs except the one way arrow that they had already passed and a few autos heading in the other direction sometime back. Other than that all looks like a quiet country lane. (pause to listen)
    Someone just spotted someone in the distance painting some boulders along the side of what looks like a bluff. The boulders are round and appear to be leaning against the bluffs side. It seems strange because they are all being painted white. Our party is heading to get a closer look and to see what all this may mean. Here's a path heading towards the bluff, now here's a road bed it does not seem to be used much as the grass is long and uncut. Cresting a small knoll now looking forward down the road bed, we can see a sign it looks like this place is an old graveyard of sorts. There does not appear to be any gravestones or headstones or markers. Just an old man painting the boulders with white wash. He is turning now our way and he sees us for the first time, he's heading this way, what is it he is saying?? "Keep clear...these are graves full of dead mans bones and this is defiled ground, stay away, stay away." He's coming our way maybe we can find out what this is all about. (pause waiting listening)
    The old man is now just feet away from us. What are you doing? What does all this mean? What are those boulders for that you are painting? Why this stone wall? and a hundred more questions start coming from our mouths... He motions for us to stop questioning him....He tells us that this is an unmarked graveyard for false prophets and that the grounds are cursed with a curse because of the unholy words spoken by these prophets. It seems that they carry a heavy weight on their heads and souls because they refused to preach the truth. They did not know the secret of the mysteries that the LORD had given His Apostle to the Nations. It seems that they taught their own message as they desired and that they had lead many to the path way, that goes to the broad-way to destruction. This is their final resting place until the final judgment day when all sinners, unbelievers, liars and the lawless ones will march into the lake of eternal fire where the worm does not die. (pause waiting listening)

What God Require of Us. Cont B

    In our first entry we used the illustration of turning on to a one way street heading in the wrong direction and we carried this theme over into our last entry also. Well here today the Lord has me continuing in this same taught. As in the last our subjects still have a hardheart and stubbornness about them in the form of resentment and anger or rage other wise known as wrath. Now remember the word wrath as it will play a key role down the road. No pun intended here.
    Our people have been on this wrong way now for some distance but they have not encountered many people heading in the other direction, though the few that they did encounter where waving and jestering to them. Our people you see could not see clearly because of the sun glasses that they had on nor could they hear clearly because of the muffs that they were also wearing. So they just continued to travel down this one way not knowing that it would enter into a freeway heading in the other direction as well.
    This freeway was a fast track road way much like the European express way with a large mass of traffic on it. So either the traffic headed towards them had made an exit from the express way or they had made a turn around themselves. Being the hard hearted people that they were they just stayed on the course that they were on as if they had good sense. Then something happen first to one and then another, one lost her glasses, the other lost the muffs. Now one could see clearly and the other could hear plainly, what a difference this little change had made for them. They were able to get their companions to remove their glasses and their muffs, now all could hear and see, but what about the stony hearts and stubbornness, they still had those conditions to be dealt with. And what about those few people that they encountered heading in the other direction, what about them and what about their story? Why? were they waving and shouting at them warnings of some sort? What was it that lay ahead of them?

What does God Require of Us? Cont A

    Yesterday I revealed a hidden condition of man. And that is; that all mankind is hard hearted and stubborn especially when it comes to spiritual things. We some how think that we know it all, where we get that from may be hard for some to understand. But here goes, it started with Adam when he chose to eat of the fruit. Yes, I said "chose to eat of the fruit", after all Elohim had told him not to eat of it and also what would happen "when and 'If'" he did, but he did it any way. We all have been severed from fellowship with our creator from that one action of disobedience and rebellion of grace and faith. You see it required grace and faith in the creator to allow a desire of our own flesh to over ride what was "known" in the face of the spoken "word" of the results of that free-will action. It was this action that caused man kind in Adam to die or put to death the spirit of Christ in man. This rebellion and disobedience brought sin into mankind and it's penalty death.

    Separating the human race from its creator, breaking fellowship with Him and placing all humanity into a state of spiritual darkness and resistance to the truth or light because of death. You see a spiritual divine being does not die, at least not in the sense that humanity knows death, that required sin to enter in. Sin was not in the first equation of mans makeup as he had the some total of the image and likeness of his creators in him (Christ). Yes, I said his creators because the word used in Genesis one means three in one or triune being.

   Many have found solace in some form of religion, as there are many religions in the world and all claim to be right and provide salvation to all that will follow its teachings. However the oldest is not that of Judaism but rather is a feel good worshiping of self. or a "new age" feeling good type of thing. It started back even before the tower of Babel and has been seen in many forms and shapes through out the dawn of history. Today it is very alive and I might add is healthy and thriving taking on the form of what is most commonly called "Christianity", or "New Age" and some other forms, in that there are many non-denominations and denominations of various names and types and all are a self gratification religious form.

    Israel was a shadow and type of the church and all of its history is for our learning and understanding. "IF" we have eyes to see and ears to hear what the SPIRIT is saying. The Holy Spirit is our guide and teacher as He reveals to us and in us Christ as we were a part of Him and He was a part of us in the beginning. How this change in our fallen nature comes about is in God's hands not ours. It is within His plan and He alone administers it to us in His dispensation, as it is of His Grace. We are to cooperate with Him when we hear the truth and receive the light of His revelation into ourselves. Jesus who is Christ and Elohim and the fullness of God, as the second Adam (being clothed in human flesh) brought the living word to mankind through His ministry to Israel but they along with the gentiles rejected Him and His words. The fulfilling the prophecies (Gods spoken word released into the earth by man) that common men spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance.

What Does God Require of Us?

    There are many out there that have mixed and fixed opinions on how one is to acquire eternal life and salvation. There are even some who believe in a replacement theology (what is meant is that they replace Israel or the Jews as they stick to the Law and commandments of Moses), stay in the Old Testament only, some in the teachings of Christ only (what they mean is that they only adhere to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and some of the Old Testament), there are some who would cut Paul's letters completely out because they say that they are hard to understand. There are main line denominations in that group as well as those who would remove all reference to the blood out of the Bible also. Well to all this all I can say is hog wash...Paul's revelations, which he received from the risen Lord are all that we need to get a hold of. Yes, we still need the Old Testament because in it we learn Christ as the revealer to Israel as their Yeh or Adonai, Lord or at times LORD. If we'll take the time to listen to what is said and how it is said in Genesis chapters one through three. We'll learn more about who we are and what we lost and why God places such a high value on man and why Christ came again in the flesh of man, as the son of man.
    When we learn how to come out of our ignorance or untaught condition then we'll begin to have a child like teachable spirit. You know it is like heading down any street in the good ol US of A and finding ourself at a dead end that forms a "T", you know where you could turn either to the right or to the left but you can not go straight ahead. So you choose to turn to the right but after a short distance you find an arrow pointing in the other direction. It is then that you realize that you heading into traffic, your on a one way street and your going the wrong way. Well that is what life is all about for those who do not rightly divide the Word of Truth into its epochs and dispensations an even proper gospels. Many will follow the wrong way no matter what because their to stubbornness, and their to hardhearted to admit that they are wrong. Many spend years in schools of higher learning to get a degree of some sort thinking that it will earn them a place beside God or some sort of honor before Him. Let me tell you that it wont get you anywhere with Him. Why? You ask...because He only wants you naked and dirt poor, bankrupt of attitude and self ....with a broken and contrite heart and as a little child, like the Prodigal son. Who after wasting all his wealth and prestige came to himself and returned to his father.