Course Examination Number 1
For the Dance of
Manahaim Correspondance Course:
Chapter: Arise & Shine
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee and His glory shall be seen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:1-2)
The Song of Solomon was written as a prophetic allegory describing the bridal relationship between our great God and Saviour, the Jesus Christ and His one true and faithful church.
1) In Song of Solomon 1:1, who was the writer of this Old Testament book of the bible?
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This eight chapter Old Testament book is actually described in the Hebrew text as one complete original song. The author calls it "the Song of songs,meaning it is the song of all songs, for it describes God's love, which we see demonstated in the fact that "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
2) The Song of Solomon then was and is actually the feature song,or that focal point of all of God's plan of redemption; the salvation and maturation of His glorious church into a body of people who saying they abide in Him, will do what? (1 John 2:6)
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As the most important song in a collection of over 1000 songs that Solomon wrote, the passage found in Song of Solomon 6:12-13 forms the basis for the praise, worship and evangelism topic which is biblically entitled "The Dance of Manahaim."Please review the following prophetic portion of scripture. In this story of Solomon's love for a maiden of the kingdom, we see the allegory of Christ's love for the church. And the churches love and spiritual fidelity towards God.
Who is she that looks forth as the morning? Fair as the moon, clear as the sun and terrible as an army with banners? I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley. And to see whether the vine flourished -- and the pomegranates budded. Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib. Return, return O Shulamite; return, return that we may look upon you. What will you see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies."
We find the Shulamite here is eager, in verses 11-13, to know the condition of the various crops belonging to the king here. The nuts were a later harvest. The fruit of the valley, speaks of the young shoots growing in the valley along side the river bank. Her avid attention was fixed on even the slightest indication of whether the new vines were breaking forth. Whether the pomegranates were budding, or flowering; for this was a sure indication that fruit in it's season, would soon follow.
In her soul's being made like "chariots of Amminadib;" (chapter 6, verse 12) we see the Shulamite's eagerness to be a joint heir with her king. "It is God that works in us by His grace, both to will and to do of His good pleasure," but this requires our cooperation with His divine will and purpose. He has made us co-workers together with Him, when He joined us to Himself as members of the body of Christ, over which Jesus Christ Himself if head. (Philippians 2:13, Eph. 2:5, Eph. 4:16)
The Hebrew word "Amminadib," means "my willing people." And Psalm 110:3 tells us:
"Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of youth."
With the Abishag the Shulamite's words, "Or ever I was aware," we see the importance of "spiritual understanding" in the life of an individual. This must come by way of revelation from God's word.
Jesus prayed: I thank you O Father, that you have hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto s. Even so, Father: For so it seemed good in your sight. All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: And no man knows the Son but the Father; neither knows any man the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal Him.
Come unto Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart: and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:27)Through the study of the bible, we see again and again, the necessity for "spiritual light" to come by way of revelation, from God's word, the bible. Jesus sheds light for us, on why some readily receive revealtion and why others do not. According to God's holy word, why is this? (John 7:17)
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The light and revelation of God's word forms the basis of ones understanding of Jesus Christ, and of redemption. This understanding in turn is why we praise and worship God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
As a Christian, a worshipper, a dancer--the revelation of who Jesus Christ is will become your "song of songs." You will preach this message of salvation in word and in deed. You will act it out in stories and in parables as you dance God's timeless message through dance. Make sure that the trumpet does not give an "uncertain sound." (1 Corinthians 14:8) Let every note ring with clarity and truth.
The disciple Thomas, who put his finger in the prints of the nail wounds in the hands of the resurrected Son of God testified calling Jesus Christ: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28) The disciple Peter's testimony was this:
"You are the Christ: The Son of the living God."
Jesus answered: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also to you: That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom: and whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
To be an administrator of the keys of the kingdom, to bind and to loose, your "soul must have an awareness. This awareness, or revelation of who Jesus Christ is, will in turn lead you to fall at His feet and to become a true worshipper, and then to arise and shine as a "true witness of His Majesty."
On the day of Pentecost, 120 were gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem, awaiting the promise of the Father. There were men as well as women. Jesus own family members were among these waiting on God in prayer. According to Acts 2:1-4, what natural elements were a sign from heaven that God's Holy Spirit had been outpoured?
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Name some of the nationalities of worshippers present in Jerusalem at this prophetic time:
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In Acts 2:12, some of the onlookers responded with what, when they saw this prophetic promise come to pass:______________________
In verse 13, we observe that some of those present were "mockers" who also had something to say with regard to God's manifested presence. What was their comment on this notable occasion?_____________________________________________
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But the Apostle Peter stood and brought forth an incredible explaination regarding this phonomena using scripture. With what prophetic words of scripture does he bring clarity and purpose to those amazed onlookers?
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Where is this verse and what Old Testament prophet prophesied it?
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As 3000 are convicted by the apostolic message, and they begin to question: What shall we do, write out the three requirements brought by the Apostle Peter. (Remember that Jesus said that Peter had received a revelation of Jesus Christ that had not come to him from flesh and blood, but from the Father in heaven.
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(Acts 2:38)
Read Acts 8:16, Acts 10:46-48, together with Acts 19:5. Did the Samaritans, the Gentiles, including the Ephesians all receive the same gospel message? ___________________________________________
God has never changed the gospel message. His word stands as sure today as it was 2000 years ago. This is the Great Commission, that must be preached in all the world before the end comes. The 12 Jewish apostles of the Lamb took Jesus Christ's words in Matthew 28:19, and they went forth and obediently carried out His commands. On no occasion do they deviate from the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, with whom they had been in training for 3 1/2 years, prior to Pentecost.
Man's traditions conflict at times with God's word. What did Jesus say man's traditions do to God's word, in Mark 7:13_________________________________________________
Therefore it is better to obey whom_____________
than whom? _____________(Acts 5:29)
Read the following passage in which Jesus touches on what "true worship" is and answer the following:
When is the appropriate time to worship God? (John 4:21)
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3) Where does this passage state that true worship centered? What is the sphere of it? Do you need to be in a particular locale in order to offer "true worship?" (John 4:21)
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What is the intrinsic nature of God and how does one worship God? (John 4:24)
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What kind of worshippers does the Heavenly Father seek to worship Him? (John 4:23)
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In John 4:4-26, what did the woman at the well lack, as she began to converse with the Messiah? Write the verse in which He "reveals" who He is to her.
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And again concerning the need for revelation and the inspiration from God's anointed word: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect (mature) thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16) 4) What is your initial impression of these beautiful words? You may choose to write up to one 8 1/2 by 11 page on this passage if you wish.
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In this Song of Solomon 6:10 description of God's born again, Spirit filled New Testament church, "Looking forth as "the morning," places emphasis upon an important aspect of the bridal relationship--that close or intimate spiritual knowledge, that holy love that exists between the Lord and His church. For "God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth." (John 4:20-26) It focuses ones attention upon the blessed state of the believer in Jesus Christ, and the way in which Jesus, the Light of the World, that Bright and Morning Star; (Rev. 22:16) brings to the spiritual dead to life; those who were once in their trespasses and sins, (Ephesians 2:1) and He illumines or gives light to the pathway of His own precious saints.
This "looking forth as the morning," alludes to that "spiritual day" that dawned upon the world when Jesus was made the head of the corner. Believers are called "sons or children of light." (Eph. 5:8, 1 Thess. 5:5) Note that Isaiah 28:16 together with Psalm 118:22-25 tells us some important facts concerning God's idea of "day" vs "night."
Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone; a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes shall not make haste. (Be anxious)
I will praise you for you have heard me, and are become my salvation. The Stone which the builders rejected is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, we beseech you O Lord: O Lord I beseech you send now prosperity."
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You can read "THIS IS THE DAY;" (a Lark of the Morning prophecy for Perm, Russia) in which God speaks to the people there of this notable "Day of the Lord." From our understanding of scripture, the Day of the Lord is far more than the "great and terrible" portion which culminates in the judgment of God and the plague period. Jesus said: Abraham saw my day and was glad.
This teaches us that when we, as Christians sing: "This is the Day That The Lord Has Made," we must focus upon the day in which our Lord Jesus Christ was made the head of the corner. (Or chief Corner Stone) We all go through trying times, in which we are tempted to wonder about things which happen to us as "This is the day the Lord has made?"
But if you will look back to calvary as "The Day the Lord Has Made" it will put this into perspective, to realize that the servant is not greater than his Master. Take up your cross and follow Him! (Mark 8:34)
The scriptures teach that Satan, the god of this world, (lower sphere) has blinded the eyes, lest they see the glorious light of the gospel. But in the words of Timothy, the disciple of Christ who made full proof of his ministry of evangelism:
"Now thanks be to God which always causes us to triumph in Christ; and makes manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one, we are the savour of unto , and to the other, the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God; in the sight of God, speak we in Christ." (2 Cor. 2:16)
All of you, who are believers will be praisers and worshippers of God, to one extent or another. Some will dance in the privacy of their own prayer time alone with God, while others will enter into dance in it's many and varied scriptural forms. There are differences of administration, but the self-same Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:5) At Hebrew weddings in ancient times, it was considered rude not to dance at a wedding. Guests danced along the road on the way to the wedding ceremony. The bride also had dances that she did.
We see in Song of Solomon 6:12-13; that the daughters of Jerusalem in speaking to the Shulamite say to her: Return, return, that we may gaze upon you. The more literal interpretation would be: "Turn, turn, that we may look upon you." It was the custom in the east, to say to the dancing bride, "Turn, turn!" The onlookers were happy for the couple, and like all well-wishers, they would clap as they danced, and want to see both her dance as well as her beautiful wedding attire.
The Shulamite answers back: O! What will you see in the Shulamite? To which the crowd responds: As it were the company of two camps. More literally, it reads like this in the original: "As it were the dance of two camps, or the dance of Manahaim." This goes back to the story of Jacob, who fell asleep and dreamed of a ladder that reached from heaven to earth, and the angels of God were ascending and descending upon it. Jesus alludes to this in a conversation with Nathaniel John 1:51. Looking back to John 1:49, what prophetic term for Messiah is employed by Nathaniel?
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This is a term for whom, according to Psalm 89:18, and Isaiah 44:6__________?
Jesus sites an interesting character trait possessed by Nathaniel, that has much to do with seeing an open heaven. What is this righteous and holy aspect of Christ-like character? ____________________________
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List what Hebrews 12: says is part of the New Covenant:
a) But you are come unto:_____________________________
b) And unto the:__________________________________________
c) The heavenly:____________________________
d) And to an innumerable:_____________________________
e) To the general:
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f) And to God:_______________________________________
g) And to the:_______________________________________
h) And to Jesus:___________________________________
the mediator of:_____________________________________
i) And to the:______________________________________
j) That speaks_______________________________________
See that?____________________________________________
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Why?
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Write out the prophetic promise noted:
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In verse 27, of Hebrews 12; what will transpire as a result of God's action? Do you believe that uses His people as a part of this action?
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What kind of a kingdom is God primarily concerned with?
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How is God described, as an instrument of this type of action
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Describe John the Baptist's words about the believers relationship with Jesus Christ as found in Matthew 3;12, and Luke 3:16-7
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What does John prophesy that Jesus will do to believers here?
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