Peace.
A dog licks with the tongue. A person flatters others with the tongue.
A “dog” is a person who flatters others by speaking great swelling words of emptiness in order to lead them astray.
The “dogs” spoken about in Philippians 3:2 are leaders… “shepherds”. Beware of dogs….beware of evil workers….beware of the “concision”....that is, the “cutting off”.
Philippians 3:2 KJV (2) Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers,
beware of the concision.
The person who is a “dog” is the spiritual equivalent of the “Amalek” which means the “people who lick”. They flatter others with the tongue….they “lick”.
Just as new Christians are escaping the pollutions of this world (“Egypt”), they (the Amalekites…the dogs) come forth and meet us by the Way (the Way of righteousness) in order to “smite the hindmost” of us.
This is the “concision”…the cutting off of us from the Way of righteousness that leads us to His eternal life in this earth. "By the Way" = by the Way of righteousness.
Deuteronomy 25:17-19 KJV (17) Remember what Amalek did unto thee by
the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;
The “dogs” flatter others with the tongue in order to “cut off”…the concision…. from the Way of righteousness that leads to life those who become “faint and weary” in well doing.
Of course, they do this for money’s sake (the price of a dog as mentioned in Deuteronomy 23:18). Interestingly, “smote the hindmost” also means “to wag”….as a dog does with the tail.
"he met you by the Way" = by the Way of righteousness that we know to take.
(18) How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even
all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and
he feared not God. (19) Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God
hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land
which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it,
that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven;
thou shalt not forget it.
The “dogs” who “lick” speak great swelling words of emptiness with their tongues to those who are just escaping the pollutions of the world (coming out of Egypt).
2 Peter 2:18-22 KJV (18) For when they speak great swelling words of
vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much
wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
(19) While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the
servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is
he brought in bondage.
They meet us by the Way of righteousness in order to cut off those who become faint in weary in well doing….who are just escaping the pollutions of the world (Egypt).
"escaped the pollutions of the world" = coming out of Egypt.
(20) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with
them than the beginning.
Beware of the “concision”….the cutting off from the Way of righteousness by the spiritual “Amalekites”….the people who lick...the people who flatter with the tongue…the “dogs”.
The “Amalekites” meet us by the Way….the Way of righteousness…in order to cut off (the “concision”) those who are “feeble”….unsteady in it.
They use flattery to cut off from the Way those who become “faint and weary” in well doing. It would have been better to not have known the Way of righteousness then to turn from it after knowing the Way of righteousness.
(21) For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
The “dogs” want us to keep their handwriting of church dogmas (the carnal commandments and teachings of men) and use them to fight with others….which is not doing the Holy Commandment to have love for one another. They want to bring us into their church bondage and return to the envying and striving with one another (in their denominations) just as the world behaves in that does not know the Way.
(22) But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The
dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to
her wallowing in the mire.
Be not deceived. He that sows after the flesh (in the envy and strife with one another), shall of the mortal flesh reap decay of the mortal flesh but he that continues to sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting as the Spirit shall make alive our mortal bodies in this earth.
This manifest life in our outer mortal flesh is the eternal life of Jesus appearing in this world for all to see who will then glorify God in Heaven. The “dogs” have no knowledge of this. If they knew, they would not crucify the Lord of glory….preventing His life from ever appearing in this world because of their feigned words of emptiness which deceive many and leads them down the broad way to their mortal destruction.
Galatians 6:7-10 KJV (7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (8) For he that
soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Let us not be “weary” in well doing for in dues season we shall reap if we faint not. If we become “faint and weary”, then the “dogs” that come forth have the power to deceive us and lead us astray from the Way of righteousness that leads to that everlasting life for our mortal bodies in this earth.
(9) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall
reap, if we faint not. (10) As we have therefore opportunity, let us
do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of
faith.
They come forth posing as ministers of righteousness in order to cut us off from the Way that leads to life. Broad is the way that leads to destruction (of the mortal body from this earth) and MANY are going (now) through it.
Matthew 7:12-15 KJV (12) Therefore all things whatsoever ye would
that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law
and the prophets. (13) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is
the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many
there be which go in thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find
it.
They are seizing many who are listening to them.
(15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
They are “shepherds”…..greedy “dogs” which can never have enough. They are shepherds that cannot understand as they all look to their own way…their own profit.
Isaiah 56:10-12 KJV (10) His watchmen are blind: they are all
ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying
down, loving to slumber. (11) Yea, they are greedy dogs which can
never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they
all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
They want you to come rejoice with them as they become rich off of our expense as they promise abundance for us.
(12) Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves
with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more
abundant.
They say that they are sent by Christ (“apostles” = sent) but they are instead the ministers of Satan who are transformed as the ministers of righteousness (coming to us in sheep’s clothing).
2 Corinthians 11:12-15 KJV (12) But what I do, that I will do, that I
may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein
they glory, they may be found even as we. (13) For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles
of Christ. (14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into
an angel of light.
Their end is according to their works. Their end is the destruction of their mortal body from this earth…and they lead many along with them who are deceived by their good words and fair speeches down the same path of destruction. They are the pied pipers of death so to speak.
(15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be
according to their works.
The “dogs” are outside as they have no understanding of the Scriptures. They cannot enter in to know the mysteries of the kingdom because of their activities as they lead many astray from the Way that leads to life (they do not have the right to the tree of life).
Revelation 22:14-15 KJV (14) Blessed are they that do his
commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city. (15) For without are dogs,
and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and
whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
They lead many astray….and the whole spiritually-poor church body has “sores” of which they “lick” by proclaiming with their tongues “peace, peace” when there is none.
Luke 16:20-22 KJV (20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus,
which was laid at his gate, full of sores, (21) And desiring to be
fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the
dogs came and licked his sores.
The rich pastors come and “heal the hurt” of the daughter of His people slightly saying “peace, peace” when there is no peace. The dogs came and licked the sores of Lazarus.
Jeremiah 8:10-11 KJV (10) Therefore will I give their wives unto
others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every
one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness,
from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. (11)
For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly,
saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Those who are spiritually hungering to be fed with the Word of Truth only hear “crumbs” from the rich pastors who care nothing for the church that they are in charge of. They lay at the “gate”….their mouth…waiting to hear the Word of Truth. Yet, the rich pastors fare “sumptuously every day” while many are not being fed with the Word of God spoken in sincerity and truth.
Luke 16:19-21 KJV (19) There was a certain rich man, which was
clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
(20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at
his gate, full of sores, (21) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs
which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and
licked his sores.
But the Lord comes to deliver us from them so that we may be healed.
