Monthly Archives: February 2009

End of the CHURCH Age Signs

28 Saturday Feb 2009

Posted by in Bible Prophecy

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“So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28, NLT)

NOTE: Unless otherwise notated, the cited biblical Scriptures in this work are taken from the New Living Translation Bible (NLT).


More than ever before, true Christian believers can say that they are living in the prophesied last and evil days. Although there are many who argue that the world has been in these last and evil days since the time of the first century A.D. apostles, it is doubtful that the majority of these people will disagree with this writer’s observation: there NEVER has been such a preponderance of the end of the CHURCH Age signs as those that are appearing today.

Yes, since the time of Jesus the Christ, who addressed the issue of the last and evil days’ signs with His disciples (cf. Matthew 24:4-44), there have been wars and rumors of wars. Certainly, there have been scores of nations rising up against nations; there also have been countless natural disasters, and there have been numerous and various diseases and epidemics. However, it should be accepted as fact that the people who lived in centuries past NEVER had seen as many prophesied end of the CHURCH Age signs occurring simultaneously like the people who lived in the latter half of the twentieth century and on into this twenty-first century. Furthermore, some of the signs that resemble the last and evil days’ signs, especially those signs that have been occurring simultaneously and with increased frequency and intensity from the middle of the twentieth century and on into this twenty-first century, are merely false labor pains. Like Braxton Hicks contractions, which can happen as early as the second trimester but mostly happen in the third trimester of a woman’s pregnancy, mainly to prepare her body for the “real thing,” these false labor pains are just getting the Earth ready for the “real thing”— the Tribulation Period.

Thus, the signs that Jesus the Christ refers to in Matthew 24:8 as the “beginning of sorrows” will be those signs that have effects (birth pangs) that resemble the inevitable process that leads to the birth of a child. Like false birth pangs, the “beginning of sorrows” (the true labor pains that happen during the first half of the Tribulation Period) also will start slowly and almost without notice. Then these birth pangs will come faster and be more unbearable, until the Great Tribulation (the second half of the Tribulation Period) has reached its climax, which is the time of the Battle of Armageddon and the inevitable Second Coming of Jesus the Christ.

Now, there are many biblical end of the CHURCH Age signs that signal the nearness of the end times. However, most of the signs Jesus the Christ mentions and some of the end of the CHURCH Age signs apostles Paul and Peter mention, which together are appearing in the same time frame (from around the middle of the 20th century through this present day in the 21st century), will be mentioned here. These signs have been false birth pangs, which began slowly and almost imperceptibly, and then increased in frequency and intensity. However, it should be emphasized that the decisive end times’ signs (those that are symbolic of childbirth’s true labor pains) will be ALL of the global signs of wars, famines, deceptions, false prophets, and other disturbing and catastrophic troubles, which Jesus the Christ and His apostles mention, that not only will happen simultaneously but also will increase in frequency and intensity simultaneously until they lead to (give birth to) the fulfillment of the prophesied parousia—the Second Coming of Jesus the Christ.

What causes this writer to believe that the signs soon to be discussed in full detail are indeed the end of the CHURCH Age signs that lead to the Rapture of the Body of Christ and the end times’ signs known as the “beginning of sorrows” (the first half of the Tribulation Period that  follows the Rapture) is the fact that God uses the apostles Peter and Paul, and James the brother of Jesus, to make distinctions between the last days’ signs and the end times’ signs that are recorded in the Holy Bible. For clarity, everyone who reads these listed signs should note that the phrases “last and evil days” and “last days” refer to the soon-coming end of the Age of Grace or the present day CHURCH Age. In contrast, the phrase “end times” refers to the “Day of the Lord,” which is the seven years of the Tribulation Period. Having said that, the list of last and evil days’ signs is as follows:

SIGN # 1: We are living in an era in which there is an unhealthy emphasis on New Age spiritualism, which often is erroneously compared to Christianity. True Christians define spiritual people as people who are born again, saved believers in Jesus the Christ and believers who also are indwelled and infilled with the Holy Spirit of Creator God. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is the One who justifies and sanctifies these blood-bought believers, and He oversees their conversions—makes sure that they are transformed into the image of Jesus the Christ. On the other hand, followers of New Age spiritualism define spiritual people as people who are self-confident, self-pleased, self-disciplined, self-improved, and self-made individuals. In reality, these kinds of spiritual people are merely self-centered individuals who see themselves as “believers” who do not need a priest, pastor, evangelist, missionary, or any other “traditional” church leader to help them know the true and living God, because these followers of the New Age spiritualism have become their own god.

Now, not only is today’s unhealthy emphasis on New Age spiritualism prophesied in the Holy Bible (cf. 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 2 Peter 2:1-2; 1 John 4:1-3; Jude v. 18), but also there are prophecies that allude to the 21st century’s rise in technological discoveries, like those that make it possible for televised, celebrity supported false prophets, psychics, ghost whisperers, occultists, and tele-evangelists to saturate the airways (cf. Daniel 12:4; Revelation 11:8-9, 11; and Revelation 13:16-17). Indeed, Jesus the Christ, Himself, prophesies to His disciples that in the last days “…many false prophets will appear and will lead many people astray” (Matthew 24:11). He also says that in the last and evil days, “…false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great miraculous signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones” (Matthew 24:24). Therefore, it is undeniable that our modern-day technologies (i.e. television, satellites, Internet, computers, iPods, and so forth), have made it possible for 21st century people to witness the rapid increase in the number of individuals who are being deceived by the New Age spiritualism fed to them by intentionally conspicuous, well-publicized celebrities, tele-evangelists, and the like!

SIGN # 2: Although there have been wars and rumors of wars down throughout the centuries, we NOW are living in a time when there are universal wars, conflicts and distresses happening on grand scales. Not only is our generation able to read about these historical accounts, but also in our century, unlike none other, billions are able to watch the moment-by-moment LIVE devastations via their televisions, satellites, and their Internet connections. For example, the wars, conflicts and distresses that have happened in France, Iraq, Myanmar (Burma), Afghanistan, Turkey, the Sudan, and Israel have been transmitted globally, and their worldwide transmissions (broadcasts) are the reasons why the prophetic last and evil days’ second sign can now be witnessed by an astronomical number of 21st century viewers. Once again, it is Jesus the Christ who prophesies about this sign. He tells His disciples that “…wars will break out near and far, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won’t follow immediately. The nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other… (Matthew 24:6-7a), and, yet, because of our modern-day technologies, it is in our time that God has allowed the greatest number of people to be coexisting eyewitnesses of this second last days’ prophetic sign!

SIGN # 3: With the rise of nuclear weapons in Third World countries, along with the already existing nuclear weapons of the major world powers, it is apparent that we now have the capacity, unlike in any other time in history, to destroy ourselves. Total world destruction is obtainable. Jesus the Christ says in a Scripture parallel to Matthew 24:29 that in the end times:

…there will be strange events in the skies—signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And down here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. The courage of many people will falter because of the fearful fate they see coming upon the earth, because the stability of the very heavens will be broken up. (Luke 21:25-26)

During the end times, which is the “Day of the Lord” (or the Tribulation Period), mankind’s ability to destroy this Earth with nuclear weapons will reach its peak. Jesus the Christ describes that catastrophic time by saying that “In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, the entire human race will be destroyed. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones”(Matthew 24:22).

We should note here that when Jesus the Christ speaks of the Tribulation time being “shortened” (a King James English word translated from the Greek word kolobovw, which is transliterated as koloboo), He is NOT saying that the full course of the seven year Tribulation in which God and the Antichrist’s wraths are poured out on the Earth will NOT take place. What our Lord is saying is that God will koloboo (cut short) the time of Jacob’s Trouble by making the Tribulation Period’s affliction to be less effective than Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet had intended. In essence, God will make it possible for Jesus the Christ’s “Wheat” (His elect) to be preserved from physical destruction—to survive the intended global annihilation so that not all of the left-behind humans will be wiped off the face of the Earth. As we know from the Scriptures, the “Wheat,” the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it harvest, consists of the surviving Tribulation humans who enter into Jesus the Christ’s Kingdom of God on Earth (the 1,000 years kingdom) in their unglorified bodies. These are the ones God has chosen from the foundation of the Earth to be the people who will repopulate the Earth; therefore, they should not be confused with the CHURCH (Bride of Christ)!

SIGN # 4: Today, we also are able to witness a time of fragile peace agreements that are broken quickly after they are made. On a larger scale, we see several quarrelling or warring nations breaking their peace agreements as early as 24 hours after putting pen to paper, or after shaking hands. On a smaller scale, we hear of and often see the many broken agreements made between individuals. For example, we see and/or hear about the rise in broken alimony and child support agreements that result from the numerous broken marital agreements. It is the Apostle Paul who mentions this fourth last days’ sign. He writes about what the global peace climate will be like just before the Tribulation Period begins. The apostle says that the people in the last and evil days will declare that “‘…All is well; everything is peaceful and secure,’ then disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman’s birth pains begin when her child is about to be born. And there will be no escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

SIGN # 5: The sign that is staring 21st century individuals in the face is the increasing world famine dilemma. Throughout today’s world, billions are feeling the effect of the growing decrease in bountiful harvests. Therefore, Jesus the Christ’s predictions about famines prevailing in the last times should hit home with all of us, especially Americans, since most of the world still looks up to us as being the land flowing with milk and honey. For sure, now that we Americans are facing our own economic crisis, most of us can understand clearly what Jesus the Christ meant when He compared the last days (the beginning of birth pains [sorrows]) to the time of increased “…famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matthew 24:7b, KJV).

SIGN # 6: Growing proportionate to today’s worldwide famines are fear-provoking diseases like the pandemic Mad Cow, West Nile Virus, HIV and AIDS, and the pandemic contagions like the Salmonella, E. Coli, Avian Flu, Swine Flu, MRSA and SARS. We should keep in mind that this “pestilences” sign and  all of the other signs mentioned here in this work have been happening for centuries; what makes these signs so important is the fact that never before in history have they all occurred together, at the same time and with the same high levels of frequency and intensity, until NOW. Once again, Jesus the Christ predicts that diseases and plagues would prevail in the last times. He says that “…there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matthew 24:7b, KJV).

SIGN # 7: We are living in a time when there is an increase in worldwide  water, air, and land pollutions. Now, this prophesied last days’ sign comes from the Old Testament, but since Jesus the Christ is the Word–the whole Bible made flesh—the fulfilling of this prophecy during our time is what makes this sign relevant to us. Although the Prophet Isaiah is speaking for God to ancient Israel, he is nonetheless also prophesying about our present day toxic situations and, thus, is commanding us to:

Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth beneath. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies…. (Isaiah 51:6)

This very day, billions of people are experiencing the effects from having to drink from a growing number of contaminated water sources, or from eating fish full of mercury, or from breathing in traffic emissions, or from breathing in toxic chemicals (hazardous waste) from landfills, and the list of global pollution problems continues to grow. Without a doubt, Isaiah’s prophecy is being fulfilled in our time!

SIGN # 8: Also growing in large proportions are global earthquakes, some of which occur in strange places. Again, for centuries, people have seen and/or heard about such happenings; thus, the real significance is the fact that today’s increase in earthquakes in “divers places” is happening right along with all of the other aforesaid last and evil days’ signs. As mentioned previously, Jesus the Christ also predicts that “earthquakes” would prevail in the last times. He says that “…there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matthew 24:7b, KJV).

A few of the most notable earthquakes that have happened in divers places, which 21st century people have witnessed, include the second largest ever-recorded earthquake of December 2004. This Indian Ocean Tsunami, between a 9.1 and 9.3 magnitude, happened off the coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. This earthquake’s tsunamis (tidal waves) caused a disaster of extraordinary proportions, including causing about 187,000 deaths! In February 2005, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake flattened buildings in central Iran, destroyed many Iranian villages, forced people to live in tents, and injured hundreds while killing around 400 people. In March 2005, a 8.6magnitude earthquake happened off the west coast of Northern Sumatra, and it collapsed hundreds of buildings and killed around 2,000 people. In June 2005, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Tarapaca, Chile. Widespread damage occurred throughout the mountain villages near the epicenter, but because this huge earthquake happened in a sparsely populated area only 11 people lost their lives. Lastly, the May 2008 earthquake in the Chinese province of Sichuan, a mountainous region in Western China, is described as being the 19th deadliest earthquake of all time. It was a 7.9 magnitude earthquake that was responsible for killing at least 69,195 people (with an additional 18,392 people who were missing and presumed dead). Also, at least 374,177 were injured in this earthquake, and an estimated 5.36 million buildings were completely destroyed while an additional 21 million buildings suffered major damage!

SIGN # 9: We NOW are witnessing an upsurge (rise) and an upheaval (cataclysm) in nature, as natural disasters like tsunamis, hurricanes, and unusual hot or cold spells are increasing all over the world. However, after the CHURCH is raptured, and the end of the Tribulation Period (the end of the world as we know it) grows nearer, the increase in intensity and frequency of natural disasters will create the scenario Jesus the Christ describes, when He says: “Immediately after those horrible days end, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken”(Matthew 24:29).

This Scripture pertains to the effect God’s wrath will have upon the Earth, including nature, herself. These signs in nature, then, not only will be so dramatic and cataclysmic that men’s hearts will fail them—meaning people will literally drop dead from witnessing the terror—but these signs will precede the physical bodily return of Jesus the Christ. Indeed, the One who holds EVERYTHING together will relax His power (control) over the universe, and this relinquishing of control is what sends nature, and the world, spinning out of control until the sign of the Son of Man (Jesus the Christ, Himself,) appears in the Heavens, as our Lord comes on the clouds with ALL Power and Great Glory (cf. Matthew 24:30).

SIGN # 10: Moral decay is spreading to the degree that it was in Noah’s day. In Genesis we find these words recorded: “Now the LORD observed the extent of the people’s wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil” (Genesis 6:5). The specific moral decay that has become widespread today is sexual exploitation. It is no big thing, today, to turn on the television to the movie channels and see naked men and women engaging in sexual activities, or hear some of the most vulgar profanity.  Likewise, it also is so easy to surf the Internet and view pornographic pictures and videos, view R and X-rated movies,  and read filthy communications.

Moreover, primetime television now carries some programs that have profanity and nudity in them. The television networks really are pushing the envelope where televised vulgarity and sexual intercourse are concerned. Then too there are those NOT SO discreet telephone hotline advertisements that insinuate sex is the ultimate goal. These late night televised advertisements specifically target degenerate men and women. What is equally despicable are those televised advertisements about pills that correct any erectile dysfunction, and other pills that enhance male genitals.

These once taboo subjects were not only unacceptable topics for polite conversations but also unacceptable material for most “public” media formats, which today include a wide range of recorded soundtracks, music videos, the silver screen, and almost every kind of magazine and book. Once again, the Internet is perhaps the most abused “public” media format. Contrary to how people used to respond to the public television and radio stations that aired nudity and profanity, where electronic mail is concerned, most modern-day individuals hardly raise an eyebrow when moral decay finds its way into their email “In Boxes,” even though the filthy communications in most of the unwelcome SPAM emails are dreadful.

For sure, we are bombarded with moral decay, and the saddest thing about this truth is that so many so-called Christians are some of the persons responsible for and/or patrons of America’s, as well as the world’s, steady diet of wicked lasciviousness (lustfulness). Therefore, since our generation is compared to the generation in Noah’s day, then we must not forget that in Genesis the wrath of God comes upon Noah’s wicked generation. These words are recorded:

So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them. It broke his heart. And the LORD said, ‘I will completely wipe out this human race that I have created. Yes, and I will destroy all the animals and birds, too. I am sorry I ever made them.’ (Genesis 6:6-7)

The significance of the above Scriptures is that, in the New Testament, our Savior tells His disciples, and modern-day believers, that the sign of Noah is one way they will know when our Lord is about to make His second appearance on this Earth. Then, Jesus the Christ makes this following comment about Noah’s day: “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day” (Matthew 24:37). That’s right! As it was with Noah’s generation, so is it going to be with today’s diseased sectors of the CHURCH, as well as the way it will be for the world’s unbelievers who continue to reject Jesus the Christ and who continue with business as usual. Today’s masses are behaving just like the people of Noah’s generation were behaving while Noah built the Ark. Noah’s generation was eating, drinking, and marrying right up until the time  that Noah entered the Ark.

Let there be no doubt about it. God is going to unleash His wrath upon the idol worshipping Laodicean Christians of today. He also will be unleashing His wrath upon every apparent unbeliever. However, before He does He will do the same thing for our generation that He did for Noah’s generation. God will warn us that His judgment is coming.

In today’s world, God not only warns us through these signs that are being discussed, but also He offers Jesus the Christ for the forgiveness of our wicked and sinful behaviors. All of the signs of the times definitely indicate that God soon will remove His spotless and blemish-free CHURCH. After this Rapture happens, then God’s judgment will fall upon the left-behind people and this old Earth.

SIGN # 11: Also in Noah’s day, there was a sudden increase in crime and violence—an increase in lawlessness. Likewise, the same is true of our twenty-first century’s generations. Therefore, a word to the wise should be sufficient. Today’s Word to the wise is from Genesis. The writer of Genesis says: “Now the earth had become corrupt in God’s sight, and it was filled with violence…and depravity everywhere” (Genesis 6:11, 12b).

In the New Testament, Jesus the Christ’s words parallel those in Genesis. Our Savior tells His disciples that in the last and evil days, prior to and after the Rapture, that the following signs would be present: “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will wax cold” (Matthew 24:12). Thus, this worldwide increase in lawlessness (crime and violence) sign will come to pass when the sign of a worldwide decrease in the number of people who show love for the sanctity of life also is evident.

SIGN # 12: In the last days, there will be an increase in skepticism, expressly in the CHURCH, and this skepticism will concern: (1) the inerrancy of the Scriptures; (2) who God really is; (3) what God expects from His spiritual sons and daughters; (4) who Jesus the Christ really is; and (5) how Jesus’ blood affects His believers’ lives. Moreover, what is evident today is that there are too many people who will NOT believe what is going to happen next on the prophetic timetable until the Rapture is over and the Tribulation Period has begun. For example, since many will not believe in the pre-tribulation departure of the CHURCH, as a result, there will be far too many unprepared, unaware and careless believers, as well as unbelievers in Jesus the Christ, who will not pay attention to the signs that point to Jesus the Christ’s return. Our Savior confirms this analysis of the last and evil days’ people, especially the Left Behinders, when He makes this statement: “People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the Flood came and swept them all away. This is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 24:39).

Then too, the Apostle Peter also speaks about the increased skepticism that will be in the world before the coming “Day of the Lord.” He writes:

First, I want to remind you that in the last days there will be scoffers who will laugh at the truth and do every evil thing they desire. This will be their argument: ‘Jesus promised to come back, did he? Then where is he? Why, as far back as anyone can remember, everything has remained exactly the same since the world was first created.’ (2 Peter 3:3-4)

SIGN # 13: The apostasy (falling away) from the biblical and historic truths that pertain to Christianity is yet another last and evil days’ sign happening right now in many local Christian churches. According to Jesus the Christ, apostasy is the act of blaspheming the Holy Spirit (refusing to be convicted by the Holy Spirit about the Grace of God, the Divine Word of God, and the atoning sacrifice of Jesus the Christ). In other words, every one who once accepted God’s gifts but then decides to reject God’s saving Grace, which He has extended to the entire world through Jesus the Christ’s atoning sacrifice, is guilty of apostasy (falling away). Jesus the Christ says:

Every sin or blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which can never be forgiven. Anyone who blasphemes against me, the Son of Man, can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. (Mathew 12:31-32)

The writer of Hebrews explains apostasy (falling away) another way. That writer says:

For it is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people to repentance again because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to public shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

SIGN # 14: In the last and evil days, people will be lovers of pleasure more than they are lovers of God. Regardless of how God has instructed them to live, these last days people will choose to seek thrills, a buzz, a need to push the envelope, and a hunger to live a free-spirited life. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy that in the last days, as the CHURCH Age draws to a close, that “…there will be very difficult times” (2 Timothy 3:1). Then the Apostle Paul warns Timothy about the kinds of people who will be living near the end of the CHURCH Age—the kinds of people a young Timothy should avoid. Apostle Paul writes:

…people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that. (2 Timothy 3:2-5)

SIGN # 15: In the last days, God will pour out His Holy Spirit once again. Since the 1960s, the Holy Spirit’s prophesied second outpouring has been happening, city-by-city and country-by-country. As a result, more and more people are accepting and using ALL of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (e.g., gifts of healing, miracles, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, prophesy, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirit, special faith, the laying on of hands, administration, helps, apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, and so forth). Furthermore, there are more local churches, as a whole, that are now following the FULL Gospel—the unadulterated Word of God—and these churches involve those that are not Pentecostal, Apostolic, and Full Gospel churches. In short, more of the “traditional” denominations—Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Brethren, and so forth—are becoming “charismatic.”

The Old Testament mentions the Holy Spirit’s outpourings several times. For example, the Prophet Isaiah speaks for God saying, “For I will give you abundant water to quench your thirst and to moisten your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit and my blessings on your children” (Isaiah 44:3). Then, in another very famous Old Testament passage, the Prophet Joel writes these prophetic words:

Then after I have poured out my rains again, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike. (Joel 2:28-29)

In the book of John, the apostle quotes Jesus the Christ, who makes a prediction or two about the Holy Spirit’s outpourings. John writes, saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37b-38, KJV).

On the Day of Pentecost, the original 11 disciples, plus one newly elected disciple, and 108 additional Jewish believers, who were tarrying in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit, received the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Their baptism by the Holy Spirit is considered to be the Former Rain, and from this first outpouring came the birth of the CHURCH. Today’s believers are waiting on the Latter Rain to be fulfilled. As previously stated, the Latter Rain is pouring out, but not all at once—rather it is falling from city-to-city and country-to-country. Therefore, the fact that the second outpouring can be witnessed in many believers living in numerous countries today serves as indisputable evidence that proves that we are the generation who will not perish unto all of the remaining prophecies are fulfilled! (For more information on the Latter Rain outpouring, see “Is It Revival Time Again.”)

There are more signs happening today that will not be addressed in detail in this work. Some of those signs are: (1) the return of the dispersed Jewish people to Israel, which results in Israel becoming a nation in one 24-hour day, on May 14, 1998; (2) the Jewish people’s regained control of Jerusalem, which happened in June of 1967; (3) the rise of Russia—an enemy of Israel; (4) the formulation of an Islamic confederation that is against the State of Israel; (5) the revival of the ten-nation Holy Roman Empire; (6) the rise of the 200 million man Chinese army; (7) the revival of ancient Babylon’s dark occult practices; (8) an unprecedented turn to drugs and alcohol; (9) the move toward a one-world religion; (10) the move toward a one-world government; (11) the move toward a one-world economy; (12) the deterioration of the family unit—mother and father, and their children; and (13) the decline of the United States as a major world power!

If we take the time to examine all of the major and minor biblical last and evil days’ signs (and the end times’ signs) that are occurring simultaneously in our twenty-first century A.D., then we would see how expedient it is for us to pay close attention to what has been prophesied to happen next. Our ignorance of the signs and their meanings can cause us to be like the people in Noah’s day (full of unbelief, skepticism and scoffing). This ignorance also will cause us to be left outside of the Ark!

In contrast, our genuine seeking and obtaining of the spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding that pertain to all of the biblical last days and end times’ signs that relate to the prophetic events that already have taken place during our time period, as well as those prophetic events yet to happen, without a doubt, will help us to be prepared, careful, and watchful believers who are looking up, when the beginning of sorrows (birth pains) increase all the more. We must be looking attentively for the signs of the Rapture—the time when Jesus the Christ, our Bridegroom, will alert us (His Bride) with a SHOUT and then beam us up to Heaven (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:52-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

What can anyone lose from believing the Word of God? Is it their clout? Their friends? Their bank accounts? Their homes, cars, or clothes? Their life? For non-believers as well as believers, God neither expects nor asks us to give up anything that is essential for ensuring that we live an abundant life—a born again, saved, Holy Spirit filled life. Furthermore, there is nothing that we can do, in and of ourselves, to ensure that, after we are dead, we will be able to keep what we now have. When it is our time to die, all of our earthly titles, positions, jobs, relationships, money, possessions, and especially our human life will cease to belong to us, no matter what we plan to do to prevent ANY loss from ever happening. Therefore, if we all are going to die one type of death or another (physical and/or spiritual), if we all are going to lose EVERYTHING worldly that we have acquired in this life, then isn’t it more profitable for us to believe the Holy Bible’s promises about the spiritual/heavenly gains we will receive?

If God’s Word is NOT true, then we just die and the world goes on as it has been doing for the past millenniums. But, if the Word of God is true, then we are promised that we will receive eternal life and live in God’s presence for eternity; we are promised that the treasures we lay up in Heaven will NEVER rust, fade away, get stolen, or revoked; we also are promised a loving marital relationship and a honeymoon experience that NEVER will end; we are promised a mansion and the experience of walking on streets made of transparent gold; and we are promised that we never, ever will grow old.

If the Word of God IS true, and we have denied our Creator and Savior the life the Father and Son have asked us to live, what will we be able to offer for our wasted life? NOTHING! It, then, should be much easier NOW for us to take God at His Word—the total unadulterated Word—much easier NOW than it would be to come to a moment in time when we are denied any opportunities to make the “right” choice (to choose God’s salvation plan, which means choosing Jesus the Christ to be our Lord and Savior). How sad it will be for us if we run out of time—if God no longer warns us, and He no longer offers His everlasting saving Grace and eternal forgiveness to us.

Finally, won’t it be a tragedy if we let our own skeptical, non-believing, scoffing attitudes and ungodly ways of living (our own unrighteous deeds) make our choice for us—be the reason why we are sent to our place in the Lake of Fire, which is the eternity that God ONLY intended for Satan and his fallen angels to experience. Jesus the Christ Himself says this Divine Truth about His final judgment of the centuries of unbelievers. Our just and righteous judge and millennial “…King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons. ’” (Matthew 25:41).

Why not secure our eternal place in Heaven with God rather than secure our everlasting place in the Lake of Fire with Satan and his demons? Why don’t we choose this day whether we will serve God or serve Satan’s corrupt economic, political, and religious systems?

As for my choice, I choose the Lord and all of His benefits. It is my prayer that my family, friends and readers will join me and make the same choice.

The Bridegroom Is Coming: God’s Ultimate Marriage Story

25 Wednesday Feb 2009

Posted by in Bible Prophecy

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William Blake's Ten Virgins Painting (Based on The Parable of the Ten Virgins)

Contrary to popular opinion, the Ten Virgins’ parable is not about Israel being grafted back onto the Olive Tree just in time to rule with Christ during His millennial reign. Spiritually speaking, since the Kingdom of Heaven/Kingdom of God is inside every born again and saved believer in Christ, the Ten Virgins’ parable, thus, is about all believers (Jews and Gentiles) who live and die on Earth during the CHURCH Age (cf. Matthew 25:1-13).

Moreover, in this parable, Christ is teaching that not everyone who professes Christ as Lord will be counted in His true CHURCH number, because not every believer will have both an inner and outer appearance of righteousness, as confirmed by His description of the five wise and the five foolish Virgins¹. The five foolish Virgins, though professed Christians, are more like the quasi-religious Pharisees who only had an external show of righteousness, and because of that Christ publicly rebukes them for their hypocritical righteousness and calls them whitewashed tombs (cf. Matthew 5:20-7:1-5; Matthew 23:2-28). On the other hand, the five wise Virgins are fully prepared and alert believers because they take the Oil of the Holy Spirit with them as they enter into the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. The Oil of the Holy Spirit is what makes it possible for trimmed yet burning lamps to be continuously refilled, and the Oil of the Holy Spirit is what makes it possible for believers to be prepared and watchful, as they await the rapture of the CHURCH.

For these reasons, it is important to understand that the Ten Virgins’ parable does not  deal with Israel (Jewish people having the “spiritual” scales to fall off of their eyes).  Indeed, the Ten Virgins’ parable focuses instead on the marriage between Christ and the CHURCH, which is that great mystery the Apostle Paul describes in Ephesians Chapter 5. Christ, thus, uses the Ten Virgins’ parable to teach all believers about the parallels between the traditional Jewish marriage custom and the Kingdom of Heaven’s spiritual Truths about the ultimate Bridegroom’s proposal submitted to the perfect Bride. Furthermore, in the Ten Virgins’ parable, Christ uses the Hebrews’ understanding of a marriage contract, the cup of wine, the bride price, the bridegroom’s midnight return, the shout, the bridal procession, the bridal chamber, and the wedding feast to reveal God’s spiritual Truths about the Rapture of Christ’s true CHURCH and what happens to His true CHURCH immediately thereafter.

For sure, the parable about the Ten Virgin’s is intended to teach ALL believers about the suddenness and unexpectedness of their Lord’s Second Coming—a second coming that happens in stages, with the final stage being Christ’s visible bodily return, when He comes back to Earth with His saints and allows His feet to touchdown on the Mount of Olives! Thus, the parable of the Ten Virgins is the true CHURCH’s wake-up call; this parable is intended to convince Christ’s true CHURCH about the necessity for each member to be prepared for that unknown moment when the Bridegroom returns for His Bride—returns in the air to rapture His dead in Christ and alive in Christ CHURCH members who are spiritually pure, righteous, and perfect in His sight!

The symbolisms in the Ten Virgins’ parable are: (1) Christ, who is the Bridegroom (cf. Ephesians 5:25-28a, 31-33); (2) the Ten Virgins, who are the CHURCH Age Christian believers (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:2); without a doubt, the five Wise Virgins represent the watchful, prepared genuine believers (Bride of Christ) who are raptured—the alive believers who are caught up to meet Christ in the air; the five Foolish Virgins represent the alive careless, negligent, unprepared believers who are left behind to experience the Tribulation Period along with the ungodly unbelievers living in the world after the Rapture; (3) the Holy Spirit of God, who is the Oil in the five Wise Virgins’ lamps—the spiritual Oil that sanctifies believers with real righteousness, as well as the spiritual Oil that will glorify them; (4) the Shout, which signifies the prophesied thunderous sound that alerts the watchful, prepared Virgins (Bride) about their betrothed’s (Bridegroom’s) promised return—in this case, the time of the Rapture; moreover, this Shout consists of Christ’s (the Bridegroom’s) command “to come,” the archangel’s call, and the trumpet sound of Almighty God (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16); (5) the Shut Door, which symbolizes what Christ means when He says “I know you not” (cf. Matthew 25:12b, KJV), and the Shut Door also highlights the fact that Christ has not been fooled by some believers’ external appearance of righteousness; lastly, the Shut Door symbolizes the end of the CHURCH Age—that there will be no more chances for the alive unprepared Christians or the alive ungodly unbelievers to enter into the physical heavenly Kingdom of God with Christ before the Tribulation Period starts; and (6) the Marriage Feast, which is the promised Marriage Supper of the Lamb or the wedding reception that the Bridegroom (Christ) has prepared for His Bride.

Since Jesus is God, as well as a Jewish man, He most assuredly is aware of the old marriage custom practiced by Jewish couples living in Israel, or in other places throughout the world. That’s why Jesus has no problem effectively using the parable of the Ten Virgins to illustrate how a Jewish man’s proposal to his beloved bride-to-be is, indeed, the most unforgettable marriage story of all time.

By telling the parable of the Ten Virgins, Christ is proving that He knows that from the first moment that a Jewish male decides who he wants for a wife (the female he either chooses or the one his parents have chosen for him to marry, as in an arranged marriage), there are three established steps to the Jewish marriage process that the Jewish male must follow. Step one: After deciding who he wants to marry, the Jewish male then leaves his father’s house and goes to his intended bride’s house, taking with him a contract of marriage, a cup of wine, and the “bride price” (money). When he arrives at his intended’s home, the first order of business involves the contract negotiations. If the guy and the girl are too young to accept their adult roles, the contract is negotiated between their parents. Whether the marriage is arranged or the young lady is chosen by the young man himself, and whether the intended bride’s parents negotiate the terms of the marriage contract with the young man’s father or the young man negotiates the terms of the marriage contract directly with his intended, the two parties—the prospective Jewish couple—will know each other’s responsibilities, for these responsibilities will be spelled out in the marriage contract.

Not only are the terms of the marriage contract very clear, but also, if accepted, this marriage contract becomes a legal agreement (covenant) binding both parties. They legally are betrothed (married), even though they are forbidden to have any sexual contact during their betrothal period. In fact, since they are considered officially married, if the marriage contract is broken, the couple is considered divorced (cf. Matthew 1:18-19). Moreover, if the husband dies during the betrothal period, the wife is considered a widow—even though the marriage had not been physically consummated.

Furthermore, during Step One, before the negotiated and presented marriage contract could be enforced, the husband-to-be must give the marriage contract to his intended, must put the cup of wine in front of his intended (which symbolizes his act of proposal), and must place before her the mohar, the cash gift or the bride price. She not only must read the marriage contract but also she must count her money. Once she does all that, the husband-to-be would toast the bride with a cup of wine, giving her a short period of time (about 10 seconds) to decide if she wants to spend the rest of her life with him. To accept the proposal, the bride-to-be would pick up the cup of wine and drink from it, or she could push the cup of wine away, which would mean she has rejected the proposal. If she drinks the wine, she not only is accepting but also is sealing the covenant—agreeing to remain true to her husband throughout the betrothal period while she waits for him to return for her and take her home with him. Moreover, if her answer is “yes,” then the bridegroom tells her, “I go to prepare a place for you” (cf. John 14:2a), but before the bridegroom leaves for his father’s house his bride covers her face with a veil.

This veiling custom signifies that this woman is unavailable (that she has separated herself from the pool of available young ladies)—that she is consecrated, set apart, and bought with a price. Moreover, the wearing of a veil after accepting a marriage contract, lets others know that this woman is “taken.” For these reasons, in everything, this wife now must submit to her husband.

In the traditional Jewish marriage, no engagement ring is exchanged; however, the tie between the betrothed Jewish couple is a much stronger one than the tie between Gentile fiancés and fiancées. Furthermore, this betrothal period gives the two parties a chance to grow or mature in their relationship—to get to know one another better—before they consummate their vows. For sure, this betrothal period gives the couple time to mature emotionally, affectionately, and faithfully.

Step Two:  During the betrothal period, while the husband and wife are getting to know one another better, and maturing emotionally, affectionately, and faithfully, the bridegroom is preparing a proper room (bridal chamber) in his father’s house, where he and his bride will consummate their marriage vows. The bridegroom’s father is the ONLY one who can sign off on the completion of this bridal chamber. This custom prevents the young man from rushing through his building responsibilities—keeps him from building a lean-to or some poorly constructed structure that would not be an adequate place to bring his wife. For this reason, neither the bridegroom nor the bride would know the day or the time of the wedding ceremony, which is why in Matthew 25:13 Christ tells ALL of His believes to “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh”; only God, Christ’s Father, knows when the Bridegroom (Christ) will return for His Bride (the true CHURCH).

Be that as it may, after the bridegroom’s father agrees that the bridal chamber is finished and that it is properly built, the bridegroom, accompanied by his companions/friends/groomsmen, returns to his bride’s house and escorts her to the bridal chamber that he has prepared for the both of them. It is while they are in this bridal chamber that they will exchange gifts—the bridegroom’s additional gifts for his bride and her dowry (offering) to him, which she laid up for him while she waited for His return. During the betrothal period, the bride also will keep her literal lamp filled with oil so that she will be ready for her bridegroom, in case he comes at night.

Traditionally, the bridegroom does return during the night, and his night arrival is the reason why he loudly calls out to his bride (or sounds a trumpet). To give his bride time to make herself presentable for receiving him (time to put on her veil and get her lamp), the bridegroom courteously alerts his bride to the fact that he is drawing close to her parents’ home. After he arrives and unveils his bride, the two of them leave for the place the bridegroom has prepared in his father’s house. Once there, they say their vows, then enter their bridal chamber, where, as aforesaid, they exchange their gifts and consummate their marriage.

Step Three: Seven days later, after their marriage has been consummated, the husband and wife come out of their bridal chamber for the Marriage Supper (Wedding Feast). The friend (best man) hears the husband’s voice, as the couple approaches the banquet room, and then the friend (best man) announces the union between the bride and the groom to the Wedding Feast’s invited guests. Only the husband’s special friend gets to stand beside him as one of the honored guests at the Wedding Feast. For this reason, the husband’s grateful friend rejoices in knowing that the bride and groom finally have become one (cf. John 3:29).

As Christ draws the parallels between the traditional Jewish marriage custom and the Kingdom of Heaven’s spiritual Truths about the ultimate Bridegroom’s proposal submitted to the perfect Bride, Christ presents modern-day believers with a beautiful portrait of the mysterious union between Christ (Bridegroom) and His CHURCH (Bride). We, thus, come to understand that through the parable of the Ten Virgins Christ is teaching us about His own return for us—teaching us about our Jewish Bridegroom (Christ) who loved us so much that He enacted the same marriage custom for us that God’s chosen Jewish people traditionally followed.

The mysterious union between Christ (Bridegroom) and His CHURCH (Bride) that Apostle Paul writes about in Ephesians 5:25-28a, 31-33 begins when we are born again and saved by Grace through our confessed faith in and acceptance of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus the Christ. As New Testament believers, we now have entered into a legal marriage contract with Christ, who left His Father’s House in Heaven to come to us (His Bride-to-be) as our Jewish Bridegroom. Along with bringing us His marriage contract—the New Testament, which spells out for us our responsibilities as His Bride and His responsibilities as our Bridegroom—Christ also brings His gifts of the cup of wine (Christ’s shed blood) and His bride price (Christ’s atoning sacrifice–His death on the Cross).

After we accept Christ’s gifts, He lets us know that He is going (ascending) to His Father’s house (Heaven) where He will be preparing a place for us (cf. John 14:2-4). He also lets us know that He is coming back for us once our bridal chamber is completed. While He is in His Father’s house, we, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, must endeavor to live consecrated and sanctified lives for Him—we must wear our individual “spiritual” veils that let the world know that we have been bought by a price and, thus, belong to Christ.

Then too, during our betrothal period (the Church Age), while we live and walk in the Holy Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:25; Romans 8:9a, 11) and allow the Word of God to be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (cf. Psalm 119:105), we also are busy for the Lord. We are making sure that we lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven (cf. Matthew 6:20-21); during the CHURCH Age, we obediently and righteously do the kinds of works for Christ that are of gold, silver and precious gemstone quality (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15). These righteous works become our dowry to our Bridegroom (Christ)—our righteous works that earn us the gifts/rewards Christ has promised us: (1) our crown of glory (cf. Proverbs 4:9; 1 Peter 5:4, KJV); (2) our crown of rejoicing (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:19, KJV); (3) our crown of righteousness (cf. 2 Timothy 4:8, KJV); (4) our crown of life (cf. James 1:12; Revelation 2:10, KJV); and (5) our robes of white linen (cf. Revelation 19:8, KJV). During this Second Step of the Body of Christ’s (the CHURCH’s) marriage process, we also are keeping our vessels filled with the Oil of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in us, fills us, and helps us to develop our necessary daily and intimate fellowship, and righteous and holy relationship, with God so that our spiritual life can mature morally, spiritually, emotionally, and faithfully, and so that we can be a watchful and ready (prepared) Bride—the One the Bridegroom will recognize and find acceptable when He comes back for Her.

As the Bridegroom is coming down from Heaven, He alerts us with a loud shout, the archangel’s call, and God’s blast from His trumpet. Next, Christ catches us up into the air where we meet Him in the clouds; this event is better known as the Rapture (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). After we enter the heavenly realm of the Kingdom of God, we will say our marriage vows. Then, we immediately will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ where we will be judged according to the “quality” of the works we did on Earth under the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Our Bridegroom then will take us to the place He has prepared for us (our heavenly bridal chamber). Next, we will exchange gifts—our dowry of laid up treasures—for the rewards we will receive from our well-pleased Bridegroom (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, 9-10; Revelation 22:12).

After consummating the marriage, becoming one with Christ, which is a seven-day ceremony biblically and symbolically represented as the seven years of the Tribulation, we will celebrate our marriage at the Lamb’s Marriage Supper, which will not happen until the beginning of Christ’s millennial reign—when Christ sets up His physical Kingdom of God on Earth. Now, what should be noted is that Father God is the One who invites the special guests of honor to our Marriage Feast, but who we can expect to see there as honored guests are the Old Testament saints who died before Christ and the Tribulation saints who died during the Tribulation Period. Other guests will be the ones who not only survived the Tribulation Period but also the ones who made the last-minute decision to receive God’s gifts of Salvation and Eternal Life during the Tribulation Period (cf. Matthew 22:8-10; Luke 14:21b-23; Revelation 19:6-9).

It is sad to say, but in spite of the outpourings of the Holy Spirit, there still will be hard-hearted individuals who will not accept Christ as their personal Savior. Consequently, Christ’s Rapture and bodily Second Coming, the latter of which will trigger the end of our present world as we know it, will shock numerous men and women who are not in the least bit prepared for Him, just like the masses of people during the flood in Noah’s generation were shocked when the rains finally came. The flood caught the majority of Noah’s unprepared generation by surprise. Moreover, as only a handful of humans got to enter the ark to be saved from the flood, (exactly eight people … cf. 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5, KJV), likewise, in the end times, it also appears that only a remnant of individuals will be caught up to meet Christ in the air (see the mini-parables of the two field individuals, whose gender is not specified, and the two women grinding at the mill … Matthew 24:40-41, KJV).

In these aforesaid Matthew Chapter 24 mini-parables and in the Ten Virgins’ parable of Matthew Chapter 25, as each of these parables serves as a picture of believers, Christ is making it crystal clear that after the dead in Christ arise ONLY the living true CHURCH members will be allowed to enter into the bridal chamber with Him and be saved from the Tribulation—saved from ALL of God and the Antichrist’s wrath that will come upon this Earth. Christ describes how ONLY one of the two field workers, one of the two women grinding at the mill, and five of the ten Virgins will be representatives of His True CHURCH members. As such, they will be the ones who are saved from the Tribulation Period. The fate that will await those who are not raptured will be that they become the left-behind individuals who will experience the prophesied second destruction of the world.

What’s more, the Ten Virgins’ parable makes a salient point that needs to be mentioned here, and that salient point is that the Bridegroom will Shut the Door (will close off any access to Himself), which underscores the aforementioned statement about the careless, negligent, unprepared believers being left behind. Without a doubt, Christ not only is the five wise Virgins’ Bridegroom but also He is the five foolish Virgins’ Bridegroom. Now, since Christ is the ONLY Door through whom ALL believers must enter into the Kingdom of God (cf. John 10:7, 9), then the Word of God is clear: the Door will close on ONLY those believers who are foolish (careless and unprepared). Christ Shuts the Door, because He has judged those standing on the Earth side of the Door to be unworthy to enter into the physical heavenly Kingdom of God.

Most of us will agree that having any door shut in our faces is probably one of the most embarrassing feelings we ever could experience in this life. In the case of the foolish Virgins, the experience of having the Bridegroom Shut the Door to the Kingdom of Heaven in their faces is more than an embarrassment, because the closed Door is a harsh reality check that comes in the form of a twofold rejection: verbal and observable. Christ, the Bridegroom, not only tells them that He doesn’t know them but also He shows them that He doesn’t know them by keeping the Door closed—by intentionally ignoring their knocking and pleading.

What a horrible reality check we (modern-day believers) will have if we end up being careless, negligent, and unprepared believers to whom our Bridegroom says “I know you not”! How devastated we will be to realize that we not only are EMPTY of the Oil of the Holy Spirit—empty of the power and authority that keeps us in covenant agreement with our Bridegroom, and keeps us willing and able to fulfill our own marital responsibilities—but also we will be devastated when we realize that we are homeless, uncovered, and on our own, for the Holy Spirit can no longer live in left-behind believers who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads (cf. Revelation 7:2-4). In this awful state, we will come to realize too late that we are the very personification of Christ’s foolish five Virgins who find themselves on the outside of the Door that leads to the physical Kingdom of Heaven, pleading with Christ to let them in, only to realize that He will not.

The bottom line is this: If we do not have any Oil in our vessels when the Bridegroom comes in the air to Rapture His glorified CHURCH, He will Shut the Door on us. Thus, without the anointing that illuminates Divine TRUTH, we will not have any Light emanating from us that could move Christ to open the Door for us. How is it, then, that we who find ourselves left behind could ever run out of the Holy Spirit’s Oil?

Well, Christ makes it clear in the Ten Virgins’ parable that these ten Virgins are believers; however, He also makes it clear that only five of them are baptized with the Holy Spirit, as the other five are trying to live a holy and righteous life off of fumes! These foolish five are careless, unprepared (non-productive), inattentive and impure churchgoers because they believe in Christ yet they have “no oil for their lamps” (Matthew 25:3b, NLT); therefore, they are spiritually anemic, lacking the full power and full authority of the Holy Spirit who would have sustained their lamps’ light. They are without the anointed Oil that makes it possible for them to achieve the spiritual maturity that would have kept them enlightened, watchful and prepared while they waited for their Bridegroom’s return. The parable’s moral, then, is this: If we are foolish, carnal, non-productive, inattentive, impure Christians, we will be left behind! On the other hand, if we are wise, spiritually mature and productive, purified, watching and waiting Christians, we will be raptured.

Time is of the essence. We must take advantage of every opportunity we are given to become more like Christ, for we cannot afford to miss out on being the Bride who is to participate in the ultimate marriage, everlasting honeymoon, and glorious wedding feast of all time. We also cannot afford to miss out on our Jewish Bridegroom’s gift—the gift of living with Christ in the presence of God forever. For these reasons, we swiftly must become the CHURCH Christ is coming back for, realizing that He is not returning for members of brick and mortar churches, but rather we must realize that our Bridegroom is coming back for what we have within our individual vessels. Therefore, what we must have on the inside of us is the infilling (baptism) of the Holy Spirit’s power that works in us (cf. Ephesians 3:19b-20) and causes us to develop a righteous and holy conduct—one that demonstrates that we are walking worthy of our vocation (cf. Ephesians 4:1-6).

Additionally, we must be filled with the Oil of the Holy Spirit, because only His anointed Oil will cause us to be fruitful, purified, and wise servants who are pure in heart (cf. Matthew 5:8), as well as humble, holy, righteous, loving, forgiving, peaceable, merciful, and thankful believers. Finally, we must be filled with the Oil of the Holy Spirit, because only His anointed Oil will keep us faithful in our resolve to remain true to Christ—will keep us loyal to the commitments outlined in His marriage contract (the New Testament). The Holy Spirit’s anointed Oil also will reveal to us God’s Divine Truth, which makes us aware of this fact: since carnal Christians just have an outward form of religiosity without any inward spiritual reality, they ONLY serve Christ with their lips. Therefore, we must seek continuous fillings of the Holy Spirit’s anointed Oil so that our married faces will never become unveiled, for this unveiling would indicate that we have fallen into spiritual adultery, and our spiritual adultery will cause the Bridegroom to Shut the Door and leave us behind!


¹The English word “virgins,” as used in the King James Version of the Parable of the Ten Virgins, has been translated from the Greek word “parqevnoß,” which is transliterated as “parthenos.” Thus, in the context of the aforesaid parable, “parthenos” or “virgins” means a marriageable maiden who never has had sexual intercourse with a man.

Robbing Believers and Prejudicing ALL Ethnic Groups

18 Wednesday Feb 2009

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Today’s familiar Scripture deals with the Lord’s second cleansing of the Jewish Temple, which happens just before His crucifixion. Jesus the Christ’s two Temple-cleansing acts also happen during the Jewish Passover Feast. Moreover, both times, Jesus the Christ is dealing with the merchants and moneychangers’ behaviors.

At the start of Jesus the Christ’s ministry, during His first cleansing of the Temple, He compares the merchants and moneychangers’ behaviors with those of businessmen. He accuses these merchants and moneychangers of turning God’s House of Prayer into a shameless “marketplace.” By the end of Jesus the Christ’s ministry, their conduct has worsened, for He now is accusing them of turning God’s House of Prayer into an offensive “den of thieves.” These merchants and moneychangers have become robbers, con artists, and predators who prey on the weak and gullible so that they can increase their own bank accounts by using any means necessary. That’s why this time, when Jesus the Christ cleans out God’s Temple, He makes a public indictment! He vehemently denounces the merchants and moneychangers’ defilement of God’s House of Prayer, and He also charges the Temple priests as their accomplices! They are all semi-religious crooks and money-hungry abusers of their God-given divine empowerments and callings.

Thus, Jesus the Christ’s actions show that anyone who is commercializing God’s House of Prayer, as well as anyone who is engaging in the act of fleecing or robbing His CHURCH members, will be guilty of desecrating His temples. Furthermore, Jesus the Christ makes it clear that the behaviors of both of these sets of “anyones” are unacceptable to God. It is their behaviors that have prevented the Holy Spirit from functioning in the Lord’s physical “houses,” have prevented congregants from worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth, and have prevented the unsaved and unchurched from wanting to seek God in His physical “houses”; consequently, their behaviors have perpetuated disunity in Jesus the Christ’s CHURCH or Body.

Who is robbing believers blind in the House of the Lord? Who is prejudicing saved and unsaved ethnic groups against praying and worshipping in the House of the Lord? AMEN.

“And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17, KJV).

The Way We Were As Opposed to The Way We Are

14 Saturday Feb 2009

Posted by in Faith and Wisdom

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“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:32, NIV).

 

I am the product of a bygone era, of a time when people showed both public and private respect for their elders (their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, fellow Christians, indeed, anyone who was greater in age or seniority), even if these elders didn’t always do or say the “right” things. This demonstrated respect went beyond just standing up when one’s elder entered a room; or answering elders’ yes and no questions with a “yes sir, nor sir; yes ma’am, no ma’am”; or using sir and ma’am as a form of polite respect when addressing an elderly man or woman: for example, May I help you, sir? Is that all you need, ma’am? Indeed, the respect expressed to the elders back in my day also included showing them one’s heartfelt gratitude, spending time with them (attentively and politely listening to them), volunteering to help them, and interacting with them whenever the opportunities presented themselves.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, when I was developing from a child to an adult, my elders were the older members of my immediate family, of my public schools, of my neighborhoods, and of my local church, as well as members of the general public. Moreover, the children in my day were taught that respect for their elders, as well as respect for every human being, including respect for one’s own self, began with making the “right” choices about what was the “right” way to meet, greet, and talk to others. Where elders were concerned, the ONLY choice children could make was to meet, greet, and talk to their elders with the utmost respect, because, by virtue of their elders’ longevity, wisdom, life experiences, and integrity, these elders had earned the right to be treated with much respect.

Unfortunately, the four most disrespectful behaviors today that were virtually unheard of in my bygone era are: children questioning their parents’ authority, or the authority of any person who took care of them, or taught them, or gave them advice, or steered them in the right direction; children either raising their voices, or talking back to, or speaking impolitely in other ways to their elders; people refusing to listen to and/or follow the advice that their elders gave to them; and people physically and psychologically abusing their elders, or doing harm to them in other ways, like neglecting to care for the elders who are unable to care for themselves. In fact, it would seem that the old proverb about training “…a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6, NIV), has lost its truth. For sure, if the people who are now in their twenties, thirties, and forties were ever taught how to respect their elders, then why do so many of them appear to have misplaced their childhood “training?”

Furthermore, the closer I get to sixty (two years and 20 days away), the more I see firsthand how today’s elders are disrespected. This truth is even sadder when, for example, it is American Christians who are guilty of disrespecting their elders. I cannot begin to tell you of the number of times since I entered into my fifties that I personally have had my authority questioned by younger Christians; have been yelled at by younger Christians; have been spoken to abusively, impudently, sarcastically, or condescendingly by younger Christians; have been tuned out (given the talk-to-the-hand gesture) by younger Christians; and have been told by younger Christians that they were not going to follow any of my advice. Of course, there are so many other ways that I have been disrespected, and many of these ways include some appalling acts of deep-seated hostilities that have been waged against me because I am a woman preacher, or a charismatic Christian, or a person of color, or a person over fifty, or a graduate from non-prestigious universities, and the list of reasons for their disrespect continues.

Now, for the record, I am not saying that people should show respect for their elders by blindly accepting whatever these elders present as being the truth, or the “only” way. Certainly, if their elders’ truth contradicts or compromises the Word of God, or if their elders’ “only” way isn’t about the eternal life with God as secured through Christ, then it is individuals’ responsibility to cling to what they know to be the absolute divine truth and the definitive “only” way. For sure, God gave humans their own minds so that they can think for themselves. Still, regardless of their differing opinions and differing levels of wisdom and knowledge, younger Christians, indeed, all younger individuals, shouldn’t publicly or privately rebuke or intentionally humiliate their elders, NOT even if their elders have publicly or privately admonished or intentionally embarrassed them. There are many kinder and gentler ways of disagreeing with elders, and yet none of those ways involves talking back to them, yelling at them, cursing them, calling them names, accusing them, demeaning them, hitting them, and so forth.

The Holy Bible makes it clear that Christians, especially, should show their “…fear of God by standing up in the presence of elderly people and showing respect for the aged” (Leviticus 19:32, NLT). As mentioned earlier, some other ways that younger Christian men and women can show respect for their elders include demonstrating heartfelt gratitude for their elders, spending time with their elders (attentively and politely listening to them), volunteering to help their elders, and interacting with their elders whenever the opportunities present themselves.

The main reason why it is important to respect elders, especially by interacting with them, is because the gifts of wisdom and knowledge that elders possess are an everlasting inheritance that only can be transferred to those individuals who have contact with and are emotionally involved with elders. In this age of knowledge and wisdom seekers, where the more one knows the greater the opportunities for this person to succeed, it is essentially a must for Christians to desire to be in service for the Lord and found doing compassionate acts for mankind—especially for their elders. If love can bring a person to “do good,” and if fear can lead a person to “turn from evil,” then being compassionately involved with the welfare of elders, who also are concerned about the welfare of others, and fearing God, who is the One who promotes or demotes humans, will cause the elders to transfer their wisdom and knowledge to those people who are both the doers of good and the worshippers of God. Furthermore, according to God’s Word, the person who finds/obtains divine wisdom will receive an abundant, eternal life and “…favor from God” (cf. Proverbs 8:35, NIV).

However, if God’s Word isn’t enough to motivate believers (or unbelievers) to respect and be compassionate with their elders, then people should respect their elders simply because what goes around certainly will come back around. In essence, if the younger men and women who have disrespected and mistreated their elders live long enough, as sure as they were born, these individuals will be disrespected and mistreated when they become elders. So, take my word for it when I say that this fifty-something born again and saved believer, who has experienced what it feels like to be disrespected and mistreated, knows that, no matter how strong and/or spiritual a person is, it NEVER feels “good” to be disrespected or mistreated!

Judge Not Lest You Be Judged

11 Wednesday Feb 2009

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Have you ever been on the receiving end of someone’s “Judge not, that ye be not judged” comment, and immediately realized that this person, in essence, was using Christ’s words to scare you into backing off from addressing that person’s inappropriate action(s) or sinful lifestyle? Indeed, many religionists, atheists, agnostics, believers, public figures, friends, enemies, and/or family members are very quick to say: “Don’t you judge me, because Jesus says, ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged.’” The people who especially are most fond of using this Scripture are the ones who are trying to defend their inappropriate actions, questionable practices, or sinful lifestyles.

Christ’s “Judge not, that ye be not judged” Sermon on the Mount words often have been abused just as frequently as they have been quoted. Most of the time, this verse is taken out of context and misused by people who need to prove that the Holy Bible supports their “questionable” practices/behaviors.

However, when we study the full context of Jesus’ “Judge not, that ye be not judged” statement, we will see that Christ makes this comment after He publicly has rebuked the Scribes and the Pharisees for their hypocrisy: for being white-washed tombs (having an outward appearance of “righteousness”), when inwardly, in their hearts/human spirits, they were rotten to the core (cf. Matthew 5:20ff; Matthew 23:27). Thus, passing judgment on the Scribes and the Pharisees “unrighteousness” is the main theme of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. As Christ publicly deals with the Scribes and Pharisees’ “unrighteousness,” He makes it clear to His Jewish audience that these religious law experts and teachers’ self-righteousness never would be permitted in the Kingdom of Heaven. For sure, the end result of every person’s self-righteousness is “condemnation.” That’s why today’s people should not get it twisted, by assuming that Christ’s “Judge not, that ye be not judged” pronouncement means that NO ONE has a right to judge!

As a matter of fact, when Christ says in Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” He is continuing His STRONG rebuke of the Scribes and the Pharisees’ blatant hypocrisy, for Christ declares, in the verses that follow Matthew 7:1, that the same standards, rules, principles, etc., they (the Scribes and the Pharisees) use to judge others’ sins/unrighteousness will be used to judge their own sins/unrighteousness. The Scribes and the Pharisees’ unrighteousness, then, should be the reason why they should pay more attention to finding out how they can extricate their own sins (beams in their own eyes) before they try to judge other people’s sins (specks in other people’s eyes) [cf. Matthew 7:1-5].

Thus, in Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus is teaching us today that judging another is wrong when our judgment is hypocritical—when we, like the Scribes and Pharisees, strain our water so that we will not swallow a gnat, but then we swallow a camel! Without a doubt, Christ’s message to us is that He does not want us to be like the Scribes and Pharisees who wear their righteousness on their sleeves. Once again, these religious hypocrites are, as Christ says, “…whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27, NIV). For this reason, our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of hypocrites, or we, like them, will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!

Now, there also are some people who would like to argue that because we are “called” to be fishers of men—called to show others the way to Christ—that we have no right to judge others, because, after all, Christ says to “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Fore sure, God through Christ has given us the responsibility to help others see the Light, but He also has commanded us to lovingly correct people when they sin, or when they engage in “questionable” practices/behaviors. Thus, when Christ says “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” He is NOT saying that we are NEVER to judge people, because right after He finishes His condemnation of the Scribes and Pharisees’ hypocritical judgments Christ then commands His Jewish disciples to make a judgment. He tells His Jewish followers to not give what is holy to the dogs and to not cast their pearls before swine (cf. Matthew 7:6). Now, how would the disciples know who is a “dog” or a “pig,” unless they make judgments about who is or is not a “dog” and/or a “pig”?

Then, in Matthew 7:15-20, Christ once again commands His disciples to judge by being observant. They were to be on the lookout for false prophets, whom Christ says His disciples will know by the “fruits” the false prophets produce. Once again, there is no way anybody could watch out for false prophets, who come dressed in sheep’s clothing, which hides the fact that they are actually ravenous wolves, if a person is not permitted to make judgment calls about who is a false prophet—judgment calls that are based on biblical standards, rules and principles that confirm whether or not the “fruit” a false prophet is producing is the genuine God sanctioned spiritual fruit!

Indeed, in Matthew 10:12-15 and Acts 13:42-46, the Word of God teaches us that we must judge between those who are “worthy” and those who are, figuratively speaking, “dogs” and “pigs.” This command to judge, however, often is tough for us to follow, especially when people try to intimidate us with Scriptures like “Judge not, that [we] be not judged,” in the hope that they will succeed in getting us to back off, which is just what many of us do when we have no in-depth understanding of the context in which Christ spoke His “Judge not, that ye be not judged” statement.

For sure, it would be impossible for us, “who are spiritual” to “gently” restore those who have been “caught in a sin,” if we do not have the right to judge both who is spiritual/righteous and who has committed a sin (cf. Galatians 6:1). What’s more, before we can ever become true fishers of men who have been sent to make disciples of the unsaved people, we first have to be able to make a judgment call about who is a lost sinner or a saved believer. There is no denying that even today, as it was for Christ’s original disciples, where the Body of Christ’s spiritual matters are concerned, in order for us to teach today’s lost sinners we have to be able to determine (judge, evaluate) who is lost and who is not.

What is the bottom line? The bottom line is that it is NOT biblically correct to say that NO ONE has the right to ever judge someone else, for there are numerous examples in the Holy Bible that confirm that believers have the right to make judgment calls. However, what believers are cautioned against doing is making hypocritical judgment calls.

Since born again, saved people have been made righteous by Christ, and since the Holy Spirit has been put in them to mature them, spiritually speaking, through His progressive sanctification process (if individuals are cooperating with Him), and since the Body of Christ/CHURCH has many spiritually righteous believers in it, then, certainly, righteous people can make righteous judgment calls that are based on established biblical standards, rules, and principles. The Apostle John confirms this statement to be the truth when he also tells believers to “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24, KJV).

Moreover, for example, in those cases where the Holy Bible is not clear or exact about how to deal with certain behaviors or activities, the Holy Spirit is the illuminator as well as the judge. Indeed, the Apostle John tells us that we “…have an anointing from the Holy One, and [we all] know the truth” because “…the anointing [we] received from him remains in [us], and [we] do not need anyone to teach [us]. But as his anointing teaches [us] about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit…” we are capable of making righteous judgments as long as we remember and apply what the Holy Spirit “…has taught [us]…” and “…remain in him” (1 John 2:20 and 27, NIV). Then in 1 John 4:1, Apostle John tells us to “…not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (NIV).

Finally, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” is not applicable to everyone. For sure, there will be times in believers’ lives when judging the sinful lifestyles of others will be absolutely necessary. In those times, believers should never shrink from their responsibility, just because someone is trying to bully them into backing off. Instead, believers should know what the whole Word of God says about judging, and then govern themselves accordingly.

The Three Most Important Crops of Israel’s Seven Major Crops

08 Sunday Feb 2009

Posted by in Bible Prophecy

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In the Old Testament, God tells Moses to tell the Israelites that He will give His chosen people “a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper” (Deuteronomy 8:8-9, KJV). From these verses, we learn that there are seven major crops that God would give to His chosen people, along with giving them the Promised Land. These seven major crops are:

  • Wheat
  • Barley
  • Grapes
  • Figs
  • Pomegranates
  • Olives
  • Honey

Of these seven major crops, which have been harvested in Israel, three of them specifically symbolize the three categories of people who make up Jesus the Christ’s harvests, and those crops are: barley, wheat and grapes. The three categories of people that relate to Jesus the Christ’s spiritual harvests are believers, unbelievers (doubters, skeptics, agnostics), and nonbelievers (atheists).

Furthermore, the spiritual and figurative significances of the aforesaid three mentioned major crops are most important to believers, because these three crops relate to the anticipated redemptive work of Jesus the Christ, to His resurrected glory, to believers’ eternal life, and to the Lake of Fire eternity that awaits the centuries of devoted unbelieving apostates and the centuries of committed nonbelievers. In essence, the barley, wheat, and grapes (or the fruit of the vine) crops are analogous to the four different kinds of hearts/spirits/soils/grounds that Jesus the Christ mentions in the Parable of the Sower.

The Parable of the Sower deals with believing humans’ productivity within the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. To this end, their productivity will depend on the kind of response they have to the Word of God that has been sown (preached) into their hearts/spirits/soils/grounds. The four human hearts/spirits/soils/grounds are: (1) hard paths—those who hear the Word of God, yet they do not understand it; consequently, because the seed/Word falls on hard soils, the evil one is able to snatch the Word out of their hearts/spirits; (2) rocky soils—those who hear and accept the Word of God with joy, but, because the seed/Word falls on shallow grounds, and, thus, does not take root, when problems arise or these hearers are persecuted, the joy in their hearts/spirits withers; (3) thorny grounds—those who hear and accept the Word of God, but because their hearts/spirits are greedy for money, material possessions, and every-day necessities, the lust for these gains chokes the seed/Word so that the hearts/spirits of these hearers remain unproductive; and (4) good soils—those who hear, accept, and produce huge spiritual harvests that are 30, 60 and/or a 100 times larger than the seed/Word that originally was planted in their hearts/spirits (cf. Matthew 13:3-23).

In due course, every lost soul will be harvested. For people born during the Age of Grace, or the CHURCH Age, beginning from the birth of the CHURCH until end of the Age—end of the world, as humans know it, every born in sin individual will be harvested; it just depends on whether a person will be in the barley, wheat, or fruit of the vine harvest.

Now, the Scriptures declare that the largest harvest will happen during the Fall Harvest, or End Harvest, which also symbolizes the time of the end of the Age. Moreover, since barley, wheat, and grapes are harvested during Israel’s three major harvest seasons, these harvest seasons not only symbolize the spiritual principles rooted in the seven annual Jewish feasts but also represent the fulfillment of God’s prophetic appointed times (mo’edim) for believers—God’s appointed times in which He directly redeems and delivers believers—and the fulfillment of God’s prophetic appointed times for unbelievers and nonbelievers—God’s appointed times in which He directly pours out His wrath upon wicked mankind and upon the Earth. For sure, all of the biblical mo’edim are prophetic, because they each reveal divine truths about the plans and warnings of the LORD God of Israel who also is the Lord God of us all.

Traditionally, the three major harvests in Israel are: SPRING or First Harvest, SUMMER Harvest, and FALL or End Harvest. The SPRING Harvest begins on the 16th of the first month of the Jewish religious calendar (Abib a.k.a. Nisan, which is Gentiles’ March or April). This SPRING Harvest begins with the Feast of Firstfruits (the barley harvest), and it culminates on the 6th of the third month of the Jewish religious calendar (Sivan, which is Gentiles’ May or June). On the 6th of Sivan, the Jewish people celebrate the Feast of Pentecost together with the end of the barley harvest and the firstfruits of the wheat harvest (cf. Deuteronomy 16:1-10 and Exodus 23:a and 34:22a).

The second harvest is the SUMMER Harvest, which begins in the fourth month of the Jewish religious calendar, about mid-Tammuz (Gentiles’ June or July). This harvest ends when the fallen grapes break open to reveal the new seed, an event that happens on or close to the 15th of the fifth month of the Jewish religious calendar, which is Av (Gentiles’ July or August).

The third and last harvest that deals with the three most important crops of Israel’s seven major crops is the FALL Harvest. This harvest begins in the sixth month of the Jewish religious calendar (Elul, which is Gentiles’ August or September) and culminates around the 15th of the seventh month of the Jewish religious calendar (Tishri, which is Gentiles’ September or October). The 15th of Tishri is the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles (cf. Exodus 23:16b and 34:22b, and Deuteronomy 16:13-15).

Both the SPRING and the FALL harvests depended on the rainfall, and there were two major rainy seasons in Israel: (1) Former Rains, and (2) Latter Rains. The rainy seasons extended from the month of Tishri (September or October) to Iyyar (April or May), with rainfall hitting its highest point in the month of Kislev through the month of Shevat (in Gentiles’ December through February). Additionally, little or no rain fell in Israel from Sivan (May or June) to early Tishri (September or October).

Furthermore, the Former (Early) Rains began in the Fall, at seed planting time, which means that the Former Rains fell at the time when the Earth was being prepared for seedtime. The Latter Rains began in the Spring, near harvest time, which means that the Latter Rain fell at the time when the Earth was being prepared to bring forth its first of many harvests. What’s more, during these rainy seasons, other than the aforesaid seven major crops, some minor crops were planted and harvested. These crops were: peas, chickpeas, lentils, vetch (a climbing bean or pea plant like a legume), oats, sesame, flax, and millet (a small-grained cereal).

SPRING or FIRST HARVEST:

The most important SPRING crops were cereals: barley and wheat. These two cereals were important because newly harvested grain could not be eaten until the firstfruits of grain had been offered on the “day after the Sabbath” of the Festival of Unleavened Bread (cf. Leviticus 23:9-12, 14). Thus, although barley and wheat were both planted in the autumn, barley matured faster and, accordingly, would be harvested sooner. For this reason, during the celebration of the Day of Firstfruits, which also is the second day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the field owners would bring to the priest a sheaf (Omer) of barley, which was the firstfruits of their barley harvest, and the priest would wave that sheaf before the Lord for His acceptance.

Then, forty-nine days later, on the Feast of Pentecost, which is celebrated near the end of the SPRING’s grain Harvest, the field owners brought the firstfruits of their new grain (wheat), which was in the form of two loaves. These loaves symbolized the beginning of the wheat harvest, and these loaves also were the field owners’ required meat (meal or grain) offering that was to be sanctified unto the Lord their God (cf. Leviticus 23:16-17). Besides the firstfruits of wheat, the ripened full crops from the end of the barley and oats harvests also were gathered before and shortly after the Feast of Pentecost. For this reason, the Feast of Pentecost also was/is called “the Feast of Harvest” (cf. Exodus 23:16).

SUMMER HARVEST:

Next, grapes and the rest of the aforesaid minor crops also are harvested. Grapes are the first major crop to ripen after the Feast of Pentecost. New crops of fully-grown grapes are gathered in Sivan, Tammuz, Av, and Elul (or Gentiles’ June, July, August, and September). Then in Elul, the SUMMER Harvest’s figs, olives, and grapes are processed.

According to ancient Jewish tradition, the new wine festival came fifty days, or seven weeks, after the Feast of Pentecost. Fittingly, just as the Temple priest was commanded to offer a sheaf (Omer) of firstfruits to the Lord fifty days before Pentecost, and before anyone ate any of the SPRING Harvest’s first grain, a similar action applied to the SUMMER Harvest’s crop that matured first. Thus, fifty days after Pentecost, before anyone should drink any of the SUMMER Harvest’s new wine, the firstfruits of the vine also have to be offered to God.

FALL HARVEST or END HARVEST:

The last harvest to be considered here is the FALL Harvest, and the crops of this harvest are eaten during the Feast of Ingathering. For Israel, this feast is a very special FALL Harvest festival (cf. Exodus 23:16b; 34:22b). In order to celebrate this feast on Tishri 15, the Israelites are instructed to bring a tenth of their harvest along with the firstborn male animals of their herds and their flocks to the Jerusalem Temple (today, to a central location) where they are to share their prosperity with their family. Not only are they commanded to share their grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of their flocks and herds with their family members, friends, and hired help but also they are commanded to share their end of the harvest provisions with the Levites and other needy people—the widows, orphans, foreigners, and so forth (cf. Deuteronomy 14:22-29).

This annual seven-day celebration also is called the Feast of Tabernacles (cf. Deuteronomy 16:13; Leviticus 23:34), because this feast is kept in remembrance of the temporary dwelling places the Israelites lived in during their journey to the Promised Land of Canaan. For this reason, as a part of their celebration, later generations also are instructed to build temporary shelters (booths or tents) to stay in during the seven days of this feast (cf. Leviticus 23:40-43).

THE RAINS:

Now, for Christians, the Early/Former Rain, which literally prepared the Earth for seedtime, is figuratively the time when the Gospel seed was planted during the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit, on the Day of Pentecost. The Latter Rain, which literally prepared the Earth to take the harvest (to receive the ripened fruit), is figuratively the times when the fruits of the Gospel seed would be harvested—the fruits that have been prepared by the outpourings of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, according to Joel 2:28, there would be at least a second outpouring of the Holy Spirit, or the Latter Rain.

Like the Prophet Joel, the Apostle Peter also prophesies about an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:16-17, the Apostle Peter says:

But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. (KJV)

Please notice here that Apostle Peter is not quoting the Prophet Joel EXACTLY as he prophesied to the nation of Israel in his day. The Prophet Joel says:

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:28, KJV)

There is one specific and significant difference in the prophecies these two godly men articulate. The Apostle Peter uses the phrase “in the last days,” and the Prophet Joel says “afterward.”

The difference in their wording makes it obvious that the prophesied outpouring of the Holy Spirit that the Apostle Peter says will happen “in the last days” did happen in his “last days,” for “the last days” he means in Acts 2:17 are not the end of the Age last days, nor is he referring to the end times. His “in the last days” generation began with the birth of the CHURCH on the Day of Pentecost and ended in 70 CE. In those 70 CE “last days,” the Apostle Peter and other apostles witness the last days of the nation of Israel, as they knew her; the last days of Jerusalem’s Temple, as they knew it; and the last days of the Jewish people being able to live in their Promised Land (Israel), as they are scattered in 70 CE. This scattering eventually causes God’s chosen Jewish people to end up living in nearly every nation throughout this world.

On the other hand, the Prophet Joel’s “afterward” language makes it obvious that the generation who experiences the second outpouring of the Holy Spirit that is mentioned in Joel 2:28 will do so at some future time other than when the first century CE apostles witnessed the birth of the CHURCH. At this future time, God’s second outpouring of His Holy Spirit truly will fall upon all flesh—not just on God’s chosen males and females, sons and daughters, but on Jews and Gentiles from every nation and every tongue! This future time, thus, begins after the restoration of Israel, because the second outpouring is connected to the “Shalam” that the Prophet Joel uses in Joel 2:25. In verse 25, “Shalam,” which is the Hebrew word for the English word “restore,” means to amend, to make good again, to finish, and to be safe. Thus, according to the Prophet Joel, the second outpouring of the Holy Spirit will not be completed until “afterward”—after Israel has been restored as a nation, and God, after amending and making everything better, has given back to His chosen people everything the enemy had taken from them.

Since Israel actually was restored as a nation in May 1948, one of the major prophetic events that has happened since 1948, which is of importance to the CHURCH, is that which happened in 1967. In June of 1967, during the Six-Day War (also known as the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, the Third Arab-Israeli War, Six Days’ War, an‑Naksah (The Setback), or the June War), when the Israelis recaptured Jerusalem, they did so by breaking down many of the barriers that caused religious and ethnic divisions between the Arabic and Jewish people who were living in Israel at this time. These demolished partitions allowed the Israelis to gain new territory, which in turn allowed them to extend the borders within their country.

Additionally, in this same year, theological and denominational dividing walls fell, after Christians from historic mainline denominations suddenly became involved with the Charismatic Movement. These historic mainline denominations included Catholic and Protestant denominations that normally not only did not believe that contemporary Christians could experience the same manifestations of the Holy Spirit, like the Holy Spirit manifestations that were demonstrated by the first century apostles, but also did not believe that contemporary Christians could practice these spiritual gifts. Thus, in 1967, some of the major historic mainline denominations that adopted many of the beliefs held by Pentecostal and Full Gospel denominations before 1967 were: Catholics, Methodists, Baptist, Presbyterian, Brethren, and so forth.

THE SIGNIFICANCE:

That having been said, the prophesied Latter Rain (the second Holy Spirit outpouring) began falling in 1967. Since a generation can be 40, 50, 70 years, or longer, then it is evident that the generation that was living around the time and/or shortly after Israel became a nation again in 1948 is the generation that the Scriptures declare would not perish before the Second Coming of Jesus the Christ is fulfilled. That’s right! This prophesied second Holy Spirit outpouring that was to fall upon all flesh after God restored Israel began falling in 1967, when God tore down the ethnic, bigoted, religious, and denominational walls; indeed, He broke down ALL of the barriers that were separating His people. God tore down every partition by bringing ALL people together under the power of the Holy Spirit!

Moreover, the Scriptures found in Amos 4:7-8 and Zechariah 10:1 both point to the spiritual Latter Rain, or the second Holy Spirit outpouring. What the prophets Amos and Zechariah are saying is that this spiritual Latter Rain, this second Holy Spirit outpouring, WILL NOT fall on ALL flesh ALL at once. For sure, it is a biblical and unmistakable truth that during the 20th and 21st centuries, the second outpouring of the Holy Spirit has been falling here and there, and yet most of God’s chosen Jewish people have remained cutoff from the Olive Tree, and will remain cutoff until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. Then, God’s people will turn from their wicked ways, trust in Him, and seek Him for His Latter Rain, and He will restore His wayward people to their Household of faith position, He will pour out His Holy Spirit upon them, and He will make them magnificent, mighty, powerful, and prosperous people.

Once again, the Scriptures make it clear that this second outpouring, to some extent, is a selective rain. In essence, this prophesied second outpouring will rain down in one place, but not in another. The Prophet Amos proves this truth in the abovementioned Scriptures. Amos’ Latter Rain predictions also prove that God not only will choose people from one nation/city/church/denomination at a time upon whom He will pour out His Holy Spirit but also Amos’ Latter Rain prophecies prove that God’s harvests will not include every person who will become spiritually mature. 

In other words, ALL believers will not ripen at the same time—EVERYONE who will be in the Lord’s harvest will not ripen at the same time that others in their nation/city/church/denomination ripen. Their lack of spiritual maturity, however, will lead to their thirst for spiritual growth.  This thirst for spiritual growth is what will lead many believers to run to where the most current portion of the second outpouring is happening, but because of their inability to drink enough of the selective rain—their failure to be receptive to the teachings, leadings, and promptings of the Holy Spirit—this will be the reason why they will come away dissatisfied. As a result, for a while they will remain as carnal babes who are disinclined to surrender their ALL to the Lord.

Once again, there is the generation that experienced the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This generation’s last days started when the Holy Spirit fell upon the Day of Pentecost’s 120 Upper Room followers of Jesus the Christ, and its last days ended in 70 CE, after the Jewish people living in and around Jerusalem were dispersed. Accordingly, since there was a first generation to experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, then, in the last days of the CHURCH Age, as well as during the end times, there will be a last generation who will experience the second prophesied outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Using 70 years as the length of time for the final generation, for 70 years is the length of time Daniel’s generation stayed in Babylonian captivity before the Jewish people were allowed to return to Israel and be a nation again, making both their captivity and their return pivotal events in Jewish history, the readers of this piece, thus, should have an idea about how important Israel’s 1948 rebirth is. Considering that Israel has been blossoming now for 60+ years, for, as mentioned earlier, Israel declared “Her” independence on May 14, 1948, which was during the springtime, during the first harvest season, then these facts should cause today’s believers who were born around 1948, or shortly thereafter, to recognize that they are the generation of the second outpouring. This generation has experienced a supernatural seasonal change, which is why this current generation is now in the FALL of the Second Harvest (End Harvest) season and positioned for the Rapture of the CHURCH.

Without a doubt, the firstfruits of the barley and wheat harvests (SPRING Harvest) symbolize the firstfruits of the Body of Christ/Bride of Christ/CHURCH. Thus, the Day of Pentecost’s Holy Spirit filled Jewish people and the other Jewish and Gentile individuals who were filled with the Holy Spirit after the initial birth of the CHURCH, on up until the Rapture, are the people who will be counted along with Jesus the Christ as the firstfruits of the CHURCH’s harvest. Moreover, like the resurrected Lord, every person who died in Christ before the time of the Rapture will be counted as the firstfruits of the dead who will be resurrected to ascend toward Jesus the Christ, who is on a cloud and waiting to receive His CHURCH (His ripened [spiritually mature] believers or Bride).

These firstfruits’ reasons are why the people reading this article should understand how the three major agricultural crops in Israel relate specifically to Christian believers, to unbelievers (doubters, skeptics, agnostics, apostates), and to nonbelievers (atheists). The three major crops, once more, are barley, wheat, and grapes, and as aforesaid these crops depict four types of hearts/spirits (four types of “soils” into which the Gospel “good seed” has been sown; cf. the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13:3-23).

Now, since the biblical firstfruits’ offerings always pertain to the beginning of a harvest offering, and not the end of a harvest offering, then, at the time of Jesus the Christ’s resurrection, the barley firstfruits that were harvested on the Feast of Firstfruits become a symbolic representation of the beginning of the CHURCH’s harvest. Jesus the Christ, thus, is the firstborn of every “devoted thing” sanctified unto God, and every “devoted thing” includes the Christians down through the centuries who surrender to Jesus the Christ’s Lordship. That’s why Jesus the Christ meets all of God’s requirements for the consecrated firstborn male child (cf. Exodus 13:2), the freewill firstfruits’ requirements (cf. Deuteronomy 16:10), and the firstborn or firstfruits of the brethren, as well as the firstfruits of every creature requirements (cf. Matthew 27:52-53; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:20; Colossians 1:15, 18). As a result, the barley firstfruits also represent the Old Testament saints, as well as the New Testament saints like John the Baptist and the repentant thief from the cross who were resurrected right after Jesus the Christ arose from the grave (cf. Exodus 13:1-2; Exodus 22:29-30; Leviticus 23:10-11; Psalms 68:18; Matthew 27:52-53; John 11:25; Romans 5:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23; and Ephesians 4:8-10).

Furthermore, concerning the firstfruits’ offerings, just like the Temple priest is to wave a firstfruit sheaf (Omer) of barley (early crop) that is holy unto the Lord on the Feast of Firstfruits, likewise, fifty days later during the Feast of Pentecost, the Temple priest is to wave two leavened loaves of bread made from the firstfruits of the pulverized wheat (later crop, new grain/flour offering). Like the sheaf (Omer) waving, this bread waving will indicate that these loaves are holy unto the Lord. Additionally, these firstfruits of wheat will indicate that the wheat harvest has begun and that the barley harvest has ended.

Indeed, since both barley and wheat are harvested during the Feast of Pentecost, then both barley and wheat represent the CHURCH’s spiritual firstfruits, or Saints/Overcomers. The barley firstfruits, once again, are symbolic of Jesus the Christ who is the first Saint/Overcomer and the firstborn/firstfruit of the glorified ones who would be resurrected from the dead never to die again; the other barley firstfruits or Saints/Overcomers are the ones resurrected on the same day Jesus the Christ arose from the grave, the ones who arose on the Day of Firstfruits after Jesus the Christ was resurrected  (cf. Matthew 27:51-53).

However, the firstfruits of the wheat (later crop) plus the end of the first harvest barley (more Saints/Overcomers), which are harvested right before the Feast of Pentecost, are symbolic of the CHURCH’s resurrected dead who include the 120 Upper Room disciples plus all of the Jewish and Gentile converts from the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s generation down until this present day’s recipients of the second outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The raptured believers who are alive when Jesus the Christ returns for His CHURCH also are included in the number of these firstfruits (cf. Leviticus 23:15-22; Psalm 37:11; Isaiah 11:8 and 65:20a; Acts 2:1-41; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

Then there are the firstfruits of the wheat’s new growth (harvested around mid-Sivan). This new growth represents the martyred Tribulation Saints (more Overcomers), specifically the doubters and skeptics who were not prepared for the Rapture. This new growth of wheat represents those left-behind Christians who finally have been wholly purified, but their purification is by the Tribulation’s threshing and final sifting, which separated the chaff so that the Lord could put them in His granary (cf. Matthew 3:12; Revelation 7:13-14 and Revelation 20:4).

Next, there is the wheat that is harvested during the FALL, End harvest. This final wheat harvest represents the end of the Age’s huge gathering, which is minus the four corners of the fields (the slain remnant; cf. Revelation 19:21a). Therefore, the final wheat harvest only represents the surviving Tribulation believers who will enter into the millennial Kingdom of God without having received glorified bodies. This harvested Wheat also symbolizes the people who will repopulate the Earth during Jesus the Christ’s millennial reign (cf. Isaiah 65:20-25; Zechariah 13:8; Zechariah 14:16; Matthew 13:24-43; Matthew 25:31-33; Revelation 14:14-16; and Revelation 20:3b-4, 7-9a).

Lastly, there are the tares or weeds that are harvested with the final wheat—the end of the Age harvest, or judgment day. The Parable of the Wheat and Tares makes it clear that, until judgment day, it may be difficult to distinguish between real and/or lukewarm and nominal (so-called or in name only) Christians who are presently within the Christian “churches.” This divine truth is why not every person who calls him/herself a Christian will be raptured with the Bride/Body of Christ/CHURCH. Instead, the lukewarm and nominal Christians will be thrown into the Tribulation. Then, at the time of the final wheat harvest, those lukewarm and nominal believers (the apostates and the weeds/tares) will be separated from the surviving true wheat (cf. Matthew 13:24-43; Matthew 25:31-33; Revelation 14:14-16).

Where the grapes are concerned, these FALL or End harvest fruits represent the 144,000 firstfruits sealed by God Jewish believers (cf. Revelation 14:3-5; Revelation 7:3-4) and the end of the harvest people the Prophet Joel speaks about in Joel 3:13, as well as the people the Apostle John metaphorically describes in his second harvest that is found in Revelation 14:17-20. Thus, while the former grapes (the 144,000) are both the literal firstfruits of the Grape Harvest that will be enjoyed during the Feast of Tabernacles, which typifies the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and, spiritually speaking, the figurative firstfruits which are the 144,000 “redeemed” and translated out of the Tribulation Period Jewish evangelists, the latter grapes or end of harvest grapes are the end of the Tribulation’s surviving unbelievers (agnostics) and nonbelievers (atheists) who will be crushed (killed) by Jesus the Christ—the Scriptures’ metaphorical winepress. This crushing is the Lord’s judgment (God’s wrath) that will happen after Jesus the Christ makes His Second Coming, His bodily return to this Earth—after His feet set down on the Mount of Olives and split that mountain in two (cf. Zechariah 14:3-4).

A word to the wise: the persons who are led by the Holy Spirit to understand will know the significance of the three most important crops of Israel’s seven major crops, which are barley, wheat, and grapes. First, the barley harvest, which is connected both to the SPRING’S Latter Rain and the Feast of Firstfruits, is a symbolic representation of the first people to mature spiritually who are also the first ones to bring forth the spiritual fruits of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth that God requires of them to produce.

Secondly, the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, which also are connected to the SPRING’S Latter Rain, are presented as two leavened loaves of bread on the Feast of Pentecost. The first loaf represents the beginning of wheat harvest’s firstfruits, or Christians who matured early (during the Day of Pentecost’s birth of the CHURCH AGE/Age of Grace up until the time of the Rapture)—those who received the first and second outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The second loaf symbolizes those CHURCH AGE/Age of Grace believers who did not mature in time for the Rapture (e.g., the five foolish virgins who are left behind standing outside the door; cf. Matthew 25:11-12).

The reasons why these lukewarm and nominal believers are left behind are because the former were hardhearted and/or carnal believers, and the latter NEVER had experienced the new birth—the spiritual regeneration; the new man nature that leads to salvation! In other words, these unregenerate (not spiritually renewed) believers’ belief in Jesus the Christ is the result of their mental assent (their intellectual agreement with the facts that the Holy Bible is truly the inspired unadulterated Word of God and Jesus the Christ is the only Savior of the world, but their agreement is void of action). As a result of the hardhearted and/or carnal believers never cooperating with or surrendering to the Holy Spirit’s purifying process, and as a result of the unregenerate wheat’s residual soulish sin nature never having been winnowed (removed through the Holy Spirit’s progressive sanctification process) before the Rapture, they both are left behind to experience the time of Jacob’s Trouble.

Thirdly, the harvest of grapes, which is connected to the SPRING’s Latter Rain, the FALL’s End of Harvest, and the FALL’s Feast of the Tabernacles, for the most part is a symbolic representation of the people who will be treaded like grapes processed in the winepress—an image that depicts God’s wrath or judgment on the surviving Tribulation unbelievers and nonbelievers (those who take the mark of the Beast). After Jesus the Christ and His host of saints trample these Tribulation survivors until their blood flows in a stream for 180 miles and rises as high as a horse’s bridle (cf. Revelation 14:20), their flesh becomes the food the vultures feast off (cf. Revelation 19:17-18, 21b).  This end of the Battle of Armageddon dinner meal is the complete opposite of the Marriage Supper of Lamb, of which the resurrected and raptured CHURCH partakes. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is a celebration in honor of the true CHURCH—those overcomers whom Jesus the Christ delivers/saves/rescues from the Great Tribulation (the raptured Bride of Christ).

After the seven-year Tribulation Period, there will be the Marriage Feast, the time when the true CHURCH (Overcomers/Saints/Bride) “tabernacles” with the Lord (Bridegroom) in Kingdom of Heaven. This also is the time when the CHURCH and Jesus the Christ drink the “new wine” together. During His last Passover Supper on Earth, Jesus the Christ promised that He would not drink the fruit of the vine again until He could drink it for the first time with His followers in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Unfortunately, for the crushed “grapes” (metaphor for the wicked unbelievers and nonbelievers), they not only will become the vultures’ dinner, instead of being the honored guests at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, but also these “grapes” will be the resurrected wicked who stand before the Great White Throne and receive their final judgment. They are the ones who will spend the future eternity in the Lake of Fire where they will be forever be separated from God (cf. Matthew 26:29; Revelation 19:9, vv. 17-88 and 21; and Revelation 20:11-15).

As one of the old maxims goes: A word to the wise is sufficient! Peace.

For additional information, please read my entries: Jewish Menorah Mirrors 7 Feasts: Reflections Made On 2011’s Feast of Trumpets and The Fall Feast of Trumpets’ Spiritual Realities

A Sheep, IS a Sheep, IS a Sheep?

06 Friday Feb 2009

Posted by in Faith and Wisdom

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He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him a third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:17, KJV)

 

It is difficult to find “good undershepherds” today, simply because most individuals who are operating as God’s undershepherds are spending too much of their time trying to convince their flocks that “pastors” are better than their “sheep.” The truth of the matter is that God’s intent for “pastors” always has been for them to feed HIS sheep. HE never meant for “undershepherds” to dominate HIS sheep.

Contrary to accepted belief, there really aren’t any privileges that one “calling” has over another. Thus, even though there are CHURCH pastors, prophets, evangelists, teachers, apostles, ushers, choir members, musicians, and so forth, in God’s eyes the way people function in HIS Kingdom is not what is most important. What is most important to God is that any disobedience is sin. Therefore, God’s sheep are obeying HIS Perfect Will only when they are performing the duties assigned by God the way God wants those duties to be done.

We who are born again, saved, and justified by the blood of the Lamb are all God’s sheep, which means that even if we are anointed, appointed, and sent out to minister to our Savior’s sheep we must be cognizant of the fact that we still are just a sheep. That’s why it doesn’t matter to God if we are pew sitters or front-line soldiers; small-town preachers or worldwide tele-evangelists; or stay-at-home moms or dads, or corporate bigwigs. If the Holy Spirit is sanctifying us (equipping and empowering us), then we are God’s sheep.

Once again, since we are equals in the Kingdom of God, this is the reason why there never is supposed to be BIG and little sheep in Christ’s CHURCH. Nevertheless, there are BIG and little sheep in today’s churches. That’s why there is nothing more detestable than to hear about or to watch alleged Christian leaders portray themselves as people who “sit in Moses’ seat” or who “make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments;” or who “love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues;” or who seek and expect “greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi” (see Matthew 23:2 and 23:5-7, KJV). What makes their behaviors unacceptable is this absolute truth: the “Good Shepherd’s” sheep, over whom Christ is the ONLY Lord and Savior, never would “see” themselves as being more important than any other sheep (Body of Christ member).

Moreover, although God has entrusted portions of HIS sheepfold (CHURCH) to undershepherds (pastors), as well as apostles, prophets, evangelists, and/or teachers, for them to watch over HIS sheep (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-13), HIS sheep never should be viewed as slaves who “blindly” must do their apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers or pastors’ biddings. While this “slave” image is very negative, unfortunately this image accurately depicts the way countless pastors or undershepherds treat Christ’s twenty-first century sheep.

A major reason why the persons who are supposed to feed the Lord’s sheep often “see” themselves as being more important than the ones to whom they have been sent to minister is that these wanna be potentates are nothing more than hirelings who have exalted themselves above the masses. Indeed, some “pastors” are like many “popes,” they actually believe that the CHURCH and Her sheep are theirs. However, Christ says, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep” (John 10:11-12, KJV).

Since a hireling is one who usually takes a ministry position primarily for money (is a hired hand rather than a God “called,” God ordained, and God-sent believer), this kind of person invariably has no intentions of staying on the job when the going gets rough or the prospects look greener elsewhere. A hireling also is not concerned with showing God’s sheep any love and care, unless by doing so the hireling profits from these actions—unless there are praises of men and women, or personal desires to make more money in the particular ministry (SERVICE or HELP) calling of interest.

Furthermore, when troubled, life-threatening times arise and a hireling’s sheep need to be protected from the ravenous wolf (Satan, the terror of the sheepfold), there usually is not enough money that will motivate a hireling to make any altruistic sacrifices that would guarantee the safety and well being of an entire sheepfold. The reason why this last statement is so true is because a hireling is a thief and/or a robber who cunningly enters into Christ’s sheepfold for the purpose of craftily hoodwinking HIS sheep into following false doctrines and/or ungodly visions that ultimately will kill or destroy Christ’s sheep.

Consequently, when the most vicious wolf (Satan) enters into sheepfolds (individual churches) over which hirelings are serving as pastors, these hirelings will flee because only their own welfare and security will matter. These false undershepherds ONLY are interested in saving themselves, because the idea of saving every sheep (or even some sheep) in their individual sheepfolds never will cross their minds. That’s why in times of trouble these hirelings’ main focus always will be about finding a way to save their own names, positions, possessions, and/or earthly lives.

The most important explanation for why modern-day hirelings behave as they do is because today’s hirelings, who usually are trained professionals (from a seminary, Bible college, divinity school, or a secular college and/or university), view their acceptance of their undershepherd or pastor’s appointment, eventually, if not from the onset, as a step toward bigger and better opportunities. A second reason for why hirelings act selfishly is because these counterfeit pastors will see their ministry appointment as a chance for them to make “merchandise” of God’s people (cf. 2 Peter 2:1-3).

Hirelings’ astonishing merchandising tactics are revealed the most in the ways these false pastors gain their profits—how they make a living off of God’s sheep. In the vast majority of today’s churches and ministries, the key ways that hirelings increase their profits are through the marketing and commercializing of God’s Word, anointings, talents, spiritual gifts, abilities, and the like. Yes, that’s right. They charge fees for EVERYTHING they say they are doing for the Lord.

Then too, hirelings (pastors, apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, etcetera) only are serving themselves instead of serving the Good Shepherd’s sheep, and this selfish act makes every kind of hireling not only false but also greedy. That’s why, if given the chance, these hirelings not only will fleece every one of Christ’s sheep but also they will mislead HIS sheep on purpose, all because they want to increase their own wealth, materialism, recognition, tributes, and commendations.

Instead of having the salvation of unbelievers as the main goal for increasing “church” membership—God’s profit, which holy men and women of God should seek to achieve—these hirelings ONLY are concerned about their own images, desires, fame, and other related forms of covetousness, which are temporal at best. As a result, one of these hirelings’ chief objectives is to add proselytized sheep—new converts or partnerships—to an already questionable following in their own churches or ministries, primarily so that these hirelings can receive more money, recognition, and so forth.

As previously mentioned, hirelings’ selfish character also will cause them to mislead Christ’s sheep on purpose, which usually is accomplished when hirelings propagate their own understandings and interpretations of God’s Word. In a nutshell, what many of the modern world’s hirelings are feeding God’s sheep is their own personal opinions about and analyses of God’s WORD that have been endorsed by men and women’s theologies that are rooted and grounded in fables, or NEW AGE teachings (apostasies).

Hirelings, thus, are lying to their sheep, and the most damaging lie these “hired” undershepherds tell is that God’s sheep must submit to their doctrines—or those adapted from world-renown psychologists, philosophers, politicians, television and film personalities, theologians, and the like. Once again, what makes these hirelings’ seduction and deception that much more abominable than the seduction and deception of committed unbelievers is the fact that hirelings, regardless of their functions in Christ’s CHURCH, claim they are saved and, thus, are God’s SHEEP, too!

Concerning the Great Commission, Christ tells HIS disciples that they, too, are sheep sent to minister to HIS sheepfold, with the charge to be wise, sober, alert, caring, peaceable, and loving sheep-characteristics that will set them apart from the unrighteous, worldly wolves rather than distinguish them from other sheep. Christ says, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16, KJV).

Yet, instead of operating as the chosen few that God intends for them to be, present-day undershepherds negate God’s “calling” on their lives every time they accept ministry positions with “what the ‘sheep’ can do for me” mentalities. When today’s undershepherds tend to perceive themselves as being “better than” their members, or perceive that their spiritual clout with God is more important than “ordinary” believers’ influence, this stinking thinking will cause misguided undershepherds to become haughty hirelings who have no qualms about using their imagined superiority to intimidate their followers and prospective cohorts.

Eventually, these me-first pastors will deceive and seduce Christ’s sheep until they draw many of them away from the pure, unadulterated Word of God, as well as away from HIS sheepfold. Next, these hirelings will scatter those sheep who are the most gullible and the most ignorant of God’s Divine-Truth (HIS WORD). These me-first hirelings then will desert these sheep, leaving them to seek their own ways to meet their physical and spiritual needs.

As confused, unprotected and unloved sheep, these individuals ultimately will end up running to and fro in search of “a truth” and “a way,” but their search only will lead them to another “false undershepherd.” Because they neither know how to search for God’s Divine TRUTH nor know how to detect their own ignorance about God’s Divine WAY that will lead them into the presence of the One and only “Good Shepherd,” these scattered sheep will perish by the wayside without ever receiving their promised Kingdom of God abundant green-pasture living.

It is unfortunate that today’s Body of Christ has members in it who have been sold to the wolves by undershepherds who neither love nor care for their perceived “less” knowledgeable and “less” spiritual sheep. Moreover, these alleged undershepherds also are not protective of or harmless in their dealings with their perceived “less” knowledgeable and “less” spiritual sheep.

The appalling upshot of these hirelings’ ungodly treatments of their brother and sister sheep is that these hirelings still make some kind of a profit. Indeed, it would seem as though hirelings always end up increasing their worldly wealth, materialism, recognition, commendations, and tributes, even though their individual profits are at the expense of Christian family members—an expense that often could be physical, emotional, psychological, financial, spiritual, or any combination of these five kinds of expenses.

The “…Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me” saying (Matthew 25:45b, KJV) has little influence in the lives of these scandalous hirelings who promote themselves as “good shepherds.” However, although these wicked hirelings receive earthly rewards, the Scriptures declare that Christ will cast these hirelings (unrepentant goats) into the Lake of Fire, which is their promised, everlasting punishment for the way they have ignored the needs of Christ’s sheepfold in order to benefit themselves.

Then too, since hirelings look so much like true sheep, the ONLY One who is qualified to separate true sheep from unrepentant goats is Christ. However, the final separation will not happen until near the end of the prophesied Battle of Armageddon.

What, then, is the responsibility of EVERY sheep? How can Christ’s sheep avoid being chewed up and spit out by the most vicious wolf and/or his ravenous hirelings?

Because there are many sheep-looking hirelings in today’s churches and ministries (false apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and so forth, who claim to be Christ’s believers), we who are HIS true sheep cannot trust that a sheep, is a sheep, is a sheep. Sheep’s clothing can deceive, so we are NOT to follow another sheep based on mere sight, as the blind will lead the blind into a ditch (cf. Luke 6:39).

In HIS parable about blind ditch leaders, Jesus is teaching that many church and ministry individuals only have an outward appearance of religiosity, while inwardly they are just rotten to the core. However, it is these inwardly corrupt leaders’ external displays of religion that often fools people and causes them to give their blind allegiance to these blind ditch leaders. The specific blind ditch leaders (hirelings) Christ is speaking about in HIS parable are the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, who thought they were more righteous, holier and better than Jesus.

These first century A.D. blind ditch leaders (hirelings) had no spiritual fruit emanating from their hearts (inner spirits) because the Holy Spirit of God was not in them. Thus, the people who followed these morally and spiritually dishonest religious leaders by sight inevitably ended up becoming just as morally and spiritually rotten, inwardly, as the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, because these religious leaders’ leaven (hypocrisy) contaminated every person with whom they came in contact.

This Divine TRUTH about leaven also applies to contemporary believers’ lives, especially if they are following wicked hirelings by sight. Since this is the case in many local churches, the only logical conclusion to be drawn is that modern-day hirelings’ hypocrisy will cause moral and spiritual corruption in both the hirelings’ lives and the lives of the sheep they are supposed to guide, which is possible because the Holy Spirit either is not in either of them, or they all have quenched Him. That’s why the deciding feature that will keep true sheep away from hirelings’ ditches must be “the voice,” because the Scriptures tell sold-out believers that Christ’s sheep will know HIS voice and follow Him, as opposed to following the voices of false christs, false prophets, false apostles, false evangelists, false teachers, and false undershepherds (pastors).

Then too, the Scriptures declare that besides being able to discern the difference between HIS voice—HIS Divine TRUTH, which is God’s unadulterated WORD—and the voices of hirelings or strangers’ “truths”—men and women’s ungodly doctrines—Christ’s sheep also will know when to flee from the presence of hirelings or strangers (cf. John 10:4-5). Additionally, the Scriptures make it clear that because Christ’s sheep know HIS voice they also will produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control). This fruit is observable in EVERY deed a Holy Spirit-filled sheep does for Christ Jesus’ sake. Moreover, Scriptures say that the lives of the Good Shepherd’s sheep not only will radiate from this fruit, but also this fruit will testify that these sheep belong to Christ (cf. Galatians 5:22-26; John 15:1-6).

Despite these aforementioned spiritual truths, the cold-hard fact about today’s believers is that no matter if Christ speaks in various forms, like shepherding, evangelizing, teaching, prophesying, singing, and so forth, there are too many “sheep” in the Body of Christ’s sheepfold (CHURCH) who are incapable of recognizing HIS voice—the pure, unadulterated GOSPEL. Too many of Christ’s “sheep” are incapable of recognizing HIS voice, because they either have deaf  ears or their ears are itching only to hear a watered-down version of God’s Divine TRUTH. As such, these lambs (babes in Christ) are preferring the teachings found in New Age fables because these lambs are ignorant of the fact that NEW AGE fables do not impart “accurate” Kingdom of Heaven revelations—spiritual wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Therefore, the hirelings who teach and preach these fables to Christ’s sheepfold are guilty of pulling the wool over some sheep’s eyes.

Eventually, in this “blind” state, these scattered and spiritually lost sheep will end up following counterfeit undershepherds until they fall away from God’s gift of salvation—until they become apostates. Apostasy, then, is the end times’ proverbial satanic ditch. Moreover, the unrepentant ditch-fallen hirelings and their followers either will die in their sins before or during the TRIBULATION period, or they will survive the Tribulation period and then die. In the case of the former, at the end of the prophesied apocalyptic seven years, they will be resurrected from the dead just so they can stand before God’s Great White Throne to be judged, and then they’ll be cast into the Lake of Fire—their second death, an eternal spiritual death. In the case of the latter, these unbelieving Tribulation survivors will be separated from Christ’s Tribulation saints, immediately judged, and then sent directly to their place in the LAKE OF FIRE—their first and last death, an eternal spiritual death (cf. Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:29b; Revelation 20:12-15).

There is but one saving grace, which is this truth: individuals who want to be counted as the sold out for Christ believers (HIS true CHURCH—true sheep) must search the Scriptures daily for Christ’s voice—God’s Divine TRUTH revealed through HIS WORD. These same individuals also must make sure that they only unite and fellowship with others who are Kingdom of God seekers and discerners of HIS voice. What’s more, the number of times Christ’s sheep hear HIS pure, unadulterated GOSPEL, along with the number of times they respond obediently to HIS command to increase their spiritual maturity, will determine when HIS sheep confidently, passionately, and assuredly will be able to follow ONLY their Good Shepherd’s voice.

For these reasons, it is crucial that real sheep know what the WORD says about how Christ’s sheep enter the Kingdom of God. The Good Shepherd says that HIS sheep are the ones who know HIS voice and follow it, as Christ leads them through the straight gate, or ‘door’ to the sheepfold. This gate or ‘door’ is Christ Jesus Himself. On the other hand, hirelings or strangers are the thieves and robbers who stealthily enter the sheepfold by sneaking over the wall that encloses Christ’s sheep. Hirelings or strangers have no legitimate right to be in Christ’s sheepfold, and this reason is why they feign HIS authority and abuse HIS true sheep.

Moreover, it is crucial that real sheep know that the Good Shepherd’s intent is to give HIS sheep an abundant life—to allow them to experience green-pasture living all the days of their lives. Contrary to the Good Shepherd’s intent, hirelings or strangers absolutely do not mean to provide an abundant life for Christ’s genuine sheep. Christ Himself says that hirelings or strangers only come into the sheepfold to steal, kill and destroy the Good Shepherd’s sheep (cf. John 10:1-10; Acts 20:28-30 and 2 Peter 2:1-3).

It is imperative, then, that Christ’s sheep listen to their Good Shepherd’s voice when HE tells them to flee from the hirelings or strangers. Hearing and obeying Christ’s voice will cause HIS true sheep’s salvation to remain intact. They will keep their eternal life with God, when they run from the hirelings or strangers’ presence, because this separation will help them to avoid falling into the ditch of New Age apostasy.

What’s more, once true sheep become God’s separated, sanctified sheepfold, the Holy Spirit will be able to teach them how to function in perfect unity—how to live together as one. The Holy Spirit also will be able to mature Christ’s true sheep so that they will produce moral and spiritual fruits, and so that they will have the desires to do holy and righteous acts. Moreover, the Holy Spirit will be able to give true sheep spiritual discernment, which will cause them to see that hirelings or strangers are only about absolute disunity.

Furthermore, because the Holy Spirit and God’s Love are absent from these children of Satan, hirelings or strangers only can produce the fruits of hypocrisies, lies, divisions, desertions, thieveries, robberies, killings, and destructions. These ungodly fruits in the wicked, unrepentant end-time goats (wolves) dressed in sheep’s clothing will confirm for Christ’s spiritually mature sheep that fleeing from hirelings or strangers’ presence is God’s Perfect Will for HIS sheep.

Once again, only spiritually mature sheep will be the ones who consistently hear and recognize their Good Shepherd’s voice. Spiritually mature sheep also will be the ones who eagerly turn a deaf ear to hirelings or strangers’ voices. Then too, spiritually mature sheep will be the ones who continually respond to Christ’s voice by emulating HIS holy and righteous character. Lastly, spiritually mature sheep will be the ones who obediently flee from hirelings dressed in sheep’s clothing, for only they will know that hirelings or strangers really are ditch-bound goats (wolves) heading toward the Lake of Fire.

A sheep, is a sheep, is a sheep, or perhaps not. Which sheep can discern what kinds of sheep are in the flocks (churches or ministries) in which they are a part of the sheepfold? Which sheep can discern if their undershepherds are living laborious lives full of ceaseless watchfulness, love and concern for Christ’s sheep, opting to stay with them day and night? Which sheep know if their undershepherds are living convenient lives full of pretentious power, filthy greed, and evil deception and seduction—who will choose to flee when the going gets tough, or when offers of greener pastures come their way?

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety and well being of other sheep, only true sheep who are functioning as undershepherds will eagerly lay down their lives as a loving sacrifice. If an “undershepherd” is not declaring and living a life that points to this kind of altruism, then that “undershepherd” is a hireling: a thief, or a robber, and a false sheep, from whom every genuine sheep must flee.

Teach The Divine Truth Directly And Correctly

06 Friday Feb 2009

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Today, we have a very familiar passage. Now, contrary to the institutions of higher learning that promote a quick and easy way to obtain a wealth of knowledge, being able to rightly divide the Word of God is not a speedy and effortless process of learning. Because of who God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are, and because God’s Divine Truths, Mysteries, Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge about His Word only are revealed and taught to us, indeed, even to the most spiritually mature Christians, by precept upon precept and line upon line, here a little and there a little (cf. Isaiah 28:9-10), we therefore must study diligently in order to show ourselves approved. Not being ashamed of the Word happens when we stop putting all of our trust in men and women for them to tell us what “thus saith the Lord.”

Instead of just gobbling up men and women’s teachings and interpretations of the WORD, we also must read, examine and meditate on God’s Word for ourselves so that we might be able to show God that we truly know and understand what He is saying to us. We are commanded to grow up in Christ in ALL things, which includes maturing in the Word of God by giving daily attention to reading the Scriptures, and searching them to know if what our preachers or Sunday School and Bible study teachers tell us is true.

Thus, studying to show ourselves approved of God means that we must prepare ourselves so that we correctly understand every part of God’s Word, which is His Divine Truth. Only then are we able to give accurate and thorough explanations of God’s Word without changing His meanings, and without fighting and arguing with men and women over their various interpretations. Let us, then, do the labor. Let us endeavor to know and understand our Bible not only by reading it daily but also by calling upon the Holy Spirit within us for His teaching and enlightenment, realizing that when we prepare ourselves by daily searching the Word, with the Holy Spirit’s help, we no longer will be ignorant about what the Word says, and we no longer will be someone who easily can be misled. For sure, we always will be ready to give a precise and in-depth explanation of our hope of glory. AMEN.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV).

Understanding The Full Significance of God’s First Fruits Command

03 Tuesday Feb 2009

Posted by in Bible Prophecy

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“Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18, KJV)

The Old Testament patterns of giving first fruits are not so much about giving the first fruits of our financial increase, before we give our monetary tithes and offerings, which prosperity teachers maintain, but rather the patterns of giving first fruits have to do with the first fruits of the spiritual harvests that are devoted unto God. Indeed, the Old Testament’s shadows and types of the barley harvest, which happens in Israel during the first month of Abib (Nisan), symbolize that this first harvest of the year not only is an agricultural event but also a spiritual event that is connected to each of the seven commanded Jewish annual feasts. For sure, the Feast of Firstfruits has a mutual relation with the Feast of Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Day of Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks), as well as a shared relation with the second harvest’s wheat. During the Feast of Weeks in the third month of Sivan, the firstfruits of wheat begin the wheat harvest, which finally culminates in the month of Tishri, during the End Harvest around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. This shared relation means that the Spring Feast of Firstfruits also is connected to ALL three of the Fall Feasts: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

In the Old Testament, after the Israelites entered the land which God had promised to them, God commanded the children of Israel to mark a special day for the purpose of acknowledging that God had provided them fertile land on which to grow their crops. God told Moses to “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:” (Leviticus 23:10, KJV, cf. Leviticus 2:12 and 14; Leviticus 23:17 and 20).

Now, not only were the Israelites commanded to keep the Feast of Firstfruits but also God says:

Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. …The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. (Exodus 23:14-16 and 19a, KJV; cf. Exodus 34:22 and 26a)

For sure, the Feast of Firstfruits is very significant because this feast falls on the day following the first day of Unleavened Bread, which follows Passover (one of the three mandated feasts that Jewish men had to travel to the Jerusalem Temple before they could celebrate God’s mandated feasts according to God’s instructions [see Exodus 23:17]). Now, sometimes people get confused about which day is really the Feast of Firstfruits, as the Day of Pentecost Feast also is called the Feast of Firstfruits. That’s why knowing what God wanted His chosen people to do on the specific day that has been established for them to offer the “devoted things” to God will help in understanding the difference between the Day of Firstfruits and the Day of Pentecost.

The specific day that the Israelites were to establish for the purpose of offering their sanctified “firstfruits” to God would be the Feast of Firstfruits (see Leviticus 23:9-14), and on this specific day, the Israelites were to offer to God the first grain (typically barley) of the first Spring harvest. This firstfruit offering was to take place during the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread on the day after the regular weekly Sabbath (cf. Leviticus 23:11b). Therefore, this firstfruits offering always would occur on the first day of the week (on the Jewish Sabbath, which is from sunset Saturday to sunset Sunday). The Jewish people call this Feast of Firstfruits day Reishit Katzir, which means the “beginning of the harvest.”

In biblical times, on the day after the first day of Unleavened Bread, a sheaf (Omer)of barley (the first grain crop to ripen) was waved before the LORD in a prescribed ceremony that marked the start of the counting of the Omer (cf. Deuteronomy 16:9-12 and Leviticus 23:15-16). The Israelites would begin a forty-nine day countdown (the counting of the Omer) plus one extra day. This countdown started from the moment when they put the first sickle to the barley and ended with the harvest festival of Shavu’ot (Pentecost). The Hebrews call this period of time Sefirat HaOmer, which means, “counting the sheaves.” Thus, the first harvest season (Spring harvest) begins on the Day of First Fruits, which happens seven weeks plus one day before the Feast of Weeks/Firstfruits/Pentecost.

On the day of the Feast of First Fruits, the Hebrews were commanded to give God, without delay, their firstfruits (the very first of their sons, as well as their flocks, vines, fields and trees that appear before their whole flocks, fields, vines, and trees became ripe). The Old Testament Scriptures reveal this divine truth:

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. …Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me. (Exodus 13:1-2; Exodus 22:29-30, KJV)

Without a doubt, the Feast of Firstfruits’ spiritual implications were fulfilled through Jesus the Christ, who was the first person to return to life who would never die again. Our Lord was crucified and buried on Passover (Pesach), the day before the first day of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot).

Now, Passover begins at evening time on Abib (or Nisan) 14, which also is when the eating of Unleavened Bread first begins. What is important to note about the Jewish evening is that it falls between 3:00pm and sundown, which makes sundown both the time when one day ends and the time when a new day starts. Because Passover continues through Nisan 15 (the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread), this is the reason why the celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread often is shown on most calendars as beginning on Abib (Nisan) 15 and ending on Abib (Nisan) 22, while on other calendars the Feast of Unleavened Bread is shown as starting from Abib (Nisan) 14 and ending on Abib (Nisan) 21. Whichever way someone denotes the day when the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins, this Feast (also called Chag HaMatzot) represents a holy week spent without having any leaven in our lives.

What is more important is that, in Jesus the Christ’s day, Passover was on Wednesday the 14th, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread started on Thursday the 15th. Abib (Nisan) 15th, or day one of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is also the “High” Sabbath, a special Sabbath day that, in Jesus the Christ’s day, was not a Saturday Sabbath! This fact would mean that the wave offering(called tenufat HaOmer), which the priest is supposed to wave “…on the morrow after the sabbath” (Leviticus 23:11b, KJV) is the God-commanded firstfruit wave offering that must take place on Sunday morning after the weekly Saturday Sabbath. In Jesus the Christ’s case, this weekly Sabbath was on Abib (Nisan) 17th, two days after the “High” Sabbath of the first day of Unleavened Bread. Once again, a “High” Sabbath is a day of shabbaton (rest) that could occur on any day of the week besides the weekly Sabbath day of Saturday.

Thus, on Abib (Nisan) 14th, Wednesday at evening, which is the beginning of that day, Jesus the Christ eats His early seder (Passover) supper, as this day also is called the Lord’s Passover day (cf. Leviticus 23:5). On Abib (Nisan) 14th, during the daytime, is the Preparation day mentioned in Luke 23:54 and Mark 15:42. Jesus the Christ then dies, gives up the Ghost, in the afternoon of the 14th, and His death happens at the same time that the korban Pesach (Passover Lamb) is sacrificed in the Temple. Jesus the Christ then is buried before the evening (before the official Passover dinner starts).

On Abib (Nisan) 15th, at evening, “High” Sabbath (the actual Seder night) begins. On Abib (Nisan) 15th, during the daytime, “High” Sabbath, a time of rest, is observed.

On Abib (Nisan) 17th, at evening, Weekly Sabbath begins, and on Abib (Nisan) 17th, during the daytime, Weekly Sabbath continues. During the daytime on this day is when the priest’s waving of the Omer takes place, initiating the 49-day countdown to Pentecost (or Shavu’ot).

On Abib (Nisan) 18th, at sundown or the start of this new day, Jesus the Christ is raised from the dead at or after Havdalah, which is the Jewish ritual of using wine, multi-wick candle, and spices for the purpose of marking the end of the Shabbat (and/or holidays) and the beginning of the rest of the week. Remember now that sundown is both the end and start of a day (in this case sundown on the 17th is both the end of day 17 and the start of day 18)! Thus, what’s for certain about when Jesus the Christ arose from the grave is that He at least arose before sunrise on the 18th. 

The good news (Gospel) for the born again and saved believers is that, on the day after the Feast of Firstfruits is celebrated by the priest waving the first sheaf of barley before the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ is raised from the dead. His resurrection makes Him the firstfruit of all who, subsequently, would arise from the dead, never to die again. Moreover, Jesus the Christ’s resurrection, when compared to the “wave offering” the Temple priest presented before the Father as the “firstfruits” of the full harvest yet to come, explains how the biblical shadows and types that pertain to Jesus the Christ being the firstborn of the firstfruits are also why our Lord represents the firstborn of man (and beast) who belongs to God. Indeed, Jesus the Christ is the firstborn of all creatures!

The firstborn and “firstfruits” shadows and types that are seen in the agricultural former and latter rain seasons are parallel to the birth and ripening of believers (the so-called CHURCH and the those who become Tribulation saints). Just as the first or early ripening of the grain crops is offered on First Fruits, or the “beginning of the harvest,” the same First Fruits’ process takes place in the Body of Christ, except this process is a spiritual ripening of believers.

Jesus the Christ physically arises from the grave, and is literally born again as the firstfruit of the brethren and the firstborn of all creatures. Then, by the Day of Pentecost, the 120 Upper Room disciples become the firstfruit of the CHURCH who later will become spiritually born again by the Holy Spirit, and the first of those who later will become physically resurrected like Jesus the Christ. For these reasons, the cutting of the sheaf (Omer) of the new barley that culminates in the celebration of Shavu’ot (Pentecost) is an important firstfruit/firstborn principle, because it relates to the spiritual birth and the glorification of the CHURCH. The Apostle Paul agrees, and in the following Scriptural quotation he declares that, because of what Jesus the Christ experienced, spiritually born again and saved believers also can experience the same thing—they physically can be born again (raised from the dead) to live eternally.  The apostle writes:

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, KJV; cf. John 11:25; Romans 5:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17)

Thus, after the counting of the Omer begins, early in the morning on the third day of Unleavened Bread, Jesus the Christ appears as the firstfruit of the dead, first to Mary Magdalene. At that time, He immediately says to her: “Don’t cling to me” … “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God” (John 20:17, NLT). From the Scriptures, we know that on the same day that the arisen Christ spoke to Mary Magdalene that in the evening of this day He also supernaturally appeared before His disciples, minus Thomas, who for some reason wasn’t in this assembly, and minus Judas, who already had committed suicide. Then “eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. He said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!’” (John 20:26-27, NLT).

Since Jesus the Christ has told Mary that He is ascending to His Father, and then He isn’t seen again by anyone after He first appears before His assembled disciples until He appears before them the second time, the logical conclusion is that during the counting of the Omer’s first eight days (sometime during the fourth through the eighth day of the celebration of Unleavened Bread) Jesus the Christ not only descended into Hell to preach the Gospel to the centuries of lost sinners and the saints in Paradise, but also He ascended up to Heaven where He would present to God Himself, the other firstfruits who arose out of the graves with Him, and the ones from Hell who accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. These are the sanctified “devoted” unto God firstfruits who have been redeemed.

Once this work is done, Jesus the Christ is able to return back to Earth in His glorified body! What is the proof of this conclusion?

Well, the writer of the book of Matthew declares that the “…tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead after Jesus’ resurrection. They left the cemetery, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people” (Matthew 27:52-53, NLT). Thus, once again, the logical conclusion is that Jesus the Christ had to have ascended up to Heaven sometime between the fourth and eighth day of Omer to offer to His Father the first installment on the “early crops” of what would be an overwhelming harvest by the end of the Age (by the end of the world as we know it), for it is not recorded in the Scriptures that any of these other resurrected people were seen after Jesus the Christ met again with His assembled disciples.

Keeping with the idea of firstfruits installments, Jesus the Christ’s second firstfruits’ installment will be the Rapture of the CHURCH—when the dead in Christ and those who are yet alive when He comes to rapture the CHURCH will be caught up to meet Jesus the Christ in the air (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). For this reason, the day of the Feast of Firstfruits (the beginning of the first harvest) spiritually is connected to the Day of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks that happens 49 days later.  In other words, the Day of Pentecost/Feast of Weeks is a shadow and type of the birth of the CHURCH. The apostles and their first century Hebrew converts, then, also represent the firstfruits and/or the firstborn of Christians who have been devoted (sanctified) unto God—the firstfruits of the Day of Pentecost’s Holy Spirit pouring.

The third and last firstfruits’ installment will be the 144,000 martyred saints. The Apostle John supplies the scriptural evidence for this claim. John writes:

And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. (Revelation 14:3-4, KJV)

Returning back to Jesus the Christ’s first ascension, it is apparent that Jesus the Christ makes His first ascension during the first eight days of the counting of the Omer. At this time, He takes with Him to Heaven ALL of the ones who were resurrected from their graves when He arose, plus the Old Testament saints whom He preached to in Paradise, John the Baptist, and the New Testament repentant thief from the cross (cf. Psalms 68:18, Ephesians 4:8-10,). As a result, in Acts 1:9, Jesus the Christ now is speaking about His second ascension, which happens a few days before the Feast of Pentecost, as the Scriptures tell us that He is still on the Earth some 40 days after His resurrection (see Acts 1:3).

Thus, based on God’s appointed Feasts, the fifty days between First Fruits and Pentecost are significant in that these days mark the time between the Festival of “Physical Redemption” (Passover) and the Festival of “Spiritual Redemption” (Pentecost). For this reason, the Day of Pentecost is viewed as the climax of God’s plan for believers’ deliverance through Jesus the Christ, who is the true Lamb of God. The counting of the Omer, or the seven weeks plus one day from First Fruits until the Day of Pentecost, represents the giving of the anticipated New Covenant to mankind, and the giving of the gift of the Holy Spirit through whom the Body of Christ is formed.

Likewise, just as Jesus the Christ’s firstfruit resurrection from the dead and the Day of Pentecost’s outpouring of the Holy Spirit are literal fulfillments of the ancient agriculturally repeated first harvest’s Firstborn, Firstfruit, and Former Rain shadows and types, the second outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the reunion of the Groom (Jesus the Christ) and His Bride (the CHURCH from whom Jesus the Christ has been separated for over 1900 years) also will be literal fulfillments of the agriculturally repeated second harvest’s “end of the year harvest” and Latter Rain shadows and types.

Besides the symbolic Old Testament’s repeated agricultural Spring and Fall harvests’ patterns that point to the Rapture, there are other Old Testament shadows and types that represent the Rapture. For example, in the Old Testament, the Rapture is symbolized through imagery, expressly, the Voice of God (or Trumpet of God) calling out of the mountain to Moses, beckoning him to come up to the top of Mount Sinai (cf. Exodus 19:3), which is similar to Apostle John’s New Testament precursory rapture encounter which begins with the Alpha and Omega God’s voice sounding like a trumpet (Revelation 1:10-11); in Prophet Hosea’s metaphorical prophesies about Israel being revived in 2 days, and raised up on the third day (Hosea 6:2); in Enoch’s bodily translation (Genesis 5:24, and Hebrews 11:5)—symbolizing the New Testament’s twinkling of an eye catching up of alive Body of Christ members who will not be found after the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17); in Elisha’s witness of the supernatural appearance of the chariot and horses of fire that were followed by Elijah’s whirlwind (storm cloud) disappearance (2 Kings 2:11-13)—symbolizing the middle of the Tribulation’s left behind people who will witness both the life and death of two Old Testament witnesses and then see these two witnesses raptured, also these left behind people will witness the disappearance (rapture) of the 144,000 Messianic Jews (Revelation 11:3-12 and Revelation 14:3-4); and finally the disappearance of Moses’ gravesite (Deuteronomy 34:6), which symbolizes the dead without Jesus the Christ nonbelievers who, once resurrected, will leave behind no earthly gravesites where those who inherit the Earth can find the wicked ones’ bodies!

Now, just like it is in the natural concerning the harvesting of a field of wheat, so will it be with the harvesting of the world (the field in which the Lord plants His Gospel seed). After the world has been judged during the seven-year Tribulation, near the end of that time, Jesus the Christ will come on the clouds with a host of angels, and He will oversee the angels’ reaping (cutting with a sickle) and harvesting of Jesus the Christ’s Wheat—the angels will separate (winnow) the figuratively speaking mature grains of wheat (believers) from the chaff (unbelievers and nonbelievers or tares)—the spiritual souls and spirits which, like the literal inedible waste of the wheat’s chaff, will be thrown away. In the tares’ case, they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Matthew 13:37-43), while the genuine Wheat is saved/delivered from the Lake of Fire.

This Wheat, then, is the overwhelming harvest that will happen after God determines that He is finished dealing with mankind; this Wheat Harvest will be the harvest that comes about all because Jesus the Christ first became the literal and figurative firstborn and firstfruit wave offering. Lastly, this end of the Age Wheat harvest also will be the fulfillment of the shadows and types found in the Fall or second harvest that the Hebrews have practiced for years in their end of the year harvest-feast celebrations. For this reason, this Wheat harvest also will be the finale to the Great Commission.

The current countdown from the birth of the CHURCH to the full ripening of believers, which includes the Wheat being separated from the tares at the end of the Age, also will bring about a clearer focus on the true meanings of the Fall Feasts and the second harvest’s principle of three main yields from the Grain. These three main yields are: (1) Firstfruits Harvest (cf. Leviticus 23:10; Matthew 27:52-53; Acts 26:23; and 1 Corinthians 15:20)—the  Sheaf (Omer), which is a Bundle of Grain. This sheaf is made from the First few ripened heads of grain; (2) New Grain Harvest (cf. Exodus 23:16, 34:22a; Leviticus 23:16; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54aand 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)—the Field’s new grain growth—no matter if the grain is barley, wheat, and so forth. This grain, minus the four corners, is picked, gathered, processed; and the (3) Remnant (cf. Leviticus 19:9; 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19; Matthew 13:24-30, 37-42; Joel 3:13; and Revelation 14:15 and 17-20; Revelation 20:7-9)—the grain harvested from the Field’s corner edges that originally were food left for the poor, the widowed, the orphaned, and the strangers.

The firstfruits (the few heads of ripened grain), the new grain (the whole field except for the corners), and the remnant (that which is left after the rest of the field has been harvested) are shadows and types of the SECOND ADVENT—the END-TIME period when JESUS the CHRIST returns back to EARTH, in phases. Once again, the very “firstfruits” of the barley and wheat fields are Jesus the Christ, the Old Testament Saints, John the Baptist, the repentant thief from the cross, and the Body of Christ (the CHURCH) firstfruits who spiritually were born on the Day of Pentecost and thereafter—in essence, all of the dead in Christ and the living believers who are around when Christ raptures His CHURCH (Bride).

The “new grain” refers to: (1) the 144,00 martyred Tribulation evangelists; (2) the 2 Tribulation witnesses; and (3) the Tribulation believers (Wheat) who are evangelized by the 144,000 Messianic Jews. These Tribulation believers (or Wheat), though a great number, will be those individuals from all tongues and nations who are NOT glorified. They will enter the 1,000-year Kingdom of God in their original bodies; therefore, these “Wheat” are the people who will repopulate the Earth.

Lastly, where the end of the Age is concerned, the “remnant” grain now refers to those people from the Lord’s 1,000-year Kingdom who side with the recently released Dragon—Satan who has been set free from the bottomless pit. They, however, will not have a chance to attack the Lord and His true remnant, because God rains fire down upon them and consumes them.  As for Satan, who deceives this remnant of people who are born during Jesus the Christ’s 1,000-year reign, convincing them to march on God’s holy city to war against the Lord and His saints, this Satan/Devil is thrown into the Lake of Fire.

In a nutshell, all of the aforesaid shadows and types and literal and figurative grain yields are found in the repeated agricultural patterns that run through the seven mandated Hebrew feasts. Four of these feasts are celebrated in the Spring of each new ceremonial/festival year, and each one of these four Spring feasts relates to Jesus the Christ’s first coming. Moreover, all four of these Spring feasts have been fulfilled!

The four Spring feasts are: (1) Passover Feast, which symbolizes our salvation and our deliverance that are made possible by the Lamb of God’s atoning sacrifice, as Passover represents our Lord’s explicit, sinless, and substitutionary death; (2) the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which testifies to the reality that, as the Lamb of God, Jesus the Christ’s body could not decay in the grave, the Unleavened Bread, then, also represents our sanctification process—the Holy Spirit’s work related to getting rid of the old leaven in our lives that is symbolized by our carnal nature/desires; finally, the Feast of Unleavened Bread symbolizes Jesus the Christ’s death and burial and our identification with His humiliation and the cruel and brutal way that He died; (3) the Feast of Firstfruits, which illustrates that death could not hold Jesus the Christ prisoner, because His body could not remain in the grave; therefore, the Feast of Firstfruits also represents Jesus the Christ’s resurrection and our future glorious state that will happen at the end of the CHURCH age in conjunction with the Rapture of the CHURCH; additionally, the Feast of Firstfruits represents the firstfruits of the 144,000 who are raptured near the end of time, as we know it; lastly, (4) the Feast of Weeks (Day of Pentecost), which commemorates the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the CHURCH.

There also are three Fall feasts, but none of these feasts has been fulfilled! Moreover, the three Fall feasts portray the events associated with Jesus the Christ’s Second Coming. These three Fall feasts are: (1) The Feast of Trumpets, which depicts Jesus the Christ’s second phase of the firstfruits’ ascensions (i.e., the Rapture). The first phase dealt with Jesus the Christ’s initial ascension, when He takes those who rose from the grave after Him, and the redeemed Old Testament saints, John the Baptist, and the repentant thief from the cross from Paradise to Heaven, to offer them to God as the firstfruits of the dead. Lastly, the third phase will deal with the Tribulation’s martyred saints, or the 144,000; (2) The Day of Atonement, which points to the wrath of God against the great host of surviving Tribulation people, Jews and Gentiles, who take the mark of the Beast (Antichrist). When the Lord returns (when He appears in the clouds with His host of angels to reap the world’s harvest—to separate the Wheat from the Tares), He will destroy these individuals by metaphorically trampling them under His feet and then squeezing the grapes’ juice out with the metaphorical winepress (Himself); (3) The Feast of Tabernacles, which speaks of the day when the Messiah Himself will tabernacle or dwell with His Kingdom people forever.

Today, our firstfruits are our gods of fortune, power, beauty, talent, and intelligence. No longer are we more concerned about the souls of mankind, but rather we are more concerned about our money; our material possessions; our position in life, and the power behind that position; our outer facial and bodily appearances; our abilities, skills, and gifts; and our mental capacity. Furthermore, the firstfruits that have become our gods are also the things we worship, instead of letting them serve us! That is why it is so easy for prosperity teachers to encourage so many people to become FINANCIAL partners with their ministries. Notice, if you will, that most of these prosperity teachers do not consistently stress that the people watching and/or listening to their ministries should be doing their own God-appointed share of the Great Commission work, which is over and above making a donation to their church or ministry by writing a check, or by using a credit card, in excess of buying their self-help books, sermon on cassettes or CDs, Christian movies on DVDs, and so forth!

Once again, the Old Testament patterns of giving first fruits are not about giving the first fruits of our financial increase, before we give our monetary tithes and offerings, which prosperity teachers maintain. The Old Testament patterns of giving first fruits have to do with the first fruits of our spiritual harvests that are devoted unto God—our spiritual lives, our spiritual resources that God “freely” has given to us, our passionate commitment to evangelism and discipleship (to be zealous about reaching lost souls), and our desire to ALWAYS be about doing our Father’s business of building up the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

Jesus the Christ is coming back for the rest of His firstfruits—for the rest of His soul winning CHURCH and His soul winning martyred Tribulation saints. He also is coming back for His end of the Age abundant harvest—His Wheat. For these reasons, being counted as the spiritual firstfruits in the next event on the prophetic timetable, the Rapture, should be the goal of every born again and saved believer living today!

The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few! That is why every person who has eyes and ears should understand and apply what he or she has read here or heard about the full significance of God’s first fruit commands. Once again, God’s first fruits’ commands pertain to us making sure that we are cooperating with His Holy Spirit’s sanctification process—that we not only are filled with but also growing in His Holy Spirit. Secondly, God’s first fruits’ commands pertain to us making sure that we are using EVERYTHING God has blessed us with (spiritual gifts, talents, abilities, skills, character, money, possessions, and so on) so that we can be productive field workers—so that we can be laborers who actively are involved with evangelism and discipleship. Finally, God’s first fruits’ commands pertain to us being spiritually discerning Christians who ALWAYS promote rather than suppress the divine truth found in God’s WORD!

We are living in the generation from which the largest harvest will come.  Therefore, this is the time to get busy working with today’s lost souls, realizing that God’s saving Grace, mighty workings of the Holy Spirit, holy Scriptures, and the faith that God gives us will help us value the Kingdom of God above everyone and everything else in this world! In other words, we have the supernatural resources that make it possible for us to consistently be about our Father’s business!

The holy Scriptures tell us that there will be signs of Jesus the Christ’s Second Coming and that these signs are available for true Christians. Therefore, if we intend to meet our Lord in the air when He returns (if we plan to be the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit’s second outpouring, to be those who are raptured before the Tribulation Period starts), then we must be prepared, now, for our Lord’s imminent Second Coming.  We get prepared by obeying God’s first fruits’ commands for His New Testament saints!