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PENTECOST – 2000
“More On 144,000”
Fred R. Coulter – June 17, 2000
Now I want to answer some questions concerning the bride and the guests and
maybe a little bit concerning the 144,000. I might mention that I’m
working on a booklet on the 144,000 and so we’ll be able to cover that.
I also have a booklet that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.
I’ve a lot of it done which centers on the series I did on Sabbath-keeping,
on “The Holy Sabbath”. But now with some of the information that we
have, especially concerning Hebrews 4 and sabbatismos
and the various verb forms of it and the Septuagint Greek version of the Old
Testament, we are going to make that Sabbath booklet a whole lot stronger.
And it’s not going to be based upon Old Testament doctrine. It’s going
to be based on New Testament doctrine, and it’s going to be put in such a
way that there will be no doubt whatsoever that Sunday-keeping never came
from God.
Let’s come to Matthew 20, and what I want to do is cover a little part
concerning the 50th day harvest of the 144,000 and great
innumerable multitude. And we might add a little bit more to it.
Now let’s pick it up here in verse 1. “For the kingdom of heaven is
like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the
morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed
with the labourers for a penny a day [or we can just say a silver coin a
day], he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third
hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them;
Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you.
And they went their way” (Matt. 20:1-4). Now this is interesting isn’t
it? Because one thing that we have to get rid of is the Gerald
Waterhouse mentality that it’s all stacked up according to his four-hour
sermon. See, it’s not that way because God is going to determine who
will be where and what position. And that’s all a part of this, as we
will see. So he didn’t tell them very much, or he said, “Whatever is
right I will give you.” So they went their way.
“Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.”
So he went out there at 6 a.m., 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. “And about the
eleventh hour [which then is 5 o’clock cause the 12th hour then
is 6] he went out and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why
stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath
hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and
whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was
come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers,
and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first”
(vs. 5-8). Now this tells us an awful lot, doesn’t it? And as we
will see the whole parable tells us that God does not think like we think.
Now especially if you ever belonged to a union. I mean this would be
called the greatest scab operation that they had ever come across.
“And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they
received every man a penny [or silver coin]. But when the first came,
they supposed that they should have received more…” Now this is
judging by human standard, correct? Yes. “…And they likewise
received every man a penny [or a silver coin]. And when the had
received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying,
these last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal
unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he
answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou
agree with me for a penny [or a silver coin]?” (vs. 9-13). So this tells us
what? That God is going to do what He is going to do. He is
going to reward whom He is going to reward in the way He is going to reward
them. And that all of our complaining or comparing isn’t going to
change it. And that also means that…and I know there are to be some
people who say, “Well, how are you to say that we’re not going to be part of
the bride?” Well, the truth is, Christ is going to determine who it
is, and I’m sure God the Father is going to select the bride. Don’t
you think so? Ok.
Now just recently I had a wedding, and I love weddings. Weddings are
my favorite thing. And it was really a wonderful outdoor wedding.
Andy Davis and Jennifer, his wife. And it was beautiful. Only
thing is it was at noon and 95 degrees, so it was a little warm. But
just as we started there was a breeze that came up and made it livable.
So I finished the ceremony in 10 seconds. [Laughter] No, I
didn’t. Went through the ceremony fully, all the way. And then
we went on over where they were going to have the wedding supper. And
they had a wedding supper. And as I was sitting there, and my wife was
sitting there, and we were enjoying everything. And here the bride and
groom came in and they took the first dance, ok. And I thought this is
just exactly what the Bible is talking about. Now we’re here and we’re
enjoying it, and I was happy to have a part in doing the ceremony, but there
is the husband and there is the bride and all the rest of us are guests.
And I though, you know, that’s just the way it’s going to be in the
resurrection. And God is the One Who’s going to have to decide.
Now let’s continue on here verse 14, “Take that
thine is, and go thy way; I will give unto this last, even as unto
thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?
Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and
the first last: for many be called, but few chosen” (vs. 14-16). Now
this almost sounds like what we read about in Job here just a little
earlier, wasn’t it? “Will you disannul My judgment that you may be
righteous?” That’s what they’re trying to do here, see.
Now, hold your place here and let’s look at the literal last, because we’ll
come back. Let’s go to Revelation 7 and then Revelation 11. Now
are not these in Revelation 7 the 144,000 from Israel. And I think
that’s very clear that they are different from the 144,000 in Revelation 14.
Now, as we covered on Pentecost Revelation 7 is approximately at the end of
two full years of the 3 ½ year tribulation. Meaning that there’s one
year and six months left. This, I believe, is the 50th day
harvest that belongs to God. Now here it gives no inclination of any
reward at all does it? Except that it says, after you get through the
144,000 then you come down here the great innumerable multitude, which no
man can number. And then it says here in verse 14, “And I said unto
him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came
out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb.” So these here may very well be a good
portion of the number of guests, because if they’re in white then those are
the wedding garments of the guests. We’ll go back to Matthew 22 here
in just a little bit. These are part of the last, which will probably
be some of the first who are resurrected. But that doesn’t mean that
they’re going to necessarily be first in reward.
Now let’s come to Revelation 11 and let’s look at the very two last, the
two witnesses. Let’s pick it up here in verse 3. “And I will
give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand
two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the
two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the
earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their
mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt hem, he must in
this manner be killed” (Rev. 11:3-5). So this is going to be quit a
thing. And I can just see it now, CNN News there which Christine
Amamadpur, whatever her name is, you know. And Peter Aunet out there,
you know, giving the news. “Boy did you see that? Fire came out
of their mouth and look, here are the ashes…” You know talking to
different ones. “…And what are we going to do to stop them?
They’re upsetting this thing of the One World Government.”
Verse 6, “These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of
their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to
smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they
shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the
bottomless pit [who then is talking about Satan and the man that he
possesses] shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill
them.” Well this is just like with Christ. Satan thought he had
it made when Christ was killed. But He was resurrected and totally
defeated him. So here the beast will think boy we finally have it
made. And we’ll teach them a lesson. “And their dead bodies
shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called
Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified” (vs. 6-8). And of
course the coming one world religion is going to be nothing more than a
re-warmed Egyptian version of the New Age religion.
Did you know that Mormonism, when you read this book, “Primitive
Christianity In Crisis”, Mormonism is nothing more than modern Gnosticism.
When you read this it will blow you away. Cause the Gnostics believe
that we were spirits up here in heaven and that we had to come down and
possess a human body. That’s a basic tenant of Mormonism. Very
basic tenant of Mormonism. Ok, let’s not get too detracted here.
Verse 9, “And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall
see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead
bodies to be put in graves.” Now when it talks about “all the world
shall see it”, it means they will see it. And today we understand that
statement. I think it will be with television. No question about
it. “And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and
make merry, and shall send gifts one to another…” I can just hear the
beast. “Brethren of the world. We have finally conquered these
two men who were disturbing and upsetting our wonderful one world
government. They have caused plagues, and killed people, and drought,
and now they are dead. Let us celebrate. I proclaim a feast.”
[Laughter] That’s what’s going to happen. And my wife thinks
it’s going to be Wilhelm Clinton. Could be. The longer he sticks
around the more I think, hey there could be something to it. “…And
shall send gifts to one another; because these two prophets tormented them
that dwelt on the earth” (vs. 9-10).
“And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into
them, and they stood upon their feet…” Can you imagine that? Can
you imagine the breathlessness of all of the television reporters? You
can just see them, you know. Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, and Dan
Rather, all breathlessley reporting this. And Christian Amamadpur, you
know, and all the cameras are there. And then we have our discussion,
you know. Larry King live. They’ll have a Rabbai, and they’ll
have you know, “What do you think of this.” They won’t quite have time
for that but you can almost just see the whole thing going on here see.
And right when they’re talking about good it is that they’re dead, all of a
sudden the cameras pointing on their bodies see them rise up on their feet.
“…And they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw
them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come
up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their
enemies beheld them” (vs. 11-12). These are the last two who are
killed, who are what? The first resurrected. Perfect example of
the last shall be first.
“And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the
city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the
remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The
second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh [immediately]
quickly.” That’s what it means. Not just quickly, immediately.
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven,
saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever” (vs. 13-15).
Here then is the resurrection. But just prior to the resurrection, the
two witnessesses, the last two are raised first.
Now let’s come back to Matthew 20:16. “So the last shall be first,
the first shall be last: for may are called, but few chosen.” Then we
have this, the next section. And Jesus went up. He told them He
was going to be betrayed and so forth. Now let’s come down to verse 20
because this ties right in with it, see.
“Then came to Him the mother of Zebedee’s children and her sons,
worshipping Him, and desiring a certain thing of Him. And He
said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto Him, Grant that these my
two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in
Thy kingdom” (vs. 20-21). Boy, now you talk about a political move to make
it good for my two boys. But this has the same thing to do with the
first and the last. Only from a little different perspective.
Only this time instead of the first and last being the general laborers that
were out in the vineyard, now we here have it with the 12 apostles.
And He gives the lesson here.
“But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask, Are ye able to…”,
you see because her two sons were right there. You know they wouldn’t
want to march up and say, “Lord, give it to us. Look how good we are.”
“But Mom, you are so persuasive. Why don’t you do it for us?”
You know. “…Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink
of, and to be baptized with?” And He just told them that He was going
to be crucified. “They say unto Him, We are able” (vs.
22). And of course they didn’t know what that was. You know it’s
kind of like a Marine recruit. “Are you able to go up and capture that
enemy machine gun nest?” “Yea, I can.” Don’t even know what
you’re saying. Never been under fire. “We are able.”
“And He saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of My cup, and be baptized
with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on My right hand, and
on My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for
whom it is prepared of My Father.” So the Father is in charge of all
of this, right? Yes He is. Not just us as human beings, or just
Christ alone. “And when the ten heard it, they were moved with
indignation against the two brethren” (vs. 23-24). Because they got
there first. The other 10 would have liked to have gotten there first
to ask. That’s what they were mad at. Cause, you know, just
carnal human wanting to be the best, the greatest, and all this sort of
thing.
“But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, [He’s giving the lesson
here] Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them,
and they that are great exercise authority upon them.” And of course
the exercised dominion is katakurieuo, which is “downward”. And
the other one is kataexousio, which is “authority downward”.
“But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you,
let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be
your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister, and to give His life a ransom for many” (vs. 25-28). Now
that all ties in with those who are going to be in the resurrection.
Now, let’s come over here to Matthew 22 and let’s look at the guests.
Matthew 22:1. “And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by
parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which
made a marriage for his son.” Now the king there is God the Father,
and the son obviously has to be Jesus Christ, Who is giving a parable.
“And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding:
and they would not come” (Matt. 22:1-3). Let’s stop right here.
The king who is God the Father is going to have the marriage and He is going
to select the bride. Have to be.
He “…sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding:
and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying,
Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and
my fatlings are killed, and all things are
ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and
went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: and the
remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew
them.” Just a summary of the life of the apostles. “But when
the king heard thereof, he was wroth: hand he sent forth his armies,
and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.” Now that is
Jerusalem, and the fall of it in 70 A.D. “Then saith he to his
servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the
marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered
together as many as they found, both bad and good…” Now this is
talking about people who are bad people and good people, not in a sense of
spiritually speaking but just in their lives. And of course both the
bad and the good have to repent. It’s harder for the good to repent
because they don’t see the sins that they have done. “…And the wedding
was furnished with guests” (vs. 3-10).
Now here the parable breaks down a little bit because obviously this is
referring to the first resurrection, but there is not going to be anybody in
the first resurrection who’s going to be there without the proper wedding
garment. But in order to show that you have to apply yourself and have
to have the proper wedding garment, this is here in the parable. So
when will those who do not prepare to be guests, when will they be cast into
outer darkness? Well that will be the lake of fire, which will be at
the end of the millenium and the Great White Throne Judgment. So in
order for the sake of the parable to show it, it has to be combined here.
Let’s read it.
“And when the king came in to see the guests…” Now the king being God
the Father, maybe this helps answer the question: when we are resurrected
will we see God the Father? Why not? Will we be spirit beings?
Yes. Are we not His children? Yes. Would He not want to
see His children just resurrected, born from the dead? Yes.
Would we not want to see Him? Absolutely. As well as Christ?
No doubt. So this says He came to see them. “…He saw there a man
which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how
camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was
speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and
foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few
are
chosen” (vs. 11-14).
Let’s go to Matthew 25. Now let’s hope we can understand this a
little bit more. Verse 1, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened
unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the
bridegroom.” Now here we have the virgins and the bridegroom.
Before we had the guests coming to the wedding. This is obviously a
different category of people. “…Went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise, and five were
foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil
with them” (Matt. 25:1-3).
Now you need to understand about the lamps. The lamps that they had
were probably as you see the top of this little teapot here. A little
bigger than this and maybe just a little deeper as it sits over on it’s
side. And there was a little wick that came out on the side.
Olive oil was put into the middle of it and the wick would hang over the
edge of it and give light. Well obviously if you only have oil in your
little lamp here you don’t have very much. So that’s why they should
have had some with them to carry an extra amount to pour in there when they
needed it.
“But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the
bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.” Showing that they
will all have their own individual problems. “And at midnight there
was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish
said unto the wise, Give us our your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for
us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves”
(vs.4-9). Now this obviously showing that they did not have enough
spiritual character in order to qualify as part of the bride.
“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came…” Now again in a
parable it can’t fit everything to the exact facts. “…The bridegroom
came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the
door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord,
Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I
know you not.” Now in this case he doesn’t say, “Depart into outer
darkness and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” So this
does not necessarily show a loss of salvation. But this shows a loss
of being part of the bride. The door to being the bride is shut.
It doesn’t say they won’t be in the kingdom of God, but it does tell us they
won’t be part of the bride. “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the
day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (vs. 10-13).
Now then, I think that that’s the best understanding I’ve been able to
derive from this. In other words these virgins by the virtue of the
fact, now it says they were virgins, but by virtue of the fact that they
didn’t exercise the spiritual character they should have had they, in a
sense, disqualified themselves from the marriage. Now it doesn’t
necessarily say that they sinned and lost the, what we would call the
spiritual virginity, but it does show that they were very negligent.
Now let’s answer the question concerning the firstfruits. Let’s go to
1 Corinthians 15:20. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and
become the firstfruits of them that slept.” Now we know that this is
the first of the firstfruits by several things. Number 1, God says in
Exodus 34 that you are to bring the first of the firstfruits unto the Lord.
We also know by the wave sheaf offering that was elevated on the wave sheaf
offering day, that that signified Christ ascending to the Father to be
accepted as the firstborn from the dead. So we have Christ Who is the
first of the firstfruits.
Now let’s notice. “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…” (vs. 21-23). Notice, every man in his own order.
So there is an order to the resurrection. Part of what we have of the
order that we saw was what? The last shall be first and the first
shall be last. Now if Adam repented and made it is he going to be the
last one resurrected? I don’t know. But the ones who are going
to be the very last, who are going to be resurrected, are those who are
alive when Christ returns. I Thessalonians 4 says that they which are dead
in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive will be caught up in the
air together with them and meet the Lord in the air. Now meeting the
Lord in the air can also have the meaning “for the meeting with the Lord in
the air”. So there’s an order. Ok, the bride is the
firstfruits.
Let’s go to James 1:18. Here in James 1:18 we are called firstfruits.
All those in the first resurrection are called firstfruits. Christ is
called firstfruits. So Christ is the first of the firstfruits, now
let’s look at the rest. “Of His own will [that’s speaking of the
Father] begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of His creatures.” Now that means of His creation, meaning
those of us who are created in Christ Jesus. That’s what it’s
referring to. So we are called firstfruits. Christ is also
called the firstborn, isn’t he? Romans 8:29, “…that He should be
called the firstborn among many brethren.” We’re also called of the
church of the firstborn, Hebrews 12.
Now then let’s go back to Revelation 14 and let’s see concerning the
144,000 here. And the distinction between this and the 144,000 in
Revelation 17 becomes very clear when we analyze all the differences.
What is said of the 144,000 in Revelation 7 is that they are 12,000 from the
12 tribes of the children of Israel. It lists Joseph, and it lists
Manasseh, and it does not include Dan. Now that’s because of the
prophecy that Dan will wait for his salvation.
Now here in verse 1, “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount
Sion…” Now that’s what we are to come to, correct, the Church of the
Firstborn, Hebrews 12? “…And with Him an hundred forty and four
thousand…” Now when you look at Revelation 7 with the innumerable
multitude and 144,000…let’s go back there.
Revelation 7:9, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no
man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,
stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and
palms in their hands.” Now you have to have the white robes in order
to be a guest, correct? Yes. This is probably indicating that
these are all guests. They stood before the throne. That is out
around before the throne. “And cried with a loud voice, saying,
Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about
the elders and the four [living creatures] beasts, and fell before the throne
on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: blessing, and glory, and
wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto
our God for ever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 7:9-12).
“And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are
arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto
him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came
out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any
more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb
which is in the midst of the throne shall fed them, and shall lead them unto
living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes” (vs. 13-17).
Now let’s come back and compare that with the 144,000 in Revelation 14.
144,000 at mount Sion “…having His Father’s name written in their foreheads.
And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the
voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with
their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and
before the four [living creatures] 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…” Now let’s just leave out “being” cause that’s not there
in the Greek. And let’s leave out “the” because that’s not there in
the Greek. “…These were redeemed from among men…firstfruits unto God
and to the Lamb.” Now since we are all called firstfruits what category are
these? Verse 5, “And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are
without fault before the throne of God” (Rev. 14:1-5).
Now let’s go back and just analyze this just a little bit more. Let’s
begin with firstfruits. These were redeemed from among men, not the
children of Israel. Can be from any race or people or whatever.
Firstfruits unto God and the Lamb. Now Christ is called firstfruits so
we know He is the first of the firstfruits. Could we say then if this
144,000 represents the bride, are these the next category of firstfruits
because it says everyone in his own order. And then all of the rest in
the first resurrection will be called firstfruits. So we have three
category of firstfruit. Christ the first, the bride next, all the rest
of us after that. And I think if we put the scriptures together
properly we can see how that will be.
Let’s go back and look at this a little bit more. Last part of verse
3, “were redeemed from the earth”. It says “redeemed from among men”
and “redeemed from the earth”. Again showing that it’s from all
nations. But this is differentiating it from the children of Israel.
“These are they which were not defiled with women.” Now what does it
mean to be defiled with women?
All right, let’s look at it. Let’s go to Revelation 17. What
does it mean to not be defiled with women? Who are the women that
defile the saints of God? That’s another way of answering the
question, see. Revelation 17:1, “And there came one of the seven
angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come
hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth
upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed
fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the
wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the
wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of
names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman
was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious
stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and
filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name
written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Rev. 17:1-5). So it could be mother
Babylon or any one of her daughters that can defile the saints. So
these 144,000 of Revelation 14 were never defiled by false doctrines.
The false doctrines of the churches of this world.
“These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth” because it
says then Christ and the bride say…let’s go back here to Revelation 22.
And this a summary of what goes on during the millennium. Revelation
22:17, “And the Spirit [Who is Christ] and the bride say, Come. And
let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” So this is
Christ and the bride. Everything in the millennium will flow from
Christ and the bride. Who will it flow to? Well let’s go to
Revelation 20:6. “Blessed and holy is
he that hath part in the first resurrection…” Now that’s a blessing upon
all. “…On such the second death hath no power, but they shall be
priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
Now we also know from Matthew 25 that there will be those who are reigning
over cities. We know also from Jesus explaining about who’s going to
sit on the 12 thrones of the children of Israel, that it’s going to be each
one of the apostles. So they will be kings. Here we have
priests. We will reign as kings and priests with Christ. But the
144,000 are with Christ wherever He goes. Whereas those who are
priests will be where ever Christ sends them to be priests. So it’s a
little bit different situation.
Now let’s go back and look at this right here. Verse 1. “Having
their Father’s name written in their forehead…..”
Part 2
Now let me clarify something here. Let’s come to Revelation 14:4.
“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.”
Now that means from the time of baptism. See, that has to mean from
the time of baptism. Now hold your place here and let’s go to 2
Corinthians 11 and let’s see that. Verse 1, Paul writes, “Would to God
ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to
one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his
subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus…” Now that’s
when after you have been baptized and you believe in a different form of
Christ, then you are not really believing in the true Christ. So these
were the false apostles coming and teaching false doctrines. And so in
believing these false doctrines and following these false doctrines then
those who were once virgins lose their virginity spiritually. But they
can repent and still be in the kingdom of God.
Ok, let’s go back here to Revelation again. The question was asked:
is the 144,000 a literal number or a symbolic number? Well if you have
a symbolic number then what does that mean as a literal number because we
have 144,000 literally of the children of Israel, those who were sealed.
And then we have the great innumerable multitude, which then no one can
number, so how could you say there could be a symbolic number with the great
innumerable multitude because there’s no number. So I would be more
inclined to think that the 144,000 is perhaps a literal number. Now
how is God going to choose that? Well, He alone knows. Will
there be other virgins who were just slovenly, who are still going to be in
the kingdom of God. Yes we had the parable of the 10 virgins.
But the door to the wedding to be part of the bride was closed. But it
doesn’t say they were excluded from the kingdom of God, they just couldn’t
be part of the bride.
Now let’s clarify something else. During the break it was brought up
that there were these classes of the firstfruits. Christ the first of
the firstfruits. Then the seven church harvest represented by the
seven churches, Revelation 2 and 3. That’s a second category.
They are firstfruits. The third category is the 144,000 of Israel.
The fourth category is the great innumerable multitude. And the fifth
category would be the 144,000 of Revelation 14. So you have five
categories all together, and five is the number of grace. So there may
be something to that, but that helps substantiate what we covered in 1
Corinthians 15, Christ the firstfruits, and after that those that are His at
His coming, but every man in his own order. So how Christ is going to
order that out we don’t know.
Now let’s look at Revelation 2 and 3 and we will see that out of the seven
churches… Now as I mentioned in the “Seven Church Harvest”,
these seven churches represent:
#1 The seven churches that were then.
#2 The projection of the history of the Church down through history.
#3 Represents the attitudes of Christians at anytime during any
period.
And some of us can identify with several of the churches with our various
attitudes as we have gone through our Christian life. So it’s awfully
hard to say exactly where each person belongs. And in that sense it is
good from the point of view that God is the One Who is going to make the
decision, and salvation is by faith. Salvation is not knowing which
category you are in. Salvation is by faith. And I think we can
trust God to know what He’s doing, and we can trust God that to be in the
first resurrection in any category is a blessing. Because it says in
Revelation 19, “Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of
the Lamb.” So it’s all a blessing. But what it does do, it
shatters some of our carnal approaches to who we may think we are.
[Laughter] Lest we pull a Job and tell God who we are and God tells us
we’re not who we say we are. But you are who I say you are.
See.
Now let’s look at the seven churches here. First one is Ephesus.
Now they’re commended for their works. They have good works, they have
patience, they labor. You can’t stand them which are evil. I’m
just sort of summarizing here. And you’ve tried them which say they
are apostles and are not and have found them liars. Now some people
get mad when you do that. Well we still do that today, don’t we?
Yes. And someone said, “Well take me off your mailing list because of
what you say about Herbert Armstrong and that if anyone doesn’t agree with
you well then you’ll have nothing to do with them.” No that’s not the
case brethren.
I wish there were 10,000 faithful ministers. Just think what could be
done. I have tried working with other ministers, to get beat up,
knocked down, mailing list stolen, and the whole works. Now I’d be
happy to work with any minister. But I’ll tell you one thing I will
not do. I will not compromise or play politics to please anybody,
because if we do not please Christ then it doesn’t matter who else you
please. All bets are off. Paul said, “If I should please men I
should not yet please God.” And he wouldn’t even give one minute to
any man to come against what Christ had revealed to him. And he should
not. And so likewise I’ll just take the same attitude that Paul had.
You know. Be glad to work with any man but don’t come and steal from
us. Don’t come and take brethren. Don’t come and have your own
personal thing. I don’t set myself up as some big thing. I just
want to teach the word of God and serve and love the brethren. I don’t
want people to look up to me as some big mucky-muck because I’m not.
But in handling the word of God I won’t countenance one minute people
twisting and turning the word of God.
Now what we’re doing here for the Bible Study tonight, we’re trying to
understand some difficult to understand scriptures, wouldn’t you say?
Yes. Maybe not everything we have here is exactly correct yet.
But what we’re doing, we’re thinking it through, comparing the scriptures,
looking at the scriptures to try and have it so we can understand the word
of God even more. And there is nothing wrong with that at all.
And that’s something that we should do. If we find ourselves wrong in
anything we’ll change. We’ll change. If someone finds something
that I’m doing wrong that I shouldn’t do, or say something I shouldn’t say
let me know, and I’ll correct it. No problem with that. But I
don’t want the brethren to be beat up, and I don’t want to be beat up.
And I’ve been beaten up enough. I fought the hierarchy within
Worldwide from 1972 on and it was really a tough situation. And I’ve
seen what they did to each other and to the brethren. And that should
never be. And yet we called ourselves the church of brotherly love,
right? Everyone wants to be a Philadelphian, we’ll look at that one in
just a minute, but it’s very obvious that not everyone can be.
Now those at Ephesus, he says here in verse 4. “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” Now
what is losing your first love? That’s not just being excited and
knowing the truth when you first come to it. The first love is loving
God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and being. That’s what
they lost. Now how could they lose it? Could it be from
negligence? Could it be letting in some idolatry? I don’t know
but they lost it. So He says, “Remember therefore from whence thou art
fallen…” So He considers this a great sin. “…And repent, and do
the first works…”(Rev.2:4-5). So we can conclude from what we
have here that those who did this and lost their first love probably have
defiled their garments. Probably have lost their spiritual virginity
from baptism, but then if they repent and do the first works they can be
restored. Now the question is will they be part of the bride of
Christ? That is God’s judgment. But if we look at it from
Revelation 14 we can say that these have defiled themselves with women.
Now then we come down here to the church of Smyrna. Now this one
there is no correction at all, no calling to repentance. He says,
verse 9, “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art
rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and
are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those
things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of
you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten
days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life”
(vs. 9-10). No correction. They didn’t submit to any of the
false things that came along. Whether it was persecution by the Jews.
Whether it was persecution by the pagans. Whether it was inquisition
of the Roman Catholic Church. They didn’t give in to any of it so they
kept their spiritual virginity.
Now Pergamos really got themselves in trouble. Pergamos and Thyatira,
wow. It’s self-explanatory here. They had the doctrine of
Balaam, which I will talk about here in the very near future. They
also had the doctrine of Nicolaitans. They ate things sacrificed unto
idols. So He says verse 16, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth” So
here Christ has to fight against His own Church here. But notice
Pergamos is right where Satan’s capitol is. And when you are so close
to the things of Satan it’s awfully hard to not inculcate some of those
practices into your daily way of doing things. But that’s what
happened. We’ve had some of that today in this form. Not
exactly, well we’ve had some of this very same thing recently with the
demise of Worldwide Church of God going clear into Sunday-keeping. But
we have had some of it even within the ministry and teaching that they bring
out a lot things of psychology instead of preaching the word of God.
And so that’s getting so close to the world that you look at the things that
the world has which is good and you bring in that and equate that with
righteousness of God. The goodness of this world comes from which
tree? The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is good.
It can do good things. But it doesn’t equal the righteousness of
Christ. Now we’ve seen that.
Then we come to Thyatira. Boy Thyatira is perhaps the best and the
worst all combined together here. It talks about their… It says,
“I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience,
and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things
agains thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth
herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit
fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols” (vs. 19-20).
Well there it is right there. Most of those in Thyatira, even in
repenting, could not be considered virgins after they were baptized, because
talking about their condition after they were in the Church because the
message was to the church at Thyatira. So it’s not before they were in
the Church but after they were in the Church.
Then we come to Sardis and when you get the “Seven Church Harvest” with
Sardis in there I did an in-depth study on that and it was really quite a
revealing thing here. Chapter 3:1, “And unto the angel of the church
in Sardis write; These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God,
and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou
livest, and art dead.” I tell you this is perhaps the worst spiritual
condition. This is worse than lukewarm. At least lukewarm you’re
still alive. But here you’re a corpse with just a pulse. “Be
watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for
I have not found thy works [complete] perfect before God. Remember
therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.
If therefore thou shall not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou
shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou has a few names
even in Sardis [just a few] which have not defiled their garments; and they
shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh,
the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name
out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and
before His angels” (Rev. 3:1-5). So here they just make it by the skin
of the teeth. I don’t even say skin of the teeth. Boy. But
only a few are going to make it. I mean when you go through and you
look at these things and you ask the question: how much does our choice
count in all of this? Everything, as far as our responsibility is
concerned.
Now over here to the Laodiceans. We beat up on the Laodiceans long
and often and hard and difficult so we won’t get in here and beat up on them
too bad. But being lukewarm, talking back to God saying, “Because thou
sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods…” (vs. 17). Sounds a
little bit like Job doesn’t it, talking back to God? “…And have need
of nothing…” Well now as I wrote in a letter recently it’s all taken
away. It is all gone. Ok, now He commands them to… They
are so bad they are vomited out of the mouth of Christ. Christ is
outside knocking on the door to get in. They can repent. They
can receive salvation. They can sit in the throne of judgment as
Christ sits in the throne of judgment, but they have to become zealous.
Now let’s look at Philadelphia and let’s compare that to the 144,000 of
Revelation 14. And the church at Philadelphia comes the closest to
describing Revelation 14 and the 144,000 there, with the exception that we
have to also do as Christ did in commending Smyrna. That they had no
faults before God. Now let’s read it here, verse 7. “And to the
angel of the church in Philadelphia write; these things saith He that is
holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openth, and no
man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.” We always like to
look to the open door but there’s a time when God shuts it. And I
think we’ve lived in the time where God has shut the door of radio and
television as an effective way of reaching people. Now He’s going to
open another door, and when He does we have to be prepared and be ready.
Whatever it may be Christ will have to open the door for any one of the
seven churches here, but in particularly for those who really love God, He’s
got to open the door. Why? We’ll see.
Verse 8, “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door,
and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength…” So here is a
small church. Little strength. “…And has kept My word…”
Now no other church is commended of really keeping the word. Now
if you’re going to keep the word that means you have to number one, you have
to have it. Number two, you have to know it, because how can you keep
something that you don’t know? You can’t. “…And hast not denied
My name.”
Now that’s a little different than over here with Pergamos. It says
verse 13, “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where
Satan’s seat [or throne] is: and thou holdest fast My name, and hast
not denied My faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was My
faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.” So
they only held on as long as they had Antipas for their leader. After
that everything went to hell in a handbasket to Baalim and to the doctrine
of the Nicolaitans, which this book “Primitive Christianity…” does an
excellent job of bringing out what that really means.
“Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan…” (Rev. 3:9). Now
who’s the synagogue of Satan? The synagogue of Satan combines the
economics, the religious, and the political affairs of this world, who
control the world. And we are living in a time when that synagogue of
Satan is coming to the fore again like it never has. Now I’m going to
give a sermon here in the very near future on the beast that was and is not
and yet is. And I think we will understand it even more clearly.
And that we are living in those times.
Now these we can just say, those of the synagogue of Satan are rewarded by
Satan. How does he reward them? What did he promise Christ if He
would worship him once? The whole world. So those who control
the world and the world establishment in banking, in religion, and in
politics are all part of the synagogue of Satan with all of their followers
and all of their subordinates with them, and those who truly are part of the
synagogue of Satan worship Satan directly and get their orders directly from
him. And we are in a struggle brethren. We are in a fight, and
I’m going to bring out, well I won’t bring it out tomorrow but I’ll bring
out a little bit about it. But we are in a fight for the word of God.
We are in such a position today that no longer can we say, “Look it up in
your Bible. Read it in your Bible.” Now we’ve got to tell them,
“Look, before you can even look it up in the Bible, you better make sure you
have the right Bible.” Cause you may not find it in the one Satan has
perverted through Westcott and Hort, and through the New International
Version, and the New American Standard Bible, and some of the others.
I mean it’s a horrendous thing that they have done to it. And that’s
all part of the synagogue of Satan, “…which say they are Jews, and are not,
but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet,
and to know that I have loved thee.”
Now Christ loves His whole Church but there is a special love that God has
for the Philadelphians, why? Because they love Him. That’s why.
And you can’t love the brethren truly unless you love God first. Now
you can have a social club. You can get along with each other, you can
like each other, you can be desirous to be in each other’s company, but to
truly love the brethren with the love of God, that’s got to come from God.
It has to come from God.
Now notice verse 10, “Because thou hast kept the word of My patience…”
Now notice. Twice He says, “You have kept My word and have not denied
My name”, verse 8. Then He says, “Because you have kept the word of My
patience [or patiently kept My word]”, which means what? In spite of
the synagogue of Satan, in spite of anybody else is around, in spite of the
consequences that comes to you, in spite of what you go through you stay
faithful and keep the word of God. He says, “…I also will keep thee
from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try
them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast
which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (vs. 10-11). Showing that
there is a battle, there’s a fight. That you’re having to fight
against all of the odds that are coming. Someone trying to take your
reward, take your crown.
Now notice verse 12. Notice how closely this ties in with Revelation
14 more than any other. “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in
the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out [follow Christ wherever He
goes]: and I will write upon him the name of My God [which Revelation 14
says], and the name of the city of My God [which is not back there in
Revelation 14], which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of
heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.”
Now the bride always what? Takes the name of Her husband, which is a
new name. Now, since there have always been Philadelphians down
through time, is this out of these kinds of Christians, are these the ones
who are going to be part of the bride of Christ? Of all that we have
examined of all the firstfruits, being the seven churches, being the 144,000
of Israel, the great innumerable multitude, and the 144,000 of Revelation
14, this attitude here ties in more closely with Revelation 14. So the
only thing we can say is the parallel is very close. But, lest we get
carried away with categorizing things ourselves and saying, “He is, he
isn’t. She is, she isn’t. We are, they aren’t.” We’ll just
say it is all in God’s hands and let Him take care of it. And when it
comes time for the resurrection we’ll all find out then won’t we. And
regardless of what it is we’re all going to be happy about it. The
whole goal is to be in the kingdom of God and receive eternal life.
God is the One Who is going to give the rewards. God is the One Who is
going to pick the bride. Christ is the One Who is going to marry the
bride. And if we can be there as guests why hey I’m all for that,
because it says, “Blessed and holy is he that is called to the marriage
supper of the Lamb.”
So at least this will give us something to think on. Give us
something to study more into, and we don’t want to get carried away with
anything and treat what we’ve had with…now we have something new and we can
beat everybody over the head with, because that’s not correct, you know.
Because whatever we understand comes from God. Now when we try and
understand these things and the understanding that comes from God will then
lead us to change any of our understanding in the future, then by all means
we’ll change. No question about it. I don’t want to be in a
category of holding on to any teaching or doctrine which isn’t correct.
But let’s understand this, the knowledge of this does not change your
salvation. Does it? No. In other words it gets right back
to the same thing that we covered in Matthew 20 when we started. When
Christ told the mother of John and James the sons of Zebedee, “You don’t
know what you’re asking for and it’s not Mine to give, but the Father’s.”
So here the Father has to make the decision doesn’t He? All we can do
is look at it and say, the most we can come to is that these scriptures give
us a little better understanding and some indications of what God is going
to do. That’s the most that it can do for us. If we try and make
any more out of it, then we will get carried away with our own
self-importance. We don’t want to do that at all. And we
certainly don’t want to pull a Job and walk up and tell God what to do.
You know, thatt didn’t work then, and it won’t work now. And I’ll just
close with this. The longer that I have been in the Church, the more
that I understand that there is really literally nothing that we haven’t
received. Everything comes from God. And the most important
thing we need to concentrate on…
Let’s finish with this by going to 2 Corinthians 10. Here’s the most
important thing, and this is the greatest tool for overcoming. Begin
in verse 1. “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and
gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you,
that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I
think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according
to the flesh” (I Cor. 10:1-2). And walking according to the flesh is
as according to human reason, human rational, human ideas and things like
this. Or as Paul was fighting it, philosophy, as he brought out the
first part of 1 Corinthians 1.
“For though we walk in the flesh [which we do], we do not war after the
flesh…” And as I mentioned concerning psychology and psychological
methods of overcoming. No, you don’t do that. Here’s the way we
overcome. “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” And this is
the battle we have to keep at. “Casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing
into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (vs. 4-5).
Now that’s what we have to work on. That’s what’s the most important
thing. Why? Because in your mind is where sin begins. And
your mind and your thoughts of self and importance and all of the things of
the world to puff up the self then are idols before God. Meaning that
anything that you think that you understand or know, or can do, earns you
salvation or earns you something or makes you more special than someone
else, becomes an idol.
For us to proclaim, “We are Philadelphians and anyone who is not with us is
not a Philadelphian.” Look, we don’t know. That would be an
imagination. A thought exalting itself against God. So when
thoughts like that of self-exaltation or thoughts that come along of sin, or
whatever it may be, you are to grab that thought, bring it into captivity
and cast it down and bring your mind into obedience to Christ. And
this is what we need to do. Now, I don’t know about you but I have a
struggle with my own mind. Just like Paul did, see. So that’s
why it’s so important we keep our perspective in this.
And verse 6, “And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when
your obedience is fulfilled.” Wow, that’s quite a statement, isn’t it?
How do you fulfill your obedience? Ok, everything that you do and it
starts in your mind, see. “Do you look on things after the outward
appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him
of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s even so are we Christ’s.” And that’s what we really need to keep in mind.
So anyway, it’s late so we’ll have to quit here. It’s after 10
o’clock. Let’s see, shall we be back at seven? [Laughter]
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