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PENTECOST – 1996
Fred Coulter – May 26, 1996
Let’s go to Leviticus 23 and continue on where we left off yesterday.
Now let’s examine this just a little bit more because we’re also going to
answer a question here. Let’s come to Leviticus 23:14. It says,
and I’m reading again from the Schocken Bible. If you don’t have one,
let me just hold it up so you can take a look and see what it looks like.
I think you’ll find that this is a very good and highly readable
translation, and very accurate because it’s more literal than any of the
other translations that I have seen. And so let’s pick it up here in
verse 14.
Now it says, “Now bread or parched-grain or groats, you are not to eat,
until that same day [that is you go into the land and wave the wave sheaf
offering], until you have brought the near-offering of your God…” (Lev.
23:14, Schocken). Now let’s understand something. The wave sheaf
offering was cut before the wave sheaf offering day. The wave sheaves
that different people would bring in was cut before the wave sheaf offering
day. And then they would bring it. And so someone asked, “Well,
how can they cut it on the holy day?” Well they don’t. They wave
it and then they use the grain, and they may have harvested some other
things too, some more than just for the firstfruit, but then after the
waving of the firstfruit they are able to eat the new grain.
And the question that came up was concerning Joshua 5, now how are they
able on the holy day, to go out and harvest the grain. Well they
didn’t. They harvested it before time. It didn’t say not to
harvest it before time but you’re to bring the premier sheaf of your
harvest. Now it would have to be harvested before time, without a
doubt. So the main thing is here, that you are not to eat parched
grain or groats or new or old, when they went in to the land of crossing
over the river Jordan, until the same day that they entered the land.
Now then we went through the counting and how it’s supposed to be.
Let’s drop down here to verse 15. “Now you are to number for yourselves,
from the morrow of the Sabbath [which is the regular Sabbath during the days
of Unleavened Bread], from the day that you bring the elevated sheaf, seven
Sabbaths-of-days, whole (weeks) are they to be; until the morrow of the
seventh Sabbath you are to number—fifty days [we went through great detail
how to understand that], then you are to bring-near a grain-gift of
new-crops to [the LORD] YHWH” (vs. 15-16).
Now here’s what it was to be, verse 17, “From your [habitations, as it says
in the King James, or] settlements you are to bring bread as an
elevation-offering, two (loaves of) two tenth-measures of flour are they to
be, leavened you are to bake them, as firstfruits to [the LORD] YHWH.”
Now this pictures us being the firstfruits. Now notice there was a
continuous harvest, and they were allowed to eat beginning from the day that
the wave sheaf offering was waved, until they came clear down to the end of
the harvest on the 50th
day, and then they were to take the grain and they were to make two loaves
with leaven. Now every other meal offering that God commanded to be
offered were offered unleavened.
Now there’s a special reason why these are leavened. That pictures
those of us who are the firstfruits of the harvest of God in two major
categories. Number one: those who are going to be in the kingdom of
God who were under the covenant beginning, actually with Able, and then on
down to Noah and Abraham, and then Isaac and Jacob, and those kings and
prophets that were those who qualified, or received the Spirit of God so
they could be in the first resurrection. Such as David and Jehosophat,
and Hezekiah and different ones like that. And I’m sure that all the
prophets will be in the first resurrection too. Now then, the reason
that I believe that is so, and I think that holds out quite substantially,
the reason that they put the leaven in there is because leaven is a type of
sin. And sin is always in our members, and they are going to be in our
members until we die or resurrected or changed, whichever comes first.
And so this shows an acceptance of God the way that we are but with His
Spirit.
Now let’s go to Hebrews 11 for just a minute and we will see that that
tells us that they are going to be in the first resurrection with us.
Let’s go to the New Testament, Hebrews 11, and this is where it’s talking
about all of those who went through the different trials and scourgings and
everything that they went through. Hebrews 11:39, “And these all,
having obtained a good report through faith…” Because it is by faith
you are saved, through grace. And they received the grace of God, and
they had faith. They “…received not the promise: God having provided
some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect”
(Heb. 11:39-40, KJV). And so that’s why there are those two loaves,
and that’s why they are there made with leaven. Because remember as we
learned during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, that even though we have the
law of sin and death within us, this is not a condemnation to us, because
God understands that. That’s why we have His grace to cover our lives.
And as Paul said, it doesn’t give us an excuse to go out and sin, it doesn’t
give us reason to go out and do away with the laws of God. You cannot
have grace without the laws of God and you cannot have the laws of God
without grace, and so both of them go hand in hand.
Now let’s understand something else. When you take grain and you
thrash it, and then you gather together and you clean it and you winnow it,
and you bring it in to make flour to grind it. Now what happens when
you grind the flour? You completely change the grain, don’t you?
You change it from a kernel into flour. Now then what do you do?
You take and add the ingredients to it. You put in the oil and you put
in the sweetening, if you want it sweet, which you should have a little bit
in there. And then you put in the salt, and then you put in the
leavening, and then what happens? You bake it. Now when it’s
baked, the grain has permanently been reformed, hasn’t it? Now it’s
the same way that God wants with us. Grinding flour is like the trials
and difficulties that we go through, and sometimes you may even feel like
ground up flour. And then adding the ingredients into it, the flour,
the water or the milk, and all of those things, you can go add the
sweetening and so forth. You can actually make a case that this is a
type of our lives that we go through in preparation for acceptance by God.
And also all of these trials are to add to us character. And that
character is to become permanent. Just like when you make a loaf of
bread, you put all the ingredients together, you mix them all up, and you
knead it, and you form it, and you mold it, and you put it in the pan, and
you bake it in the fire. And baking it’s kind of like the fiery trial,
isn’t it? Yes it is. So when the loaf is done you have something
brand new. Now that’s exactly what it’s going to be with us, we’re
going to be something brand new. Something that has never been done
before.
Now, let’s come over here to Hebrews 12:18. Now we’re going to draw a
comparison between coming to the mountain on the day of Pentecost when the
laws and commandments of God were given, as Paul draws that analogy here
showing in verse 18. “For ye are not come unto the mount that might be
touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and
tempest [as it was there at Mt. Sinai when God descended on the top of the
mountain], and the sound of the trumpet, and the voice of words; which
voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to
them any more: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if
so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through
with a dart: And so terrible was the sight…” So it was an awesome event, the
giving of the Ten Commandments and God coming down on top of Mt. Sinai.
What a tremendous thing this was. “…that Moses said, I
exceedingly fear an quake:)” I guess so. “But ye [that is “we”,
brethren] are come unto mount Sion [that is mount Sion in heaven above, not
the one on earth], and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly
and church of the firstborn…”
Now Christ was the firstborn of God the Father. We are going to be
the firstborn from the rest of the human family that God is bringing into
His Kingdom. So that’s why we are called the church of the general
assembly of the firstborn. “…Which are written in heaven…” Our names
are written in the book of life in heaven. Jesus has His reward, which
He is going to bring with Him, and I think that is very important for us to
understand when we understand all the events that are going to take place on
this day of Pentecost. “…And to God the Judge of all, and to the
spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new
covenant…” And that new covenant is a spiritual and everlasting covenant.
“…And to the blood of sprinkling…” The very blood of Jesus Christ that
opens the way for us into the holy of holies. “…That speaketh better
things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not him that
speaketh” (Heb. 12:18-25). Now we have covered, as we did very
recently, how that anyone who is going to do any speaking, anyone who is
going to hear anything that God has to say had better listen and do because
God is going to require it.
Now what is a way to refuse him that speaks? Well, first of all we
have all the word of God. And what a wonderful blessing it is indeed
that we have it brethren. And so we need to be very diligent to be
about studying and knowing as much of the word of God as we can, without a
doubt. And that’s what we’re trying to do. Every word here was
spoken by God or inspired by God. Now when you read the prophets what
do you see all the time? “And the word of the LORD came to me saying,
Speak to the children of Israel and say, Thus says the LORD of hosts.”
Exactly the same thing that happened with Moses, correct? God came to
Moses and said, “Moses, I want you to tell the children of Israel thus and
such.” Now if we refuse him who speaks, what we are doing, we are
refusing to listen. We are refusing to hearken. And that is done
most particularly by those who say, “Well, you don’t need to keep the
Commandments of God.” That is refusing him who speaks. “For if
they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth [that is Moses], much
more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that
speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath
promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things
that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot
be shaken may remain” (vs. 25-27). Now that’s why God is going to
almost literally destroy the whole face of the earth. Completely redo
it to show that spiritual things cannot be measured by physical things.
That which really endures is the Spirit of God and the love, and the hope,
and the faith that God gives us. Now that can’t be shaken.
That’s what he’s talking about here. We don’t want that shaken.
Brethren don’t let any, anything or person or idea or whatever it may be
shake you or remove you from Christ. Remember the warning that Jesus
gave. “Let no man take your crown.” Remember that.
Now let’s come to verse 28 of Hebrews 12. “Wherefore we [are]
receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved [because it’s coming down from
heaven above from God the Father], let us have grace, whereby we may serve
God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” And that’s what this
day is all about, how we can understand and realize the tremendous plan that
God has for us and to serve Him, and to love Him, and do so with godly fear.
Now verse 28, “For our God is
a consuming fire.” Now you think about that. You don’t want to
appear before God in the flesh. You want to appear before God as a
Spirit Being so that you will see Him face to face. You will see Him
as He is because you will be like Him.
Now let’s come over here to Acts 2, which pictures the very first Pentecost
for the Church. Now we covered a little bit of that when we were going
over how to count to Pentecost, and showing that chapter 2, and verse 1
really means that when the 50th day, or namely when the day, the
50th day was being fulfilled, and that is during the
accomplishing of these things. Many things took place. Now we
know exactly what took place. Now I’ve got them broken down in this
way seeing that Pentecost fulfilled many different things for us. Now
you can go back and you can say, ok, on the first Pentecost they received
the Ten Commandments. Well, on the second Pentecost they received the
Holy Spirit for the power of preaching and also 10 events took place.
Now these are not the Ten Commandments but these are 10 fulfillments of
things that took place during the fulfilling or the accomplishing, or the
completing of the day of Pentecost.
Now let’s read those, because they were all there in one place. And
then what happened? The sound of a mighty rushing wind filled the
house where they were all gathered together. And we find in verse 2.
Then the second thing that happened was, there appeared as cloven tongues
right upon their heads, of fire, which sat upon each one of them.
Number three, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, verse 4.
Let’s read that. “And they were all filled with the Holy [Spirit]
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.” So this is a factor of a double miracle, that not only did
they speak in other tongues or languages, which they did not know before,
but also those who were hearing understood them but while the ones who were
speaking were speaking, they were speaking in their tongue of their mind,
otherwise they wouldn’t have understood what they were saying. But it
was coming out of their mouth as another language. And it reached out
to all of those Jews who were there to keep the day of Pentecost.
Now let’s go back and reflect just a minute as to why this was a special
Pentecost, in addition to the giving of the Holy Spirit.
Remember the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover, Jesus
was crucified and died on the Passover day. He was put in the tomb and
was there three days and three nights. He was resurrected at the end
of the Sabbath. He was seen of Mary Magdalene and the others on the
first day of the week, He ascended into heaven and came back an appeared to
the disciples. Now, all the events that took place with the
crucifixion – the darkness, the earthquake, the saints that were resurrected
after Jesus was resurrected and went into the city and appeared to many.
And don’t you think that this was noised abroad? Don’t you think that
this went out to all of the Jewish community and the Israelite community,
wherever they were between that time and the day of Pentecost? And I
just imagine there were a lot of them who came and said, “Boy, let’s go to
Jerusalem, find out what’s going to happen this Pentecost. Is
something going to happen? Let’s go up there and check out and make
sure that this man was really resurrected, that the body was not taken
someplace.” You know what they’re doing today? They’re actually
saying, “Well, Jesus was not resurrected but dogs ate His body.”
That’s why Jesus said, when He comes to the earth will the Son of man find
the faith.
Now let’s continue on. So they were filled with the Holy Spirit,
number 4 they began to speak in other tongues, meaning other languages.
Because it says right here in verse 8, “And how hear we every man in our own
tongue, wherein we were born?” Then it lists all the countries, every
one of them with a different language. And they said, verse 12, “…What
meaneth this?” Well, we’ll find out the meaning.
Number 5, when the multitude of devout Jews who gathered in Jerusalem for
the Feast of Pentecost heard of this they rushed to see what was going on.
They were amazed and confounded each one of them, because they heard the
apostles speaking in a language in which they were born.
And number 6, the multitude said, “What could this mean?” And then
other said, “Well there drunk.” But it couldn’t have been because it
was the third hour of the morning, or about 9 o’clock.
And Peter stood up at that time, that’s the 7th thing that
happened, and preached a very powerful sermon. Now let’s look at some
of the things concerning this. So Peter, verse 14, “…standing up with
the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and
all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken
to my words…” Isn’t that interesting. On the Pentecost when the
Ten Commandments were given God said, “Hear My voice.” On the
Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given Peter stood up and said, “Hear my
voice, listen to my words.” “For these are not drunken, as ye suppose,
seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that
which was spoken by the prophet Joel…” (Acts 2:14-16).
Now why bring this in? The prophet Joel? Well we need to
understand, also on this day of Pentecost the trumpet was blown. And I
think being the third hour what we actually had was this: we had the morning
offering as the daybreak began, and then that was being consumed. We
had other offerings, which were about to be offered, thank offerings, peace
offerings. We also had the two loaves, which everyone was bringing in
to present to be waved. We also have concerning this that the trumpet
was blown. The ceremonial trumpet, because it’s blown on every single
holy day.
So Peter said, quoting Joel, “And it shall come to pass in the last days…”
Now I want to focus on this “the last days” because this is important.
As we will see a little later on, the term “the day of the Lord” has a
narrow meaning and a broad meaning. “The day of the Lord” includes all
of the last 3 ½ years, and it also includes the Day of the Lord when He
brings the seven last plagues. It also includes the Day of the Lord
from the opening of the sixth seal on to the return of Jesus Christ,
including the resurrection. So sometimes it is a broad term, and
sometimes it is a narrow term. Here it is, it’s used in a broader term
“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” (vs. 17). I think that is going to
happen right when the 144,000 then are sealed. This is a special work
that God is going to do. He did it here with all the disciples didn’t
He, on that day? One hundred twenty were sealed with the Holy Spirit.
And then we had, as we will see, the very last thing that happened that day
was that 3,000 were baptized and added to the Church.
And continuing on he says, “And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will
pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy: and I will
shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and
fire, and vapour of smoke…” (vs. 18-19). Now did that happen on this
Pentecost that we’re reading of here in Acts 2? No, it didn’t.
So not only is this being in prophecy that he’s talking about of the last
days, but what it is also doing, it’s another projected prophecy showing
that these things are going to take place on the day of Pentecost in the
last days in the future before Christ returns.
“The sun shall be burned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before
that great and notable day of the Lord come” (vs. 20). Now notice we
have last days, the great an notable day of the Lord. So we have a
definition even right here. “And it shall come to pass, that
whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ye men of
Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you
by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you,
as ye yourselves also know.” It’s like the apostle Paul said, this was
not done in a corner. They knew. And then he said, you know He
was delivered to Pilate, and so forth. All the way through he began
telling about it. He referred it then back to David, because Jesus was
of the seed of David.
And he said, “Men and
brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both
dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day” (vs. 29).
So we know that this was not referring to David. They knew, they
understood the prophecies up to that point. But, verse 30, “Therefore
being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of
the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to
sit on His throne: he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of
Christ, that His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see
corruption” (vs. 29-31). And all of these go right back to the
prophecies to fulfill the scripture.
“This Jesus hath God raised up…” And I imagine he could speak that with
power because he saw Him, he felt Him, he talked to Him, he ate with Him, he
fished with Him. And Jesus told him the very last there in John 21
about loving Him and feeding the sheep, so he knew. Therefore, he
says, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the
Father the promise of the Holy [Spirit] Ghost, He hath shed forth this,
which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens:
but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, sit Thou on My right hand,
until I make Thy foes Thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel
know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, Whom ye have crucified,
both Lord and Christ” (vs. 32-36). And when he said those words
they knew what he was talking about. There was not a single doubt
whatsoever.
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart…”
They were led to repentance. The graciousness of God moved in their
lives of the power of the Holy Spirit there over the whole area were they
were preaching, and they were moved to repentance. Deep in their
heart, pricked to their hearts, that’s what it means. “…And said unto
Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall
we do?” Yes when you understand that you’re sins personally had their
part in killing Jesus Christ, because He died for your sins and my sins, and
the sins of the whole world, then that needs to really prick your heart and
get deep within your very being. And that is called repentance, which
is not to be repented of. “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
(vs. 37).
“Then Peter said unto them…”, and then this was the ninth thing that was to
be done after they…the eighth thing was after they heard the sermon they
said, “What should we do”…the ninth thing was then, verse 38, Peter said to
them, a verse you all ought to have memorized, “Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and
ye shall receive the gift of the Holy [Spirit] Ghost. For the promise
is unto you…” Because the promise is what first to who? The Jews.
And at this time they didn’t even know that they were going to go to the
Gentiles. They didn’t understand that until Acts 10, which is down
about 10 – 12 years down the road. “…Unto you and to your children,
and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other
words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward
[or this wicked] generation” (vs .38-40).
Now the 10th thing that happened was, “Then they that gladly
received his word were baptized: and the same day…” Now I want you to
tie the phrase in: and the same day. I want you to go back and tie
that in with verse 1, “And when the day [namely the 50th day, or
the Day of Pentecost was [being fulfilled]…”, then all of those things
took place. The last thing being the baptism on that day.
“…the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls”
(vs. 41). So that was quite a harvest for that day, wasn’t it?
Now let’s look and see why the firstfruits, why what we are doing now is
likened unto a harvest. Let’s go to Matthew 13 where it talks about
seven parables altogether. And I think it’s interesting that there are
seven parables, because we will see the number seven ties in very clearly
with the Feast of Firstfruits or the Day of Pentecost. We have, you
just count the things that there are number 7, and there is also a 7 plus 1,
which is added into this all the way along. First of all we have the
Passover, which is 1, then plus 7, which then equals 8. Next we have 7
weeks, 7 Sabbaths unto the morrow after the 7th Sabbath, so again
we have a number 8 being the 50th
day or Pentecost. Number 7 is complete, number 8 is a new beginning.
And so Pentecost really is picturing a new beginning. So we’ll see
that as we go along.
Now we’re not going to go through every one of these parables, but here
there are seven different parables, each of them showing a different aspect
of the Kingdom of God. Now let’s come to verse 18 where it is the
parable of the sower. And let’s understand that as we read this we can
see this happening in the world and the church today.
“Here ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the
word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked
one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.” Now
we’ve seen that happen with some people, haven’t we? Yes, they have
lost the word of God, they have lost the truth, they have gone after Satan
the devil. “This is he which received seed by the way side. But
he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the
word, and anon with joy receiveth it…” Oh they get all excited, “Ou, this is
wonderful.” “Yet hath he not root in himself, but [endures] for a
while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word…”
(Matt. 13:18-21). Now Peter said if we’re corrected for our own
mistakes, that’s one thing. Don’t say you’ve done anything great with
that, you’re just being corrected for what you did that was wrong, yourself.
But if you are persecuted for righteousness sake because of the word, he
said count it all joy. But not everyone does that. Some of them
count it as an offense and by and by they are offended. They get
madder and mad and bitter and go their way.
Now verse 22, “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that
heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of
riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” You go back and
you read concerning the seven churches and the one that this fits the most
is Laodiceans. Cares of this world, deceitfulness of riches. Now
let’s just summarize it very carefully here. Physical blessings are no
measure of spiritual attainment. They just are not. Spiritual
attainment is measured by God. Spiritual attainment is something that
God Himself knows that is growing in grace in knowledge, and growing in the
fruits of the Spirit of love, and joy, and peace, and faith, and
longsuffering, and temperance, and goodness, and meekness against such there
is no law. So you see that’s how you measure. You don’t look at
your home and say, “Well, God blessed me with a home.” Maybe He did
but does that mean you’re righteous. Don’t look at the money you may
have and say, “Well, God has blessed me with all of this money therefore I’m
righteous.” Don’t trust in it because it’s the deceitful of riches.
Now verse 23, “but he that received seed into the good ground…” Now that’s
where God wants it to be. The good ground then is, “…he that heareth
the word [to obey it], and understandeth it [God wants us to
understand it], which [is] also beareth fruit and bringeth forth, some an
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” And that’s what God wants us to
do so that it all can be harvested on the day of Pentecost.
Now let’s come down here and let’s just look at the explanation of one
other parable. This is the parable of the wheat and the tares.
Now we’ve also experienced this also haven’t we? To where within the
Church there have come in the tares. And at first you can’t tell the
difference because a tare looks just like the wheat. But when the
wheat starts bringing forth fruit then you can tell the difference between
the wheat and the tare because the tare doesn’t bring forth any fruit.
So Jesus said in explaining this to hear the parable of the tares.
“He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of
man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom;
but the tares are the children of the wicked one…” Satan has his own
children. The ones that follow him, that worship him, that do his
will, that do his bidding. Therefore, it continues on, “…the enemy
that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world…” Now are
we getting ready for the harvest? Is that why all the upheaval within
the Churches of God? Could very well be. “…And the reapers are
the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the
fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall
send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things
that offend, and them which do iniquity [or lawlessness, reject the laws of
God]; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and
gnashing of teeth” (vs. 37-42). So we see that the harvest comes right
down to the time in when the harvest is made then there’s a separation of
the wicked from the righteous. And we’re going to see that’s exactly
what will take place on the Feast of Pentecost.
Now let’s come to James 1 because we find in James 1 that we are called the
firstfruits of His creation, as it should read. James 1:17, “Every
good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the
Father of lights, with Whom is no variable ness, neither shadow of turning.
Of His own will…” Now this is quite a verse of God the Father’s own
will. “…Begat…” Now we’re begotten again. We’re not born again
until the resurrection. No one is born again now. That is a
misnomer, a complete false doctrine, it is not true. They can twist
and turn the words all they want but the scriptures clearly show that we are
not born again until the resurrection. Jesus was raised from the dead
to be the first born, prototokos of those that are Christ’s.
Firstborn among many brethren. “Of His own will begat He us with the
word of truth…” By God’s Spirit, which of truth? By the word of truth.
By Christ Who is the word and God’s own seed in us. “…That we should
be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” Now that really means of
His creation. We are the firstfruits of His creation. And that’s
why the Feast of Pentecost pictures the first resurrection. Now we’re
going to see this.
Let’s turn over to Revelation 2, please. And we’re not going to go
through each one, but what I want us to do is I want us to understand the
flow of events as they come along. In the first chapter, Revelation 1,
let’s go there first before Revelation 2 and 3. But let’s read this
beginning in verse 18. Here’s what Jesus said. He said, “I am
He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou
hast seen [that is everything leading up to this point in chapter 1], and
the things which are [beginning now], and the things which shall be
hereafter…” John was instructed to write. So we find that there
is a sequence of events and a time setting of things as they come along.
And it begins with the mystery of the secret, “…of the seven stars which
thou sawest in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The
seven stars are the angels of the seven churches…” Now we have seven weeks
to harvest, don’t we? We have seven churches, do we not? Yes we
do. So there is the sequence that we have. Seven churches.
“…And the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches” (Rev
1:18-20).
Then He lists out the seven churches and these are in fact everything that
has been said, which means that:
#1 – Seven literal churches at the time that John wrote.
#2 – Seven churches down through history as God views His Church. Not
as we view the Church.
Many people have tried to claim to be Philadelphians. Hardly any have
accepted the fact they may be Laodicean. I have no one yet to claim
that they are Thyatiran. I have no one to say yet that they brag that
they’re Pergamos, or anyone dare say that they’re Smyrna, because Smyrna,
they were poor, suffered tribulation, throne in jail and killed. Now
we have some which would dare say that they have the spirit and attitude of
the Ephesians. However all of these things also show all the major
doctrinal problems which shall assault the church. All of the physical
circumstances that we are going to go through as Christians, all of the
spiritual problems that we will go through, and also is meant to inspire us
to understand that in spite of all the difficulties that are done, Christ
wants us to make it to the end for the resurrection and to be in the Kingdom
of God. He wants us to do that brethren. And let’s really
understand that. That’s why it’s very important.
Now if you have the tapes, “The Assaults Against The Church”, there are
four of them which we did. You go back and re-listen to them again and
I’m sure you will be amazed what you will find that we covered there.
Now also there’s one other thing that we need to understand. In the
book of Revelation we have this pattern. We have the seven seals out
of which come the seven trumpet plagues out of which come the seven last
plagues. So do we have the same pattern here? Seven churches
which were seven churches through history and at the end seven churches all
together as God views His Churches.
Now let’s continue on right here in Revelation 2 and three. And as
you read this you will find that it flows in a time sequence. That
which you have now seen, that which shall be hereafter. And that’s
what we’re dealing with. And let’s understand something, the reasons
why that these are prophecies of the history of the Church, two simple
reasons:
#1 – God also gave the history of Israel in all the nations of the world
and then what He did, He gave a summary of that in the book of Daniel.
Now do you think that since the Church is the most important thing to God on
the earth that He’s going to do any less with the Church? That’s why
the book of Revelation starts out this way. To show us that yes, God
is going to do what He’s going to do with the Church, and so He records this
here.
Now let’s come to Revelation 5 for just a minute and let’s see something
that I think that is very important, which shows us that this is undoubtedly
true. We’ll go back and pick up some in Revelation 4 here in just a
minute. Revelation 5:6, “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the
throne and of the four [living creatures] beasts, and in the midst of the
elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns…” Now what is
a horn? Now it’s in its head. “…having seven horns and seven
eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”
Now why seven horns? Normally a lamb would have two horns. So we
know that this Lamb is Jesus Christ. And we know then that the seven
horns… let’s ask the question… what do these mean?
Well we know the seven spirits are the seven angels to the seven churches,
but what are the seven horns? Seven horns…let’s look at it this way,
let’s start by asking a question. What is a horn in the book of
Daniel? Each one of the horns represents a king or a kingdom, does it
not? Yes. Why then do we have seven horns on the head of the
Lamb, if it is not to show us that the successive epics of the Church of
God? Now some people have gotten all carried away with eras and
saying, “We are this era and we are that era, and we are the other era.”
Well no one really knows for sure, and no one has really been right in any
of these prophecies. But however this does tell us and give us the, I
think, the Biblical interpretation that those seven churches do represent
the Churches of God down through history.
Now let’s come over here to chapter 3 and let’s see how it ends, and let’s
see what Jesus is saying. Now let’s come here to Revelation 3:20,
“Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open
the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I
also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.”
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