I can't even begin to tell you how many times and how long I have studied this phrase," the outer darkness" and came away knowing that I had not been given the revelation of it. Only after having been given a tape from a dear brother in Yahshua, of which the subject matter by the author of such, was concerning "the outer darkness.

 After reviewing the tape a couple of times very carefully and prayerfully, I came to the conclusion, as I had done while listening to the tape the first time, that it's author, Rick Godwin, had indeed been given a revelation from Yahweh concerning this matter.

 After listening to this man of Yahweh teach concerning this, I for the first time, I believe, really understood that man cannot understand the real truth of scripture without the aid of the Holy Spirit giving him the revelation of the truth. I realized that no amount of time studying the word regardless of the length would result in revelation, when relying solely on time spent. I knew this because I had spent hours and hours doing just that concerning the outer darkness, without any revelation.

 I had of course listened to many other biblical scholar's theories of what this phrase meant. All of them sounded good, but I knew that there was something more to this subject than what was being presented. In other words it was good preaching and maybe the application could be construed as applicable, but yet I knew the true intent in context had not yet been reached.

 In this chapter we will look at the verses that speak of "the outer darkness". One might be surprised to find that the word outer is found only four times in the entire Bible, three times of which are found in Matthew of which all three deal with the outer darkness. The other instance is recorded in Ezekiel and the reference made there is of no less importance either, and highly unusual to say the least. We will discuss that rendering briefly here, but first, note also that Strong's Concordance says to look also at the word UTTER for outer. Interestingly enough all the passages for utter under 2435 are also found in Ezekiel only. The definition here for utter is exterior, outward and without (1855) which is the word used in Revelation 11:2 " ...the court that is without the temple leave out, and measure it not.

 I think you will find this chapter intriqing and eye opening. Scriptures that heretofore have been baffling and unclear in the least will hopefully come alive and take on new meaning.

 I believe, that for the first time some parables that you know have not been accurately intrepretated, will become clear and give you new insight into the tribulation period, as it did me.

Since in studying the "outer darkness", we are taken to parables, a brief message on parables must be given.

 Some believe that parables are spoken to the hearers to clarify or shed light on a truth. This is not true however. Four things need to be understood about parables.

 "And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom but to them it is not given." Matthew 13:11

 Now that we understand to whom these parables were given so that inturn they would not be understood, one should ask, what is a disciple, whom are the ones that the Lord wants to understand the parable.

 What is a Disciple?

 Being a Christian alone will not permit you to understand Yahweh's Word. Yahshua had to explain to his disciples what he meant concerning many of his parables. They didn't understand them either. They had to continue to listen to him.

Do you still want to be a disciple of Yahshua?

Even many prophets and righteous men have desired to see and hear things he had told the disciples. (Matthew 13:17).

The ground that the Word falls on must be good. "But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hearth the word and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Matthew 13:23

If you are not understanding the Word of Yahweh, then your ground is not good and your are not bearing fruit, especially a hundredfold.

For Christians?

 One of the first questions that comes to mind is "Who is cast into outer darkness?" In the three scriptures that contain the phrase "outer darkness", it will become obvious who will be cast into outer darkness.

 Let's take a look at the first mention of this phrase in Matthew 8:12,"But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The words that I want you to pay special attention to are "children of the kingdom". I think that here it might be obvious. They are the children of the kingdom of Yahweh. When you become a believer you become a child of the kingdom. And so here it is Christians that are The Who!

 "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one." Matthew 13:38.

 Now let's go to the next mention of these words "Outer Darkness". They are found in Matthew Chapter 22 which is the chapter of the parable of the wedding feast. I'm sure you have heard the teaching that this parable is about people being at the Wedding of our Lord and that one at the wedding was found not to have a wedding garment on and he was expelled from the wedding because he was not a Christian.

 "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."

 To think that someone could find themselves in heaven at the marriage of the Lamb and not be a Christian with his wedding garment on and thus being cast out is ridiculous at best. What I want you to see here is that maybe the interpretation is incorrect concerning the spiritual condition of who was being cast into outer darkness. I believe that it is a Christian. If the person at the wedding was a guest(verse11) then, I believe there was no mistake that he belonged there. There was no mistake with the invitations. The guest was a Christian, but because he did not have his wedding garment on, he was cast into outer darkness. We will get into what the outer darkness is but first we should settle who is cast into it. So far two of the three scriptures mentioning the outer darkness, seem to indicate the persons cast into it are Christians.

 The other scriptures that mention the phrase is in Matthew 25:30,"And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 The preceding verses beginning in verse one deal with the famous parable of the Ten Virgins and the parable of the Talents.

The first verse of the parable of the ten virgins says," then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom." Here again the parable deals with the kingdom of heaven. I don't believe there is any non believers in the kingdom of heaven. Here again, I believe it is Christians that are cast into outer darkness. They are also called servants in these verses, even though unprofitable ones.

 Now we should take a look at possibly why Christians would be cast into outer darkness. As we do this, three reasons will stand out as to why. There are some qualities that are missing in the lives of these Christians. They are Christians, but nevertheless, they are cast ,not out of heaven, but into "outer darkness".

     Missing Qualities In the Laodicean Church

One only need to go to Revelation 3:18 to find the three qualities that are missing, that caused Yahshua to say that he would spew them (the ones of the Laodicean Church) out of his mouth.

 Coincidently, we will find in the three parables where the "outer darkness" is mentioned, these same three ingredients that were missing in the Laodicean Church.

 Before we look into these three parables by Yahshua, let it be brought to your attention, that these qualities, must be found in each individual Christian before the beginning of the Great Tribulation period. Once this period of time begins, it is too late, as we shall see, and you will be a part of that Laodecian Church that Yahshua will spew out of his mouth.

 We will see that the "gold tried in the fire" is GREAT FAITH, that the "white raiment" is PURITY or RIGHTEOUSNESS and that to "anoint thine eyes with eye salve" represents THE ANOINTING of which only God can give.

 Now let's look at the first parable.

 The first quality that a Christian must possess to not be thrown into "Outer Darkness" is Great Faith. Jesus spoke to the Laodecian Church about it as we saw.

 "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich;......" Rev 3:18

 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall set down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:

kingdom) that would be cast into outer darkness. I believe the implication is obvious, that the reason these (children of the kingdom) would be cast into outer darkness, is because their LACK of Great Faith.

"Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

"Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Isaiah 48:10

 "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in affliction, in necessities, in distresses,

 It is in the furnace of affliction that our faith is tried.

 God is not speaking about saving faith, to become a Christian, but the faith afterwards upon becoming a Christian that is tried by the afflictions and persecutions and hardships.

 And to those of you who would say that these verses found in the epistles (letters) to Timothy and Peter, were directed only to them, I say poppycock. To say that only they, being apostles, would or should endure these hardships, is nonsense.

 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour;

 Just because things that happen in our life are not to our choosing or liking, many times we want to rebuke them, as though they are from the devil.

 I firmly believe that in most cases, these are from God, to try our faith, that it may come forth as gold in the furnace of affliction. If we do not, through patience, learn to endure through these trials, but spend most of our time rebuking the devil and asking God to deliver us from these things before we learn anything, the trial will have been to no avail and producing nothing good in our spiritual growth. Without hardships, afflictions and persecutions, we cannot spiritually grow.

 If we cannot allow God to refine us during the time of usual afflictions, hardships, and persecutions, the "trying of our faith", which will produce the kind of faith necessary for the Great Tribulation, then it will be too late.

 " And he gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers;

 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of man, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait TO DECEIVE;" Ephesians 5:11-14

But let patience have her perfect work, that YE MAY BE PERFECT and entire wanting nothing." James 1:2-4

''But the god of all grace, who both called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you PERFECT, stablish, strengthen, settle you. "

Without allowing Yahweh to "try our faith", (put it to use) we cannot become perfect or "mature". We stop Yahshua from being formed in us. We cannot walk in his fullness.

 "But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt 8:12

 "We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God." Acts 14:22

 So here in this parable given by Yahshua, we see that faith is that which is tried in the fire of affliction, and that faith as "gold" is the first quality required to not be cast into " outer darkness," and also the first quality that Yahshua tells the church (Christians) in Laodicia to get.

 " I counsel thee to buy of me gold (faith) tied in the fire, that thou mayent be rich;...."Rev 3:18

 Incidentally, if you are rich with what Yahshua says, you won't need to take the mark of the beast, to either buy or sell, because you are rich with what it takes to purchase what you need, which by the way comes from the Father in Heaven.