Yeshua/Jesus The Glorious Throne
After this I looked and a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me; which said: Come up higher and I will show you things which must shortly come to pass. (Rev. 4:1)Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. (Zech. 2:10)
"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Is. 2:3)
And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which [is] the city of David.Hosannah! Hosannah! The King is coming! The King is coming! That's what was heralded in Jerusalem long ago as the King traveled forth on His palanquin, born on staves like the holy ark! At Pentecost and throughout the book of Acts, we see people testify and prophesy as they receive Messiah, that He is truly both Lord and Christ!
GOD'S THRONE IN JERUSALEM
"At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of God and all nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord,to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk after the imagination of their evil heart. (Jer. 3:17)>"
In scripture, all the majesty, splender and power of Yahweh as King of the Universe--as the true King of Israel, is depicted in His throne. (kisse) Heaven is God's throne and the earth is His footstool. (Matt. 5:34) Whoever has watched the glory of a dawning sunrise as it spreads out across the sky, can testify to this. The sanctuary of God is His throne. Jeremiah describes the throne as equivelent to the Temple. (Jer. 17:12) Although the throne of God is established forever, there is this biblical concept, which states that as a feast can be a movable feast, God's throne is a throne that can be, was and is transported from place to place. In the tabernacle, He is enthroned above the cherubim. (I Sam. 4:4)
The rule of God's righteous Messiah is shown to be the rule of God Himself. Isaiah the Prophet, who in chapter 6, saw the Lord high and lifted up, His train filling the Temple, spoke concerning this. The Psalmist declared "Yet I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me and I shall give te heathen for thine inheritance." (Psalm 2:7-8) God would raise up Messiah to sit upon His throne. (Acts 2:30) He saw Messiah as God's throne, under the figure of Eliakim: And He shall be for a glorious throne to His Father's house." (Is. 22:23)
The disciples were familiar with the teachings from God's word concerning the reign of Messiah. For three and a half years he'd been with them, teaching them daily. The concept of Isaiah's vision and prophecy concerning Him as the Suffering Servant, was more difficult for His followers to comprehend. (Is. 53)
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; He hath put Him to grief. When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, prolong his days, and that the pleasure of the LORD might prosper by his hand:
blockquote> He shall see the travail of his soul be satisfied, by His knowledge shall shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the mighty; because he hath poured out His soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
MESSIAH'S EVERLASTING DOMINION
"Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountin without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter."
(Daniel 2:45)
The term Kingdom of God speaks of the redemptive rule of God as King, reigning through Messiah. Messiah prophesied that: The righteous will inherit this kingdom, (Matt. 25:34) and shine forth as the sun. Only those who receive Messiah's Lordship now, will experience it's future blessings. Entrance into this kingdom comes through the new birth, as described by the Lord to Nicodenus. (John 3,Acts 2:38)
At Pentecost, as the Lord's 120 disciples waited in Jerusalem, the city of the Great King, their leader Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven just as He said, and they were on earth obeying what He said, that they might receive a kingdom that would not be removed. Just as the prophets foretold hundreds of years before, He was gloriously enthroned in the heavens above. And He would reign on the earth through a kingdom yet to be established by Him! Pentecost would usher in His dominion established through a people whose citizenship is in heaven. For only through such a people could God's kingdom come on earth, as it was there.
THE VEIL IS TORN AWAY
Messiah's disciples were ecstatic to learn that their beloved rabbai: The Teacher of tsedaqahmeaning Righteousness, whom the Prophet Joel spoke of, was no longer dead. He'd told them before He was crucified that on the third day He would rise from the dead. (Matt. 17:23,Mark 16:19,1 Tim. 3:16)
At the moment Messiah died, the veil of the Temple was rent in two from top to bottom, and the earth quaked! Graves were opened and the bodies of many of those which slept arose, went into the holy city and appeared unto many. (Matt. 27:52) He'd paid the redemption price for the sins of all mankind. (Matt. 28:9-10) As His disciples watched Him ascend into heaven, they recalled His words: "Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (Matt. 26:64)
At Bethany he blessed them, and lifting up His hands, ascended into heaven. John couldn't write it all down. But this man who had waited with the 120 at Pentecost, and who had known Messiah as both Lord and haMashiach/Christ, would while exiled by the Romans on the Isle of Patmos, pen one of the most astounding descriptions of the risen Messiah:
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 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." I suppose the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. (Luke 24:50-51,John 21:25)
John the Baptist preached to his followers of Messiah. He testified who the baptizer in the Holy Spirit would be:
"And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." (John 1:32-33) Here was what John said concerning the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
THE RISEN MESSIAH WILL SAVE & BAPTISE YOU IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire" (Matthew 3:11).
"Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."
(Luke 3:21-22). "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord"
(Luke 4:18-19).
"And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) The artists depiction of the Day of Pentecost here, is not entirely accurate. Because in actuality, it was not a literal bird that descended, causing cloven tongues of fire to manifest upon the heads of the praying disciples. It was the Holy Spirit descending "as a dove." What does this mean? Have you ever watched a bird in flight as it makes it's descent and lands? It is very gentle and beautiful.
This gentle infilling and empowering of the Holy Spirit shows God's tender love. He will is to empower every one of us. Yeshua/Jesus prophesied to us of this in His word saying:
"For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
(Acts 1:5)
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8)
PENTECOST & THE CALL TO BE MESSIAH'S WITNESSES
"You shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first-fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field. You shall bring the choice first-fruits of your soil into the house of the Lord your God." (Exod 23:16-19)
"But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
"I Yeshua/Jesus have sent my angel (messenger) to testify (witness) to you. I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." (Rev. 22:16)
The term Pentecost is derived from the Greek for "the Fiftieth Day." It comes from the Jewish "Feast of Weeks." (Exod. 34:22, Deut. 16:9-11) From the 16th of Nisan seven weeks were reckoned and the next or fiftieth day was the Feast of Pentecost, which fell on the 6th of Sivan, or corresponding to the end of May. Names for this feast include:
It was far more than this. Shavuot was a marriage covenant with the Most High. A betrothal contract. The Lord's disciples clearly understood: "You shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first-fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field. You shall bring the choice first-fruits of your soil into the house of the Lord your God." (Exod 23:16-19) "But now Messiah is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Messiah all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Messiah the firstfruits, afterward those who are Messiah's at His coming." (1 Corinthians 15: 20-23)
We see the disciples and Messiah in similitude in the double witness of the 2 loaves as they in the same pattern set by Him, go into God's House to preach the word of the Lord. Messiah was the Firstfruits of the Harvest. The disciples were the First-fruits of the Harvest. They too would preach in the Temple, and synagogues. They joined as One Spirit, in "One Flesh" relationship with the Lord, would literally carry the risen, glorified Messiah with them to the places they were sent.
"And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. [21] As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever." (Isaiah 59:20-21)
It was also known as the Day of First Fruits, which fell on the 50th day after the Feast of Passover. (Num. 28:26)
Originally, the festival was the time when with the appropriate ritual and ceremony, the first fruits of the corn-harvest the last Palestinian crop to ripen was harvested and the first-fruits given to God as an offering. The feast of Pentecost lasted for one day.
As a Jewish home harvest, the people were exhorted to rejoice before the Lord with their families, servants, the Levite within the gates, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, in the place chosen by God for His name. They brought a free will offering in their hand to God. (Deut. 16:10)
The focus of the celebration was the presentation of two loaves made from the first fruits of the wheat harvest. With the loaves, 2 lambs were offered as a peace offering, and all were waved before Jehovah, and given to the priests. The loaves being leavened could not be offered on the altar. The other sacrifices were a burnt offering of a young bullock, two rams, and seven lambs with a meat and drink offering, and a kid for a sin offering. (Lev. 23:18-19) Till the pentecostal loaves were offered, the produce of the harvest could not be eaten, nor could any other firstfruits be offered. The entire ceremony was the completion of that dedication of the harvest to God, as Giver, and to Whom both the land and the people were holy.
Messiah promised: I will not leave you comfortless, but I will come to you. (John 14:18) After the resurrection, He'd appeared to Mary Magdalene first. When He appeared to the apostles, and they were terrified, frightened and supposed that they had seen a ghost, he asked: Why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold, my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see me have. (Luke 24:38-39)
With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, He called not only His disciples, but His own relatives to be witnesses unto Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and unto the "uttermost part of the earth." (heos eschatou tes ges) Once they'd been commanded to avoid Samaria, and to "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not." (Matt. 10:5) But now the gospel would go into all the world. As Messiah was found at age 12, in the Temple astounding the doctors of the law with His words, the disciples with child-like faith, would enthrone Messiah as King in Jerusalem, and in city after city in Israel, and in time the Salvation and this Promise of the Father would also be received by the Gentiles.
TO THE WORD & TO THE TESTIMONY
The Word is Yeshua/Jesus and the testimony is the Testimony of Yeshua/Jesus! There would be a unified witness of this outpouring, by the 120 disciples, just as there was a witness to His resurrection and ascension.
The Wave Offering-(Lev 23:17-20): Messiah was one wave offering. His disciples (including those today) make up the other. Or you could say Jew and Gentile make up the two loaves in Messiah. (1 Cor. 12:13, Eph. 2:11-22,James 1:18, 1 Cor. 15:20, Rev. 14:4) The Light of the World would shine forth. This testimony about to go into all the world, included Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alpheus, Simon Zelotes, Judas the brother of James, Mary Yeshua/Jesus mother and his (half) brothers, of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Isaiah the Prophet proclaimed: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (KJV) The light of haMashiach/Christ would not be hidden under a bushel, but placed on a lampstand for all the world to see.
This was a blessed time for Mary. She'd come from the sorrows of the crucifixion of her Son with the angels promise and the prophecy of Simeon still waiting to be fulfilled.
Although during His earthly ministry, the people heralded Him as King, crying "Save Now, and waving palm branches in their hands as He rode into Jerusalem, and the Pharisees said: The whole world is gone after him, His own Jewish brethren did not believe in him. (John 7:5,)
The scriptures state: "Whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him." (Col. 1:16) The inter-personal relationships within His own family structure would work for good in the life of Yeshua/Jesus. And there is nothing in your life that he will not cause to work for you that you might know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, as you are made conformable to His death, that you may also attain the resurrection from among the dead. (Phil. 3:10) Isaiah the Prophet's message said: Your eyes shall see the King in His beauty and behold the land afar off...(Is. 33:17)
Messiah's death was a major transition point for his family, who would know their son and brother as Saviour and Lord. Outside the tomb, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene who was part of His mother's close circle of friends. "Woman why do you weep? Who do you seek?" She thought he was the gardner, and said: Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have laid his body?" He said to her: Mary! She turned around and said: Rabboni, meaning Master! Then He said those painful words: Don't be clinging to me! Then He added: For I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say to them: I ascend unto My Father, and your Father. To My God and your God. Does this imply that part of the attitude of his siblings was one of jealousy? That fixated on the differences between he and them, and perhaps embarrassed by the rumors of some, concerning His birth, they'd refused to acknowledge the promises of God, and receive Him as Saviour and Lord? That like many blended families, they felt acutely not only the ties, but the fact that He had a different Father than they did.
The crucifixion was considered the most horrible form of death. Among the Romans, the degradation was part of the affliction, and the punishment applied to freemen was used only in the cases of the vilest criminals. In most cases bodies were left to openly rot on the cross by the action of sun and rain, or to be devoured by birds and beasts. In consequence of Deut. 21:22-23, an exception was made in favor of the Jews. The crucified was watched by 4 soldiers with their centurion. (Jn. 19:23, Matt. 27:66) In the cruel killing of the Master, the disciples had inflicted on themselves one of the cruelest forms of phychological torture by the Roman government.
In the plan of salvation as out-lined by the Apostle Peter, God says: Fear not little flock! In repentance, believing on Messiah as both Lord and Christ, being water baptized by total immersion in the name of Yeshua/Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit, believers would possess a virtual arsenal which can conquer every foe. This small band of the Lord's followers waiting to experience the fulfillment of what had been promised them at Pentecost, had been under persecution for several years prior to this notable event. The Apostle Paul, who himself had been one the churches greatest persecutors and who knew firsthand the methods to use to terrorize Christians, and destroy churches would later write after His own awesome conversion to Messiah:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? As it is written: For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 8:35-39)
Facing death, Messiah had to deal with the separation of death like any hospice patient today. In Gethsemane He cried: "Let this cup pass from Me. Nevertheless not My will, but thine be done." Never Had He faced such a moment, when suspended between earth and sky, His Father would turn His face away, because he could not look upon the sin Christ bore as the Pesach Lamb. (Matt. 26:36-56,Mk. 14:32-52)
The care of His mother had to be arranged. He did not leave the major care of her to any of Mary's biological children. At the cross He made His dying request to His close friend and disciple John, concerning her. "A sword had pierced her heart that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed. And now in the agony of the Calvary, with His blood pouring on the ground, He was concerned for her. He said to her, Mary: Woman, Look at your son! And to John, He said: Son, Look at your mother! (John 19:27) In this tender moment at the foot of the cross, Yeshua gave a very unique and special gift to His beloved mother. John was called "the disciple Yeshua loved." They all loved the master in their own way, but John's hunger for truth caused Him to crave His Lord's presence in a unique way. This characteristic of John's, caused Him to know the Saviour in a depth and to possess an abundance of revelation concerning the Lord and His kingdom to come. He would be a comfort to Mary like no one else on earth. It's believed that she lived for approximately 15 years after the death of her Son.
And Messiah's friend, Mary Magdalene, needed to realize that she would no longer know Him in the capacity that she had previously known Him, but He would be her Messiah and risen Lord.
A PROPHETIC PROMISE BROUGHT THEM TO HIS FEET
"I will make the place of my feet glorious. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all them that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. "
(Isaiah 60:13)
Now a prophetic promise brought the 120 disciples, including His own family, to His feet to wait for the promise of the Father. (Luke 24:49) It was like family members waiting around for the will to be opened. At Pentecost they would receive the "earnest of their inheritance." What brought this new and marvellous openess? Fulfilled prophecy has been a significant factor in opening their eyes. Messiah had risen from the dead, just as He said. This concurred with the writings of the prophets. Some of you have relatives that you've been trying to "love them to Christ, but they have been unresponding."
In Messiah's case, it was when he went away, that they became more open to receive from Him. Upon His return from the grave, when He poured forth this which they now saw and heard. Even while on earth, He didn't plague people with His presence. He could be there and yet make Himself scarce. He knew how to comfort as no one else. But He could administer discipline as well.
He would give forth whole sermons to the multitudes. Or He could say just enough to them to make someone think. He gave them enough truth to cause them to hunger for more, and said: Woe to you that are full. At times he would go to the mountain and pray alone. (Matt. 14:23) He wanted His Father's will, but did not want this manipulated hy human hands. When He knew they planned to take him by force and make Him King, he got out of there fast. (John 6:15) Or He'd minister in another location away from where they lived. He made as though he would leave, when He really wanted to stay. (Luke 24:28) There are those that respond as you remain close, patiently showing Christ in the face of their attitudes. But some get the revelation only as you by the Spirit of the Lord, know when and where to distance yourself, and when to return. Not only do you return, but prophecies are fulfilled in your life and theirs. Some will return like Joseph, with all the wealth of the Father's glory, because having suffered they reign with Him. We must learn to do all things by the leading of the Lord. Messiah went away according to God's word and returned according to prophecy.
He said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." (John 6:53-58)This was one of those "hard sayings of Yeshua/Jesus. What was He talking about? Communion. He wanted us to have the same relationship with Him that he enjoyed with the Father, and He said so:
That they all may be as thou Father in me and I in thee, that they may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (John 17:21 (I have omitted the word "one" where the KJV has incorrectly supplied it.) On the Damascus Road, we see Saul of Tarsus fulfilling this very will of the Saviour that we might have communion with Him. He taught us that our "meat (what sustains me) should be to do God's will. (John 4:34) The tiny cups of grape juice passed at church, and squares of unleavened bread are merely symbolic of Christ who is our life.
THE HOUSE IN JERUSALEM WITH THE UPPER ROOM
The family of Yeshua/Jesus, was at the threshold of their own prophetic destiny, as returning from Mt Olivet, which was a Sabbath days (Sabbatou echon hodon) journey away from Jerusalem, they assembled in an upper room, (huper-meaning upper or over) which was sometimes a large third story room, awaiting this prophetic event. (Acts 20:9) The "upper chamber or upper room" was a room frequently built on the roofs of houses and used in summer because it was cooler than the regular living quarters. One of these rooms was the scene of the Lord's Last Supper. Now at Pentecost, this would be their rallying point from which they would carry the gospel.
The building in which they met, was a private home. It may have belonged to Yeshua/Jesus own mother, as we see the disciples gather here for prayer at a later time. (Acts 12:12) They continued in one accord in prayer. This phrase "one accord" is from the Greek word homothumos, meaning "same mind or spirit." We see this term employed 11 times in Acts. They stayed with the praying, until what the Lord promised them occurred.
This initial event had never happened before, in Jerusalem. But it would not end there. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit would be repeated in city after city across the world.
They would tarry in Jerusalem, and await the promise of the (Heavenly) Father. In Psalm 89:26, the Psalmist prayed saying: "You are my God, my Father, and the Rock of my salvation."
The power of the Holy Spirit would come upon the 120 disciples. (epelthontos tou hagiou pneumatos eph' humas.) And the power or authority would have a very specific purpose. That purpose was "to be (Yeshua/Jesus) the witnesses" (mou martures) of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ.
Messiah had said:
"And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you. But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49)
The gospel would go out from the city of the great King, Jerusalem. How? The Living God would pour forth of His Spirit on all flesh with remarkable signs and wonders, prophesied hundreds of years earlier through the mouth of the Prophet Joel. (Joel 2:23-32) Messiah in whom all fulness of the Godhead dwells, would go every where with his disciples, confirming the word with signs following! "I will not leave you comfortless He said: I will come to you!" (John 14:18)
"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren." (Acts 1:14) "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them." (Acts 2:1-3)
LIFT UP YOUR VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET
On Mt. Sinai, amid the awesome spectacle of lightning, thunder, thick clouds and the sound of the shofar (ram's horn), God handed down the Ten Commandments.
Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ is called "The Apostle and High Priest of our profession. (Testimony) (Heb. 3:1) At Sinai the cogregation of Israel heard the voice of a trumpet. The shofar or trumpet is symbolic of the prophetic voice. Paul, in 1 Cor. 14:8, instructs us on the need for the trumpet to be distinctive so that warriors can properly prepare for battle. This shows the exhortive or warning aspect of prophecy, or words of wisdom and knowledge. (Num. 10:5-7) Trumpets, like prophecy serve other purposes as well, such as: 1) Calling the assembly together. (Num 10:2) 2) The journeying of the camp. (Num 10:2) 3) For declaring war or the enemy approaching. (Num 10:9) 4) To signal a solomn assembly. (Num. 10:10) 5) To proclaim Jubilee. (Liberty to the captives) (Lev. 25, Is. 61:1-3, Luke 4:18-19) 6) At the dedication of the Temple. (2 Chron 5:11-14) 7) The anointing of the King. (2 Kings 9:13) 9) Signaling the Divine Judgements of God. (Zech 9:14) 10) Days or Celebrations of Gladness. (Num 10:10) 11) Beginning of the Month. (Num 10:10, Ex 19:6,13; Lev. 23:24)
We see the Lord Yeshua/Jesus voice likened to a trumpet in Rev. 1:10,"I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet. I heard as it were a trumpet taalking with me. (Rev. 4:1)
The Prophet Joel, whom the Apostle Peter quotes from at Pentecost, said: Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy! (Joel 2:29)
The word "apostle" is one chosen and sent forth with a special commission as the duly authorized representative of the sender. He is a voice. His message has a designated purpose in theplan of God. The 12 Apostles of the Lamb were chosen by Him early in His Galilean ministry. Some had previously been disciples of John the Baptist. (John 1:35-42) Four of these men were fishermen. (Luke 5:1-11) One was a tax collector. (Matt. 9:9-13) Their names are given in Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:14-19; Luke 6:13-16 and Acts 1:13. The apostles of the Lamb sought the will of the Lord as to whom would fill the vacancy of Judas Iscariot. We read the qualifications of an apostle of their number in Acts 1:22. "Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection." And of the work of Yeshua/Jesus.
"We were witnesses of the things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised on the third day and showed him openly. Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before by God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:39-43)
There were apostles which came later, as those of today, to assist in the planting of churches or synagogues, who were not eye witnesses to him being raised from the dead. Yet he says "Come and dine, (John 21:12) and they eat and drink with him in Spirit, and in truth, (John 6:53) as we see in Acts 9, and Acts 13:2.
THE HOLY GHOST LIKE THE ROARING OF A WIND & FIRE
"God spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you were hearing the sound of words..." (Deut. 4:12-13)
1) When the Day of Pentecost was fully come...(Acts 2:1) (en toi sunplerousthai)
Or when it was fulfilled completely. The Feast of Pentecost had been an ongoing occurrance for hundreds of years. But it pointed to the end-time harvest of souls that would be reaped and brought into God's kingdom. At Sinai God spoke in supernatural manifestations of the sound of a trumpet, thunder, lightening, thick clouds, fire and a voice...At Pentecost He spoke in divine manifestations too! A rushing mighty wind, cloven tongues of fire, they spake in tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance. (Acts 2:1-4, 4:31) When we read of Pentecost being "fully come," this word "fully," speaks of filling a boat completely in Luke 8:23. The Feast of Pentecost had been celebrated countless times since instituted by God's command. But this would be the Pentecost which would find it's culmination in the substance which is Mashiach/Christ. The Day of Pentecost at which God poured forth of His Spirit, fell on the Jewish Sabbath. It was the Feast of First Fruits. The disciples were all together in one place.
They were all with one accord in one place... The New Testament Feast of Sha Vu Ot, was an invitation for unity to who will receive the salvation of Messiah, including the empowering by God to be His witnesses in all the earth. This invitation is extended to you today. It's an invitation without regard of race or creed. But God commands obedience to His word. He states that there is salvation in no other name under heaven, than in the name of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:10-12)
"Be it known to you all, and to the people of Israel; that by the name of Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you have crucified, whom God has raised from the dead, even by Him, does this man stand here whole.
The reason we don't see more trrue unity is because many that call themselves Christians or believers, feel that much of God's word is optional. They have not obeyed the first two chapters found in the book of Acts! They would never scribe to disgarding the Stone which was set at nought by the builders that is become the head of the corner. They simply see themselves as having received in their own way. In doing this, they have bought into the confusion of tongues generated by Mystery Babylon.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Accts 4:12)
Some of the examples of the unity of the early church are seen in such verses as Acts 1:14, in which the women are not segregated during the time of prayer, as they await the promise of the Holy Spirit. Included in the 120 waiting for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, are Messiah Yeshua's/Jesus mother Mary, and other women. (Acts 1:14-16)
They continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, breaking bread from house to house.(Acts 2:42) They did not go out and start a new denomination because they disagreed with speaking in tongues, and did not feel it was necessary. Yet today, we have denominations who have done away with this aspect of Sha Vu Ot, and celebrate what they call "Whitsuntide," or Pentecost, without it! Sha Vu Ot is not and was never intended to be a denomination. It was cross cultural. God was gathering the scattered, that He might fulfill the promise:
"And David my servant shall be king over them, and they shall have one shepherd. They shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes and do them." (Ezek. 37:24)
2) And suddenly (aphno-) there came a sound...
There was a noise like a roar or a reverberation, such as a wind makes, or a forest fire. Fire had always been asymbol to the Jews of the Divine Presence. (Exod. 3:2, Deut 5:4) It was the echoing sound like that of a violent wind, or tornado. This word is used of the roar of the sea. (Luke 21:25) We get our word echo from it. The idea conveyed is not that each tongue of flame was divided, but that it was distributed upon each and every one of the disciples. Do you know that God can supernaturally change things and that this can occur "suddenly?" We seek His face with tears in situations which seem to go on endlessly at times. But then "suddenly" God visits this situation or that. In this case, the time for a prophetic word arrived and was marvellously fulfilled. It filled (eplerosen) all the house where they were sitting. (esen kathemenoi) John the Baptist predicted that Messiah would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matt. 3:11) The Prophet Isaiah wrote: "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" (Is. 33:14-24)
God's answer didn't just effect one life. It filled the house of those praying. It impacted Messiah's own family. The entire city and world were changed by the visitation of God to a single home. Your prayers have the potential to bring such a visitation of God. So do mine!
Life in the Spirit fulfills God's covenant promises to meet our every need. Our lips are cleansed, as the Holy Spirit takes control of our tongue. (Is. 6:5, James 2:26-3:1-12) Reminiscient of Elihah on Carmel, at Pentecost the fire of God fell. It will be there today and tomorrow, as we lift our voices in prayer. Our foes will be vanquished as we appropriate the finished work of Christ. Life is one of unlimited possibilities. We live our lives in the high places, even when the fig doesn't blossom and there are no herd in the stalls. (Habb 3:17) We have the security and safety of life within the veil. (Psalm 91) Our mouthes are satisfied with good things and our bread is sure, like that of Elijah. (1 Kings 17:6) Messiah who baptizes us with the Holy Ghost and with fire will thoroughly purge His threshing floor to the degree that he feels necessary. As we follow on to know the Lord, our lives will be those of sanctification.
3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues (diamerizomenai) like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
This is from "to cleave" as a butcher does his meat. The phrase "as of fire" does not imply actual fire, but there was a shekinah glory to this manifestation that appeared upon the head of each one of them. It sat (ekathisen)
(4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other tongues (heterais glossais) as the Spirit gave them utterance. Each began supernaturally to speak in a language not acquired yet. As the Spirit gave them utterance. (kathos to pneuma edidou apophtheggesthai autois)
JEWS FROM EVERY NATION UNDER HEAVEN
5) And there were dwelling (esan katoikountes) at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, (eulabeis) out of every nation under heaven.
6) Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded, because every man heard them speak in his own language. (tei idiai dialektoi) 7) And they were all amazed (existanto) and marvelled, (ethaumazon) saying to one another: Behold are not all these which speak Galileans? (Galilaioi) Galileans spoke a rude form of Aramaic, and probably crude Greek vernacular too. (Mark 14:70) These people who have come together are all Jews, so know Aramaic, and the vernacular Koine Greek, but they heard various local tongues wherein they were born, and this was what astounded them. A list of the languages follows in verses 9-11.
8) And how hear we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born?
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
12) They were all amazed and were in doubt, saying to one another: What meaneth this?
13) Others mocking said: These men are full of new wine. (diachleuazontes) Chleue means "a joke." With new wine (gleukous) speaks of sweet but intoxicating wine. Sweet wine kept for a year was very intoxicating. The priests of the Old Testament were forbidden to drink wine, and God calls His people a kingdom of priests who offer up spiritual sacrifices. (Lev. 10:9) Nazarites were forbidden to touch wine. (Num. 6:3,20)
14) Standing up with the 11... 15) For these are not drunken as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. It was the third hour of the day Jewish time, or 9 o'clock in the morning, Roman time. The over indulgeance of drunkness was a shameful thing in bible times, as it is today. The abuse of wine was strictly condemned. (Prov. 4:17, 31:4,5) In the New Testament the Jews mixed it with water. It was at times used as a medicine. (1 Tim. 5:23) This behaviour did not belong to the Lord's disciples, and Peter was quick to say so! The epistle to the Thessalonians states that those who are drunken are drunken in the night. (1 Thess. 5:7)
THIS IS THAT SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET JOEL
16) But this is that spoken by the Prophet Joel (Joel 2:23-32) A Messianic prophecy was unfolding. The power of the Holy Spirit had come upon Peter, and he now articulates this momumentous event under the anointing.
Joel 2:28) ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29) And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. 30) And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible bday of the LORD come. 32) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be saved: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
The name Joel means "Yahweh is God." He is described in scripture as "The son of Pethuel. He probably prophesied in Judah around the time of Uzziah. (800 b.c.) In his prophecies, the prophet urges the people to turn to God with repentance, fasting and prayer; and then the plague which had been sent as the result of sin would cease, and the rain descend in it's season, and the land yield her customary fruit.
The Prophet Joel's words "In the last days," quoted by the Apostle Peter at Pentecost, testify that this supernatural occurrance belonged to the "Day of the Lord." (Is.2:2, Micah 4:1) All God's people will be priests and prophets. "I will pour forth of My Spirit" (apo tou pneumatos) The Joel 2 verse has "I will pour out of My Spirit." And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. In Acts 21:9, we see that Philip had daughters who prophesied. And your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams. visions (horaseis) In Rev. 9:17, it means an ecstatic revelation or vision. 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 show wonders in heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath,blood, fire, and vapor of smoke: The sun shall be darkened and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
THE CONVERSION OF THE 3000
But Peter, standing up with the 11, lifted up his voice, and said unto them: Ye men of Judea and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem be this known to you, and hearken unto my words: (Acts 2:14)
In Peter's sermon, he testifies of Messiah, saying:
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. Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?
Then Peter said unto them, 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 Ghost. (Act 2:38) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. (Act 2:39)
Repent ye.(metanoesate) Change your mind and your lifestyle. Now crown him in your hearts as Adonai/Lord and ha Mashich/Christ. And be baptized every one of you. (kai baptistheo hekastos humon) Let every one of you make a radical change of heart and life, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. (en toi onomati Iesou Christou) (Acts 2:39) The promise made by Yeshua/Jesus (Acts 1:8) and prophesied by the Prophet Joel, is to you, (humin) your descendants or sons and daughters, to all that are afar off, (pasin tois eis makran-the Gentiles-Is. 49:1, 57:19; Eph. 2:13,17) As many as the Lord our God shall call. (an proskalesetai)
THE REVELATION OF YESHUA haMASHIACH/JESUS CHRIST
Yeshua as Lord of Hosts, commanded His men where to go and what to do. (Acts 9:5) Their prophetic purpose was: "To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;" Judea, Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. (Acts 1:8) And declare the gospel they did.
There was a revelation of God given at Sinai. "I am the Lord thy God, Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." At Pentecost, God visited the city of Jerusalem with a revelation of Himself and His holy name. From Peter's sermon, we see that the revelation of His holy name is Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ, through whom He has spoken in these last days! (Heb. 1)
The sound of the Shofar was heard and it grew louder, but suddenly all sounds ceased, and an absolute silence reigned.
On the Day of Pentecost, as God poured forth of His Spirit on the 120, they didn't just speak in unintelligible tongues. Every man heard God speak in his own language. (Acts 2:6) When the gentiles received, people heard them speak in tongues and magnify God. They trumpeted the glory of God, for they did not try to stiffle the revelation of the Lord. The disciples trumpeted God's prophetic word. At Ephesus also they spake in tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:6) The sound of the trumpet sounded in this way. There was a Revelation of God to be given for God was/is in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, as He is now.
1. The converts of the early church, beginning with the thousands gathered for the Feast of Pentecost all clearly understood that the interpretation of Messiah's words concerning water baptism in Matt. 28:19, was not to be conducted in three names of titles. For Messiah said: Baptizing them in the NAME singular. The Lord's apostles all baptized in the name of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. This was a witness of the Revelation of Yeshua/Jesus and their understanding of the Godhead, imparted by the apostles, beginning with the Apostle Peter.
Then Peter said unto them: "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 Ghost." (Act 2:38) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. (Act 2:39)
They changed nothing as they presented this same Yeshua/Jesus to the Samaritans. (Acts 8:16) And as the gospel message spread to the Gentiles, they were all baptized in Yeshua/Jesus name, and mightily filled with the empowering of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 10:46-48) Paul baptized the Ephesians in the name of the Lord Yeshua/Jesus. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:1-6)
The book of Revelation is literally called the Unveiling, or the Revelation of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. The book begins with a description of the glorified Christ, as the Ancient of Days. The early church held the testimony of Yeshua/Jesus in a remarkable way. In the face of great persecution, the angel of the Lord told them: Go stand in the Temple and preach all the words of this life." When they took Stephen, they saw his face as the face of an angel. As they were in the very act of stoning him, he gave forth the testimony of Yeshua/Jesus --that Revelation of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ that he's received. Stephen called on God using the name "Yeshua/Jesus. "Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and with a loud voice: Lord lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:59) Timothy, one of those discipled by the Apostle Paul, was the son of a Gentile father and a Jewish mother and grandmother, who were believers in Messiah. The apostle Paul, commending the mother and grandmother for their excellent training of Timothy, undertook to become a spiritual father to Timothy, in the faith. In Paul's first epistle to Timothy, we find I Tim. 1:17 which was a hymn sung in the early church.
"Now unto the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory forever and ever amen! (1 Timothy 1:17)
Paul speaks of a number of personal prophecies given to Timothy, concerning his life and ministry. So great was the Revelation of Yeshua hamashiach/Jesus Christ which was imparted to Timothy through Paul, that he wrote: "This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou mightest by them, war a good warfare." (I Tim. 1:18)
THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR, NEGLECTED & THE HIGHLY EDUCATED
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)
Our bibles hold the truth of the Testimony of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. Of the Revelation of Yeshua/Jesus Christ (Col. 2:9) and His great salvation, written by those apostles who penned the holy scriptures. As the gospel went forth at the Feast of Pentecost, and beyond, great persecution arose against the word of the Lord, just as persecution arises against God's holy word and will in our day!
The Poor:
God's love and care for the poor are central to His providence. (Ps. 9:18,12:5, Ecc. 5:8) Wrongs done to the poor were a concern of the prophets. (Is. 1:23, 10:1,2; Ezek. 34, Amos 2:6; 5:7, 8:6, Micah 2:1-2; Hab. 3:14; Mal. 3:5) When people walked to the Temple, they carried money with them for the poor.
At the time when Peter and John walked together to the Temple to participate in one of the set hours of prayer which occurred daily there, there were three distinct prayer times, designated as public prayer times. The nineth hour mentioned here, is equivelent to about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. These hours of prayer may be referred to by David in the Psalms, when he says: Evening, morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud. (Ps. 55:17)
Peter's name means Rock. His original name before Messiah changed it, was Simon. He was the son of a man named Jonas, brought up in his father's occupation, which was that of a fisherman. (Matt. 16:17) He and his brother Andrew were partners of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Peter lived first at Bethsaida, and later in a house at Capernaum.
John was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman of Lake Galilee, and brother of James, also an apostle. Peter and John come within the Lord's innermost circle of friends. It is to Peter and John that mary Magdalene first runs with news of the resurrection. (John 20:2) Peter raced to look into the empty tomb! (John 20:2,4-6) Later on the Sea of Galilee,John is the first to see the dim figure of the morning mist, the presence of the risen Lord. Peter is the first to plunge into the water and to swim toward shore where the Master stood calling them. (John 21:7) The two stood together on the Lord's Ascension Day and watched him parted from them by a cloud, that received him out of their sight. They were also together in the upper room, waiting in prayer for God to empower them to spred the good news of the gospel of the Lord Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ.
Now as they entered the Temple, Peter and John met a man who was lame from his mother's womb, laying at the Gate Beautiful, begging for alms. (Acts 3:1) The Temple contained nine gates, and this gate which was also called Nicanor's gate, lay on the eastern side of the Temple. Peter said (Greek literal translation) "Look into us." What did they have that they wanted him to perceive? The treasure of the Yeshua haMashiach/Lord Jesus Christ in their earthen vessels. They said: Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ,rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked and entered into the Temple with them, walking, leaping and praising God." (Acts 3:1-6) This is a fulfillment of Isaiah the Prophet: "The lame shall leap as an hart." (Is. 35:6) And all the people saw him. (Acts 3:9)
The Neglected:
God cares about the neglected. The ministry of the apostles which began with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Jews in Jerusalem participating in the Feast of Pentecost, from every nation under heaven. Yeshua/Jesus and His disciples first ministered exclusively to Jews (Mt 15:22-24;Acts 3:26), however afollowing his death, resurrection and ascension, the disciples were released to carry the Good News of Yeshua/Jesus salvation to the Gentiles (Ro 1:16, 11:13; Acts 9:15, 10:1-35). The Gentiles who accepted Yeshua/Jesus became grafted-in partakers of God's covenant with Abraham. (Romans 9:22-26)
As the gospel spread, many widows came into the kingdom of God through the preaching of the gospel message, many of whom had no relatives to help support them. Their care fell to the Messianic Jewish church. The Lord also cares that our needs are met, and has promised to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) It's crucial to maintain our prayer life and to not over extend ourselves, though there are many urgent and important needs in life. When you become "burned out" it is difficult to hear God's voice, and to receive accurate direction from Him. The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Secondly to love our neighbor as ourselves. That move of the Spirit among 120 which birthed the church at Pentecost came as they prayed and sought the Lord together and were in one accord.
The apostles believed in maintaining a balance through constant prayer, study of the word of God, fellowship with other believers, and walking in the Spirit and being obedient to His will.
Our bibles are filled with the anointed ministry of the word, wisdom, revelation, healings and miracles which the Lord performed through them. They knew how and were not afraid to delegate authority! God's church in this region hadn't been hearing Him in precisely the way they should. A crisis had arisen. The apostles didn't need to stretch themselves so they'd have less time for prayer. They needed to maintain lives of prayer, fasting, and minister in the word. (Acts 6:4) As the church flourished and multiplied, deacons were appointed for the church. This came in a natural way, borne out of necessity.
"And in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. (Acts 6:1)
At the time the gospel was first preached, there were two classes of Jews. Those who remained in Palestine who used the Hebrew language, and those who were of the diaspora, scattered among the Gentiles, and who spoke the Greek language, and used the Greek translation of the Old Testament which is called the Septuigint, in their synagogues. The Hebrews were the pure Jews, not necessarily resident in Palestine who used the Hebrew language of the scriptures. The latter group were called Hellenists, or as in the translation here, "Grecians." The Jews of Palestine prided themselves much on the fact that they lived in Erets Israel, the land of the Patriarchs. The land of promise.
The problem which arose appears to have been the low estimation of the hellenized Jews, that was held by the pure ethnic Hebrews. This may have been stirred up by Judaizers. The Judaizing faction is not limited to an ethnic race. This type of spirit erodes churches without any Jewish members at all. How could this happen in among believers in Messiah who love the Lord and His holy word? The bible doesn't specifically say! One thought is this. Those who feel very strongly about the pureness of their ethnicity do not necessarily change their views because they are converted. The visitation of God takes the gospel into a nation, but doen't change every custom. The Lord works among these indigenous assemblies. Customs work for good, if the custom is not intrinsically evil or sinful in itself. Paul's ethnic background facilitated his ministry to the house of Israel. Marriage should be a serious matter of prayer, for a gpood wife is a gift from the Lord, the scriptures say. However, people form attachments at times outside of the realm of that which is God's will for them.
These women whose situation was difficult enough, was now compounded by the shameful neglect of Messianic Christians, and threatened the reputation of the early believers of Messiah in the community, and did not bring glory to God. Because complaints arose concerning the care of the Grecian widows, the 12 apostles discussed the seriousness of the situation among themselves and the decision was made to seek out 7 men to provide oversight of the daily administration for these women.
Prior to this, the Jews of Jerusalem may have not wanted to risk pure Jewish men marrying Hellenized Jewish widows. All their lives they'd viewed mixing themselves with the heathen as sinful. The pure Jews viewed the Hellenization itself as a mixture, even conversion had occurred. The number of women, as in any culture, would have included both older women as well as younger widows with children. In our day, when supplies are given to the poor, containers of food, clothing must be hoisted from trucks, etc. Sometimes older men prefer to have younger men along to help with this facet of ministry. At this point, are the helpless women needing assistance. The apostles sought God for wisdom and the answer came. Select deacons to deal with it. The deacons appear to have come from within these women's own culture. If they married the deacons themselves, this would glorify God, and not cause dissention in among those involved. The apostles would pray and bring the ministry of the word. In many cultures of the today, this would appear as bigotry. Among the liberal minded it would not seem wrong to marry whom you wish. But the culture of the Jews had been established for thousands of years. Where the Jews felt their religion and culture threatened, they brought charges which frequently resulted in martyrdom for those involved. Such was the case of Stephen.
If you think that the ethnic issues among cultures was not important, review the life of Timothy, who had a Grecian father and a Jewish mother. The young man Timothy had a good reputation among brethren at Lystra and Iconium, though the child of an inter-racial marriage. (Acts 16:2) The apostles Paul and Silas didn't bring Timothy along to minister with them without circumcizing him first. His own father had not felt this was important. Whether his Jewish mother and grandmother felt it important was not important enough to warrent him changing his views. The apostles however, did not feel this religious and cultural issue was something which could be ignored. (Acts 16:3)
The result was that number of believers increased. (Acts 16:5) And the ministry of Timothy was received by many in the Jewish community. His mother and grandmother were probably elated! While I cannot prove my theory concerning the Grecian widows from the passage, it is a consideration in church planting.
The men chosen to be deacons, weren't carelessly selected. Dissension of the sort that was occurring because of the neglect of these women, can tear a church apart. The men would need to be able to pray and receive revelation from God for the church government here. They had to possess certain important qualifications.
They must be:
Because of this distribution of oversight, the deacons themselves were not over burdened, but were men whom God used mightily. One of the deacons, named Stephen, had an incredible knowledge of the scriptures. As a man "full of the Holy Ghost," he was mightily used of God in this new capacity of waiting tables, as part of his administration of the widows. What a witness of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ these widows and others received. As the apostles would be occuppied with church planting, the multitude were pleased with the decision, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them. And the word of the Lord increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:6-7)
The names are all Greek. But we cannot infer that all 7 were hellentists. The apostles Philip and Andrew bore Greek names but were not Hellenists. The number of priests that returned from Babylon was 4289. (Ezek. 236-39) The multitude honoured the apostles at this time, as the advice of gamaliel had modified the opposition of the Sanhedrin. Thus the priests were gradually won over.
In Acts 6:8 we read: "And Stephen full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people. Brought out in the testimony of the church in the person of Stephen, is it's protest against Pharisaism.
The Highly Educated:
Besides the ministration to the poor the apostles ministered to many individuals and groups who were highly educated among both Jews and Gentiles. Among the foreign Jews, was a synagogue containing men of the Libertines, (having come from Jerusalem) Cyrenians, (of Libya) and Alexandrians of the regions of Cilicia and Asia who disputed with Stephen. Cilicia at this time was a Roman province, the capital being the free city of Tarsus. These men had either come to Jerusalem from various countries to bring offerings and to attend the Feast of Pentecost, or were members of synagogues there. Three distinct synagogues may be meant. Jerusalem at this time contained about 460-480 synagogues.
When they were unable to resist the wisdom and Spirit by which he spoke, they seized Stephen, raised false witnesses against him, and accused him of blasphemy. The accusations consisted in misrepresenting what Stephen said, to which Stephen gives forth an anointed defence. It is a lengthy exposition from the prophecies of scripture, and is found in Acts 7. Stephen states that far from dishonouring Moses or God, he fully believes and holds in his mind the dealings of God with Abraham and Moses. It is not I but you he says, who have from the first times rejected and spoken against God.
When the Apostle Paul arrived in Athens, whose capital was Attica, the seat of the Grecian empire, he saw the city wholly given over to idolatry. The Greek goddess Minerva to whom the city was dedicated, was considered the protectress of the city. The greatest lawyers, scholars, statesmen, and warriors lived in the city of Athens. (Acts 17:16) The city contained some of the world's most beautiful buildings.
Paul disputed not only the Jews of the synagogue of the area, but also philosophers of the Epicurians, Stoics who were highly educated Gentiles of this city, who brought him to the Areopagus, that they might hear his doctrine, which sounded strange to them. (Acts 17:19) What are we told of these learned men? "For all the Athenians, and strangers which were there, spent their time in nothing else, but either to hear or to tell csome new thing." (Acts 17:20)
As the Apostle Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill, remarking over the idolatry which caused him to groan in spirit, he did not use a condescending tone. As he lifts his voice it is filled with the agape love of God. He begins on a positive note, saying: "You men of Athens: I perceive that you are very religious." This was like saying: "I see the spiritual hunger in you! They'd included so many false gods in the Pantheon which lined the street, that in case they missed one which was important they'd included a statue to "The Unknown God."
It's interesting that Paul targets what is immediately evident. The superfluous idoltry. As part of his talk, he quotes from a well known secular Grecian poem, on achieving godhood. These spiritully hungry people wanted to be "one with God." And the Apostle does not disappoint them. He portrays God as Creator of the Universe, who doesn't need anything. For it is He that gives breath to all things. He informs them that all races came from one blood, and has foreknowledge of events. God has determined the very boundaries of countries or regions. He addresses the topic of who God is and who He isn't. That ignorance of the Almighty is no excuse. He tells them exactly how to come to terms with the Living God. He ends his discussion by elaborating on the judgment of God, which is the half of the two sided picture in the gospel. (Acts 17:22-32)
THE APOSTLE PAUL'S MINISTRY TO THE EPHESIANS
Sometimes in God's plan for us all, we wish that we could have done this or that at some point, but seeking His face, realize that it is not His will for us at that time. Ephesus was that type of a thing for the Apostle Paul. Now passing through the interior regions of Galatia and Phrygia, on the western coast of Asia Minor, where he'd formerly been forbidden to preach God's Word, he comes to Ephesus. The city was in the district of Ionia, at he mouth of the Cayster. Built near the shrine of an Anatolian fertility goddess, Ephesus became the seat of an oriental cult. The Anatolian deity had been taken over by the Greeks, under the name of Artemis, the Diana of the Romans. Around the cult centered much of the trade. One end of it's harbor was dominated by the great Temple of Diana or Artemis to whom the city was dedicated. The magnificence of this structure was known throughout the world. The city also contained a factory that made portable shrines, which tourists purchased as talismans, and devotees carried on pilgrimages, and which earned the wages of local silversmithes.
Paul's visit to Ephesus ocucrred on his third missionary journey. (A.D 54-A.D. 58) How thrilling this was, when immediately he met "certain disciples" who are quite open to the gospel. Paul asked them questions concerning their beliefs, such as "Whereunto were you baptized?" From this he learns that although their experience was a baptism concerning repentance, yet they seem to lack any saving knowledge of Messiah, nor have they been baptized in his name. Paul laid a doctrinal foundation beginning with John's baptism, and proclaiming the Messiah. He baptized the believers he found there in Yeshua/Jesus name, who spoke in tongues and prophesied immediately upon their conversion.
There were about 12 men with him when he went into the synogogue and spoke boldly for three monthes, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. (Acts 19:8) The preaching did not serve to soften the hearts of some in repentance. The hearts of these were hardened, and they did not believe, but they used their influence to speak evil of the Way before the multitude. Paul left there and divided his men and disputed in the School of Tyrannus. Tryannus was probably a Jew engaged in teaching as employment. In the early history of Israel, religious training was done in the home. Samuel instituted a school of the prophets. (1 Sam. 19:19-20) During the Babylonian captivity, the synogue had it's origin. Later an elementary school system was developed with the synagogue attendant. (Luke 4:20) The schools were in connection with the synagogues, which were found in every city and in nearly every village in the land. Their idea of the value of the education system, may have been derived from Talmudic beliefs. Memorization had a prominent place. They felt about their schools like Christians feel about Christian schools today.
Paul was authorized to preach the gospel in Tyrannus school or classroom. Believers at this time did not meet in church buildings build specifically for such services, but conducted services as the Lord lead. This went on for two solid years, till all of Asia had heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought special miracles by the hands off Paul. (Acts 19:11)
THE GOSPEL TO SORCERORS & BELIEVERS IN THE OCCULT
If you think witchcraft is any match for the power of God read Acts 19:11-20, which begins with the account of some vagabond Jews who were quite curious about what they have seen performed at the hands of the apostles. For they saw the "special miracles" wrought by the hands of Paul, who wore clothes next to his body--and these handkerchiefs, and aprons and when these were given to the sick, the diseases departed from them, and they were made whole. (Acts 19:11-20) The Greek term for aprons here speaks of something passing half-way around the body, an apron or waistband. These may have been garments worn by Paul as he was engaged in his trade. It was the apostles experience that God moved mightily among the sorcerors and believers in the occult at Ephesus.
Paul's Hebrew name was Saul and he was known by this name till his clash with Bar-Jesus at Paphos, where Luke writes: "But Saul, who is also called Paul." (Acts 13:9) From that point on, he is called Paul. As a Roman citizen, he doubtless bore both names.
Among the vagabond Jews were exorcists that attempted to speak "The name of Yeshua/Jesus" over those who were possessed with evil spirits. It was the practice of these exorcists to administer an oath. They thought they'd add what they'd seen the apostles do to their own practices. One of these "exorcists" was a Jewish chief priest. He had seven sons. (Acts 19:14) But the evil spirit refused to acknowledge the authority of these men. The spirit answered and said: "Yeshua/Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you?" And the man in whom the evil spirit dwelled, leaped on them, overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled naked from the house. This was known to all the Jews and Greeks dwelling at Ephesus so that great fear fell on them all and the name of Yeshua/Lord Jesus was magnified." (Acts 19:15)
And many that believed came, and confessed and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." (Acts 19:18-20This term "curious arts" is used only here and in I Tim. 5:13. It literally means elaborate, overwrought or curious. In it's original sense it speaks of those who busy themselves excessively. Busy bodies. Heathen writers spoke of the Ephesian Letters, which contained symbols or magical sentences written on slips of parchment and carried as amulets. Reckoned in Jewish money, this was $35,000.
JOEL'S MESSIAH IS THE JOY OF ZION'S CHILDREN
"Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month." (Joel 2:23) This was a great deal of money at that time.
"Children" here, is from the Hebrew meaning="BEN" "a son" is from BANAH meaning "to build." It speaks of the builder of a family. Thus God calls His people "sons of Zion," as representatives of His heavenly kingdom, ambassadors if you will, and not just "inhabitants of Zion."
And rejoice in the Lord your God: For He has given you the "former rain" moderately.
(MOWREH or MOREH=Literally this means: 1) "to flow like water, i.e. "to rain.")
2) "To lay or to throw," especially "to shoot as an arrow." (Put that my dear ones, together with the prophecies God has been speaking to the body of Christ regarding "arrows," being sent forth as God's arrows, swift and true, or of His prohetic word being like the "arrow of the Lord." I learn a lot about God's word for myself from reading others prophecies, don't you? If it's in the bible, it's for me and you!) 3) It can mean "rain," "teacher," "teaching," with the connection to TSEDAQAH meaning "righteousness or in "right measure."
He has given you the "former rain moderately:"
The term "moderately" is HAMMOREH-LITSEDAKAH and this can mean: "rain in righteousness or right proportion." Or "due measure, or "according to righteousness." It can also mean "teacher of righteousness."
So you could translate this phrase: "He has given you the "teacher of righteousness," (John 3:2:) Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews came to Jesus at night, and said: "We know that you are a teacher come from God, for no man can do the miracles you do except God be with Him."The teacher,the object of whose coming and whose teaching is "righteousness." ("Whom God has set forth to be a propituation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness, for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. To declare I say,at this time; His righteousness: that he might be just and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus. Romans 3:24-26) Who brings in "everlasting righteousness." (Or as Daniel 9:24 puts it: "To make reconciliation for sins and to bring in everlasting righteousness.") Who does this speak of? It speaks of our Messiah, Jesus Christ. He is the Lord Our Righteousness. In Phil. 3:9, we read: And be found in Him not having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God through faith."
The Prophet Joel said: "For He has given to you the former rain moderately---And He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain in the first month." I will pour out of My Spirit says God upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions. Joel 2:23-30) This was partially fulfilled with the harvest outpouring of God's Spirit at the Feast of Pentecost in the bible in the New Testament, in which Jews from many nations and surrounding regions came up to celebrate the feast. Jesus had told his followers: And behold I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry in Jerualem until you are endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) And again: You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
He will cause to come down for you RAIN="GESHEM) from GASHAM, meaning "a violent shower. The former rain, (MOWREH or MOREH) and this means an archer, a teacher, a teaching, or early rain" contrasted with the GESHEM or GASHAM or latter rain. from MALQOWSH stemming from LAQASH which means "to gather in the crops.
When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all in one accord in one place, when suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filed the house where they were sitting. And there appeared cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 This was a subsequent experience to the new birth, or receiving forgiveness of sins as the scripture has said: through belief in Jesus death on the cross for your sins, and obedience to Acts 2:36-38, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
In "the first month." (First is RISHON/RISHON/RESHON, and it means "beginning or primary, first in time or place, or rank. Or it can also mean "As at the first.
In "the first month," speaks of the lunar cycle which the nation of Israel was based on. The word translated "month" here, is used of the new moon. CHODESH or HODESH means "to be new," to "build or repair." (as the moon seems to repair itself from crescent to fulness)
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall over=flow with wine and oil, and I will restore to you the years the locust has eaten.
There is a great end time harvest of souls which God wants gathered in. He will do this through sons or builders of His kingdom. In all of this there shall be joy as the joy of when the harvest is brought in--- a joyfulness that causes one to spontaneously dance, and rejoice in the Lord their King. This has to come by revelation to the body of Christ to bring us all into this place.
THE CALL TO ARISE & THRESH DAUGHTER OF ZION
And thus are the secrets of the heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth." (1 Cor. 14:25)
"Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing [as] they go, and making a tinkling with their feet." (Is. 3:16) Why does God place emphasis on the tinkling of their feet? The women wore tiny brass or silver bells which tinkled as they danced. These drew attention to the feet and gave forth a pleasant sound. But how many know that people don't always "dance as the prophetess Miriam danced? (Exodus 15:20) How did Miriam appear to those who watched her? For one thing, Miriam was 90. And she didn't cower in the back of the crowd because of her age! She was a holy woman of God who had seen the arm of the Lord revealed like Anna the Prophetess. She went forth to the front and danced. How many dance teams in their 20's and 30's today would have laughed her off the block. The gracious worship team says: OK. You can go and start your own "Dancing Grannies" team! But some of those grannies don't want their own team. They want to dance with you because it's prophetic! It speaks of the restoration of the church.
"Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, the young men and the old, together; For I will turn their mourning to joy, I will comfort them, And make them rejoice rather than sorrow."(Jeremiah 31:13)
"But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary...that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually." (1 Cor. 12:20-22, 25-27)
Some interpret the above scripture to mean that God is not supposed to move on anyone else while they are "ministering in dance." Well---It happened that when the company of the prophets at Naioth in Ramah prophesied, that the Spirit of the Lord came on Saul and he threw aside his royal robes, retaining only his tunic, and united with the sons of the prophets in prayer, praise, and prophecy. (1 Sam. 19:24) And he didn't quench the Spirit. He didn't view what they were doing as a performance, but there for his edification. That was God's own idea of "decently and in order! Worship teams will yet see the "greater works," which God has purposed to do, when God's will and not protocol ceases to come first. You must do as God tells you. One minister in another nation said that the KGB would infiltrate his church services. They would even get into the healing line. The ministers would "lay hands on them" and pray in tongues. One intercessor said: I would get in that line and "turn loose" i.e. the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Are infiltration or attacks against churches localized to a particular region? A religious publication reporting on Indian churches carried this story:
The nation of India's Christians are shocked and anxious not only over violence directed against them and against church buildings, but also by the frequent support given by politicians to perpetrators of the violence.
In one of the latest incidents, an explosion-on May 21 at the concluding ceremony of a four-day convention organized by the Gospel Churches Association of India at Machlipatnam in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh-injured more than a dozen people.Even before conducting an investigation into the explosion, a senior police official ruled out the "hand of outsiders" in the incident, and claimed it was the result of divisions among Christians.
"The preliminary investigations so far indicated that it does not look like any outsider doing it. It looks to be more of a faction feud among the local Christians," H J Dora, director-general of Andhra Pradesh police told reporters on May 22.
However, A. Vijaykumar, president of the Baptist Churches Association of India rejected the police claims. He said the incident was "part of a trend against the Christian community" also visible in other parts of the country.
Do you value the freedom to believe in God, and to practice your faith? This freedom is under an unusual attack in the California Assembly. Assembly Bill 17 is headed to the Assembly floor for a vote, possibly in early June. Your action in signing our petition is needed now to defeat this assault on our liberties.
AB 17 will require every business, social service provider, religious college, hospital or child care center to provide medical benefits to domestic partners [i.e. same sex couples] as a condition of doing business with the State of California.
THE SPIRIT OF HEROD
If there were no authentic gospel and moving of God's Spirit, there would be no counterfeits! This is all part of the persecution which arises because of God's word. All who live righteous in Messiah/Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. As the gospel went forth in the New Testament, the apostles who laid the foundation of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ, found it necessary to teach believers to recognize false apostles, false teachers, false christs, false doctrine, and abuses of various sorts. It's part of what every believer must deal with. God expects this of us all.
The "money changers in the church," have in many places, replaced God's house as a House of Prayer, with a merchandizing spirit, and it's a mill. The "spirit of Herod is in the wheels! Where this prevails, converts don't always receive the deliverance they need, and may wrestle with demonic problems unnecessarily for years. There may not be the healings that were seen in circles of intercessory prayer such as that of John G. Lake. Yeshua/Jesus taught that certain diseases were the direct result of demonic oppression, and that certain types of spirits come out only by much prayer.
SPINNING THEIR WHEELS
An article mentioned one of the largest trading companies in West Africa, which began as a religious mission sent from Switzerland to preach to the Africans. In the early days, sacrifice was required. The evangelists brought their own supplies and extra quantities to sell to the natives. In time these mercantile activities increased while their religious work diminished. Today, the only vestige of their original purpose is a 10% discount given to missionaries of other denominations.
The Lord gave me a vision once of a huge water wheel, such as that of an http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/Education/HitlerYouth.html">Old Mill. People were in the water below the wheel, and then the wooden water wheel began slowly turning. The people would be drawn into the wheel, take a turn on it, i.e. the go-round--only to be battered by it and spit out below, then sucked into it again. In the 1970's we saw the churches attacked by spirits of legalism which would manifest and they'd scream "No grace" when they were being cast out! Or "spirits of mind control" would claim a right to possess individuals because they hated their father, etc. We are seeing round-abouts of other sorts involving abuses of power, where believers or their children end up in secular counseling offices because the state has stepped in to oppose Christianity. People report these ages old round-a-bouts, which surface from time to time in a new guise. In churches, some preach false doctrines, or quench the Spirit of the Lord. The people feel abandoned by God, and then they (members of the congregation) get dissatisfied or contentious. At this point, they are shuttled on over to the arbitration unit of the church, where counsellors can make a few bucks! They become bitter and angry. But the circle continues. Do you see what a vicious cycle this is? And that pastor who just received his degree in phychology thinks to himself: Sounds like some of the newspaper stories of Social Services attacks on Christian families.
Some leaders justify the improper gathering of funds, just as social services who has illegally victimized Christian families such as a Wenatchee case. This can even become a fund-raiser because of the need a quota of so many types of cases, to collect government financing.
January 21, 2000 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - We are pleased to announce that Pastor Robert Roberson and his wife, Connie, of Wenatchee, Washington, have won an $850,000 settlement from the Washington State Department of Health and Social Services. The Robersons were arrested in 1994 and charged with being among the ringleaders of a child sex-abuse ring. The bizarre case eventually involved more than 60 adults, who were charged with some 30,000 counts of child sex crimes against 43 children. Police claimed that three loosely organized and overlapping groups of adults participated in child-swapping sex rings, abusing the children over a period of eight years. They alleged that the Robersons held orgies with children in their Pentecostal church. We reported this in the article "Witch Hunt in Wenatchee," O Timothy, Volume 13, Issue 3, 1996.
THE WITCH HUNTS: RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION TODAY
"And it came to pass that when Ahab saw Elijah he said unto him: Are you he that troubles Israel? And Elijah replied: I have not troubled Israel. But you and your fathers house in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed Baalim. (1 Kings 18:17-18)
Elijah was a prophet who was acutely sensitive to the Spirit of God. The Lord disclosed to him specific details concerning the sins of his nation. He boldly confronted evil and God used him to defeat and destroy thrones and dominions. But at times he felt deeply discouraged at the magnitude of evil about him. On at least one occasion, he wanted to die, and God sent an angel to strengthen him.
"Christianity Becoming a Dirty Word in Canada: "Anti-Christian prejudice is the last respectable bigotry, and it's worse in Canada than anywhere else in the developed world,' says Jewish American scholar Michael Horowitz, an expert on anti-Christian persecution.... Horowitz said this sort of polarizing is 'a dangerous game (the secular elite) plays for short-term political advantage' -- suppressing Christian faith with Christian tax dollars. There's 'no excuse for the bigotry the Canadian establishment shows toward Christianity,' he said.... The pretext of this suppression is 'multiculturalism' -- the need to protect minority faiths....
As with anything, there are pluses and minuses even to an entity the size of our government, which is made up of many types of people. There are agencies with people working in them who are good and bad. The news media exposed the deceitful and immoral character of President Clinton when he was in office, and the agencies of various states have been under scrutiny. Caring professionals work hard to help children and their families. On the list of areas we should pray for are our cities, villages, neighborhoods, and churches. I served as secretary-treasurer of my neighborhood civic association. Our neighborhoods hold civic meetings and in cooperation with the police dept. citizens are given information bulletins when sex offenders are released from prison. The police dept. does their best to assist the community. If you contact them, they will visit your neighborhood group. You can start a prayer meeting for your neighborhood, or a community Block Watch program. We must do our part and supervise our children and grandchildren. Safeguard your family and property by locking vehicles, installing dead bolts, and updating window latches. Leave porch lights on, as a precaution to minimize the opportunity for crimes to occur. Where community apathy rules, criminals don't fear reprisals.
There's also a registry of violent crime offenders. The wise thing is to remember that Yeshua/Jesus said that the wheat and the tares would grow together. Ideally we would all like this world to hold safe places where we don't have to be on guard, and we can relax and enjoy ourselves. If a crime such as a burglary is suddenly visited on you, your own workplace, shopping mall, automobile, garage or home may not seem safe.
Don't expect that community services where neighbors go or gather are necessarily safe places for your children, even if you know some of the people there. Community facilities such as libraries, dentists offices etc. are being visited by people from all walks of life, and so is your church. God gave the gifts of His Holy Spirit so that people could be wise and discerning. The detectives of our city were using the grocery store in our neighborhood to collect information on the neighbors. The store owner told us this before she sold the store to the present owner. I'd been talking to her about neighborhood safety, after a series of three rapes occurred in the general area, and a teenage girl was stabbed so many times she was in a coma. All 3 of these crimes occurred where there were nature trails. The police had a composite sketch. We drove down to the police station to get a copy of the composite for the grocery store to post because we thought they should have it posted there. Interestingly enough, the third assault, the victim reported that the man wore a nylon stocking over his face to contort his features. Police thought the stocking may have been purchased at the grocery store. Perhaps he feared they'd get a better picture of him. Or he may be a person well known in the community. Two of the assaults were on teenage girls.
Your Homeland Security file may contain information given to the police by an informer who is a convicted felon, who simply reported whatever gossip he was able to glean. Is the information accurate? Not necessarily, but it makes Homeland Security feel more secure to have something in the file about you. Have you ever read your credit report? We've had them add anybody whose name is remotely close, even if not living at the same address.
The latest drug prevention program is a decal they stick on the pay phone, warning drug dealers that calls they make from this phone will be traced! In some cases it would be wise to share the gospel with the grocer first, so they can get the police saved when they come there for coffee.
GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWNS
Where there are Satanic attacks of the nature that Pastor Robert & Connie Robertson experienced, and other types of persecution, you can be sure there's a revelation of Messiah that Satan is trying to prevent from getting through the body of Christ, or the lost! Let's understand the nature of persecution, and not be ignorant of Satan's devices. How does this evil work? What is it for? Just as believers place great value on Christian unity, Satan works to break down what God and His kingdom have built up. Perhaps some have read "The Heavenly Man" by Brother Yu. This book documents government crackdowns of churches in China, mass arrests, and human rights violations.
Social workers, phychologists, public school teachers, and other professionals have tremendous knowledge on how family life is "disrupted" by traumatic events. They learn these things while obtaining their degree. I have written on this subject in Je Riviens: I Will Return," detailing when you should disrupt a relationship. Or when someone is unlawfully trying to do it for you. This article contains some alarming "new definitions" of abuse laws, concerning male superiority abuse," with implications for things like taking money from your wife's purse without her permission, not having car repairs done at the appropriate time, etc. Or economic abuse.
The deliberate infliction of trauma disrupts the bonds of relationships. Suppose that you as an unbelieving social worker with New Age or even homosexual views, oppose Christ and don't want to see a young person who had been referred due to an allegation, remain in his or her Christian home. By recommending secular counseling for them you bring the young person under the control of the state. The family is under constraint to obey or appear non-complient to the legal authorities. He or she may become a ward of the state until age 18. Christian children have been removed from believing parents and placed with lesbian and homosexual foster parents. Allegations may be anything that "appears suspicious." This gets it into a file for info gathering purposes. Following 911, Homeland set a network in place whereby various agencies are under one umbrella which pools data on American citizens.
If the child is very young when he comes into services, his mind is a virtual data bank into which professionals can inject anything, which can later be retrieved and used to accuse the parents, relatives or church. The trust of older children is broken by insinuations, bribes, or allurements such as the temptation of some teens to not have to obey lawful authority.
They wish to be sexually active, to obtain birth control, to go where they please and to choose friends parents do not approve of. When a teenager doesn't abide by the curfew set by his or her parents, and is chastened for it, it is not unusual for teens to attempt to intimidate parents with threats that they'll call the authorities and say this or that, so that the younger siblings will be removed from the home. In this way, authorities are being supportive of rebellious teens. Sometimes this works in reverse, if law enforcement is called and they are dealing with a similar thing at their own house.
There's no totalitarian regime like that of a community dominated by the drug lords. In some areas of the country, they use their money and influence to attempt regulate the police departments. But beware aware that those who are covetous toward your home or property, may make false allegations against you as a "drug house." The mere suspicion of this, can create real problems for you. A relative who is unsaved who does not even live with you can be connected to your police file. They may not even live in your state and you can still be wrongly implicated. This method of confiscating property has been utilized many times with the Jewish population or other minorities. But believers armed with the weapons of warfare which are not "carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds," are seeing things change through the power of God's Spirit!
You fill out a form and say you are a Christian and you don't smoke. The investigator smells the smoke from your fireplace clinging to your clothes. They make you out to be a liar, and it's filed away. You refuse to buy Twinkies and Pepsi for your child. Even if the cupboards are full of regular groceries, they tell the counsellor: There's never anything to eat around there! Or you take the child to church and supervise their friendships so as to encourage good companions, and the counsellor writes: Social deprivation on your sons or daughters file. The info collecting can go on for many years, till some issue triggers an investigation. This was possibly the scenario with Pastor Roby & Connie Robertson in Wenatchee.
But you say: I haven't done anything wrong! This is Homeland Security's way of protecting the public, they say. But Americans are losing their civil rights. We are talking about religious persecution here! This involves people who want to see your home destroyed.
Where bonding of a family is disrupted by violence, or sexual abuse this is a tragic thing, and the law requires a report. But where professionals work to betray the innocent it is often concealed, family bonds are destroyed and suddenly you feel you are looking into the eyes of a stranger, for the child has been brain-washed. They have no faith in God, church or family anymore.
"Brainwashing is a system of befogging the brain so a person can be seduced into acceptance of what otherwise would be abhorrent to him. He loses touch with reality. Facts and fancy whirl round and change places.... However, in order to prevent people from recognizing the inherent evils in brainwashing, the Reds pretend that it is only another name for something already very familiar and of unquestioned respect, such as education or reform." Edward Hunter, Brainwashing (New York: Pyramid Books, 1956), pages 185-186)
When we were trained by Social Services to be potential foster parents, the licenser informed the entire class that it was unusual for foster parents NOT to receive a false allegation within their first six monthes of working for the state. We completed our hours of training and received a certificate. Attachment, bonding and disruption were issues discussed in class. The licenser stated that allegations remain on the books forever. Your CAMAS file needed for many career opportunities involving children or elderly, will contain this. Although the investigation may appear to absolve you, the file becomes a collection point for further info gathering.
Stand on God's word concerning evil reports. If you are a parent or grandparent whose child or grandchild has been sold into slavery like Joseph, believe God for the outcome of Joseph. Pray fervently that God's will be done. Do only as God leads you. Abraham rescued his nephew Lot from the Sodomites. (Gen. 14:12) Put your faith in the God who blotting out the handwriting of ordinances against you nailed it to His cross. (Is. 53:1, 1 Kings 18, Isaiah 36, Col. 2:14)
BRINGING LAW SUITS ETC
Should you always bring a law suit when you feel you've been faulted by a persecution, such as that of the authorities, even if your probability of winning such a suit looks excellent? It all depends on the leading of the Lord. David enquired of the Lord. As a worshipper of the Most High God, he did nothing by "rote." He would say: "Lord shall I go up?" God would say: Go up! Or He would say "Ambush them. Or the Lord would direct a frontal attack. Some people engaging in a law suit, will redirect their focus from the gospel to the cares of life, and find themselves engulfed in a quagmire of bitterness created by the legion of demons which will assail them. Others will go forth in the power of God's Spirit, evangelize at every turn, bind and loose and cast out devils. But God alone knows if this field is where he wants your attention focused. Or somewhere else.
A Washington pastor told of a law suit his church engaged in and won. But he said by way of testimony: How many know that you can win and not really win? Though they won the lawsuit, he said there were losses in other areas which he felt were highly significant. Remember that our major goals are those that are eternal!
You will see the "spirit of Herod" arise to a greater degree than many have experienced. They will infiltrate your Sunday School and say to your children: "Where is your belly?" Some of you will receive drug charges because of people you have worked with. You will be made guilty by association.
"He sent to Bethlehem, and said: "Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also." (Matt. 2:8)
Who is the young child here? This is what God gave me when I enquired of the Lord: "My little children, of whom I travail until christ be formed in you." (Gal. 4:19) Then when they have disrupted the family unit and the members of the families are enough of a basket case, they recommend a phychological evaluation. Who is learning from whom here? The churches where mind control spirits reign may unwittingly accomodate them.
God gives me a vision of an adult person like a little child with the blindfold over their eyes. And they are being spun around and around, so that they can pin the tail on the donkey. But God will cause them to pin that tale on you if you sanction that which destroys his people. If any man defile the temple of God (sin), him shall God DESTROY..." (I Corinthians 3:16-17) They say to you: You are marred--marred--marred in the hand of the Potter. No says the Lord. They are defacing you. They erase my very image from your face. Depart from iniquity and do good! This is iniquity. The Spirit of the Lord says: I want people more than subdued on drugs so that they won't murder anybody! I want to make them every bit whole. Where is the faith you once had in Me? Beware of the allowing Satan to use the tool of deception before he uses you as a utility of defection.
Stop teaching them to sing: I SOT Him--And I found Him. (i.e. programs which cause people to continually declare themselves as the former things--I will give a new song.) (Is. 42:10) My salvation makes sober and brings sound judgment where there was once bondage and fear. I've got prophets singing the drunkards song over themselves. (Ezek. 33:32) God's ways are higher than ours. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Is. 55:9)
I see that pastor who has just uncrated that load of books. I asked the Lord: What is it? The Sovereign Lord said: It's "Your memories are not your memories." The False Memory Syndrone where you don't tell them what has occurred in your life. They through the guided imagery of a familiar spirit, tell you their impressions. (A recent guidebook on transforming our education system behind parents' backs is now being recommended for use in changing churches and in resisting uncompromising members. See: Link)
I believe that God can give word of knowledge concerning a situation in the past present or future. One of the purposes of the Holy Spirit is to show you things to come. Yeshua/Jesus saw Nathaniel in a vision under the fig tree before they met, (John 16:13, John 1:48) He knew that the woman at the well was presently living in sin with a man who she was not married to. (John 4:16-18) or His telling Peter his future, "When you are old you will stretch forth your hands...(John 21:18) God can also reveal words of knowledge to you in your own prayer closet! He has warned me of at least three impending automobile accidents before they occurred. One killed an occupant of the vehicle, but saved our son and his two friends. Our son said: As the car was spinning out of control I knew I was going to live, because you saw me alive in the vision. The foreknowledge didn't help ease the pain when we learned that his 18 year old wife had been killed. But God purposed that it be a sign and a wonder to him!
God frequently wakes us up in the middle of the night to pray for our soldiers in Iraq. When America was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, I had been given a vision a year and a half prior to this, stating a catastropic event was about to happen, and "New York "will need relief workers." After this tragic event, I contacted Homeland Security, and gave them the plan of salvation. I said: Yeshua/Jesus is the secret weapon. I shared with them many scriptures concerning foreknowledge of events. We have an adopted daughter who was adopted as an infant. She is five years old now.
THE ORPHAN CRISIS
With the number of orphans worldwide estimated to reach 106 million by 2010, there is a desperate need for compassionate Christians to become involved. Sometimes people that cannot or who choose not to involve themselves, discourage those heart God has impacted with this need. Many baby boomer age adoptive parents have entered the ranks, not only because they love children, are excellent parents and can afford to raise a child, but also because the need is so much greater than that being met by the 20-30 age bracket! Russia has 650,000 children living in orphanages, while 1.2 million live on the streets. In Brazil 10 million live on the streets.
Several years ago, a young man we know had a Muslim girlfriend. One day I had a heavy burden of intercession for them. She was visiting at an apartment with some young women, and fell through an open window. She landed on her feet so hard that the soles of her shoes were imbedded in the gravel. As we drove to Oregon to visit and pray for her, I told her how God lead me to pray, the name of the God that spared her life, and the plan of salvation! That was a sign and a wonder for her.
How do I heal the memories says the Lord? Is it not by the sprinkling from an evil conscience. If the conscience is evil, this must be repented of. (Heb. 10:22) That won't sell those books! But it's deliverance and it's free. Is God trying to get your church to go bankrupt? No! He's trying to make you care how you earn your money! (Rev. 18:2-11) People have been physically healed and delivered under the anointing of the Lord! Free of Charge. Like Yeshua/Jesus healed the woman that the doctors couldn't help! (Luke 8:43) Is anything too hard for the Lord?
PROPHESY AGAINST THE ALTAR AT BETHEL
"And behold there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel: and Jereboam stood at the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said: O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord." (1 Ki. 13:2)
As I write God gives me a vision. I see an intercessor breaking Gideon's pitchers one by one! Go for broke says the Lord. Don't hold anything back! Give it the go! God is going to back you up! But do it in the Spirit of the Lord, and not in the flesh! Move as the Spirit moves you! I see the altar at Bethel. (1 Kings 13:2) And you are saying: You want me to come against this time honoured stuff? You owe God what is based on God's word. You owe nothing to centuries of man's traditions. You say: The Lord had better give me a new gate then! And the Lord says: You are the new gate as you operate as one with Yeshua/Jesus. Bind and loose. (Matt. 18:18) Prophesy the new kingdom says the Lord. "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. (Jer 3:14) But many are turning to the deception. Turn you at my reproof says the Spirit of Wisdom. Many are weighed in the balances and found wanting. Go and learn from those that have fallen before you and recovered themselves through repentance. The brother will deliver up the brother. You are entering into the deception. Weigh everything by my word. This which is now occurring is pre-requisite to the fall of the nation. Truth is being cast down to the ground. Tradition is making my people ineffectual when I need them most. Lift up thy voice and do not be afraid to judge what you you believe is being shown you by the word. Do not fear their repraisals. Fear him that is able to case both soul and body into the flames of hell. (Luke 12:4) The woman with the sickle is going forth by the word of the Lord, and cutting it down in this place and that. She says: I have already been in this place and that "in spirit." She speaks to the Lord: You want me to expose that he (a leader in an illicit relationship) is sleeping with her? People are being turned over to strong delusion, for the Great Sickle is coming upon their land. She is turning them over. I see in my vision an eastern european man. He rises up! He says: No! He does not want that place where he dwells to experience what comes next. I see the man repenting and saying to God: I will do what you have called me to do. He has been a godly man. The Lord has used him mightily. But he did not want to do all God required of him. He is warring with the word of the Lord! She is turning them over, like Yeshua/Jesus over-turned the tables of the money changers. She holds in her hand a coin. On one side is the Head. (Rosh) On the other side is the Great Eagle. They'll be flying high. Look to the Lord and not to this system for your salvation. And it will be thumbs up you win says the Lord. I hold the keys of hell and of death to give to every man according as his works shall be. The love of money is the root of all evil. I am changing the economic system. I am breaking the staff of bread in this place and that. I will take care of my own, who are faithful unto Me. Again I see the eastern european man. He is recognizing the need for God's rebuke, and he says to the Lord: Three foot waves--no higher! He is asking many people in Spirit--and laying his hands on them: Give me your hands he says. He is saying: Lay them on this person and that person. Pray that the wave of strong delusion will be stayed. That God will send a mighty revival! Only this can turn the tide. In the vision a group of eastern european pastors arise. One acts as spokesman for the group. He says what the Lord said to the first intercessor: Go for broke! He says: We will fight in this other way! We have seen it before. When the staff of bread is broken in the land, and the people must trust the Lord as Elijah for food, Cherith itself will be purfied. I see an intercessor in prayer for the grandmothers. The state church is on the move--she is spreading forth her branches in the earth. I see eastern european grandmothers. Many are old and sick. The intercessor is calling forth intercessors to pray.
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT JOB?
"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me."
Pastor Martin Niemoller
In Sri Lanka a man of God and his wife had the oversight of an orphanage. The tsunami destroyed his orphans home there, destroying 20 years of work. But he said that as the wave came, he held up his hand and commanded the wave to stop, and the water receded enough to give his family, and orphans time to escape.
After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite:
When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous once again and gave him twice as much as he had before. His family and everyone who had known him were all invited to dinner at his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble which the Lord God had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.
The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years.
Worship that must be comprised of young people alone from teenage to 30's? Why? Who are we trying to please? God or man? There are some principles for worship in God's word, such as God is Spirit. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. (John 4:23) When "Let everything be done unto edifying" excludes grandma's and grandpa's because they aren't in their 20's anymore, this is not what scripture means. Who's worship is it anyway? Do you feel offended by God's commands to worship Him in dance? There are times in which dance in praise and worship offends the religious spirits. But if the worshipper doesn't keep their heart right before God, the religious spirits may infiltrate him. What God does comes by the Spirit. I'm saying: Don't quench the Spirit of the Lord. Let Him have His way! Don't let the haughty pride of certain segments of "the daughters of Zion" stand in the way of the larger body receiving edification. (Ezek. 11:3) Do you have a church member that prophesies all the time so that no one else gets a word in edge wise? Be sensitive to the leading of God's Spirit.
OFFERINGS OR VOWS TO GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS
Oh I'm filled with His goodness, and I'm washed in His blood..."
The Lord continues to bring to light stories of the anointing of God upon cities of His love, and power. Our government has worked to protect the populace from
the bio-weapons of terrorism, as this has wrecked havoc and spread fear in other places on the globe. The Romans catapulted dead and diseased animal carsasses into the water supplies of enemies. However, even where plagues have occurred in history, God's people have exercized faith, and stood against this form of terror. There was an outbreak of the Black Death (otherwise known as Bubonic or Pneumonic plague) in 1347. The disease was probably brought to European ports through trade with the East. It spread rapidly throughout Europe, killing approximately 75 million people in about three years. It was a horrible but fortunately swift death of painful swelling of glands and joints with a very high fever. The Plague left cities practically deserted. Fields of crops were left to rot because there was no one to reap the harvest.
People do various types of spontaneous giving from their hearts in thankfulness to God. One story is that of some townspeople who were spared from a terrible plague, that was sweeping europe and killing thousands in it's wake. For generations both they and their descendants kept a certain covenant they made hundreds of years ago. Nestled in the high mountains south of Munich, Germany, is the picturesque village of Oberammergau. Today it is very well known for it's Passion Play which is held every 10 years. The play started in 1634 when the Black Plague was ravaging Europe. The citizens of the village prayed and the plague was stopped short of the village. The people vowed to have a play every 10 years to honor Christ. This is a marvellous example of a people honouring a vow made to God. We live in a time in which we all see people who do not keep their Christian testimony untarnished. They break promises made. But true believers take very seriously the promises God makes to them in His word, as well as those which they have made to God. In the early church, they danced around the beds of sick people in worship to God for the finished work of Mashiach/Christ, and the sick were miraculously healed.
God put eternity in our hearts. It's the new nature in our hearts to fulfill all His will. Like Nathan the Prophet said to David by the word of the Lord: "The Lord shall build you house." (2 Sam. 7:27)
THE FINISHED WORK OF haMASHIACH/CHRIST
When Yeshua/Jesus died on the cross, raised from the dead and ascended, it was for our salvation, healing and deliverance. There is provision in Messiah to walk in divine health and never be sick. Psalm 91 tells us that "With long life God will satisfy us and show us His salvation. Why do I believe this way? The bible says it's so. My faith is in God's word. The bible calls the Yeshua/Jesus "The Second Adam." (1 Cor. 15:47) Why was a Second Adam necessary? Because through the first Adam death passed on all men. (1 Cor. 15:22) But in the Second shall all men be made alive. In the garden of Eden there was no sickness. (Genesis 1-3) We walk in fellowship with Him who has all power. (Luke 10:17-20)
But there is no condemnation in Christ who has included healing in the atonement. There are people become ill sometimes. The Lord Jesus did not condemn the sick. He looked on the multitudes and had compassion on them. He stayed up praying for people all night. In the day, he went about healing them, and casting out the demons which mentally oppressed them. He healed them all. God heals in various ways, as seen in the gospels. Or in James 5:14-16, a person can call for the elders of the sick and be anointed with oil, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick." In my state many years ago, there was a believer named John G. Lake who was a man of prayer. He had a ministry of healing, and the Lord sent him to Africa at a time when there was a great plague. Every one around him was dying, and he tended the sick, and buried the dead. There was no medicine, and finally the medical ships came with help. The doctors on the ship told Lake that he should take some of their preventative measures so that he would not become ill. But John Lake told them that this would not be necessary... "The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death," he said. He taught them the reality of this. He took some of the foamy froth from the mouth of one of the corpses, a victim that had died of the plague and put it on a slide. They put the slide under a microscope, and saw that those germs were very much alive and active. Then they put some of those germs on John Lake's hand, and put it under the microscope. The germs died as they came in contact with his hand. Lake lived his life believing that the Law of Life in Christ Jesus, had made him free from the law of sin and death, just as the bible says. God's word in power mixed with John Lake's faith, was a demonstration of God's ability, in the face of a plague that was terrifying to others. Live your life through faith in God's word. "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses." (Matt. 8:17)
YOUNG MEN & OLD MEN WORSHIPPING GOD TOGETHER
God is bringing a healing between the generations. Long standing issues are being healed. The spirit of segregation in these age groups is being dissolved through the blood of Yeshua/Jesus and the power of God's grace. They are worshipping at His altar together. They dance like David (RAQAD) stamped or danced! (1 Chron. 15:29) In praise and worship services they don't just sit back and let the women do the all the dancing, saying: Well I'm too tired. It's been a rough week. I'll just sit and listen. But they offer to God the sacrifice of praise and He is energizing their entire lives. Their lives are different! They are losing that self consciouness in favor of God consciousness! In dance, you can enact the revelation contained in that worship song. War in dance against what the Lord shows you. Push back the darkness, and rise like the morning sun --the sun of righteousness in your dance. Do a dance of intercession for the nations. We were in England with a prophetic team. The Lord moved on the team prophetically as we worshipped and one by one we danced what God gave us. All I could do was to lift my arms like the rising sun. At another time on this mission in a worship time, the Lord called me to command the spiritual forces to cease and the saints to advance. Did I do this because I couldn't prophesy? No--Those 10 days were filled with prophecy. There was no quenching of the Spirit of prophecy, and we judged the prophecies by God's word. But if God wants to speak visually He does, and it's a dimension of His power. People get used to a certain style of dance, and it alone is the "holy dance" don't you know? And worship tainted with wrong heart attitude is an abomination to God. There's a warfare that God's people do even as we worship. It's a coming into agreement with God in all His holiness and truth. In doing so, we agree with God's word, that the high places will come down, and He will be Lord of all! Even if these high places exist in places in our own lives, God will reveal even this unto us. Let's cast down some thrones and dominions. Yeshua did not forsake His people. The Spirit of the Lord will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. He gives prophetic instruction as we cleanse ourselves of all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and "minister unto Him in fasting and prayer." (Acts 13:2)
When they (the apostolic team) would have gone into Bithynia, the original text states: The Spirit of Yeshua/Jesus forbid them to go. The apostles of the Lord were in complete harmony concerning the doctrine the Lord taught them. They all believed and received this truth, concerning how to deal with the converts which would be born into the kingdom of God.
Although Yeshua traveled with his team and taught truth in various locations, such as discipleship and water baptism in Matt. 28:19, the truth on water baptism was a teaching uniformly understood and agreed upon by His apostles, as meaning something entirely different than what a vast segment of the church believes and has interpreted it as today. Here are Yeshua's words spoken in Galilee concerning the training of converts:
17) And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying: All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Here are the Apostle Peter's anointed words, after having waited for the promise of the Father precisely as Yeshua commanded, having received the Father's promise, and being endued with power. Now Peter teaches 3000 Jews gathered to hear him speak.
Acts 2:38, KJV
PENTECOST: JERUSALEM IS MESSIAH'S FIRST THRESHING FLOOR
"For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession." (Psalm 69:35)
As God moved to bring the Spirit of Truth, the living Word and True Ark into Jerusalem at the Feast of Pentecost, Jerusalem became God's first threshing floor. Whereas a synogogue only took ten men to get started, God did not begin in a small way, but fell upon 120 in power, immersed them in His Holy Spirit, and moved on to Peter's prophetic sermon to sweep 3000 Jews into the kingdom of God. He used a man with an excellent knowledge of the writings of the Prophets, and out of Peter's innermost being gushed a fountain, a river of life, like Hiddekel in Eden into all the earth.
Nothing so vitally affects ones walk as a believer, as their understanding of the Godhead, and an initial encounter concerning this, is with the foundational aspect of water baptism. (Heb. 6:1-2) In rightly dividing the word of truth as commanded in scripture, not one word is said by way of apostolic command, as to baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." Gladly having received Peter's word, the 3000 were admitted to the church having repented, and having water baptism administered unto them in the name of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:41) I marvel that the words of Isaiah the Prophet have come to pass so literally concerning this, and I have wept over it, because this so vitally affects church planting across the globe.
Isaiah the Prophet said:
At the time of the recent Asian tsunami, the world said: What is happening? The church said: What is God doing? God is saying: I am singing this world a love song! This is a new song never before heard in the heathen world. The islands and coastlands are to join together in song! In verse 13, we see the reason for the summons. It's God's victory over His enemies. The description of Jehovah is that of a conqueroring hero, who has already fought many battles, and is therefore ready for war. His jealousy has slumbered for a long time like smoldering ashes. But now He stirs up. He breaks forth into a war cry! For His love impels Him to redeem His people, and His justice obliges Him to punish iniquity. He is portrayed like a travailing woman, whose necessity stretches into the absolute need to bring to the birth. Now He says:
There are many crooked things He is making straight. One is doctrine. For He says: My people shall know My name. He will deal with those who oppose His will. For He is God. And beside Him there is no Saviour! In the same way that a lying spirit was called forth by a prophet, to enter the mouth of Ahab, we see the Prophet Isaiah actually call for the spirit of slumber which will "make this people fat, make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart and be healed." Those who rejected the message of the prophets went on worshipping, pure in their own eyes. The Hebrew indicates that their eyes would be literally "plastered over," by a spirit of slumber, so that seeing they see not, hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. (Is. 6:9-10) That would be the judgment for rejecting the truth of God's word. Nothing plasters ones eyes shut any more than sin or blindly adhering to traditions which do not square with scripture. In the New Testament, whole cities received the testimony of Yeshua/Jesus. And whole cities that heard shall be judged by what they did with His word and testimony. As well as that of His disciples. He said: Woe to you Chorazin! If the mighty works that have been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (Matt. 11:21, Luke 10:31) Messiah said this to Jerusalem: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem that stones the prophets, how often I would have gathered you as a hen her brood but you would not!" (Matt. 23:37,Luke 13:34) And again: If you had known the thins that belong to your peace. But now are they hid from your eyes. (Luke 19:42)
SONS OF JUDAH ARE OVERTHROWING SACRED COWS
Don't just overlook one another's sacred cows, overturn them, like the Son of Man did the tables of the money changers in the Temple, as the Lord leads you! The problem is that people want to appear so tolerant. False ecumenicism is not and will never be the move of God's Spirit. Yeshua/Jesus came to bring a sword of division. Plenty of what He said drew the line between what God was comfortable with and what he abhored.
True change comes as we look on things eternal, remembering that we as a body, not just the building are the habitation of God, through the Spirit. There's a certain sacredness that people feel for where they are spiritually, and a reverence for those that taught them. King David had this for Saul in a very balanced way. In the Song of the Bow, which he wrote following the death of Saul, he lauds him in his mourning or funeral song for "clothing them in scarlet and placing ornaments of gold on their apparel." (2 Sam. 1:24) And yet Saul in his later life, with the deception he fell into and his distorted concepts concerning spiritual things, did much damage to the kingdom of Israel.
In an age when the status quo and keeping up with it is a major source of idolatry thundered from the pulpit, what will bring this idolatrous image down to the ground? God uses trials to create a healthy dissatisfaction in the lives of His congregation. Ezekiel the Prophet warned of the house or place of worship becoming a sacred cow. How many times has the sanctuary received a new coat of paint or an updated signboard, while the pastor's greatest desire is the revival that will rennovate hearts? In scripture this frequently began with leadership. At times this extended to a change of leadership, when the leader failed to respond properly to God's dealings with him, as in the case of King Saul. The Apostle Paul was given a thorn in the flesh that drove him to the Lord for comfort. When judged by Michel, David retorted with "I'll be yet more vile!" But he did not stop with this. For he stated: And will be base in my own sight." (2 Sam. 6:22) Our worship of God is sacred to us all. But we must remain humble in our pursuit of a deeper knowledge of the Saviour. The heart of an individual can hunger after God, while their doctrine in effect is need of revision, in order to make it line up with the holy scriptures. God is calling His church in these last days not just to have hearts for Him which are authentic, but that the words of our mouth honour the written word of the Lord. We see in scripture the cleverness of the Roman Emporers, whom Satan used. Throughout history, they persecuted believers, infiltrating even the worship of believers. Rome was one of the ruling world powers, warned of by the Prophet Daniel in his visions. Many things were assigned a sacred status which were in fact idolatrous. What could not be destroyed by the war on true religion, was perverted. In spite of the Apostle Paul's stern warnings that grievious wolves would come in not sparing the flock and to try the spirits whether they be of God, the church was infiltrated by spiritual forces called spirits of musical and doctrinal enchantment. The Latin term for enchantment is incantare, meaning "To bring in through music or singing. Pliny did his best to oppress the disloyal movement under the authority of the Emporer Trajan.
In 79 a.d. the Roman Emporor appointed Pliny to spy out the land of the customs of the Christians.
They also declared that the sum total of their guilt or error amounted to no more than this: that they met regularly before dawn on a fixed day to chant verses alternately amongst themselves in honor of Christ as if to a god, and also to bind themselves by oath, not for any criminal purpose, but to abstain from theft, robbery, and adultery ...
Constantine's army sang hymns to "the God of forces." Because John Calvin knew the emotional power of music, he feared it. He had a distaste for organs, hymns, and singing antiphonally. Queen Mary banned the singing of the psalms. The Catholic church had song writers write hymns to Mary, as part of their catechism for new converts.
But God is merciful and abundant in grace where there is true turning of the heart in repentance. "...When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning." (Is. 4:4)
MESSIAH SAID: MY WORD (ARK) SHALL GO FORTH FROM JERUSALEM:
The Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem is universally understood by bible scholars to be the origination of the Christian church. It was a marvellous event which occurred! Pentecost was that dimension that the Syrophoenician woman reached out to touch, as she literally reached over a dispensational barrier by faith. And the Lord God allowed her to appropriate by faith what was not even universally available to the masses any other way at that time. Yeshua/Jesus did not state that Galilee of the Gentiles where He taught on the Great Commission, would be where the church would begin. (Matt. 28:19) The disciples would be His witnesses and would preach: First in Jerusalem, then in Judea, then Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. (Acts 1:8) The apostles were to "tarry in Jerusalem," and to await the manifestation of God's Holy Spirit which would confirm the word of God preached by the Apostle Peter that day at Pentecost. To the Jewish mind, what was preached at Pentecost did not contradict the words of Yeshua in Matt. 28:19, which stated that converts should be baptized in the names or titles of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Rather Peter's sermon established this oneness of the Godhead as enthroned in Christ Jesus!
39)
For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call."
40)
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."
41)
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.
SAMARITAN OBEDIENCE IN SPITE OF PERSECUTION
Acts 8:1: And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea, and Samaria, except the apostles. (What were the apostles doing? Scattering because of intimidation? No! Check this out! They didn't alter their doctrine one bit!)
8:12
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
THE OBEDIENT GENTILES
I see before me those that have been like Job. You have been through a time of testing that you do not understand. It has been systematic, severe and varied. You have been as it were in a chamber being spun around in a circle. Tell me if you be the Son of Man, who struck you. (Luke 22:64) They have mocked you as the blows rained down upon you. But I have not gone away to a far country, and I am in your midst. I see where you have fallen in your very cell. Do not cry aloud they say, or you will embarrass somebody. But you have cried: Yeshua/Jesus Son of David, have mercy on us. I have not set you for their entertainment says the Lord. Arise and thresh. I will make your horn iron and your hooves brass. They have not gagged your mouth. Say what I give you to say. Cry it from one end of the nation to the other. The mountain before you will become as grass before that scythe in your hand. Only let peace reign between your God and you. If you have ought in your heart toward Me, then ask My forgiveness. If you have held unforgiveness toward a brother, go to him and make it right. I am coming like rain upon the mown grass. But the scythe must go forth first. There is nothing that they have not despised, for they are wise in their own eyes.
"I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.
16) ¶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
Then Peter said unto them, "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."
"Sing unto the Lord a new song, His praises to the ends of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that there is therein; the isles and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare His praaise in the islands. The Lord shalt go forth like a mighty man, He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. I have long time holden my peace. Now will I cry like a travailing woman. (Is. 42:14)
I will lay waste mountains and hills and all their herbage I will dry up, and change streams into islands (make rivers islands) and dry up entire lakes. (Dry up the pools) I will lead the blind by a way they knew not... I will lead them in pathes they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked thigs straight. (Is. 42)
"I have asked them if they are Christians, and if they admit it, I repeat the question a second and third time, with a warning of the punishment awaiting them. If they persist, I order them to be led away for execution; for whatever the nature of their admission, I am convinced that their stubborness and unshakable obstinacy ought not to go unpunished...
Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest [with] the daughter of Babylon. (Zech. 2:7)
Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. (Psalm 48:11)
Peter (said) to them, "Repent and be baptized, 7 every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.
Who is this Ancient of Days? It's He Who Was and Is and Is to Come, the Almighty. Yeshua, Messiah Himself calls Himself the Almighty, meaning there is none mighter than He. (Rev. 1:8) Who is this king of Glory? King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts is His name! God's throne (singular) is in heaven. (Psalm 11:4) The Hebrew term kissay or throne is thought to have it's root meaning in the idea of "covering." So it denotes a seat or covered throne. Yah is enthroned above the cherubim. (1 Sam. 4:4) The saints cover God and His throne with continual worship and praise. Angels which are called "Thrones or dominions," because of their mighty power, also cover God's throne with worship and with praise. (Col. 1:16) The very heaven itself IS God's throne. (Is. 66:1) Micaiah the Prophet saw a vision of Yah seated upon His (one-singular) throne. (1 Kings 22:19) The Prophet Isaiah also saw the Lord high and lifted up, sitting upon His (one) throne. (Is. 6:1) Solomon's throne was really Yah's throne. (1 Chron. 29:23) The Prophet Jeremiah foretold a time when Jerusalem shall be called the throne of God. (Jer. 3:17)
In the Old Testament prophetic scriptures, the prophet testifies of the rule of the promised theocratic King, the Messiah, of it's everlasting glory and righteousness. And inasmuch as He too is the representative of Yah, the Old Testament prophet testifies that He shall rule upon His (Yah's) throne. (Zech. 6:13)
THE THRONE OF GOD & OF THE LAMB
...Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (Psalm 2:6)
In the New Testament, the apostles of the Lamb believed that Yeshua haMashiach was and is the King of Glory incarnate, longing for the time when He would put down His enemies and His throne would be exalted. They said: Will you at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel? (Acts 1:6) In Revelation 1:8 we read: I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA-THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING SAITH THE LORD WHICH WAS AND IS AND IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY. (Rev 1:8)
To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne--Even as I also overcame and and am set down with my Father in His throne. (Rev. 4:21) The Lamb with 7 horns and eyes--of Rev. 5 speaks of emblems of the fulness of the Godhead. The number 7 in scripture is the number signifying "Completion or fulness." Messiah is depicted as seated at the right hand of God as a metaphor. The right hand denotes His position of ALL power and authority. It's not locational. When an earthly king would give authority to another such as Ahaserus to Haman, he would seat him at the right hand. Or if a dignitary were invited to the palace, he would be seated at his right hand, so as to be near enough for conversation. As with earthly types they break down at some point, for they are but shadows of the true.
Messiah is not just near God. He IS GOD! He is filled with all the fulness of the Godhead. (Col. 2:9) To state that Messiah's position is locational as near or to the right of God, contradicts the scriptures which clearly state that He is in the very midst of His Father's throne, portraying His deity with all fulness filling Him and His exaltation to the highest degree. (Rev. 3:21,5:6) It also portrays him not on second throne at the right of the Great I AM, but in the ONE THRONE and He is in the center of it.
The throne (singular) is called the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the benedictions of the Apostle Paul, He addresses the saints from "God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Any signification given to the Holy Spirit is strangely absent. This is because the throne is the throne of God and of the Lamb. There's an interesting Greek grammer rule called Granville Sharp's Rule. When two nons are connected by the Greek word KAI, and the first is preceeded by the definate article, "the" then it speaks of one and the same thing.
HOW MANY THRONES DO YOU SEE?
When I saw the picture on the left on a site the internet, I was appalled. There in the graphic is the throne of the Great "I AM," but Yeshua is not on it. This depicts a false Messiah, and not the one whose statement I AM knocked the soldiers to the ground who came to arrest Him in the garden! ()
Have you ever picked up a magazine to see that somebody has taken a pen and drawn over face? Some people are not comfortable with the way the Glorified Christ looks, so they alter his appearance. In the artist concept on the left, He looks like the 33 1/2 year old Messiah looked, before He went away into heaven. Not as "I AM appears in His resurrected, ascended glory. (Rev. 1:1-20 contains a vivid 8-Fold description of Messiah in His glorified body. 1. His body, 2. His Hair, 3. His Eyes, 4. His Feet, 5. His Voice, 6. His Right Hand, 7. His Mouth 8: His Countenance. Look these up for yourself. What does each description of the body depict eg body, hair etc.
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18 I am he that aliveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
20 The mystery 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: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
When the Apostle John saw the vision of Messiah written in Rev. 1, it was of Messiah as so ONE with the Father, that we see Yeshua AS the Ancient of Days, with hair white like wool and eyes as a flame of fire. Observe that two of the thrones in this picture on the left appear empty, signifying I suppose, that the artist concept of the Heavenly Father is that of Spirit and the Holy Spirit as a Spirit. This is faulty doctrine, because Eph. 4:4 states: There is ONE Spirit. Even if you were to say that the Father is invisible on one throne and the Holy Spirit on another, the Father is Spirit. There are not two spirits, or entities here which are both Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Father is clearly understood as the Spirit of God. Father is simply one of His designations or titles.
Neither is Messiah sitting there on His own throne devoid of the Father who is, according to scripture "Dwelling in Him." He is not sitting as a dumb mute either. He said: My doctrine is not mine, ut His that sent Me. If any man will do His will, he shall know the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself. (John 7:16) If that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwell in you, He shall quicken your mortal body. Messiah was raised to life by the glory of His Father. (Romans 6:4)
You have to hand it to these Gentiles in Ephesus (Acts 19:5) These folks can understand Aramaic. When the apostles preach to be baptized in Yeshua's name, they believe that there's "no other name under heaven..." They were more scrupulously obedient to the Jewish apostles doctrine than some Messianic Jews today, who preach against the hellenization of Messianic Judaism, while they swallow the catholicizing of it hook, line and sinker! Antiochus Epiphanes is enthroned in their midst. Where are the sons of Judah? Rise up and have done with lesser things!
I can recall Messianic services where we sang: Yeshua is the Name (haShem) We used to have a Messianic dance group, and spent hours circle dancing to the song: "I Will Talk To My Father About My Brothers." One day, we'd sent for some Messianic worship tapes, and waited excitedly for them to come in the mail. We love these tapes because they are filled with the prophetic scriptures. They were a blessing, when they arrived, and we listened and worshipped the Lord of glory together as a family. In my mind, I pondered the prophetic verses, and thought how magnificent that Messiah should rule and reign upon the throne of David, as the prophets predicted hundreds of years ago.
YESHUA IN WHOM ALL FULNESS DWELLS
There are spirits of musical and doctrinal enchantment. Prophetic praise and worship music must be judged by God's word, as any prophetic manifestations are. The term "enchantment means "to bring in through music or singing." When we listened to the Messianic praise and worship tape that we purchased, one song in particular did not seem to line up with scripture. This bothered me immensely! So My Heavenly Father turned this around and inspired me to "Talk to My brothers about My Father." As it was necessary to contact the company regarding our order, I sent an email to one of my Messianic Jewish brothers. I love talking to Jewish people about God's word, because they really get into it. They dive enthusiasticaly into doctrinal differences, with a confidence that the scriptures will solve the matter!
I said: "I do not understand this song of yours, which says: Yeshua is seated beside his Father." Nothing about this position for Messiah rings a bell with me, as I do not see this concept anywhere in scripture. This location "beside" His Father sounds to me like you've unincarnated our Messiah! Yeshua said: I and My Father are one. He that has seen Me has seen the Father! The Father that dwells in Me He does the works. (John 14:7,10)
As I ponder this whole issue, I am thinking to myself: Just try and get healed with a concept of an unincarnated Messiah--No wonder so many people don't get healed! In my mind I see the woman with the issue of blood, crawling through the crowd, pushing forward to touch the very hem of His garment. I see Yeshua/Jesus in the garden, as they come to arrest Him. They ask His identity and when He utters the name "I AM" the power of God knocks them to the ground. Not because God's way off someplace. But because He is enthroned in the very person of Messiah! So as I listen to the song, it seems to identify Father on the left. And the concept I see in scripture is that in the New Testament, we have no relationship with the father that's not in and through Messiah. So here in this Messianic song which bothers me, is Messiah on the right or besidethe Heavenly Father??? I cannot receive this. My spirit says: Line this up with God's word and prove all things and hold fast to that which is good. So I recall Philip and Yeshua, and Messiah saying: You want to see the Father Philip? You're looking at Him! He that has seen Me has seen the Father. I and My Father are ONE! Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. (Deut. 6:4) Even our 5 year old quotes this from memory!
NOW THE LORD IS THAT SPIRIT (2 COR. 3:17)
(Messiah's Not ANOTHER-He's One And The Same God)
I felt this groaning and travailing welling up deep within my spirit. It was for Israel. What happened to Colossians 1:9: "For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead in bodily form! I told him that my biblical understanding of the Godhead is based on Messiah's own words concerning the Godhead in Mark 12:29. "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is ONE LORD. A three throne theology is a Gentile--A Catholic theology, spawned by the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., Constantine incorporated this concept as part of a military stradegy of which the Prophet Daniel (11:38) spoke, saying: He shall worship the God of Forces: a god whom his father's knew not, shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
I clearly do not believe in this "3 Throne theology." He that has the Son has the Father, according to scripture. But nowhere does Yeshua ever say the Godhead is two or three. He says: "I and My Father are one." Not two and certainly not three separate and distinct co-equal, co-eternal beings. The Father is glorified in the Son. (John 14:13) Yeshua said: It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comfortor will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment. (John 14:18-John 16:7) He is with you. But shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless or orphans. But "I" will come to you! (John 14:18) When the Comfortor came, He came to the disciples in Yeshua/Jesus. It was Messiah Himself that spoke with Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road, saying: I AM Yeshua/Jesus. (Acts 9:5) It was the Lord Yeshua/Jesus and not another who forbid the apostolic team to go into Bithynia. (Acts 16:7) Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty! (2 Cor. 3:17)
I see one Temple in heaven and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are that Temple. (Rev. 21:22) I see ONE throne in scripture and it's called "The Throne of God and of the Lamb."
Anyway back to those intelligent Gentiles who placed total faith in the Jewish apostles doctrine, allowing themselves to baptized in the name of Yeshua hamashiach. I have these brothers whom I've watched for so many years, labor to get the truth out! And one by one they slip away into heaven. And I think: You were so patient! You worked to lay this foundation which is the only foundation that can be properly laid. And it's been so precious to me. I want my family to know Him, and all the world! But especially the Jewish people. Heavenly Father: Send It On Down! Pour Out Your Glory Through Revelation Knowledge Lord! Geron Davis and Paul Wilbur could write a song together--They both love to write songs based on truth from the scriptures.
44) While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45) The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46) For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, 47)Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. 48) So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
TRUTH FOR THE EPHESIANS
1) While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2) and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
3) So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.
4) Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5) On hearing this, they were baptized into] the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:5)
LAYING FOUNDATIONS ON THE ROCK VS LAYING A STUMBLING BLOCK
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem."
God has sent forth apostles and teachers -- godly men and women to correct the error which has bound those who name the name of Christ. Many that had received the seducing spirits and doctrines of demons have retracted their false teaching, and received and corrected their aberrant doctrine. But there are some extremely rebellious men and women who fearing nothing including the Lord that bought them-- go on insisting to many in the body of Messiah that they are right. They have laid a snare or stumbling block before the body of Christ. Let their table be made a snare...If they don't repent!
The Apostle Paul said, "But though we, or angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9.) They are cowardly men who lacking the righteousness conscienceness that comes from being scrupulously careful to teach only what the scriptures teach, fear they will lose popularity with the people, if they humble themselves and acknowledge that they are wrong. When we got saved, we destroyed our books like the converts in the book of Acts burned theeir magic books. But now I see visions of these men who do not want to put away their false doctrines. Rather they sell it to the public at Christian conferences, -- for they say: My whole life savings is invested in this stuff!
This bothers me greatly, because as a young person in bible college, we saw our pastor that laid foundations in so many of our lives acknowledge it before hundreds, when God brought the light of His word to Him. He had a prophetic calling and anointing to "shepherd the newborn." Was he perfect? No! But he managed to put the basics across to us, that the ink on the page means what it says, and to have respect for it. I have heard some of these very men that reject sound doctrine in favor of their own itching ears, wrestle scripture to their own destruction.
BELIEVE GOD'S WORD LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN
There are those who rightly preach the words of Messiah -- that we should obey Him and "Become like little children so that we can see the kingdom of heaven. But they would not allow God's people to function as the scriptures define that a church service should function. They would not make God's house a house of prayer. The people were not encouraged to pray before services, so that they would be discerning. Or so that they would detect infiltration as it states in 1 Cor. 14:25. As I endeavored to respect and understand I would read articles, or listen to tapes or messages. With all of my heart, I have thought: Ok! That is certainly what we need--To become as little children, so that we can see the kingdom of God. I wanted to be without guile so that I could have an open heaven. To read those simple words of the bible and to interpret them literally, and rightly divide the word of truth. To have our belt of truth be a genuine reflection of the holy scriptures. We have endeavored to do this.
That the gospel would go out from Jerusalem in an ever widening circle, unto all the world, cannot be disputed successfully.
GOD WILL USE YOU!
"I give thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he counted me trustworthy in making me his minister. For I formerly was a blasphemer, a persecutor and a bitter adversary; but I obtained the mercy of GOD because I acted ignorantly, in unbelief." 1 Tim 1:12-13
In Luke 24:48, Yeshua stated to his disciples that they were to tarry in Jerusalem till they were endued with power from on high, and this is precisely what the 120 did in obedience to God's will. These men heard Yeshua's words in Galilee, spoken in Matt. 28:19. They all had the same instructions from Messiah to go to the city of Jerusalem in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8. The Messiah prophesied that a prophetic major event would occur there. They heard were eye witnesses of Messiah's resurrection and ascension. And in Acts 2:1-4 they were visited by a mighty visitation of God. The Acts of the Apostles is still taking place. Yeshua reigns on high and He is still giving direction and instruction to those who reverence Him, hold the testimony and revelation of the name Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ, as we see in Acts 9:5 and Acts 5:10-12 and Acts 5:13-19.
Acts 9:5)
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Acts 9:10-12) And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11) And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prays. 12) And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Acts 5:13-19) Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14) And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15) But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Acts 5:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. 17) And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18) And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
19) And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
You are called to serve the living Saviour. Always let your ministry be first and foremost to Yeshua/Jesus and not just for Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. This will help to protect you from deception. The Spirit of the Living God --The King Eternal and Only Wise God, still gives very specific direction to those who seek Him in prayer. Maintain a life of prayer, bible study and obedience to God, and you will be blessed beyond measure.
"As they ministered unto the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said: Separate unto me Barnabus and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed into Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus." (Acts 13:2-4)
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
in all the world for a witness unto all nations;
and then shall the end come.
Matthew 24:14
