And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: After these things, I shall return and rebuild the tabernacle (booth) of David that is fallen down; and I shall rebuild it's ruins and I will restore it,in order that the rest of mankind may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name says the Lord who makes these things known from of old."(Acts 15:15-18)
When Satan built his kingdom, he used the arts. Satan always utilizes artisans of all kinds, employing the demonic anointing of the host of the high ones, operating through the kings of the earth. Through His atoning on the cross, His resurrection and ascension, Jesus Christ spoiled principalities and powers making a show of them openly, and triumphantly. He ascended on high and gave "gifts" to men, to raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down. (Acts 15:15-18) But God's word promises: In that day, I will punish the host of the high ones that are on high...And the kings of the earth. (Isaiah)
This is a vision seen by Paul Gauguin during a sermon at his church. He painted it in the 1800s. It was a prophecy in visual form! Can you see Jacob wrestling with the angel, and the "calf?" This painting by Gauguin was a prophetic message seen in a vision. He painted it just like he saw it, feeling that others would get the message too. God wants to use the arts to speak to people. The Lord created the arts for His glory! Artists like Gauguin and Van Gogh were called of God to reach their generation. Unfortunately artists such as these too often lacked a knowledge of the full gospel. Or they fell into apostacy because of the love of money! fell into Their creative talent became the spoils of the demonic kingdom...
Prophecies In Scripture With Accompanying Actions
WHY DOES GOD SPEAK THROUGH A PROPHET WITH MOVEMENT OR MIMED ACTIONS?
God is very clear in at least one instance, regarding why He used mime. Israel had stopped listening to the prophet of God. So God said: "I will make your tongue cleave to the roof of your mouth." (so that you shall be dumb; and shall not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house." (Ezekiel 3:26) Approximately a third of Ezekiel's prophetic words were given in prophetic pictures of this sort.
GOD'S MIMING PROPHETS:
Although we do not see the characteristic "white-faced" mime, as we have come to know it among the Jewish prophets, among the prophetic words spoken by God's prophets of both the Old Testament and the New Testaments, many of these very vivid or dramatically given prophecies were given with accompanying movement or mimed. The scriptures actually contain about 40 of these.
Hosea speaking by the word of the Lord says: "I have also spoken to you by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions for you and have appealed to you through parables acted out by the prophets. (Hosea 12:10)
The Hebrew phrase "acted out" comes from DANAH, meaning "a silent mime, an enactment, or judgment."
God spoke through the prophets in the following three ways:
1) Mimed actions with no verbal communication or words of any kind.2) Words with accompanying movement either preceeding or following the spoken word.
3) Prophecies with simultaneous actions.
PROPHECIES OF JUDGMENT:
In the bible, a prophetic action accompanies the prophecy of the dividing of the kingdom, which is found in I Kings 11:30-40. We're told that Jereboam was a mighty man of valor, and Solomon seeing that the young man was industrious, made him leader over all the charge of the house of Joseph. One day Jereboam was out walking in a field, wearing new clothing, and the prophet of God met him in the way.
Ahijah the Prophet caught hold of the new garment of Jereboam, and tore it in 12 pieces. Then he said to him, by the word of the Lord: "You take 10 pieces, for thus says the Lord: I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and I will give 10 tribes to you. But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. "
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECLARE TOTAL VICTORY THROUGH A PROPHETIC ACTION:
In 2 Kings 13:14, Elisha the prophet was sick with an illness. But not too sick to prophesy to the king of Israel. He said: Open the window to the east, and he opened it. Then the prophet said: "Now, shoot!" And he shot. And Elisha said: "The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for you shall smite the Syrians in Aphek, till you have consummed them.
And he said: Now take the arrows, and he took them. And he said to the king od Israel, smite on the ground. And he struck the ground with the arrows three times, and the propheti was angry with him, and said: You should have smitten 5-6 times, for then you would have smitten Syria until you had consummed it. But now you will smite them but three times.
What was needed here on the part of this king? Discernment! He should have been sensitive enough to know the mind of the Lord. But he was not. Thus at a time when the nation needed a total victory from their oppressors, they received but a partial victory.
THE FALSE PROPHETS ALSO PROPHESIED WITH ACTIONS OR GESTURES:
We see in the scriptures the need to judge prophecy. The same principles hold true for judging prophetic manifestations such as these, as for judging prophecy. Does it line up with the word of God? What is the character of the prophet? Does the tone of the prophecy sound condemning and out of character with the Lord Jesus Christ, who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance? He shed His as the propitiation for sin, to reconcile fallen man back to God.
An interesting illustration of a false but very convincing prophecy being given with "prophetic gesture is found in 1 Kings 22:11, in which a false prophet named Chenannah made for himself "horns of iron." With these, he prophesied: "Thus says the Lord: With these you will push the Syrians until you have consummed them."
The problem was that Micaiah, the true prophet of God had predicted otherwise, saying: "I saw Israel scattered, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said: These have no master. Let them return every man to his own house in peace." (1 Kings 22:17)
For this, God's prophet was struck in the face and cast into prison, while the false prophet walked about freely deceiving the masses. Micaiah, the prophet of the Lord, prophesied something else: He said of the king: "If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me." Thus the king went out and tried to disguise himself, as he rode into battle, and a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and it struck the king and he died.
PROPHETIC GESTURES IN ISRAEL'S DANCE AND WORSHIP:
One of the examples in scripture in which we see mime of this sort accompanying prophetic song is in Exodus 15:20, in which Miriam sings antiphonally the"song of the Lord" with her brother Moses after the tremendous victory of the Red Sea crossing. Many commentators feel that this dance mimed the victory itself, with movements which described the chariots and their riders being drowned in the sea.
NEW TESTAMENT PROPHET'S UTILIZATION OF MIME OR GESTURE:
In the book of Acts, we see the actual description of a mime accompanying a prophetic word in a prophecy given by Agabus the Prophet. Agabus came from Judea in 43 A.D. while Paul and Barnabus were there, and predicted a coming famine, that actually occurred the following year after he gave this word of prophecy.
Relief for the Christian community were raised by the brethren and conveyed to Jerusalem by the hands of Paul and Barnabus. Several years later, this same prophet named Barnabus, met Paul at Caesarea and warned him of coming sufferings, by binding his hands and feet with his girdle and saying: "So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." (Acts 21:11-12) But Paul responded: "What you you mean, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. (21:13)
There are churches which possess the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit with great diverity, but that self-same Spirit. There you are just as likely to meet an artist that paints prophetically, or a dancer dancing a prophetically, like Miriam danced her pantomime dance as she sang a prophetic song on the shore of the Red Sea (Exodus 15) You will hear the prophetic song of the Lord, or a regular word of prophecy given to edify or build up the body of Christ, to exhort or comfort the people of God. Christian mime schools have sprung up and people enact or mime prophecies in their churches, in the way we see prophecies enacted with movement in the scriptures, such as that of Agabus the prophet in the New Testament.
GNOSTICISM vs REVELATION IN THE EARLY CHURCH:
The Gnosticism of early centuries helped train people to be very stoic. In the Western world, people tend to be quite reserved. This was certainly not true of the Old Testament prophets, or the New Testament believers, who heard the gospel through Jews who had celebrated the feasts with dance. Because the age of grace came, doesn't mean people stopped dancing.
For many years, churches have fallen off with yielding to many of the anointed New Testament functions of the church which show forth Christ. Things like regular so-called "lay" church members "teaching and exhorting one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, (Eph. 5:19, Col. 3;16) giving exhortations, (Rom. 12:8) anointed testimonies...words of wisdom, knowledge, discerning of spirits; or the sharing of their dreams, and visions.
We've seen anointed dancers at David Ravenhill's church, perform at Easter, and yes we were exhorted and excouraged in our faith through the arts. Moreover, it's wonderful to see the arts redeemed for the glory of God, where people can utilize them and even enjoy them in an atmosphere of holiness, instead of being tempted to go to secular sources. Where "the tabernacle of David can be raised even in these areas, so that theose who do not know the Lord will call upon His name, even through the expressive and creative use of these "teachings" in righteousness. And God's chidren encouraged to yield their members as instruments of righteousness.
George Frederic Handel, burdened for the poor; had fasted many days, when he was given a vision of Jesus Christ, and the Hallelujah Chorus came to him by the Spirit. Tears streaming down his He quoted Apostle Paul: Whether in my body or out, I do not know...Musicians need to go to God for their music, and not pattern themselves after this world. Jesus has not only the keys of and hell, but also of the realm of music. The bible calls Him the Creator, and as Creator, He is far above that anointed cherub that once covered the throne of God, Lucifer Son of the Morning, now the fallen prince of darkness. (Isaiah 14:12)
Many of the world's artists, whose lives and paintings relfect their own search for God; would have been encouraged by Daniel's interpretation of the vision, of King Nebuchadnezzar, in which a Stone cut out without hands smote the image with feet of iron and clay and crushed them, and the Stone became a great mountain that filled the whole earth. (Daniel 2)
"But God says: "...I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up, that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles on whom My name is called, says the Lord who does all these things."(Acts 15: 16)
...David had brought up the Ark from Kirjathjearim, to the place which David
had prepared for it: for he pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.
Scriptural Basis
For The Tabernacle of David
"Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called: Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, the "Everlasting Father; the Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)
PROPHETIC MANDATE TO THE KING'S
COURT
OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM:
This is the day, and this is the hour when God is speaking one of the most serious prophetic messages to His church that you will ever hear. This is being spoken to the Church of the New Millennium, and will be confirmed by God, through men and women and children, and angelic visitations.
As angels filled the sky to herald the birth of Jesus Christ, when He came into the world at the first coming, the ministry of angels is going to increase more and more, as God brings the culmination or completion and finishing touches on the Tabernacle of David.
God is saying: I want to bring you into the fullest aspect of the inheritance that I have intended for those who are joint-heirs together with Me, that you have ever possessed, and I want to do this now. Will you receive it? Or will you turn Me away, that I might have to write ICHABOD (The Glory of God Has Departed) on your door?
THE KING, HIS KINGDOM & ROYAL OFFSPRING:
God is the King of the universe. He has a "royal house"and royal sons and
daughters, who were created in His own image. God wants you to see His image
clearly. I believe that the key issue fought over at the Council of Nicea
in 325 A.D. was this issue of proper "focus." Here was where they tried to hide
this glory in ecclestical terms. So the theologians have argued over the
centuries: Is Jesus in the godhead, or is the godhead in Jesus?
The God of Israel had many roles, but never did the nation ever see him as various persons. The mandate given them by God to keep them a separate and distinct people from the polygamous nations about them was
I believe the scriptures teach plainly that we are to look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, for the light of the glory of the invisible God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. All the fulness of deity dwells in Him bodily! (Col. 2:9) God is known and glorified in and through His Glorified Son, of whom Thomas said: "My Lord and My God! (John 20:28) You were created to be the son--to be the daughter of the King, the Most High God. There are enemies that war against the kingdom of God and of His Christ, and against you coming into the revelation Jesus spoke of when He said: I and My Father are one. Because this is needed to see that "he that is joined to the Lord is "one Spirit," and to do the "greater works" Jesus Christ said you will do." "Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord."
It is seducing spirits and doctrines of demons who have worked to mar your concept of the godhead, and of yourself in Christ.
In this article, I will discuss some of the things that have entered into the distortions throughout church history. It was a plot of Satan so diabolical as to call it "a mystery" and yet few caught on.
The purpose was to take the revelation of God's own person to His people, received by Apostle Paul on the Damascus Road, when the Spirit of Jesus appeared saying: "I am Jesus." Again to Ananias, to whom the Lord Jesus appeared;" which was "God in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. The demonic stradegy has been to so diffuse, and confuse the nature and person of God, that people would feel powerless, abandoned,alienated and alone. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Cor. 4:6)
But Satan wants to leave believers feeling: "What's wrong with me?" Why do I feel abandoned? To minimize the effectiveness of the cross of Christ. Satan used "infiltrators" to accomplish this. He used "false apostles and prophets," in early church history.
Did you know that Satan brought "false apostles" into the New Testament church, as "angels of light" just as the scriptures predicted?
THE PAGAN EMPEROR WHO CALLED HIMSELF THE 13TH APOSTLE:
The Roman emperor, Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus, or
Constantine I, was born at Naissus, in Upper Moesia. He was the eldest son of
Constantinus Chlorus and Helena. The tall, 51 year old pagan Emperor who called
the Council of Nicea together, was a worshipper of the sun-god. Under Emporer
Constantine's reign, the official state religion was pagan sun-worship.
Constantine began his with an edict of toloration the toloration began to decline as intoloration replaced it, first toward Jews, then Arians, and in coming years toward women, (Augustine, who had a peculiar aversion to women, had a big impact on the church, with his teaching that woman's embraces were sordid, filthy and horrible.) This evolved into false teachers "forbidding to marry,..." which the I Tim. 4:1 warns of.
Eventually the intolerance toward what was considered "heretical literature," at the Council of Nicea; spread to the books of the bible themselves. Eusebius, (In Eusebius, History of the Church) comments that in his day, the book of 2nd Peter was considered "uninspired." This unbelief in books of the bible escalated to take in the books of James, Jude, 2 Peter, and 2 and 3rd John. He commanded that "Sol Invictus" the "invincible sun," be prominently displayed on imperial banners and coinage of the realm. But the Sol Invictus which Constantine was devoted to, was not representative of the Son of God. But rather it represented a pagan god that Roman soldiers devoted themselves to that they might conquer in battle. This demonic principality spirit had served Constantine well, and he ruled over one of the most vast realms of the known world at time. It was not unlike that of certain eastern religions today. Until Constantine's decree, Christ's birth was celebrated on January 6th, but Constantine arranged for December 25, which is the festival of Natalis Invictus, the birth or rebirth of the sun to be the commemoration of Jesus birth.
SEEDS SEWN BY THE FALSE CLERGY:
When apostacy set in, and they developed a "whore's forehead," the latter-rain was withheld. It still rained on this city or that, but overall, it was no longer the Pentecost GESHEM, or torrent, previously seen! God "rains/reigns" through the many-membered body of Christ. This rain does not come through mankind via "one spigot," but rather; God has ordained that this latter rain to water the earth be poured out through hundreds of seemingly small droplets. But it is in this that we see the flood-tide that our God rides upon! It can strike like a flash flood, to embank the works of the devil when Satan comes in.
The Council of Nicea helped to establish the Nicolaitanism and clergy domination which followed, by defining the authority of bishops. This ultimately paved the way for the concentration of power in ecclesiastical hands. Although scripture clearly teaches on leadership within the church, God also warns of progressive false clergy indoctrination such as that seen in the church ages which followed on the heels of Nicea's councils.
There was a stradegy and an order and it was: 1) Endoctrinate 2) te 3) Denominate
Revelation knowledge such as the apostles loosed in services, and comes through the many membered body of Christ; was suffocated out. (1 Cor. 12:4-11, I Cor. 14:26, I Cor. 14:23-25)
The fact of the matter is, that God ordained each member of the church, to grow to fulness of stature in Christ, and to walk even as He walked. (Eph. 4:13, 1 Jn. 2:6) As a new convert, I sat under a pastor, and Eph. 4:13 was his favorite verse. As parents, we love our babies, but we also like to watch them grow into responsible individuals, with the skills to utilize all that we teach them.
One year after the Council of Nicea; Constantine sanctioned the confiscation and destruction of all works which challenged "orthodox" teachings. He installed the bishop of Rome in the Latern Palace. And in 331 Constantine financed new copies of the bible.
The Council of Nicea in 325 a.d. was held as a veritable stage for Constantine to vaunt himself, before the bishops present. As much as some people call Emporer Constantine a "saint," He was not the "religious type." The man was a military stradegist. He waged war on his own family, suffocating his wife in a Roman bath, and having his own son Crispus slain. He had his sister's son flogged till he died, and her husband strangled.
The Council of Nicea, for all it's pomp and ceremony, is touted to be some sort of "save the day" event, but it was, in ctuality; a bit of a circus with the opponents actually singing to each other like some sort of an operetta; their rhetorical remarks.
There's a certain humor to it all...Pagan sun-worship banners flying... Constantine, the Great Emporer, as the Master of Ceremonies, takes in the entire show, listening for weeks and monthes to the wrangling bishops, at his own expense. Because the Emporer had to feed and house these men, as they performed their own 3rd century quarreling version of Handel's Messiah; using actors from various cities and nations. Then at the end of his life, has himself baptized by the one of the chief proponents of the "heretical" party: Eusebius of Nicomedia.
HOW GLORIOUS IS THE NICEAN "NEW DAY?"
So how glorious a "new and sun-lit morning" did the Council of Nicea
create? You would be amazed...The early Christian church had been considered a
sect of Judaism, by the Romans. In 70 a.d. when Jerusalem fell, the church there
was scattered. Many of the Messianic Jewish leaders of the church, with their
heritage of the prophetic manifestations; were martyred prior to Nicea. So what
Nicea lacked, was any Messianic Jewish representation in the form of Jewish
Christian leaders among the signers of the Nicean Creed. It is difficult to
imagine a document as serious as something that would be used as a test of
Christian orthodoxy being signed into effect with this segment of the body of
Christ missing. But this is precisely what happened.
Why were the Jewish apostles absent? The compromise with the sun-worship banners would have been abhorrent to many of those believers and leaders who called themselves "The Sons of Judah," whether they came to Christ from Judaism, or paganism. These were discerning, holy men of God. Those converted from Judaism, had a knowledge of the scriptures. Satan himself can transform himself into an angel of light...Here's one of the churches Constantine had built. Hagia Sophia, or Holy Wisdom. And here's the subtility of the serpent, which was the "seducing spirit" of Nicea written into the Nicean Creed itself:
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, both seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from
Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came
down from heaven:
By the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin
Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified unter Pontius Pilate; he
suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in fulfillment
of the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of
the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the , and
his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver
of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and Son he
is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in
one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the
forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrrection of the , and the life of
the world to come. Amen.
IT'S NOT ALL OR NOTHING! SWALLOW IT OR ANATHEMA!
The fear that came with a creed being the test for orthodoxy, seems to have intimidated many into feeling that only clergy could interpret scripture, and they dared not think for themselves. But Jesus stated: No man knows the Father but the Son, and no man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him... The fact of the matter is, that Arius for all of his error, did seem to try to point out that Jesus Christ had a beginning in so far as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world is concerned." As Elohim, as Yahweh, the eternally existing God, God had always been. But I believe that Arius did not believe in the "Pre-existent Christ" theory, insofar as a "PRE-INCARNATE CHRIST" is concerned. One cannot be incarnate till he is incarnated!
and endeavored to share this with the council.
When we even speak the words Jesus "CHRIST" we are implying the knowledge that the Son of God was/is the Anointed of the Father. In the Old Testament, priests were anointed. Jesus Christ is now our Great High Priest, having offered for us, the redemption price, His own precious blood which takes away the sins of the whole world.. For God the Heavenly Father to robe Himself in the flesh of Messiah, there had to be this point in time when as flesh, the Son was not. He was not sitting in the balcony of heaven as in a form that looked like an ethereal version of the glorified Son, who was born, grew, ministered, died, was buried, resurrected and ascended into heaven where He is enthroned at the right hand of the Father; which is simply a term not denoting locale, but the position of all power and authority.
The truth of the matter is that both Arius, and the signing members of the creed were all wrong, and I don't think that we are necessarily bound by centuries of tradition to blindly accept either all Arius said, or all that the signing bishops stated in the council or the creed either! Prove all things, the bible says; and hold fast to that which is good!
THE PRE-EXISTENT CHRIST DOCTRINE:
The Jewish apostle, Peter; writes concerning God's "fore-knowledge" of Messiah, not Messiah's "pre-existence" with these words:
Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your futile way of life inherited from your fathers. But with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was "foreknown," before the foundation of the world, but has "appeared" in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God who raised Him from the and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."
This follows along the lines of the Vine's Expository Dictionary's definition of the LOGOS, being the Word, or entire ordered plan of God from Genesis to revelation. John 1:1 teaches us that 1) In the beginning was the word. 2) The word was with God. 3) The word was God. In Genesis 1:26, God prophesies of His plan to gather together all things in and through Messiah. Again after the fall, we read that there will be enmity between the serpents seed, and that of the woman.
We understand this to speak prophetically of Messiah, and the offspring who are born of water and of the Spirit. (John 3:3) These which come, as the result of the travail of Jesus Christ's soul, will be cause for Him to see His seed and be satisfied. (Isaiah 53:11) These are part of the "seed of the woman" which will war against the serpents seed.(Gen. 3:15) Redemption will come through her when this promised SEED, (singular) not seeds many; was born. Yet in Him, we see elsewhere, that God will bring many sons unto glory. In Rev. 13:8, we read that the Lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the world. Yet there was a specific fulness of time, in which Jesus ministered, and in a point in His ministry was arrested, and crucified.
fore-knowledge is a marvellous thing, and we read of the fore-knowledge of the sons of God in Romans 8:29-30) This term is a generic term for God's sons and daughters, whom He fore-knew, as he fore-knew the prophet Jeremiah long before He was ever born. (Jer. 1:5)
According to Isaiah 44:24, the Lord the Redeemer; who was Yahweh who kept covenant under the Old Testament or covenant, had no assistance from other godhead members at Creation. He stretched abroad the heavens by Himself!
Justin Martyr was one of the progenitors of the doctrine of pre-existence, as he speaks in his teachings of God begetting a Son prior to the Genesis creation. Until the sixth century A.D., early Christianity taught that we had a pre-earth life." This doctrine of a pre-existence was condemned by the council of Constantinople in A.D. 553. However, Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics reports the doctrine of a pre-existence concerning Christ; was favored by Origen (the greatest of early church theologians), Justin Martyr, Augustine. Perhaps due to the tremendous influence of these men, the pre-existent Christ teaching remained.
Both Arians and Trinitarians hold the belief that Jesus Christ was pre-existent. Somebody should have discerned this at the council of Nicea, and both sides may have been thrown out. The only way in which I understand such a term, is not as traditionally understood by Arians and trinitarians. Rather it is that God spoke the word. God's word is a living word. When God speaks He speaks as one speaks a prophetic word. The word has an incubation time until it produces. The Prophet Habakkuk states: I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart. I will keep watch and see what the Lord will say to me. The Lord said: Write the vision. Inscribe it on tablets that he may run that reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time. In the end it will speak and not lie. (Habakkuk 2:1-3) Meaning that a prophetic word has a prophetic season or time of fulfillment.
We have two daughters who were both very specifically promised by a prophetic word from the Lord, monthes or years prior to their birth. Many years elapsed between the giving of these words, and the manifestation of each of these children. They were not meanwhile, spirit children, as Mormons teach. But God's word was a living word. It was planted in the ground of our hearts, and produced "promised seed."
In the formulation of the "The Nicean Creed," those that drew up the creed worded it in this way: They called the Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ "The ONLY Son of God." This makes the rest of God's sons feel "What am I chopped liver?" In scripture Jesus Christ is frequently called "The Son of God." Were the Nicean Creed's wording "The Son of God," we would all comprehend that this is speaking of the Saviour of the world, who died on the cross for all mankind. But with the recitation of creeds, comes a subliminal endoctrination, that can shape the masses. This was the stradegy of Satan through the Nicean Council.
This may not seem significant, but for the fact that the bible teaches us that Jesus died, that He might bring many sons unto glory. Jesus Christ as Saviour of the World, Redeemer, Firstborn of many brethren, is not and ONLY Son.
Romans 8:19 speaks of the manifestation of the "sons of God." For hundreds of years, bible believing people have not moved into walking in the fulness of the stature of Christ, because of this "endoctrination," which plants within the minds and hearts a false message. Don't let it happen to you. For "now are we the sons of God," the bible says. And he that says he abides in Him, (Jesus Christ) ought also to walk, even as he walked. (I John 2:6)
It is high time that the corporate church left off with man-made creeds, for some are inspired by the seducing spirits warned of in God's word and are become the doctrines of devils.(I Tim. 4:1) Memorize scripture, and passages of the bible, as the early Jewish apostles of the church, such as Stephen; committed chapters of the bible to memory. I would add that an "anti-semitic spirit" was one of the other factors that contributed to the weakening and apostacy of the church. The church began with the Judeo heritage of Jewish apostles who had a total belief in ONE GOD, for they were commanded by God to recite "THE SHEMA:" Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is ONE LORD." These men were thoroughly instructed in the holy scriptures, and very familiar with the Messianic promises, concerning Jesus Christ.
Many of these Jewish apostles, prophets and teachers were martyred. As time progressed, anti-semitism was openly taught by the bishops and so called "church fathers."
Can you imagine how all of this slowed the spread of the gospel, and later, the "Protestant Reformation Movement" down? Especially when for many years, the common people could neither read nor write, and only the clergy possessed copies of the scriptures? In the New Testament, the inspired word of the Lord flows from speaking of Jesus Christ as Creator, right into God's purpose in Christ to bring forth a glorious church without spot or blemish, or any such thing.(Romans 8:22, Romans 1:20-25, I Peter 4:19)
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The Great Emperor Constantine viewed himself as, and left instructions when he died, that it be inscribed on his tomb; that he was to be remembered as the 13th Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. The bible warns of those "who love the preeminence." On the day of Pentecost, 22 May, Constantine died at Nicomedia, still wearing the white robes of a Christian neophyte. His body was escorted to Constantinople and lay in state in the imperial palace. His sarcophagus was then placed in the Church of the Holy Apostles, as he himself had directed; it was surrounded by the memorial steles of the Twelve Apostles, making him symbolically the thirteenth Apostle.
He was responsible for the fact that there were known or so-called heretics among those who sat at the Council of Nicea and signed the Nicean Creed. He paid the expenses of the voters at the Nicean Council, and gave lavish gifts, much like has happened in past presidential campaigns, to achieve certain goals. Some scholars have written on the anti-semitism which was so prevelent at the time of the Nicean Council in 325 a.d, stating that of the hundreds of church leaders in attendance, not one was Jewish. This no doubt was due to the blatent presence of idolatry in these religious sessions. It was at this Nicean council that the first Edict of the "Venerable Day of the Sun" was established.
But do you realize that Isaiah (9:6) prophesied that Jesus name would be called "The Everlasting Father?" or that the Holy Spirit speaks through the mouth of Jesus Christ today, and not of Himself? (Acts 9:5, 9:17, Acts 16:7 (Greek says "The Spirit of Jesus" Rev. 2-3) But God has promised that the path of the just shall shine brighter and brighter till the perfect day...We are involved in a great "spiritual battle" between the forces of darkness and the "True Light."
"...The True Light, which lights every man that comes into the world. He was in the world and the world was made by Him; and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:9)
Having researched this Council of Nicea which occurred in 325 a.d, I observe
that the seeds of change were planted here for much more than many ever discuss.
But from scripture, I believe that "in the beginning God created...(Genesis 1:1)
God who has no beginning nor end created the heavens and the earth and all that
is therein...Then that same God, the Almighty, Sovereign and Eternal Rock, and
King, robed Himself in flesh and we call this the incarnation. Jesus Christ
existed as "God" but He did not come into existence as "the Son of Man" till the
"fulness of time..." But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
4:5 in order to redeem those who were
under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.
4:6 And
because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying, "Abba! Father!"
4:7 So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if
a child then also an heir, through God.
Jesus Christ our Messiah...Whom the
power of the Highest had over-shadowed...His mother was a virgin, who had never
known a man, as prophesied in God's holy word. (Matthew 1:23)
THE SAGA OF THE GREAT GOD & KING
This is the saga of our great God and King and His territory that extends over all the earth...And of the Stone cut out without hands, that will smite the "idolatrous image" (The image of the beast, which was authored by the beast) on the feet, and will break them in pieces. And the iron, the clay, the silver, and the gold; broken to pieces together, shall become like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind of God shall carry them away, that no place will be found for them. And the Stone that smote the image and that became a great mountain (kingdom) will continue to spread throughout the earth. (Dan. 2:34-35)
Every kingdom has a territory and a throne, and subjects...And every kingdom has an opposing kingdom that is determined to conquer and to usurp the throne, and to make the subjects "it's captives."
God is raising the fallen tabernacle of David in these last days that the residue or remnant (from kataloipos, meaning: "remaining;" which is taken from two Greek words: 1)left down 2)behind) might seek after the Lord, and the Gentiles upon whom God's name is called. The two sticks will be one in the hand of the Lord.
When "prophetic speech" is used, it is often used as an allegory. When I use this "two sticks" terminology, it that you will understand only the "oneness" concept, of the body of Christ in covenant relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Not the fragmented, dis-jointed, disunified people Satan has tried to produce. This was so rebuked by the apostles teaching. Paul who baptized believers "into Jesus name." (Acts 19:5) said:
Now I say this, that everyone of you says: I'm of Cephus, and I'm of Apollos, and I'm of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Cor. 1:12) With the phrase "everyone of you, you get the idea that this problem was wide-spread in the church of Corinth. For Jesus said:
How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. (Mark 3:24)
He that is joined to the Lord is "one Spirit." (1 Cor. 6:17) The church was created to be "one body through Christ Jesus." In actuality, there has been warfare against this type of unity. The Day of Pentecost saw this "glorious unified church with oneness of purpose." The end-time church must be as glorious, and more so---doing the "greater works Jesus promised we would do. For though we do not have the original 12 living Apostles of the Lamb in our midst, we have their God-breathed writings to form the New Testament, and we have the Great Apostle Himself, who laid the foundations of the church, with His own blood.
The "hands of Zerubabbel"(i.e. Christ) laid the foundations of the house, and His hands also shall finish it.
"Who are you O great mountain? Before Zerubabbel you shall become a plain; and He shall bring forth the capstone (Not a headstone like a grave-stone) thereof with shoutings, crying: Grace, grace unto it!" (Zech. 4)
SATAN'S MORE OPPORTUNE SEASON:
"Jesus answered: It is written, you shall not tempt the Lord your God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season." (Greek: A more opportune season)
Where the Jerusalem Councilsucceeded marvellously in warding off the Satanic assault against them, the church failed miserably in later years, allowing Satan to come in like a flood. Why? This was due to a major lack of discernment on the part of church leaders, as well as the congregations themselves. What the devil could not swallow in one gulp, he decided to take "bite by bite," and over the next 300 years, Satan built the infra-structure for demonic takeover using "who else,"but deceived church leaders to do it. But lets discuss the Jerusalem Council first.
In the days of the early church, Satan's military stradegy was to spread heresies throughout the fledgling church, through the deployment of "sectarian spirits" which arrayed themselves against the early Christian church.
The strongman in this was the "spirit of doctrinal controversy." You can read more about this spirit in Derek Prince books, because he and some ministers dealt with this spirit during a period of revival.
As the early church spread and churches were being planted; God used the truth of the "Tabernacle of David," to prevent a major church split, or polazation into camps, or sects. The doctrine of the Tabernacle of David is the very infra-structure of the kingdom of God. It's framework is the "doctrine of the Godhead" itself. Here is the scriptural New Testament account of this:
THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL PROVED NOT A GOOD SEASON FOR SATAN:
And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, saying: Except you be circumcized after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved." Apparently these were Jews. Paul and Barnabus had a major confrontation with these "Judaisers," and it was decided that certain other of them should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders with this question.
When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and the elders and apostles there. A council was called together, and Peter arose, saying: "Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago; God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the world of the gospel and believe.
And God which knows the hearts bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost like He did us, and putting no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now why tempt God to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither you not your fathers could bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; we shall be saved even as they." (Acts 15)
THE RESTORATION OF THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID IS FOR THE SALVATION OF ALL MEN:
At the Jerusalem Council, there was silence after the Apostle Peter spoke. Then James received what appeared to be a clear-cut "word of knowledge" from God Himself, from the scriptures. And here is the word which allowed the gospel to go forward, with a unified church.
James answered:
Simeonhas declared how God at first visited the Gentiles to take from among them a people for His name. And this agrees with the words of the prophets: "After this, I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the remnant might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom My name is called, says the Lord who does all these things. Known of God are all His works from the beginning of the world."
THE HELLENIZATION OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY
God hates schism and division. Why? It genders the "spirit of bondgae."When Israel left Egypt, they were a unified people. It took all 12 tribes to take the land. Schism and division was what typified the environment of the kingdom that Emperor Constantine the Great was destined to inherit. Even the church of this era was divided. It was a "faulty" frame-work to begin with.
At Pentecost, the church was birthed. Like the church today, the surropunding cultures included cults and mystery religions such as thate of Isis, (Egyptian) Tammuz (Assyrian) and those of Greece. In the messages to the 7 Churches of Asia; Jesus is already rebuking them for drifting from their foundational teachings into "false doctrine."
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