This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper. This week we are looking at how The Last Supper can be viewed as the First New Testament Church Service. The Acts Church as defined in Acts 2:42 had the following four causes: Breaking Bread, Fellowship, Apostles' Teaching, and Prayer.
In the previous post, we saw how The Last Supper was the Ultimate example of believers participating in a Group Prayer. Today we will look at the concluding event of The Last Supper and summarize this month's Series.
NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH SERVICE
Matthew and Mark documented the last event that occurred at The Last Supper:
"26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out unto the mount of Olives." (Mark 14:26, ASV)
"30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out unto the mount of Olives." (Matthew 26:30, ASV)
The group of believers sang a hymn.
The Last Supper consisted of, in order:
1. Supper (Breaking Bread)
2. Short Lesson with question and answer (Apostles' Teaching)
3. Group Prayer (Prayer)
4. Hymn
All of this was in Fellowship. It was done by EVERYONE with EVERYONE. The Last Supper was not only the first instance of a group of believers fulfilling Acts 2:42, I believe it gave the ORDER of events in a New Testament Church Service. Remember what we learned from the Passover Seder, God is a God of ORDER. Let's look at each step:
1. Breaking Bread and Fellowship
The MAJORITY of the time involved eating and Fellowship. The Sequel shows that The Meaning of Life is "Church and Marriage". This is God's Ultimate Will. The Sequel also shows that God can only bring about His Will on earth as it is in Heaven through people who have enough value.
We can generate Spiritual value through Justice...through handling abuse well. However, this means someone else has to lose value. (Notice all the people in the Bible that God moved through and on behalf of, FIRST handled unjust abuse well.)
God also gave us two ways that allow EVERYONE to generate Spiritual value AND it NOT be at ANYONE else's expense: Church and Marriage.
The Sequel shows that both of these are communities that require people to be in their ARE. When EVERYONE is valued and encouraged to interact in their ARE with EVERYONE else, Spiritual value is generated for EVERYONE.
The reason the Breaking Bread takes up the majority of time for a New Testament Church Service is that it is the source of the majority of the Spiritual value. EVERYONE OUGHT to leave a Church service with MORE Spiritual value than when they arrived. The ONLY way this is possible is if EVERYONE interacts in their ARE with EVERYONE else.
Notice also, this Breaking Bread serves as the transition between the world and God. People were in the world before they arrived at "Church". The first thing they do is interact ONLY with other believers who were in the world. This first step allows people to shake off the dust of the world and get all their distractions out of the way before going further. It also is a TREMENDOUS source of energy that fuels the individual through the rest of the service.
2. Short Lesson with question and answer
There is a difference between meeting one-on-one with a person, telling several people the same thing in one-on-one meetings, and talking to a group of people. The value of talking to a group of people is two-fold:
-You know everyone hears the SAME thing
-Everyone knows that everyone else heard the SAME thing
This second point is often overlooked. This second point allows individuals to confront, instruct, encourage, teach, etc. others because they know the other individual has heard the same message.
The ONLY lesson that OUGHT to be taught to the entire group is a lesson that the entire group NEEDS to know for their interaction with the entire group of people. This means, these lessons are short, practical, and focused!
At The Last Supper, Jesus told the entire group to serve EVERYONE.
Notice, when a Disciple stopped serving someone, one of the other Disciples could go to that person and remind him the message from Jesus' Mouth that ALL of them heard it. Look again at the lessons taught to large groups of people...for example, the Sermon on the Mount. It was very simple and straightforward...and it was something EVERYONE could use to deal with EVERYONE else.
Today, most people think we pay the Pastor to give a 45 minute lesson that demonstrates how hard he has worked the previous week. I have asked people who preach complicated lessons whether they OUGHT to preach something that ONLY 10% of the people understand...and 1% of the people can even remember a week later. Their answer was that they do this to motivate the people to have to grow more.
What is a Pastor?
What is the job description of a Pastor?
What makes a Pastor a good or bad Pastor?
What do you measure and how do you measure it?
I believe complicated 45 minute sermons that NO ONE can apply to help others throughout the week AND entertainment during church service are an admission as to what we currently TRULY believe is the role of a Pastor...
What takes more talent? Presenting a complicated 45 minute rambling message that few people can remember OR presenting a concise powerful truth that few people can forget? Why do Pastors preach the way they do?
Finally, notice that this lesson was interactive. It wasn't Jesus talking and everyone else listening. Where was the profitability in that? Jesus physically touched each person. Jesus gave a short explanation. Jesus then answered questions and at least three Disciples weren't afraid to ask Jesus questions in front of everyone else. Notice, the MAJORITY of this lesson was in response to questions. If a Pastor wants to teach for a lengthy period of time, it OUGHT to be in response to questions.
If a person teaches an academic lesson, it will be long and complicated. Since it doesn't have practical application AND only a few people understand it, there won't be many, if any, questions. In fact, the ONLY questions that would occur would be by people who are academically smarter than the Pastor...which are the LAST questions most Pastors want to answer in public.
However, if the lesson is short, practical, and can be used by EVERYONE on EVERYONE else, the questions will help EVERYONE else. In that case, you would definitely WANT questions from the group!
Again, which shows more ability? A complicated 45 minute ONE WAY presentation OR an interactive question and answer exchange in front of everyone?
Notice that if believers want to get more understanding in a specific area that may not benefit the rest of the body, they OUGHT to do this in private studies with a smaller group. Why do Pastors teach 10% of the people on a specific topic in front of 90% of the people who don't comprehend the topic?
What do you believe God intended today's Church service to consist of?
Notice Step 2 (the lesson) continued the transition from the world to God. All that is left in this service is communicating directly with God!
3. Group Prayer
Jesus Prayed according to the same template as was used throughout the Bible.
Listen to others pray. Listen to the prayers in your church. Notice, in order to get prayers answered, there has to be Spiritual value...
In this New Testament Church Service, value was generated at the beginning, so now it can be invested! No wonder God answered these Prayers with "signs and wonders".
Today, there is NO creation of Spiritual value by the group AND there are requests made of God. How does God answer these prayers? By putting opportunities to gain Spiritual value in front of EVERYONE who prays...by people handling future unjust abuse well.
If you want to disagree about what I've written about Prayer, please read this post: What is Prayer?. Answer the questions and determine what you DO believe about Prayer before you get upset about what I have written. Prayer is a tough Doctrine. A lot of people think they have a belief about Prayer, however, it quickly falls apart after two or three questions...
4. Hymn
Notice, the last thing the group does is sing. This is something that is done with COMPLETE focus on God. This is an opportunity for people to hear directly from God. Notice, in this service, God gets the last word.
I went to a church that did service this way. It was AMAZING! The first 30-40 minutes involved people in Fellowship while breaking bread. The energy in the room was electric. I would sometimes stand in the corner and watch all "the cells" interact with all the other cells. Then the Pastor would preach a concise message (I called it "a nugget")...a 7-15 minute message. The service ended with 2 or 3 songs that didn't require people to look at the "performers" or even sing...everyone could completely focus on God. Everyone left with God getting the last word.
Today, there is NO Fellowship in our church services...everything is ONE WAY...from the "stage" to the audience. In fact...
THE SERVICE IS BACKWARDS!
The music is first and meant to entertain. The songs actually speak ABOUT US. ("I have a friend in God...")
The group prayer is NOT a prayer and even when it is, it puts EVERYONE who prayed it into Spiritual debt.
The lesson is long and complicated. I love to ask people what their Pastor preached on last Sunday. Less than 10% can remember. The service ends with the Pastor getting the last word. The service ACTUALLY glorifies the Pastor!
If you want to Fellowship and Break Bread, you are supposed to do it AFTER the service and out of the sanctuary...because they have another service that has to be held and food will make a mess.
Why are most churches' services the way they are?
Is it right?
The church mentioned above with the service the same way as The Last Supper was the Emergent Church. What happened?
Once the church grew to over 200 people, The Emergent Pastor's advisor began encouraging the Emergent Pastor to alter the service...
Soon, the breaking bread portion consisted of people watching who other people were talking to rather than interacting. The lesson lengthened from 7 minutes to over 40 minutes. The group prayer became infrequent. The music included more and more "sing-a-longs"...and today they have less than 20 people who attend.
SUMMARY
I believe The Last Supper was the first New Testament Church service.
It consisted of (in order): Breaking Bread/Fellowship, Apostles' Teaching, Group Prayer, and music.
Today, most church services are backwards from The Last Supper.
SERIES SUMMARY
The Last Supper taught us about God's Plan...from the Dispensation of the Law, through our current Dispensation, to the re-establishment of the Dispensation of the Law.
This is CRITICAL information that is RARELY discussed. Because of this, I believe The Last Supper is the most under-appreciated event that is recorded in the Bible.
On Monday, we will begin next month's Series: The Book of Daniel.
Next Post
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Last Supper: (Group) Prayer
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper. This week we are looking at how The Last Supper can be viewed as the First New Testament Church Service. The Acts Church as defined in Acts 2:42 did the four causes: Breaking Bread, Fellowship, Apostles' Teaching, and Prayer.
In the previous post, we saw how John 13 covered Jesus teaching to the Apostles the Ultimate lesson that would reverse the damage that has occurred in the Church: LEADERSHIP. (Please review the links to the right of this post for the previous topics.) Today we will look at Prayer...
Jesus' Prayer during The Last Supper was recorded in John 17. The discussion that occurred between Jesus' Teaching and Jesus' Prayer will be covered in depth at a later date. For now, it is important to know the topics that were covered because they set the context for Jesus' Prayer:
JOHN 14 - Thomas, Philip, Judas (not Iscariot) asked questions of Jesus. Notice, this was a time of TEACHING that occurred after Jesus' presentation. Whether you see this as Jesus still teaching the Apostles' or not, clearly the interaction was BOTH WAYS. Clearly, Jesus allowed for questions and answered these questions on the spot. Questions weren't submitted in writing and answered weeks later. EVERYTHING about The Last Supper encouraged group participation and COMPLETE interaction...EVERYONE interacted with EVERYONE else. Jesus' answers to the Apostles' questions involved Jesus stating He was GOING AWAY to be with the Father in order to prepare a place for us AND that we were not to worry because Jesus was sending the Holy Spirit to be in charge while He was gone.
JOHN 15 - Jesus spoke about Reward and Salvation through the analogy of The Vine. This immediately turned into an explanation about the role and importance of love.
JOHN 16 - Jesus then reminded the Apostles' of the role and importance of the Holy Spirit...AND concluded by stating that He was going to die.
Jesus covered the MOST important Doctrine for the Church in a Question/Answer setting! His Death...The Holy Spirit's LEADERSHIP...Reward...Salvation. Once this foundation was established, Jesus could Pray for the Apostles...
PRAYER
"1 These things spake Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that the son may glorify thee:
2 even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life.
3 And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ."
(I have written extensively about Prayer. EVERY prayer in the Bible that was answered followed this four step template:
1. Recognized God
2. Built faith through referencing something from experience or understanding
3. Referenced Justice
4. Made a request)
(We have even covered the difference between Prayer and Group Prayer. For example, The Lord's Prayer was ACTUALLY a Group Prayer! It began with "Our Father...", NOT "My Father...")
(In verses 1-3, Jesus began with the first two parts of prayer: recognition of God and building faith.)
"4 I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do."
(Third part of prayer: referenced Justice. Jesus was stating that He had accomplished the work that God gave Him to do, so He was on the Right side of Justice and could make a request.)
"5 And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."
(Fourth part of prayer: request a value. Jesus requested a value.)
"6 I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them to me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they know that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee:
8 for the words which thou gavest me I have given unto them; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me."
(Third part of prayer: referencing Justice FOR A GROUP. These verses turned this Prayer into a Group Prayer! Notice that to Jesus, the BASIS for the ALL things that were given to Jesus from God were the WORDS that God gave Him. We think with WORDS. We communicate with WORDS. WORDS are important! People who use WORDS and won't give the meaning of their WORDS are HYPOCRITES.)
"9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine:
10 and all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them."
(Fourth part of prayer for a group: making a Group Request.)
"11 And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are."
(This verse was HUGE. Jesus was praying that the believers/CHURCH were ONE...WHILE Jesus was NO MORE in the world. This meant the Holy Spirit is in charge right now while we are on the earth.)
"12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves."
(Verse 12 was Justice. Verse 13 was Request.)
"14 I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one."
(Verse 14 was Justice. Verse 15 was Request. Again WORDS were the basis. Jesus prayed that we are protected from the evil one, NOT that we are taken from this world.)
"16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth."
(Verse 16 was Justice. Verse 17 was Request. Again, Jesus was speaking about WORDS.)
"18 As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world."
(This was another HUGE verse. Jesus sent us into the world the SAME way that God sent Jesus into the world.)
"19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth."
(This verse was presented in cause and effect form like several verses in this prayer. Jesus was saying that He set Himself apart SO THAT we may be set apart WITH truth.)
"20 Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word;
21 that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me."
(Jesus just widened the group from those present to those believers to come!)
"22 And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one;
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me."
(There was A LOT going on in this sentence: causality, justice, perfection, unity, witnessing, love...The PURPOSE of Jesus giving us glory is so that we may be one! When a person understands that God's Glory was a reference to the way a person thinks, then they realize our ability to think like God and NOT man is the key to achieving unity in the Church! Throughout the Bible, unity ONLY came after people fixed a thought process: Matthew 9:35-38. Again, we think in terms of WORDS...)
"24 Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."
(This was the final Request of the Prayer.)
"25 O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me;
26 and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them."
(Jesus concluded with a promise to God that He was going to make God's name known SO THAT Jesus AND the love God had for Jesus could be in the Church! Wow!)
SUMMARY
During The Last Supper, Jesus prayed a Group Prayer for ALL the believers...for the Church...for His Bride.
This group prayer from Jesus' Mouth was His Last Group Prayer before His death.
There was currently NO MORE important prayer for the benefit of the Church than the Prayer Jesus gave at The Last Supper.
We have seen that The Last Supper included ALL FOUR of the causes of The Acts Church: Breaking Bread, Fellowship, Apostles' Teaching, and Prayer.
Tomorrow, we will conclude this mini-series by looking at the event that concluded The Last Supper and completed the First New Testament Church Service...
Next Post
In the previous post, we saw how John 13 covered Jesus teaching to the Apostles the Ultimate lesson that would reverse the damage that has occurred in the Church: LEADERSHIP. (Please review the links to the right of this post for the previous topics.) Today we will look at Prayer...
Jesus' Prayer during The Last Supper was recorded in John 17. The discussion that occurred between Jesus' Teaching and Jesus' Prayer will be covered in depth at a later date. For now, it is important to know the topics that were covered because they set the context for Jesus' Prayer:
JOHN 14 - Thomas, Philip, Judas (not Iscariot) asked questions of Jesus. Notice, this was a time of TEACHING that occurred after Jesus' presentation. Whether you see this as Jesus still teaching the Apostles' or not, clearly the interaction was BOTH WAYS. Clearly, Jesus allowed for questions and answered these questions on the spot. Questions weren't submitted in writing and answered weeks later. EVERYTHING about The Last Supper encouraged group participation and COMPLETE interaction...EVERYONE interacted with EVERYONE else. Jesus' answers to the Apostles' questions involved Jesus stating He was GOING AWAY to be with the Father in order to prepare a place for us AND that we were not to worry because Jesus was sending the Holy Spirit to be in charge while He was gone.
JOHN 15 - Jesus spoke about Reward and Salvation through the analogy of The Vine. This immediately turned into an explanation about the role and importance of love.
JOHN 16 - Jesus then reminded the Apostles' of the role and importance of the Holy Spirit...AND concluded by stating that He was going to die.
Jesus covered the MOST important Doctrine for the Church in a Question/Answer setting! His Death...The Holy Spirit's LEADERSHIP...Reward...Salvation. Once this foundation was established, Jesus could Pray for the Apostles...
PRAYER
"1 These things spake Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that the son may glorify thee:
2 even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life.
3 And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ."
(I have written extensively about Prayer. EVERY prayer in the Bible that was answered followed this four step template:
1. Recognized God
2. Built faith through referencing something from experience or understanding
3. Referenced Justice
4. Made a request)
(We have even covered the difference between Prayer and Group Prayer. For example, The Lord's Prayer was ACTUALLY a Group Prayer! It began with "Our Father...", NOT "My Father...")
(In verses 1-3, Jesus began with the first two parts of prayer: recognition of God and building faith.)
"4 I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do."
(Third part of prayer: referenced Justice. Jesus was stating that He had accomplished the work that God gave Him to do, so He was on the Right side of Justice and could make a request.)
"5 And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."
(Fourth part of prayer: request a value. Jesus requested a value.)
"6 I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them to me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they know that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee:
8 for the words which thou gavest me I have given unto them; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me."
(Third part of prayer: referencing Justice FOR A GROUP. These verses turned this Prayer into a Group Prayer! Notice that to Jesus, the BASIS for the ALL things that were given to Jesus from God were the WORDS that God gave Him. We think with WORDS. We communicate with WORDS. WORDS are important! People who use WORDS and won't give the meaning of their WORDS are HYPOCRITES.)
"9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine:
10 and all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them."
(Fourth part of prayer for a group: making a Group Request.)
"11 And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are."
(This verse was HUGE. Jesus was praying that the believers/CHURCH were ONE...WHILE Jesus was NO MORE in the world. This meant the Holy Spirit is in charge right now while we are on the earth.)
"12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves."
(Verse 12 was Justice. Verse 13 was Request.)
"14 I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one."
(Verse 14 was Justice. Verse 15 was Request. Again WORDS were the basis. Jesus prayed that we are protected from the evil one, NOT that we are taken from this world.)
"16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth."
(Verse 16 was Justice. Verse 17 was Request. Again, Jesus was speaking about WORDS.)
"18 As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world."
(This was another HUGE verse. Jesus sent us into the world the SAME way that God sent Jesus into the world.)
"19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth."
(This verse was presented in cause and effect form like several verses in this prayer. Jesus was saying that He set Himself apart SO THAT we may be set apart WITH truth.)
"20 Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word;
21 that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me."
(Jesus just widened the group from those present to those believers to come!)
"22 And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one;
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me."
(There was A LOT going on in this sentence: causality, justice, perfection, unity, witnessing, love...The PURPOSE of Jesus giving us glory is so that we may be one! When a person understands that God's Glory was a reference to the way a person thinks, then they realize our ability to think like God and NOT man is the key to achieving unity in the Church! Throughout the Bible, unity ONLY came after people fixed a thought process: Matthew 9:35-38. Again, we think in terms of WORDS...)
"24 Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."
(This was the final Request of the Prayer.)
"25 O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me;
26 and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them."
(Jesus concluded with a promise to God that He was going to make God's name known SO THAT Jesus AND the love God had for Jesus could be in the Church! Wow!)
SUMMARY
During The Last Supper, Jesus prayed a Group Prayer for ALL the believers...for the Church...for His Bride.
This group prayer from Jesus' Mouth was His Last Group Prayer before His death.
There was currently NO MORE important prayer for the benefit of the Church than the Prayer Jesus gave at The Last Supper.
We have seen that The Last Supper included ALL FOUR of the causes of The Acts Church: Breaking Bread, Fellowship, Apostles' Teaching, and Prayer.
Tomorrow, we will conclude this mini-series by looking at the event that concluded The Last Supper and completed the First New Testament Church Service...
Next Post
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Last Supper: Apostles' Teaching
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper. This week we are looking at how The Last Supper can be viewed as the First New Testament Church Service. The Acts Church as defined in Acts 2:42 did the four causes: Breaking Bread, Fellowship, Apostles' Teaching, and Prayer.
In the previous post, we saw how The Last Supper was the Ultimate example of believers Breaking Bread and having Fellowship. Today we will look at the Apostles' Teaching...
APOSTLES' TEACHING (JOHN 13)
"2 And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all the things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God,
4 riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself."
(DURING The Last Supper, Jesus did the following events...)
"5 Then he poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 So he cometh to Simon Peter. He saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew him that should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean."
(Jesus washed the Disciples' feet DURING The Last Supper. He even washed Judas' feet. We covered the above exchange between Simon Peter and Jesus in a mini-series called Seven Steps of The Sifting Process.)
"12 So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?"
(Jesus was TEACHING...He asked if they knew what He had done to them.)
"13 Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them."
This was the last lesson Jesus taught to His disciples. Jesus didn't say many words or take up a lot of time with explanation.
Jesus BLATANTLY stated that we all OUGHT to serve each other...NOT try to BOSS each other.
I have written A LOT about the difference between a LEADER and a BOSS. Last year at this time, we spent two months (April and May) on LEADERSHIP...how Jesus ALWAYS gave a reason and a value. The Sequel identifies LEADERSHIP as one of the three keys to fixing the damage that has been done to the Church.
I have supplied plenty of links (above) and two months worth of posts to back all of this up, so here is a quick summary:
There can ONLY be ONE BOSS. EVERYONE can be a LEADER. Jesus wanted ALL of us to be LEADERS, NOT BOSSES. Today, Pastors act as BOSSES because people will reject someone who acts as a true LEADER. We have substituted man's doctrine in place of the Apostles' Doctrine on LEADERSHIP. The Church will NOT fulfill Her purpose until we work together to value LEADERS.
SUMMARY
During The Last Supper, Jesus taught the Apostles' about LEADERSHIP.
This Apostles' Teaching from Jesus' Mouth was His Last Teaching before His death.
There is currently NO MORE important topic for believers to learn for the benefit of the Church than the teaching Jesus gave at The Last Supper.
We have seen that The Last Supper included three of the causes of The Acts Church: Breaking Bread, Fellowship, and Apostles' Teaching.
Tomorrow, we will look at another CAUSE of The Acts Church and how it related to The Last Supper...
Next Post
In the previous post, we saw how The Last Supper was the Ultimate example of believers Breaking Bread and having Fellowship. Today we will look at the Apostles' Teaching...
APOSTLES' TEACHING (JOHN 13)
"2 And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all the things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God,
4 riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself."
(DURING The Last Supper, Jesus did the following events...)
"5 Then he poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 So he cometh to Simon Peter. He saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew him that should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean."
(Jesus washed the Disciples' feet DURING The Last Supper. He even washed Judas' feet. We covered the above exchange between Simon Peter and Jesus in a mini-series called Seven Steps of The Sifting Process.)
"12 So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?"
(Jesus was TEACHING...He asked if they knew what He had done to them.)
"13 Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them."
This was the last lesson Jesus taught to His disciples. Jesus didn't say many words or take up a lot of time with explanation.
Jesus BLATANTLY stated that we all OUGHT to serve each other...NOT try to BOSS each other.
I have written A LOT about the difference between a LEADER and a BOSS. Last year at this time, we spent two months (April and May) on LEADERSHIP...how Jesus ALWAYS gave a reason and a value. The Sequel identifies LEADERSHIP as one of the three keys to fixing the damage that has been done to the Church.
I have supplied plenty of links (above) and two months worth of posts to back all of this up, so here is a quick summary:
There can ONLY be ONE BOSS. EVERYONE can be a LEADER. Jesus wanted ALL of us to be LEADERS, NOT BOSSES. Today, Pastors act as BOSSES because people will reject someone who acts as a true LEADER. We have substituted man's doctrine in place of the Apostles' Doctrine on LEADERSHIP. The Church will NOT fulfill Her purpose until we work together to value LEADERS.
SUMMARY
During The Last Supper, Jesus taught the Apostles' about LEADERSHIP.
This Apostles' Teaching from Jesus' Mouth was His Last Teaching before His death.
There is currently NO MORE important topic for believers to learn for the benefit of the Church than the teaching Jesus gave at The Last Supper.
We have seen that The Last Supper included three of the causes of The Acts Church: Breaking Bread, Fellowship, and Apostles' Teaching.
Tomorrow, we will look at another CAUSE of The Acts Church and how it related to The Last Supper...
Next Post
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Last Supper: Breaking Bread and Fellowship
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we will conclude this Series by looking at how The Last Supper can be viewed as the First New Testament Church Service...
We have seen that the effects of THE ACTS CHURCH were best described in Acts 2:43-47...
“43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.
46 And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.”
The Bible was written from CAUSE to EFFECT. Notice, the preceding verse (Acts 2:42) gave the CAUSES:
“42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
I believe a New Testament Church Service OUGHT to have these four causes.
Notice, in Mark 12, Jesus said the following when explaining the FIRST Commandment:
"29 Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one:
30 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.
31 The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."
Jesus listed four parts. Actually, every person is made up of these four parts:
Heart – emotion
Soul – spirit
Mind – mental
Strength – physical
We saw in the Series on I Corinthians, Paul referred to the New Testament church as the BODY. Now look at the four causes of THE ACTS CHURCH! Acts 2:42 addressed all four areas for the New Testament Church (BODY):
Mental - Apostles’ teaching
Emotion - Fellowship
Physical - Breaking of bread
Spirit – Prayers
We have seen that the First Commandment is the CAUSE and the Second Commandment is the EFFECT. If you love the Lord with all four parts of your being, then the EFFECT is God will flow through you to love your neighbor as yourself.
People who tell you to love your neighbor in your own strength...as a CAUSE...are making the Second Commandment a work of the flesh. This will ONLY result in wearing a person out in the Long Term.
In The Sequel, we found out that doing the Second Commandment as a CAUSE (ESPECIALLY when it comes to your spouse) is IDOLATRY! The individual is literally making the Second Commandment MORE important than the First Commandment...more important than God. The ONLY thing we OUGHT to do is the First Commandment...it is the ONLY thing we have control over. (Seek ye first the kingdom of God...) The effect of doing the First Commandment is that God will do the Second Commandment through us if we choose to let Him!
Let's look at two of the CAUSES of The Acts Church relative to The Last Supper...
BREAKING BREAD
We have seen in the I Corinthians Series that eating supper was one of the activities that occurred when the believers were gathered together. We began this month's Series recognizing that Paul said for believers who gather together, and have this supper, to make sure they replicate the 11th and 12th steps of the Passover...the Unleavened Bread and the Wine...in order to have Communion with each other and God.
The Last Supper was a Passover Seder (breaking bread) that a body of believers shared when they gathered together.
During the previous two weeks, we saw that The Last Supper was the First Feast of God to be fulfilled that brought about our Dispensation.
SUMMARY
Until the ENTIRE Passover Seder is fulfilled after the Final Judgment, there was NO MORE important occurrence of believers breaking bread together than The Last Supper.
The Last Supper was the Ultimate example of believers Breaking Bread.
FELLOWSHIP
As stated above, The Last Supper was the event that gave us Communion...the Ultimate sign of Fellowship!
Jesus HIMSELF presided over this Communion AND time of Fellowship...
This is a subtle point, but Jesus and the disciples gathered together at The Last Supper to have a meal. This meal took time. During this time there was a ceremony...and what else? Sharing...Fellowship...Discussion...with other believers AND Jesus!
SUMMARY
Until we gather together at the Marriage SUPPER after the Final Judgment, there was no MORE important example of believers in Fellowship than The Last Supper.
Tomorrow, we will look at another CAUSE of The Acts Church and how it related to The Last Supper...
Next Post
BONUS
Notice, The ULTIMATE Church Gathering occurs after Final Judgment...it is known as The Marriage SUPPER of the Lamb. How is the ULTIMATE Church Gathering any different than The Last Supper?
Don't underestimate the ROLE of eating!
Adam's fall involved eating.
Jesus' temptation by the devil involved NOT eating.
The Last Supper was centered around eating.
The ULTIMATE celebration in paradise is centered around eating.
In fact, I'm going to share the beginning of an oft-quoted verse from Jesus' Mouth. See if you can finish it correctly.
Revelation 3:20
"20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and..."
And WHAT?
Take some time to really decide what you think Jesus said. Notice how people DON'T quote the rest of this verse. Notice also that Jesus stated the rest of what happened from BOTH perspectives!
BONUS BONUS
Notice, this verse did NOT say "IF I stand at the door..." OR "IF I knock..." Jesus is standing at EVERYONE'S door. Jesus is knocking on EVERYONE'S door. The "IF" takes place AFTER Jesus reaches out to us! The IF depends on US!
Our Salvation is dependent on hearing (deeply considering/understanding) His Voice AND choosing to open the door.
BONUS ANSWER
"...I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)
This week we will conclude this Series by looking at how The Last Supper can be viewed as the First New Testament Church Service...
We have seen that the effects of THE ACTS CHURCH were best described in Acts 2:43-47...
“43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.
46 And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.”
The Bible was written from CAUSE to EFFECT. Notice, the preceding verse (Acts 2:42) gave the CAUSES:
“42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
I believe a New Testament Church Service OUGHT to have these four causes.
Notice, in Mark 12, Jesus said the following when explaining the FIRST Commandment:
"29 Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one:
30 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.
31 The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."
Jesus listed four parts. Actually, every person is made up of these four parts:
Heart – emotion
Soul – spirit
Mind – mental
Strength – physical
We saw in the Series on I Corinthians, Paul referred to the New Testament church as the BODY. Now look at the four causes of THE ACTS CHURCH! Acts 2:42 addressed all four areas for the New Testament Church (BODY):
Mental - Apostles’ teaching
Emotion - Fellowship
Physical - Breaking of bread
Spirit – Prayers
We have seen that the First Commandment is the CAUSE and the Second Commandment is the EFFECT. If you love the Lord with all four parts of your being, then the EFFECT is God will flow through you to love your neighbor as yourself.
People who tell you to love your neighbor in your own strength...as a CAUSE...are making the Second Commandment a work of the flesh. This will ONLY result in wearing a person out in the Long Term.
In The Sequel, we found out that doing the Second Commandment as a CAUSE (ESPECIALLY when it comes to your spouse) is IDOLATRY! The individual is literally making the Second Commandment MORE important than the First Commandment...more important than God. The ONLY thing we OUGHT to do is the First Commandment...it is the ONLY thing we have control over. (Seek ye first the kingdom of God...) The effect of doing the First Commandment is that God will do the Second Commandment through us if we choose to let Him!
Let's look at two of the CAUSES of The Acts Church relative to The Last Supper...
BREAKING BREAD
We have seen in the I Corinthians Series that eating supper was one of the activities that occurred when the believers were gathered together. We began this month's Series recognizing that Paul said for believers who gather together, and have this supper, to make sure they replicate the 11th and 12th steps of the Passover...the Unleavened Bread and the Wine...in order to have Communion with each other and God.
The Last Supper was a Passover Seder (breaking bread) that a body of believers shared when they gathered together.
During the previous two weeks, we saw that The Last Supper was the First Feast of God to be fulfilled that brought about our Dispensation.
SUMMARY
Until the ENTIRE Passover Seder is fulfilled after the Final Judgment, there was NO MORE important occurrence of believers breaking bread together than The Last Supper.
The Last Supper was the Ultimate example of believers Breaking Bread.
FELLOWSHIP
As stated above, The Last Supper was the event that gave us Communion...the Ultimate sign of Fellowship!
Jesus HIMSELF presided over this Communion AND time of Fellowship...
This is a subtle point, but Jesus and the disciples gathered together at The Last Supper to have a meal. This meal took time. During this time there was a ceremony...and what else? Sharing...Fellowship...Discussion...with other believers AND Jesus!
SUMMARY
Until we gather together at the Marriage SUPPER after the Final Judgment, there was no MORE important example of believers in Fellowship than The Last Supper.
Tomorrow, we will look at another CAUSE of The Acts Church and how it related to The Last Supper...
Next Post
BONUS
Notice, The ULTIMATE Church Gathering occurs after Final Judgment...it is known as The Marriage SUPPER of the Lamb. How is the ULTIMATE Church Gathering any different than The Last Supper?
Don't underestimate the ROLE of eating!
Adam's fall involved eating.
Jesus' temptation by the devil involved NOT eating.
The Last Supper was centered around eating.
The ULTIMATE celebration in paradise is centered around eating.
In fact, I'm going to share the beginning of an oft-quoted verse from Jesus' Mouth. See if you can finish it correctly.
Revelation 3:20
"20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and..."
And WHAT?
Take some time to really decide what you think Jesus said. Notice how people DON'T quote the rest of this verse. Notice also that Jesus stated the rest of what happened from BOTH perspectives!
BONUS BONUS
Notice, this verse did NOT say "IF I stand at the door..." OR "IF I knock..." Jesus is standing at EVERYONE'S door. Jesus is knocking on EVERYONE'S door. The "IF" takes place AFTER Jesus reaches out to us! The IF depends on US!
Our Salvation is dependent on hearing (deeply considering/understanding) His Voice AND choosing to open the door.
BONUS ANSWER
"...I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)
Friday, April 24, 2009
The Last Supper BREAK
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we saw some of the Biblical passages that supported this belief.
In the previous post, we looked at how the event that ends our Dispensation AND brings back the Dispensation of the Law (for its last seven years) is The Rapture of the Church. Today, we will complete this mini-series on The Feasts of God by looking at how the Seven Feasts of God tie together the sixthy-ninth and seventieth weeks of the Dispensation of the Law.
GOD'S SEVEN FEASTS
Here is a review of the Seven Feasts of God:
The First Four Feasts of God occurred in the Spring. All Four Feasts occurred on days that (also match symbolically) four significant events in Christianity that led to the end of the Dispensation of the Law and introduced our Dispensation.
Feast #1: Passover (Last Supper)
Date: 1/14
Christ was crucified
Feast #2: Unleavened Bread
Date: 1/15
Christ was buried
Feast #3: First Fruits
Date: Sunday after 1/14
Christ was resurrected
Feast #4: Weeks (Grain harvest)
Date: 50 days after First Fruits
Pentecost (The Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh)
God used His First Four Feasts to point EVERYONE to The Gospel (First Three Feasts) and bring about the next Dispensation (Holy Spirit is in charge)...to further His Plan.
BREAK - OUR DISPENSATION
The Last Three Feasts of God were fall feasts and have yet to be fulfilled...
Feast #5: Trumpets
Date: 7/1
This Feast actually took place over two days. One hundred trumpet blasts (trumps) were blown on each day on two silver trumpets. Some time during the two days, the Shofar Ram's Horn was blown. When this horn was blown, regardless of the time of day or night, everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered for a feast. The ONLY person who knew when the horn was blown was the priest.
This Feast resembled The Rapture. It matched Paul's description (trump). This First Fall Feast would end our Dispensation and reinstate the Dispensation of the Law.
Feast #6: Atonement
Date: 7/10
This Feast is also known as "Yom Kippur" which means "Day of Atonement".
The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as "The Ten Days of Awe". During this time, people ought to examine themselves and intentionally confess and repent before judgment falls on them.
The Feast was on the Eve of Yom Kippur...the ninth day. There were two festive meals for: the giving of charity and the asking others for forgiveness.
On Yom Kippur, the High Priest entered Holy of Holies to made sacrifices.
I believe a significant event will happen during The Tribulation on Yom Kippur. Will it be when the Anti-Christ causes "the sacrifice and the oblation to cease" at the middle of The Tribulation? I don't think anyone knows for sure, but that is one possibility.
Feast #7: Tabernacles
Date: 7/15
The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as the Feast of Booths and the Feast of In Gathering. It was focused on "dwellings". EVERYONE lived in makeshift dwellings for seven days to commemorate Israel's time in the desert. On the eighth day, the final harvest was complete and EVERYONE was brought together for a feast.
The priest poured water on the altar and lit lamps as a remembrance to Israel's time in the desert where God gave them water out of the rock in Horeb and led them by a pillar of fire at night. Notice, the First Feast (Passover) commemorated Israel's first day of freedom (from slavery) and the Seventh (and last) Feast commemorated the time up until Israel reached the Promised Land.
For me, this represents the end of The Tribulation...but I can't say for sure. It certainly will be a time of "in gathering" for the people of the Dispensation of the Law. It would also coincide when Israel finally reached "The Eternal Promised Land".
PASSOVER
Finally, look at Passover itself. There were fourteen steps that the Jews kept throughout the Dispensation of the Law.
1. Introduction - The Purpose of celebrating the Passover was stated
2. First Cup of Wine - Sanctification
3. Washing of Hands
4. The Unity - Three pieces of unleavened bread were in a cloth called a "Unity". The second piece of bread was removed, broken, wrapped, and hidden.
5. The Reminder of Freedom - A physical reminder that the Jews were slaves and God set them free
6. The Passover Story - The Passover story was read from Exodus
7. A Great Blessing - The leader of the Seder read a series of statements and the group responded to recognize the many blessings God gave to His people
8. The Symbolic Foods - The Lamb, The Unleavened Bread, The Bitter Herbs, The Karpas (parsley and salt water), Charoseth/Haroset (fruit and nut mixture), and Shulhan Orekh (a hard-boiled egg in salt water) were spoken about
9. Second Cup of Wine - Instruction (This was a completely separate cup of wine set out in front of each person. There were four separate cups of wine in all.)
10. The Passover Meal - This was the dinner itself
BREAK (COMMUNION)
Jesus, in effect, told believers to keep these next two steps NEAR, BUT NOT AT, THE END of the Passover. These two steps are emblematic of the BREAK near the end of the Dispensation of the Law. Notice, we don't currently keep the last two steps.
11. The Afikoman - The second piece of bread that was broken and hidden was found and eaten
12. Third Cup of Wine - Redemption
CONTINUATION
Just like the Dispensation of the Law will briefly come back to COMPLETE the Dispensation, the last two steps of the Passover Seder will eventually be fulfilled when the Dispensation of the Law comes back.
13. Fourth Cup of Wine - Praise
14. The Conclusion
SUMMARY
The Last Supper was the LAST Passover Seder of the Dispensation of the Law and ITSELF demonstrated the BREAK (Communion) that occurs in the Dispensation of the Law that allows our Dispensation to begin and be completed.
The Last Supper was the First Feast of God that was fulfilled and set in motion the fulfillment of the remaining Six Feasts of God.
Next week, we will complete this month's Series by looking at how the Last Supper was the First "Church" Service...
Next Post
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we saw some of the Biblical passages that supported this belief.
In the previous post, we looked at how the event that ends our Dispensation AND brings back the Dispensation of the Law (for its last seven years) is The Rapture of the Church. Today, we will complete this mini-series on The Feasts of God by looking at how the Seven Feasts of God tie together the sixthy-ninth and seventieth weeks of the Dispensation of the Law.
GOD'S SEVEN FEASTS
Here is a review of the Seven Feasts of God:
The First Four Feasts of God occurred in the Spring. All Four Feasts occurred on days that (also match symbolically) four significant events in Christianity that led to the end of the Dispensation of the Law and introduced our Dispensation.
Feast #1: Passover (Last Supper)
Date: 1/14
Christ was crucified
Feast #2: Unleavened Bread
Date: 1/15
Christ was buried
Feast #3: First Fruits
Date: Sunday after 1/14
Christ was resurrected
Feast #4: Weeks (Grain harvest)
Date: 50 days after First Fruits
Pentecost (The Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh)
God used His First Four Feasts to point EVERYONE to The Gospel (First Three Feasts) and bring about the next Dispensation (Holy Spirit is in charge)...to further His Plan.
BREAK - OUR DISPENSATION
The Last Three Feasts of God were fall feasts and have yet to be fulfilled...
Feast #5: Trumpets
Date: 7/1
This Feast actually took place over two days. One hundred trumpet blasts (trumps) were blown on each day on two silver trumpets. Some time during the two days, the Shofar Ram's Horn was blown. When this horn was blown, regardless of the time of day or night, everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered for a feast. The ONLY person who knew when the horn was blown was the priest.
This Feast resembled The Rapture. It matched Paul's description (trump). This First Fall Feast would end our Dispensation and reinstate the Dispensation of the Law.
Feast #6: Atonement
Date: 7/10
This Feast is also known as "Yom Kippur" which means "Day of Atonement".
The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as "The Ten Days of Awe". During this time, people ought to examine themselves and intentionally confess and repent before judgment falls on them.
The Feast was on the Eve of Yom Kippur...the ninth day. There were two festive meals for: the giving of charity and the asking others for forgiveness.
On Yom Kippur, the High Priest entered Holy of Holies to made sacrifices.
I believe a significant event will happen during The Tribulation on Yom Kippur. Will it be when the Anti-Christ causes "the sacrifice and the oblation to cease" at the middle of The Tribulation? I don't think anyone knows for sure, but that is one possibility.
Feast #7: Tabernacles
Date: 7/15
The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as the Feast of Booths and the Feast of In Gathering. It was focused on "dwellings". EVERYONE lived in makeshift dwellings for seven days to commemorate Israel's time in the desert. On the eighth day, the final harvest was complete and EVERYONE was brought together for a feast.
The priest poured water on the altar and lit lamps as a remembrance to Israel's time in the desert where God gave them water out of the rock in Horeb and led them by a pillar of fire at night. Notice, the First Feast (Passover) commemorated Israel's first day of freedom (from slavery) and the Seventh (and last) Feast commemorated the time up until Israel reached the Promised Land.
For me, this represents the end of The Tribulation...but I can't say for sure. It certainly will be a time of "in gathering" for the people of the Dispensation of the Law. It would also coincide when Israel finally reached "The Eternal Promised Land".
PASSOVER
Finally, look at Passover itself. There were fourteen steps that the Jews kept throughout the Dispensation of the Law.
1. Introduction - The Purpose of celebrating the Passover was stated
2. First Cup of Wine - Sanctification
3. Washing of Hands
4. The Unity - Three pieces of unleavened bread were in a cloth called a "Unity". The second piece of bread was removed, broken, wrapped, and hidden.
5. The Reminder of Freedom - A physical reminder that the Jews were slaves and God set them free
6. The Passover Story - The Passover story was read from Exodus
7. A Great Blessing - The leader of the Seder read a series of statements and the group responded to recognize the many blessings God gave to His people
8. The Symbolic Foods - The Lamb, The Unleavened Bread, The Bitter Herbs, The Karpas (parsley and salt water), Charoseth/Haroset (fruit and nut mixture), and Shulhan Orekh (a hard-boiled egg in salt water) were spoken about
9. Second Cup of Wine - Instruction (This was a completely separate cup of wine set out in front of each person. There were four separate cups of wine in all.)
10. The Passover Meal - This was the dinner itself
BREAK (COMMUNION)
Jesus, in effect, told believers to keep these next two steps NEAR, BUT NOT AT, THE END of the Passover. These two steps are emblematic of the BREAK near the end of the Dispensation of the Law. Notice, we don't currently keep the last two steps.
11. The Afikoman - The second piece of bread that was broken and hidden was found and eaten
12. Third Cup of Wine - Redemption
CONTINUATION
Just like the Dispensation of the Law will briefly come back to COMPLETE the Dispensation, the last two steps of the Passover Seder will eventually be fulfilled when the Dispensation of the Law comes back.
13. Fourth Cup of Wine - Praise
14. The Conclusion
SUMMARY
The Last Supper was the LAST Passover Seder of the Dispensation of the Law and ITSELF demonstrated the BREAK (Communion) that occurs in the Dispensation of the Law that allows our Dispensation to begin and be completed.
The Last Supper was the First Feast of God that was fulfilled and set in motion the fulfillment of the remaining Six Feasts of God.
Next week, we will complete this month's Series by looking at how the Last Supper was the First "Church" Service...
Next Post
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The End of Our Dispensation
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we saw some of the Biblical passages that supported this belief.
In the previous post, we looked at how God's Covenant with Israel can be "everlasting" even though it is NOT in effect today. Today, we will look at the event that ends our Dispensation.
THE END OF OUR DISPENSATION
"22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
23 And they shall say to you, Lo, there! Lo, here! go not away, nor follow after them:
24 for as the lightning, when it lighteneth out of the one part under the heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall the Son of man be in his day.
25 But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this generation.
26 And as it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all:
30 after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed.
31 In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and let him that is in the field likewise not return back.
32 Remember Lot's wife.
33 Whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
34 I say unto you, In that night there shall be two men on one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 There shall be two women grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
36 There shall be two men in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
37 And they answering say unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Where the body is, thither will the eagles also be gathered together." (Luke 17:22-37, ASV)
In the last four verses of this passage, Jesus sounded like Paul when Paul spoke about being changed in the twinkling of an eye...when Paul spoke of The Rapture. Previous to this event, Jesus said that the days in which this event will occur will be like the days of Lot and Noah.
There is a lot of debate on whether The Rapture occurs at the beginning of the Tribulation, the middle of the Tribulation, or the end of the Tribulation. The reason there is debate is that there are Raptures in all three places. (Later this year we will look at all three Raptures.) The question is: which one involves Christians?
I believe Christians are raptured to end our Dispensation and bring in the final "week" of the Dispensation of the Law...the final seven year period, also known as "The Seventieth Week of Daniel" and "The Tribulation".
Again, an exhaustive explanation would take months of posts. I'm going to give some rather lengthy Bible passages and summary explanations because our focus this month is on the Feasts of God and The Last Supper.
Notice, BOTH Lot and Noah were taken out BEFORE judgment occurred.
I have written an article explaining the reason why God judged Sodom and is currently judging the U.S. The article is almost three years old and becomes more true and apparent over time. Here is the link: Is God Judging The U.S.?
As for Noah, notice that Enoch was raptured before the destruction, Methuselah died the year of the destruction (and his name was prophecy stating that when he died it (destruction) would come), and Noah was carried through the destruction to begin the next Dispensation.
Likewise, the Christians are raptured, there was prophecy, and the people that are left at the end of the Tribulation begin the next Dispensation (Millennium).
Paul was the one who spoke about the event we call The Rapture in I Corinthians 15. Here is an excerpt from another letter Paul wrote:
"13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, ASV)
Paul was consistent with I Corinthians 15: dead and alive in Christ will rise, and this occurs at the trump of God. However, Paul continued:
"1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief:
5 for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness;
6 so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God appointed us not into wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." (I Thessalonians 5:1-10, ASV)
We are NOT appointed to wrath. We believers will miss the destruction. Notice, this section began with an explanation that we can't know the specific times, etc. This again was the same imagery as The Rapture.
Paul went even deeper in his next letter to the Thessalonians:
"1 Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;
2 to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand;
3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God."
(This begins with The Rapture: "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;". Notice there is a falling away that comes first...THEN the "man of sin" is revealed. The man of sin is the Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ CAN'T be revealed until other things happen. This makes it POINTLESS to theorize TODAY as to the identity of the Anti-Christ.)
"5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way."
There is one that restraineth NOW. There is one that is holding back the revealing of the Anti-Christ. Paul went further and said "until he be taken out of the way". The Church is the Bride. The Church is a SHE. Who is the HE that needs to be taken out of the way?
Who is the HE that could restrain the man of sin AND is currently in charge on earth AND will eventually leave?
The Holy Spirit!
"8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;
9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (II Thessalonians 2:1-10, ASV)
SUMMARY
During the Dispensation of the Law, The Holy Spirit was only on (and in) a few people (mostly prophets). Our Dispensation began at Pentecost, when The Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh.
In order for the Dispensation of the Law to serve out its final "week" (seven year period), the conditions have to revert back to the same conditions as the Dispensation of the Law...The Holy Spirit is REMOVED from the earth AND then will only reside on (and in) select people...just like during the Dispensation of the Law.
Remember, The Holy Spirit is currently in charge of the Church. Jesus gave us The Holy Spirit as "earnest"...as an engagement ring, while He makes a place for us.
In order for our Dispensation to end, believers AND The Holy Spirit must leave this earth PRIOR to the last seven years of the Dispensation of the Law. This event where the believers and Holy Spirit leave brings an end to the current Dispensation, reintroduces the Dispensation of the Law, and is known as "The Rapture of the Church".
Tomorrow, we will summarize the information from the past two weeks by looking at the Feasts of God...
Next Post
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we saw some of the Biblical passages that supported this belief.
In the previous post, we looked at how God's Covenant with Israel can be "everlasting" even though it is NOT in effect today. Today, we will look at the event that ends our Dispensation.
THE END OF OUR DISPENSATION
"22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
23 And they shall say to you, Lo, there! Lo, here! go not away, nor follow after them:
24 for as the lightning, when it lighteneth out of the one part under the heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall the Son of man be in his day.
25 But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this generation.
26 And as it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all:
30 after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed.
31 In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and let him that is in the field likewise not return back.
32 Remember Lot's wife.
33 Whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
34 I say unto you, In that night there shall be two men on one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 There shall be two women grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
36 There shall be two men in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
37 And they answering say unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Where the body is, thither will the eagles also be gathered together." (Luke 17:22-37, ASV)
In the last four verses of this passage, Jesus sounded like Paul when Paul spoke about being changed in the twinkling of an eye...when Paul spoke of The Rapture. Previous to this event, Jesus said that the days in which this event will occur will be like the days of Lot and Noah.
There is a lot of debate on whether The Rapture occurs at the beginning of the Tribulation, the middle of the Tribulation, or the end of the Tribulation. The reason there is debate is that there are Raptures in all three places. (Later this year we will look at all three Raptures.) The question is: which one involves Christians?
I believe Christians are raptured to end our Dispensation and bring in the final "week" of the Dispensation of the Law...the final seven year period, also known as "The Seventieth Week of Daniel" and "The Tribulation".
Again, an exhaustive explanation would take months of posts. I'm going to give some rather lengthy Bible passages and summary explanations because our focus this month is on the Feasts of God and The Last Supper.
Notice, BOTH Lot and Noah were taken out BEFORE judgment occurred.
I have written an article explaining the reason why God judged Sodom and is currently judging the U.S. The article is almost three years old and becomes more true and apparent over time. Here is the link: Is God Judging The U.S.?
As for Noah, notice that Enoch was raptured before the destruction, Methuselah died the year of the destruction (and his name was prophecy stating that when he died it (destruction) would come), and Noah was carried through the destruction to begin the next Dispensation.
Likewise, the Christians are raptured, there was prophecy, and the people that are left at the end of the Tribulation begin the next Dispensation (Millennium).
Paul was the one who spoke about the event we call The Rapture in I Corinthians 15. Here is an excerpt from another letter Paul wrote:
"13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, ASV)
Paul was consistent with I Corinthians 15: dead and alive in Christ will rise, and this occurs at the trump of God. However, Paul continued:
"1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief:
5 for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness;
6 so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God appointed us not into wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." (I Thessalonians 5:1-10, ASV)
We are NOT appointed to wrath. We believers will miss the destruction. Notice, this section began with an explanation that we can't know the specific times, etc. This again was the same imagery as The Rapture.
Paul went even deeper in his next letter to the Thessalonians:
"1 Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;
2 to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand;
3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God."
(This begins with The Rapture: "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him;". Notice there is a falling away that comes first...THEN the "man of sin" is revealed. The man of sin is the Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ CAN'T be revealed until other things happen. This makes it POINTLESS to theorize TODAY as to the identity of the Anti-Christ.)
"5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way."
There is one that restraineth NOW. There is one that is holding back the revealing of the Anti-Christ. Paul went further and said "until he be taken out of the way". The Church is the Bride. The Church is a SHE. Who is the HE that needs to be taken out of the way?
Who is the HE that could restrain the man of sin AND is currently in charge on earth AND will eventually leave?
The Holy Spirit!
"8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;
9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (II Thessalonians 2:1-10, ASV)
SUMMARY
During the Dispensation of the Law, The Holy Spirit was only on (and in) a few people (mostly prophets). Our Dispensation began at Pentecost, when The Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh.
In order for the Dispensation of the Law to serve out its final "week" (seven year period), the conditions have to revert back to the same conditions as the Dispensation of the Law...The Holy Spirit is REMOVED from the earth AND then will only reside on (and in) select people...just like during the Dispensation of the Law.
Remember, The Holy Spirit is currently in charge of the Church. Jesus gave us The Holy Spirit as "earnest"...as an engagement ring, while He makes a place for us.
In order for our Dispensation to end, believers AND The Holy Spirit must leave this earth PRIOR to the last seven years of the Dispensation of the Law. This event where the believers and Holy Spirit leave brings an end to the current Dispensation, reintroduces the Dispensation of the Law, and is known as "The Rapture of the Church".
Tomorrow, we will summarize the information from the past two weeks by looking at the Feasts of God...
Next Post
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Everlasting
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we will see the Biblical passages that supported this belief.
In the previous post, we saw some Biblical examples of this BREAK in the Dispensation of the Law. I stated one of the reasons that people of the fifth Dispensation did not see the BREAK was because they misunderstood what it meant that their covenant was everlasting. Today, we will look at this "everlasting" covenant.
EVERLASTING
In the Sequel, we see that God made a covenant with Abram:
"18 In that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
19 the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite,
20 and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim,
21 and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite." (Genesis 15:18-21, ASV)
We saw that Abram broke this covenant with God by having a son with Hagar.
God then made ANOTHER covenant with this same person...however, God changed Abram's name to Abraham. He also made an "everlasting" covenant:
"1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be the father of a multitude of nations.
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee.
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.
8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (Genesis 17:1-8, ASV)
"everlasting" was Strong's #5769 owlam or olam - "prop. concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; gen. time out of mind (past or fut.), i.e. (practically) eternity"
EVERYTHING about this word was focused on ETERNITY...something that will go on forever. Notice, (and this is Resolution) this did NOT mean it wouldn't be stopped for a period. It could cease and begin again as many times as necessary...however, when we look in ETERNITY, it will continue to exist.
Thinking that "everlasting" meant "without a BREAK" would contradict the Bible because God's Covenant with Abraham is CURRENTLY NOT in effect:
"7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt; For they continued not in my covenant, And I regarded them not, saith the Lord." (Hebrews 8:7-9, ASV)
In The Sequel, we covered how covenants were broken and ended. When one of the participants in the Covenant broke the conditions of the Covenant, the other participant became the Master of the Covenant...they had the choice to continue the Covenant or END the Covenant. Israel continually broke the Covenant and God would choose to continue. Eventually, God told Israel that He was ENDING the Covenant because God got weary:
"1 Then said Jehovah unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
2 And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith Jehovah: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
3 And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith Jehovah: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.
4 And I will cause them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
5 For who will have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who will bemoan thee? or who will turn aside to ask of thy welfare?
6 Thou hast rejected me, saith Jehovah, thou art gone backward: therefore have I stretched out my hand against thee, and destroyed thee; I am weary with repenting." (Jeremiah 15:1-6, ASV)
In The Sequel, we saw that God looked at this Covenant as His Marriage to Israel...and the ENDING of the Covenant as a Divorce. However, God will eventually remarry Israel...He will continue the Covenant and it will be everlasting.
In January, we covered the Book of Romans. Taking in everything that we have read this week, let's look at a critical passage from Paul's Letter to the Romans with new eyes.
ROMANS 11
"16 And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree;
18 glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."
(Paul was stating that Israel is the olive tree and we are the wild olive tree. The Dispensation of the Law is the olive tree and our Dispensation with The Untamed Holy Spirit inside us is the WILD olive tree. At Pentecost, the olive tree branches were broken off of the root...the firstfruit...Jesus. At Pentecost, the wild olive branches were grafted in and connected to God. Paul said that we shouldn't see ourselves as better than the original olive tree branches OR better than the root...we shouldn't think of ourselves as the CAUSE. Instead, we should recognize the root/God is the CAUSE. It is difficult to understand Paul if you don't have a firm understanding of CAUSALITY.)
"20 Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee.
22 Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God's goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."
(Paul BLATANTLY stated the REASON the original branches were BROKEN off was because of THEIR unbelief. Paul also stated that God will also break us off because of OUR unbelief...that would make it OUR fault, NOT God's.)
"23 And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?"
(Paul stated that Israel is ABLE to get grafted back in! Next, Paul was going to tell us revelation...he was going to explain a mystery!)
"25 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;
26 and so all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer; He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 And this is my covenant unto them, When I shall take away their sins."
(Paul stated the Israel will be saved AFTER the fulness of the Gentiles comes in!)
SUMMARY
The conditions of the everlasting Covenant that God cut with Abraham during the fifth Dispensation is NOT currently in effect AND will come back into effect once our Dispensation ends. When this Covenant comes back into effect, it will go on for ETERNITY.
Tomorrow we will look at the event that ends our Dispensation...
Next Post
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we will see the Biblical passages that supported this belief.
In the previous post, we saw some Biblical examples of this BREAK in the Dispensation of the Law. I stated one of the reasons that people of the fifth Dispensation did not see the BREAK was because they misunderstood what it meant that their covenant was everlasting. Today, we will look at this "everlasting" covenant.
EVERLASTING
In the Sequel, we see that God made a covenant with Abram:
"18 In that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
19 the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite,
20 and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim,
21 and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite." (Genesis 15:18-21, ASV)
We saw that Abram broke this covenant with God by having a son with Hagar.
God then made ANOTHER covenant with this same person...however, God changed Abram's name to Abraham. He also made an "everlasting" covenant:
"1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be the father of a multitude of nations.
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee.
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.
8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." (Genesis 17:1-8, ASV)
"everlasting" was Strong's #5769 owlam or olam - "prop. concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; gen. time out of mind (past or fut.), i.e. (practically) eternity"
EVERYTHING about this word was focused on ETERNITY...something that will go on forever. Notice, (and this is Resolution) this did NOT mean it wouldn't be stopped for a period. It could cease and begin again as many times as necessary...however, when we look in ETERNITY, it will continue to exist.
Thinking that "everlasting" meant "without a BREAK" would contradict the Bible because God's Covenant with Abraham is CURRENTLY NOT in effect:
"7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt; For they continued not in my covenant, And I regarded them not, saith the Lord." (Hebrews 8:7-9, ASV)
In The Sequel, we covered how covenants were broken and ended. When one of the participants in the Covenant broke the conditions of the Covenant, the other participant became the Master of the Covenant...they had the choice to continue the Covenant or END the Covenant. Israel continually broke the Covenant and God would choose to continue. Eventually, God told Israel that He was ENDING the Covenant because God got weary:
"1 Then said Jehovah unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
2 And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith Jehovah: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
3 And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith Jehovah: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.
4 And I will cause them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
5 For who will have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who will bemoan thee? or who will turn aside to ask of thy welfare?
6 Thou hast rejected me, saith Jehovah, thou art gone backward: therefore have I stretched out my hand against thee, and destroyed thee; I am weary with repenting." (Jeremiah 15:1-6, ASV)
In The Sequel, we saw that God looked at this Covenant as His Marriage to Israel...and the ENDING of the Covenant as a Divorce. However, God will eventually remarry Israel...He will continue the Covenant and it will be everlasting.
In January, we covered the Book of Romans. Taking in everything that we have read this week, let's look at a critical passage from Paul's Letter to the Romans with new eyes.
ROMANS 11
"16 And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree;
18 glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."
(Paul was stating that Israel is the olive tree and we are the wild olive tree. The Dispensation of the Law is the olive tree and our Dispensation with The Untamed Holy Spirit inside us is the WILD olive tree. At Pentecost, the olive tree branches were broken off of the root...the firstfruit...Jesus. At Pentecost, the wild olive branches were grafted in and connected to God. Paul said that we shouldn't see ourselves as better than the original olive tree branches OR better than the root...we shouldn't think of ourselves as the CAUSE. Instead, we should recognize the root/God is the CAUSE. It is difficult to understand Paul if you don't have a firm understanding of CAUSALITY.)
"20 Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee.
22 Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God's goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."
(Paul BLATANTLY stated the REASON the original branches were BROKEN off was because of THEIR unbelief. Paul also stated that God will also break us off because of OUR unbelief...that would make it OUR fault, NOT God's.)
"23 And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?"
(Paul stated that Israel is ABLE to get grafted back in! Next, Paul was going to tell us revelation...he was going to explain a mystery!)
"25 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;
26 and so all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer; He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 And this is my covenant unto them, When I shall take away their sins."
(Paul stated the Israel will be saved AFTER the fulness of the Gentiles comes in!)
SUMMARY
The conditions of the everlasting Covenant that God cut with Abraham during the fifth Dispensation is NOT currently in effect AND will come back into effect once our Dispensation ends. When this Covenant comes back into effect, it will go on for ETERNITY.
Tomorrow we will look at the event that ends our Dispensation...
Next Post
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
BREAKS in The Dispensation of The Law
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we will see the Biblical passages that support this belief.
In the previous post, we saw "The Seventy Weeks of Daniel" stated that the Dispensation of the Law has one more seven year period that is yet to be fulfilled. Today, we will look at some other Biblical passages that showed there was a "break" in the Dispensation of the Law.
BREAKS IN THE FIFTH DISPENSATION
When God talked to Israel, He presented a continuous covenant…even though there is a period (our Dispensation) where the covenant ended. However, God didn’t mention to people in the dispensation of the Law the break that would occur because of our dispensation...it was presented as a continuous event...
Isaiah 61 began:
“1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.” (ASV)
A "list" similar to Gabriel's list in Daniel 9 could be made from Isaiah 61:
-preach good tidings unto the meek
-bind up the broken-hearted
-proclaim liberty to the captives
-opening of the prison to them that are bound
-proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor
-proclaim the day of vengeance of our God
-comfort all that mourn
-appoint unto them that mourn in Zion
-give them a garland for ashes
-give them the oil of joy for mourning
-give them the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness
Notice, these three verses were one sentence. It looks like this prophecy would happen at one time…
Now look at Luke 4 when Jesus preached:
“16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (ASV)
Notice, Jesus had just read what we would call Isaiah 61:1 and the first part of 2…Jesus stopped mid verse! (The Bible wasn’t numbered then like it is today.) Still, Jesus stopped mid-sentence!…mid-prophesy! What happened next?
“20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.” (ASV)
Jesus stated THAT part of the prophesy was fulfilled at THAT moment. The rest would come after our dispensation! But to the Jews, it looked like it OUGHT to be continuous.
The Isaiah 61 List:
-preach good tidings unto the meek
-bind up the broken-hearted
-proclaim liberty to the captives
-opening of the prison to them that are bound
-proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor
BREAK
-proclaim the day of vengeance of our God
-comfort all that mourn
-appoint unto them that mourn in Zion
-give them a garland for ashes
-give them the oil of joy for mourning
-give them the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness
In Joel 2, we see the same thing:
“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 show 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 terrible day of Jehovah cometh.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the remnant those whom Jehovah doth call.” (ASV)
Verses 28 and 29 occurred to end Israel’s dispensation at Pentecost.
BREAK
Verses 30, 31, and 32 will occur when Israel’s dispensation is continued.
We began this week with Daniel and the prophecies of The Seventy Weeks. Here were two chapters in Daniel where prophecy was given for Israel and it bridged the gap caused by our dispensation...
Daniel 8:
“21 And the rough he-goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
22 And as for that which was broken, in the place whereof four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.
25 And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.” (ASV)
Verses 21 and 22 took place with Alexander the Great before our dispensation. Verses 23 and after are focused on the Anti-Christ and take place after our dispensation. The BREAK was designated with "And in the latter time..."
Daniel 11:
“30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and shall return, and have indignation against the holy covenant, and shall do his pleasure: he shall even return, and have regard unto them that forsake the holy covenant.
31 And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt-offering, and they shall set up the abomination that maketh desolate.
32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
33 And they that are wise among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days.
34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves unto them with flatteries.
35 And some of them that are wise shall fall, to refine them, and to purify, and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed.
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all.” (ASV)
Verses 30 through 35 occurred before our dispensation. The BREAK in this passage was signified in verse 36 by…”for the time appointed”. Verses 36 and after were focused on the Anti-Christ and take place after our dispensation.
SUMMARY
DURING the Dispensation of the Law, God's Plan for the Jews and Jerusalem was presented in its entirety and people of that Dispensation thought it had to ALL be accomplished continually...without a BREAK. Clearly, we have seen several examples where a BREAK in the Dispensation of the Law occurred so that our Dispensation could be introduced and completed.
Part of the reason for the confusion was that God stated His covenant with the Jews was "everlasting". Tomorrow, we are going to look at what was meant by "everlasting"...
Next Post
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we will see the Biblical passages that support this belief.
In the previous post, we saw "The Seventy Weeks of Daniel" stated that the Dispensation of the Law has one more seven year period that is yet to be fulfilled. Today, we will look at some other Biblical passages that showed there was a "break" in the Dispensation of the Law.
BREAKS IN THE FIFTH DISPENSATION
When God talked to Israel, He presented a continuous covenant…even though there is a period (our Dispensation) where the covenant ended. However, God didn’t mention to people in the dispensation of the Law the break that would occur because of our dispensation...it was presented as a continuous event...
Isaiah 61 began:
“1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.” (ASV)
A "list" similar to Gabriel's list in Daniel 9 could be made from Isaiah 61:
-preach good tidings unto the meek
-bind up the broken-hearted
-proclaim liberty to the captives
-opening of the prison to them that are bound
-proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor
-proclaim the day of vengeance of our God
-comfort all that mourn
-appoint unto them that mourn in Zion
-give them a garland for ashes
-give them the oil of joy for mourning
-give them the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness
Notice, these three verses were one sentence. It looks like this prophecy would happen at one time…
Now look at Luke 4 when Jesus preached:
“16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (ASV)
Notice, Jesus had just read what we would call Isaiah 61:1 and the first part of 2…Jesus stopped mid verse! (The Bible wasn’t numbered then like it is today.) Still, Jesus stopped mid-sentence!…mid-prophesy! What happened next?
“20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.” (ASV)
Jesus stated THAT part of the prophesy was fulfilled at THAT moment. The rest would come after our dispensation! But to the Jews, it looked like it OUGHT to be continuous.
The Isaiah 61 List:
-preach good tidings unto the meek
-bind up the broken-hearted
-proclaim liberty to the captives
-opening of the prison to them that are bound
-proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor
BREAK
-proclaim the day of vengeance of our God
-comfort all that mourn
-appoint unto them that mourn in Zion
-give them a garland for ashes
-give them the oil of joy for mourning
-give them the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness
In Joel 2, we see the same thing:
“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 show 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 terrible day of Jehovah cometh.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the remnant those whom Jehovah doth call.” (ASV)
Verses 28 and 29 occurred to end Israel’s dispensation at Pentecost.
BREAK
Verses 30, 31, and 32 will occur when Israel’s dispensation is continued.
We began this week with Daniel and the prophecies of The Seventy Weeks. Here were two chapters in Daniel where prophecy was given for Israel and it bridged the gap caused by our dispensation...
Daniel 8:
“21 And the rough he-goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
22 And as for that which was broken, in the place whereof four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.
25 And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.” (ASV)
Verses 21 and 22 took place with Alexander the Great before our dispensation. Verses 23 and after are focused on the Anti-Christ and take place after our dispensation. The BREAK was designated with "And in the latter time..."
Daniel 11:
“30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and shall return, and have indignation against the holy covenant, and shall do his pleasure: he shall even return, and have regard unto them that forsake the holy covenant.
31 And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt-offering, and they shall set up the abomination that maketh desolate.
32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
33 And they that are wise among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days.
34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves unto them with flatteries.
35 And some of them that are wise shall fall, to refine them, and to purify, and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed.
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all.” (ASV)
Verses 30 through 35 occurred before our dispensation. The BREAK in this passage was signified in verse 36 by…”for the time appointed”. Verses 36 and after were focused on the Anti-Christ and take place after our dispensation.
SUMMARY
DURING the Dispensation of the Law, God's Plan for the Jews and Jerusalem was presented in its entirety and people of that Dispensation thought it had to ALL be accomplished continually...without a BREAK. Clearly, we have seen several examples where a BREAK in the Dispensation of the Law occurred so that our Dispensation could be introduced and completed.
Part of the reason for the confusion was that God stated His covenant with the Jews was "everlasting". Tomorrow, we are going to look at what was meant by "everlasting"...
Next Post
Monday, April 20, 2009
Daniel's Seventy Weeks
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we will see the Biblical passages that support this belief. Today, we will look at "The Seventy Weeks of Daniel".
Next month, we will look at the entire Book of Daniel (my favorite book of the Bible). For now, let's take an abbreviated view of the ninth chapter of the Book of Daniel.
DANIEL 9
"1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans,
2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years whereof the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.
3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes." (Daniel 9:1-3, ASV)
Notice, Daniel stated that he "understood by the books the number of years" for God's prophecy that came by Jeremiah to be fulfilled. Daniel understood how Jerusalem's destruction was able to be known ahead of time through understanding God's Word. So WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING AS FOUNDATION, Daniel prayed to God about Jerusalem and God's people...
The prayer was recorded in verses 4 through 19...
THE RESPONSE
"20 And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before Jehovah my God for the holy mountain of my God;
21 yea, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22 And he instructed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee wisdom and understanding.
23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment went forth, and I am come to tell thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision." (Daniel 9:20-23, ASV)
We could spend an entire post on these four verses...for now:
-The Angel Gabriel visited Daniel to give him wisdom and understanding.
-Gabriel touched Daniel. AWESOME things happen to people who are TOUCHED by angels.
-Gabriel stated that from the beginning of Daniel's prayer (verse 4) Gabriel came to Daniel...and he arrived by verse 19. I don't know how long it took Daniel to pray his prayer...read it for yourself...but THAT was how long it took Gabriel to get to Daniel...just something to think about.
-Gabriel told Daniel to consider and understand what Gabriel was about to present. Notice, the Angel was all about understanding...presenting the WHY. Notice, Daniel got this visitation and revelation AFTER he UNDERSTOOD BY THE BOOKS...a lot of people want manifestations from the Spiritual Realm WITHOUT establishing a foundation of UNDERSTANDING from God's Word.
Here was what Gabriel told Daniel:
"24 Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.
25 Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the anointed one, the prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: it shall be built again, with street and moat, even in troublous times.
26 And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined.
27 And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:24-27, ASV)
Gabriel said that "seventy weeks" were given to "thy people and upon thy holy city" to:
-finish transgression
-make an end of sins
-make reconciliation for iniquity
-bring in everlasting righteousness
-seal up vision and prophecy
-anoint the most holy
Everything about this message was focused on the Jews and Jerusalem. Look at the list again and decide when you believe this will be accomplished.
In The Sequel, we saw how God's Plan could only be implemented once all the other possible plans were proven to be flawed. There were seven possible plans (Dispensations) other than God's...we are currently in the sixth Dispensation. The Millennium is the seventh Dispensation.
In The Sequel, we saw that The Millennium (seventh Dispensation) is a Sabbath from the devil...he is locked up.
Once all of these Dispensations are proven to be flawed, God can bring about His Plan...the Eighth and final Dispensation.
Gabriel was speaking to Daniel about the Jews and Jerusalem. Gabriel was speaking SPECIFICALLY about the fifth Dispensation. Gabriel was stating that the people of the fifth Dispensation had an objective (the list) and a deadline (seventy weeks). The rest of Gabriel's message explained the deadline...
Gabriel said that from the command to build the city there would be seven weeks AND sixty-two weeks until the Messiah was cut off. So, from the command to build the city until Jesus was crucified there would be sixty-nine weeks...and since a "week" was seven years, this meant 483 years.
Again, next month we will look at this in depth. For now:
-Daniel stated the year in when the Messiah was cut off. The timing was relative to when the command was given...and this command OBVIOUSLY occurred by the time Jesus walked in Jerusalem. So, the Jews (and Pharisees) could have known Jesus was the Messiah by "understanding books"!
-God didn't change a Dispensation without a warning. Each Dispensation demonstrates God's Ethics WITHIN the Dispensation. The principles that are true in EVERY Dispensation demonstrate God's Morals. It would be NOT Right and NOT Just for God to change the Plan AND NOT warn people of the coming change. God ALWAYS warns people about the change in Dispensations.
-I highly suggest reading the non-contradictory explanation for Dispensations in The Sequel (start with this link: Dispensations and read the following three sections). Currently, the Church is using a flawed definition for "Dispensation"...to the point that they believe we are in a DIFFERENT Dispensation than The Acts Church! Some people have rationalized our lack of spiritual signs and wonders by saying that we are in a different Dispensation than The Acts Church. What is the event that changed the Dispensations? When did God tell us about this change? The sad thing is the lengths these "dispensationalists" go to prove their rationalization why we don't see signs and wonders...they are making the Word and Will of God of NONE effect.
-Notice, so far, this explanation only covered sixty-nine of the seventy weeks. There is one more week left for the Jews and Jerusalem. Verse 27 explained the events of this last seven year period. However, this seven year period is DISCONNECTED from the first 483 years...
Notice, when the seventy weeks are over a lot of things happen with "finality" or in an "everlasting" way...things that do NOT exist now.
The Dispensation of the Law is NOT over until the last seven years...until the last "week". However, we know the Dispensation of the Law is NOT CURRENTLY in place AND has already existed.
SUMMARY
So, it looks like the Fifth Dispensation had 483 years from the time the command was given...and then it would get seven more years at a later date.
Something happened in between: OUR DISPENSATION!
There is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law so that our Dispensation can occur. Today's passage from Daniel showed this...but it was not the only place in the Bible where we see a break.
Tomorrow we will look at some more examples...
Next Post
This week we are looking at God's Plan. Last week, we looked at how God's Seven Feasts from Leviticus 23 gave an overview of God's Plan. We saw that the first Four Feasts were fulfilled and ended the Dispensation of the Law and brought in our current Dispensation. I stated that I believe the final Three Feasts will bring back the Dispensation of the Law for seven years and the remaining Feasts will occur during key dates throughout that seven year period.
This means our Dispensation actually occurs WITHIN the Dispensation of the Law...that there is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law. This week we will see the Biblical passages that support this belief. Today, we will look at "The Seventy Weeks of Daniel".
Next month, we will look at the entire Book of Daniel (my favorite book of the Bible). For now, let's take an abbreviated view of the ninth chapter of the Book of Daniel.
DANIEL 9
"1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans,
2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years whereof the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.
3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes." (Daniel 9:1-3, ASV)
Notice, Daniel stated that he "understood by the books the number of years" for God's prophecy that came by Jeremiah to be fulfilled. Daniel understood how Jerusalem's destruction was able to be known ahead of time through understanding God's Word. So WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING AS FOUNDATION, Daniel prayed to God about Jerusalem and God's people...
The prayer was recorded in verses 4 through 19...
THE RESPONSE
"20 And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before Jehovah my God for the holy mountain of my God;
21 yea, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22 And he instructed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee wisdom and understanding.
23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment went forth, and I am come to tell thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision." (Daniel 9:20-23, ASV)
We could spend an entire post on these four verses...for now:
-The Angel Gabriel visited Daniel to give him wisdom and understanding.
-Gabriel touched Daniel. AWESOME things happen to people who are TOUCHED by angels.
-Gabriel stated that from the beginning of Daniel's prayer (verse 4) Gabriel came to Daniel...and he arrived by verse 19. I don't know how long it took Daniel to pray his prayer...read it for yourself...but THAT was how long it took Gabriel to get to Daniel...just something to think about.
-Gabriel told Daniel to consider and understand what Gabriel was about to present. Notice, the Angel was all about understanding...presenting the WHY. Notice, Daniel got this visitation and revelation AFTER he UNDERSTOOD BY THE BOOKS...a lot of people want manifestations from the Spiritual Realm WITHOUT establishing a foundation of UNDERSTANDING from God's Word.
Here was what Gabriel told Daniel:
"24 Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.
25 Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the anointed one, the prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: it shall be built again, with street and moat, even in troublous times.
26 And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined.
27 And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:24-27, ASV)
Gabriel said that "seventy weeks" were given to "thy people and upon thy holy city" to:
-finish transgression
-make an end of sins
-make reconciliation for iniquity
-bring in everlasting righteousness
-seal up vision and prophecy
-anoint the most holy
Everything about this message was focused on the Jews and Jerusalem. Look at the list again and decide when you believe this will be accomplished.
In The Sequel, we saw how God's Plan could only be implemented once all the other possible plans were proven to be flawed. There were seven possible plans (Dispensations) other than God's...we are currently in the sixth Dispensation. The Millennium is the seventh Dispensation.
In The Sequel, we saw that The Millennium (seventh Dispensation) is a Sabbath from the devil...he is locked up.
Once all of these Dispensations are proven to be flawed, God can bring about His Plan...the Eighth and final Dispensation.
Gabriel was speaking to Daniel about the Jews and Jerusalem. Gabriel was speaking SPECIFICALLY about the fifth Dispensation. Gabriel was stating that the people of the fifth Dispensation had an objective (the list) and a deadline (seventy weeks). The rest of Gabriel's message explained the deadline...
Gabriel said that from the command to build the city there would be seven weeks AND sixty-two weeks until the Messiah was cut off. So, from the command to build the city until Jesus was crucified there would be sixty-nine weeks...and since a "week" was seven years, this meant 483 years.
Again, next month we will look at this in depth. For now:
-Daniel stated the year in when the Messiah was cut off. The timing was relative to when the command was given...and this command OBVIOUSLY occurred by the time Jesus walked in Jerusalem. So, the Jews (and Pharisees) could have known Jesus was the Messiah by "understanding books"!
-God didn't change a Dispensation without a warning. Each Dispensation demonstrates God's Ethics WITHIN the Dispensation. The principles that are true in EVERY Dispensation demonstrate God's Morals. It would be NOT Right and NOT Just for God to change the Plan AND NOT warn people of the coming change. God ALWAYS warns people about the change in Dispensations.
-I highly suggest reading the non-contradictory explanation for Dispensations in The Sequel (start with this link: Dispensations and read the following three sections). Currently, the Church is using a flawed definition for "Dispensation"...to the point that they believe we are in a DIFFERENT Dispensation than The Acts Church! Some people have rationalized our lack of spiritual signs and wonders by saying that we are in a different Dispensation than The Acts Church. What is the event that changed the Dispensations? When did God tell us about this change? The sad thing is the lengths these "dispensationalists" go to prove their rationalization why we don't see signs and wonders...they are making the Word and Will of God of NONE effect.
-Notice, so far, this explanation only covered sixty-nine of the seventy weeks. There is one more week left for the Jews and Jerusalem. Verse 27 explained the events of this last seven year period. However, this seven year period is DISCONNECTED from the first 483 years...
Notice, when the seventy weeks are over a lot of things happen with "finality" or in an "everlasting" way...things that do NOT exist now.
The Dispensation of the Law is NOT over until the last seven years...until the last "week". However, we know the Dispensation of the Law is NOT CURRENTLY in place AND has already existed.
SUMMARY
So, it looks like the Fifth Dispensation had 483 years from the time the command was given...and then it would get seven more years at a later date.
Something happened in between: OUR DISPENSATION!
There is a "break" within the Dispensation of the Law so that our Dispensation can occur. Today's passage from Daniel showed this...but it was not the only place in the Bible where we see a break.
Tomorrow we will look at some more examples...
Next Post
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Sixth and Seventh Feasts of God
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we are looking at God's Plan. In the previous post, we looked at God's Fifth Feast. Today, we will look at The Sixth and Seventh Feasts of God.
THE SIXTH FEAST OF GOD
Feast #6: Atonement
Date: 7/10
"26 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
27 Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
28 And ye shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Jehovah your God.
29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day; he shall be cut off from his people.
30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any manner of work in that same day, that soul will I destroy from among his people.
31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of solemn rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye keep your sabbath." (Leviticus 23:26-32, ASV)
This Feast is also known as "Yom Kippur" which means "Day of Atonement".
The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur were known as "The Ten Days of Awe". During this time, people ought to have examined themselves and intentionally confessed and repented before judgment fell on them.
The Feast was on the Eve of Yom Kippur...the ninth day. There were two festive meals for: the giving of charity and the asking others for forgiveness.
On Yom Kippur, the High Priest entered Holy of Holies to make sacrifices.
THE SEVENTH FEAST OF GOD
Feast #7: Tabernacles
Date: 7/15
"33 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto Jehovah.
35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.
36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah: it is a solemn assembly; ye shall do no servile work."
37 These are the set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah, a burnt-offering, and a meal-offering, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, each on its own day;
38 besides the sabbaths o Jehovah, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto Jehovah.
39 Howbeit on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep the feast of Jehovah seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
40 And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days.
41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto Jehovah seven days in the year: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; ye shall keep it in the seventh month.
42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths;
43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God." (Leviticus 23:33-43, ASV)
The Feast of Tabernacles was also known as the Feast of Booths and the Feast of In Gathering. It was focused on "dwellings". EVERYONE lived in makeshift dwellings for seven days to commemorate Israel's time in the desert. On the eighth day, the final harvest was complete and EVERYONE was brought together for a feast.
The priest poured water on the altar and lit lamps as a remembrance to Israel's time in the desert where God gave them water out of the rock in Horeb and led them by a pillar of fire at night. Notice, the First Feast (Passover) commemorated Israel's first day of freedom (from slavery) and the Seventh (and last) Feast commemorated the time up until Israel reached the Promised Land.
The priests marched around the altar every day for seven days with palm and other branches while saying, "Hosanna"...which meant "save" or "help now". On the eighth day, the priests marched around the altar seven times and proclaimed the "Great Hosanna".
There was a reference in the gospels for the Feast of Tabernacles:
"1 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judaea, because the Jews sought to kill him.
2 Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand." (John 7:1-2, ASV)
Eight days later...
"37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.
39 But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified." (John 7:37-39, ASV)
SUMMARY
Clearly, the First Four Feasts have been fulfilled. These spring Feasts have signified the TEMPORARY end of the Dispensation of the Law.
In The Sequel, we see how the previous Dispensation actually comes back for seven more years before it is completed.
I believe the fall Feasts will mark significant events from beginning to end of this seven year period. However, in order to look at this in more detail, we will need some background.
Next week, we will look at passages in the Bible that pointed to a "break" in the Dispensation of the Law...
Next Post
This week we are looking at God's Plan. In the previous post, we looked at God's Fifth Feast. Today, we will look at The Sixth and Seventh Feasts of God.
THE SIXTH FEAST OF GOD
Feast #6: Atonement
Date: 7/10
"26 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
27 Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
28 And ye shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Jehovah your God.
29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day; he shall be cut off from his people.
30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any manner of work in that same day, that soul will I destroy from among his people.
31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of solemn rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye keep your sabbath." (Leviticus 23:26-32, ASV)
This Feast is also known as "Yom Kippur" which means "Day of Atonement".
The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur were known as "The Ten Days of Awe". During this time, people ought to have examined themselves and intentionally confessed and repented before judgment fell on them.
The Feast was on the Eve of Yom Kippur...the ninth day. There were two festive meals for: the giving of charity and the asking others for forgiveness.
On Yom Kippur, the High Priest entered Holy of Holies to make sacrifices.
THE SEVENTH FEAST OF GOD
Feast #7: Tabernacles
Date: 7/15
"33 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto Jehovah.
35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.
36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah: it is a solemn assembly; ye shall do no servile work."
37 These are the set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah, a burnt-offering, and a meal-offering, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, each on its own day;
38 besides the sabbaths o Jehovah, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto Jehovah.
39 Howbeit on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep the feast of Jehovah seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
40 And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days.
41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto Jehovah seven days in the year: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; ye shall keep it in the seventh month.
42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths;
43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God." (Leviticus 23:33-43, ASV)
The Feast of Tabernacles was also known as the Feast of Booths and the Feast of In Gathering. It was focused on "dwellings". EVERYONE lived in makeshift dwellings for seven days to commemorate Israel's time in the desert. On the eighth day, the final harvest was complete and EVERYONE was brought together for a feast.
The priest poured water on the altar and lit lamps as a remembrance to Israel's time in the desert where God gave them water out of the rock in Horeb and led them by a pillar of fire at night. Notice, the First Feast (Passover) commemorated Israel's first day of freedom (from slavery) and the Seventh (and last) Feast commemorated the time up until Israel reached the Promised Land.
The priests marched around the altar every day for seven days with palm and other branches while saying, "Hosanna"...which meant "save" or "help now". On the eighth day, the priests marched around the altar seven times and proclaimed the "Great Hosanna".
There was a reference in the gospels for the Feast of Tabernacles:
"1 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judaea, because the Jews sought to kill him.
2 Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand." (John 7:1-2, ASV)
Eight days later...
"37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.
39 But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified." (John 7:37-39, ASV)
SUMMARY
Clearly, the First Four Feasts have been fulfilled. These spring Feasts have signified the TEMPORARY end of the Dispensation of the Law.
In The Sequel, we see how the previous Dispensation actually comes back for seven more years before it is completed.
I believe the fall Feasts will mark significant events from beginning to end of this seven year period. However, in order to look at this in more detail, we will need some background.
Next week, we will look at passages in the Bible that pointed to a "break" in the Dispensation of the Law...
Next Post
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Fifth Feast of God
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we are looking at God's Plan. In the previous post, we looked at God's Fourth Feast and how it signaled the birth of the Christian Church and the beginning of our Dispensation. Today, we will look at The Fifth Feast of God.
THE FIFTH FEAST OF GOD
Feast #5: Trumpets
Date: 7/1
"23 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
25 Ye shall do no servile work; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah." (Leviticus 23:23-25, ASV)
Notice:
-The First Four Feasts of God were in the spring. The last Three Feasts of God were in the fall.
-This was the ONLY Feast that began on the first or last day of the month...which would be a new moon.
-The First Feast occurred in the first month of God's year. This Feast was the first day of the civil year. (This Feast is also known as "Rosh Hashanah" which means "head of the year".)
ROSH HASHANAH
This Feast actually took place over two days. One hundred trumpet blasts (trumps) were blown on each day on two silver trumpets. Some time during the two days, the Shofar Ram's Horn was blown. When this horn was blown, regardless of the time of day or night, everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered for a feast. The ONLY person who knew when the horn was blown was the priest.
Tomorrow, we will look at the Sixth and Seventh Feasts of God...
Next Post
This week we are looking at God's Plan. In the previous post, we looked at God's Fourth Feast and how it signaled the birth of the Christian Church and the beginning of our Dispensation. Today, we will look at The Fifth Feast of God.
THE FIFTH FEAST OF GOD
Feast #5: Trumpets
Date: 7/1
"23 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
25 Ye shall do no servile work; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah." (Leviticus 23:23-25, ASV)
Notice:
-The First Four Feasts of God were in the spring. The last Three Feasts of God were in the fall.
-This was the ONLY Feast that began on the first or last day of the month...which would be a new moon.
-The First Feast occurred in the first month of God's year. This Feast was the first day of the civil year. (This Feast is also known as "Rosh Hashanah" which means "head of the year".)
ROSH HASHANAH
This Feast actually took place over two days. One hundred trumpet blasts (trumps) were blown on each day on two silver trumpets. Some time during the two days, the Shofar Ram's Horn was blown. When this horn was blown, regardless of the time of day or night, everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered for a feast. The ONLY person who knew when the horn was blown was the priest.
Tomorrow, we will look at the Sixth and Seventh Feasts of God...
Next Post
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The Fourth Feast of God
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we are looking at God's Plan. In the previous post, we looked at how God's First Three Feasts are The Gospel. Today, we will look at The Fourth Feast of God.
THE FOURTH FEAST OF GOD
Feast #4: Weeks (Grain harvest)
Date: 50 days after First Fruits
"15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven sabbaths shall there be complete:
16 even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meal-offering unto Jehovah.
17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah: they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baken with leaven, for first-fruits unto Jehovah.
18 And ye shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering unto Jehovah, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
19 And ye shall offer one he-goat for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace-offerings.
20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before Jehovah, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Jehovah for the priest.
21 And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no servile work: it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am Jehovah your God." (Leviticus 23:15-22, ASV)
This Fourth Feast occurred 50 days after the harvest began and signified the end of the harvest.
Notice:
-Two loaves of bread were presented...with leaven.
-A goat (for sin) and two lambs (for peace) were offered.
-The Feast included people outside community (poor and sojourner).
We saw at the end of the gospels that significant events in Christianity occurred during the days of the First Three Feasts of God. What happened 50 days after First Fruits...50 days after Jesus was Resurrected?
ACTS 1
"1 The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,
2 until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God:
4 and, being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me:
5 For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
6 They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority.
8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven." (Acts 1:1-11, ASV)
Jesus spent the first 40 days after First Fruits with the disciples. The very last thing that Jesus said before He left (in a manner that was the same way He will return some day) was that the Holy Spirit would come to bring the believers power to witness unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The 50 days after First Fruits was also known as "Pentecost"...meaning "fiftieth". What happened on Pentecost?
ACTS 2
"1 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4, ASV)
The Church was born on Pentecost! This was the beginning of our Dispensation!
Look at the symbolism of the Fourth Feast of God:
-Two loaves of bread were presented...with leaven.
The two loaves were the Jews and Gentiles presented TOGETHER to God. The leaven signified the change in Salvation from the Old Testament (declared holy and can't make spiritual progress) to New Testament (declared sinful and need to make spiritual progress).
-A goat (for sin) and two lambs (for peace) were offered.
Again, sin was accounted for, however TWO LAMBS (Jew and Gentile) signifying PEACE were offered together. We saw this was Paul's main theme in the Book of Romans.
-The Feast included people outside community (poor and sojourner).
Community was redefined from a nation (Israel) to a group of believers (Church).
SUMMARY
God used His First Four Feasts to point EVERYONE to The Gospel and bring about the next Dispensation...to further His Plan.
All Four Feasts occurred on days that (also match symbolically) four significant events in Christianity that led to the end of the Dispensation of the Law and introduced our Dispensation.
Tomorrow, we will look at the God's Fifth Feast.
Next Post
This week we are looking at God's Plan. In the previous post, we looked at how God's First Three Feasts are The Gospel. Today, we will look at The Fourth Feast of God.
THE FOURTH FEAST OF GOD
Feast #4: Weeks (Grain harvest)
Date: 50 days after First Fruits
"15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven sabbaths shall there be complete:
16 even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meal-offering unto Jehovah.
17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah: they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baken with leaven, for first-fruits unto Jehovah.
18 And ye shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering unto Jehovah, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
19 And ye shall offer one he-goat for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace-offerings.
20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before Jehovah, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Jehovah for the priest.
21 And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no servile work: it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am Jehovah your God." (Leviticus 23:15-22, ASV)
This Fourth Feast occurred 50 days after the harvest began and signified the end of the harvest.
Notice:
-Two loaves of bread were presented...with leaven.
-A goat (for sin) and two lambs (for peace) were offered.
-The Feast included people outside community (poor and sojourner).
We saw at the end of the gospels that significant events in Christianity occurred during the days of the First Three Feasts of God. What happened 50 days after First Fruits...50 days after Jesus was Resurrected?
ACTS 1
"1 The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,
2 until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God:
4 and, being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me:
5 For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
6 They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority.
8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven." (Acts 1:1-11, ASV)
Jesus spent the first 40 days after First Fruits with the disciples. The very last thing that Jesus said before He left (in a manner that was the same way He will return some day) was that the Holy Spirit would come to bring the believers power to witness unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The 50 days after First Fruits was also known as "Pentecost"...meaning "fiftieth". What happened on Pentecost?
ACTS 2
"1 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4, ASV)
The Church was born on Pentecost! This was the beginning of our Dispensation!
Look at the symbolism of the Fourth Feast of God:
-Two loaves of bread were presented...with leaven.
The two loaves were the Jews and Gentiles presented TOGETHER to God. The leaven signified the change in Salvation from the Old Testament (declared holy and can't make spiritual progress) to New Testament (declared sinful and need to make spiritual progress).
-A goat (for sin) and two lambs (for peace) were offered.
Again, sin was accounted for, however TWO LAMBS (Jew and Gentile) signifying PEACE were offered together. We saw this was Paul's main theme in the Book of Romans.
-The Feast included people outside community (poor and sojourner).
Community was redefined from a nation (Israel) to a group of believers (Church).
SUMMARY
God used His First Four Feasts to point EVERYONE to The Gospel and bring about the next Dispensation...to further His Plan.
All Four Feasts occurred on days that (also match symbolically) four significant events in Christianity that led to the end of the Dispensation of the Law and introduced our Dispensation.
Tomorrow, we will look at the God's Fifth Feast.
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The First Three Feasts of God
This month we are looking at an event that I believe is the most under-appreciated event recorded in the Bible: The Last Supper.
This week we are looking at God's Plan. In the previous post, we briefly looked at the Seven Feasts of God. Today, we will look at God's First Three Feasts.
THE FIRST THREE FEASTS OF GOD
Feast #1: Passover
Date: 1/14
"4 These are the set feasts of Jehovah, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season.
5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, is Jehovah's passover." (Leviticus 23:4-5, ASV)
Last week we covered Passover and saw that The Last Supper was the Passover Seder. We looked at how Paul mentioned this in I Corinthians 11.
Feast #2: Unleavened Bread
Date: 1/15
"6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Jehovah: seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.
7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.
8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work." (Leviticus 23:6-8, ASV)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread began the day after Passover and was celebrated for seven days.
Jesus was buried during the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We saw that Jesus was the Unleavened Bread in the Passover meal...The Last Supper...Communion.
Also, Paul wrote in I Corinthians 5:
"7 Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ:
8 wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
Feast #3: First Fruits
Date: Sunday after 1/14
"9 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11 and he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12 And in the day when ye wave the sheaf, ye shall offer a he-lamb without blemish a year old for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah.
13 And the meal-offering thereof shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah for a sweet savor; and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the oblation of your God: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings." (Leviticus 23:9-14, ASV)
The Feast of First Fruits was celebrated in connection with the First Harvest of the year...the wheat harvest. The First Sheaf of wheat was harvested and presented to God.
Jesus was Resurrected on the Sunday after Passover. We have seen that Paul called Jesus the First Fruits in I Corinthians 15:
"20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming." (I Corinthians 15:20-23, ASV)
So far, the First Three Feasts of God occurred on days that (also match symbolically) three significant events in Christianity:
Passover - Last Supper, Christ died
Unleavened Bread - Christ was buried
First Fruits - Christ was Resurrected
Does this sound familiar? Can you guess that I'm going to reference I Corinthians 15? Here's an excerpt from that post:
I CORINTHIANS 15
"1 Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,
2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain."
Paul began by referencing "The Gospel". What did Paul say is "The Gospel"?
"3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures;
5 and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve;
6 then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep;
7 then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles;
8 and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also."
What do you know? It is the same as God's First Three Feasts: Christ died, Christ was buried, and Christ rose.
God's First Three Feasts ARE The Gospel!
Tomorrow, we will look at God's Fourth Feast...
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This week we are looking at God's Plan. In the previous post, we briefly looked at the Seven Feasts of God. Today, we will look at God's First Three Feasts.
THE FIRST THREE FEASTS OF GOD
Feast #1: Passover
Date: 1/14
"4 These are the set feasts of Jehovah, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season.
5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, is Jehovah's passover." (Leviticus 23:4-5, ASV)
Last week we covered Passover and saw that The Last Supper was the Passover Seder. We looked at how Paul mentioned this in I Corinthians 11.
Feast #2: Unleavened Bread
Date: 1/15
"6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Jehovah: seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.
7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.
8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work." (Leviticus 23:6-8, ASV)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread began the day after Passover and was celebrated for seven days.
Jesus was buried during the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We saw that Jesus was the Unleavened Bread in the Passover meal...The Last Supper...Communion.
Also, Paul wrote in I Corinthians 5:
"7 Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ:
8 wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
Feast #3: First Fruits
Date: Sunday after 1/14
"9 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11 and he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12 And in the day when ye wave the sheaf, ye shall offer a he-lamb without blemish a year old for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah.
13 And the meal-offering thereof shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah for a sweet savor; and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the oblation of your God: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings." (Leviticus 23:9-14, ASV)
The Feast of First Fruits was celebrated in connection with the First Harvest of the year...the wheat harvest. The First Sheaf of wheat was harvested and presented to God.
Jesus was Resurrected on the Sunday after Passover. We have seen that Paul called Jesus the First Fruits in I Corinthians 15:
"20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming." (I Corinthians 15:20-23, ASV)
So far, the First Three Feasts of God occurred on days that (also match symbolically) three significant events in Christianity:
Passover - Last Supper, Christ died
Unleavened Bread - Christ was buried
First Fruits - Christ was Resurrected
Does this sound familiar? Can you guess that I'm going to reference I Corinthians 15? Here's an excerpt from that post:
I CORINTHIANS 15
"1 Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,
2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain."
Paul began by referencing "The Gospel". What did Paul say is "The Gospel"?
"3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures;
5 and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve;
6 then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep;
7 then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles;
8 and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also."
What do you know? It is the same as God's First Three Feasts: Christ died, Christ was buried, and Christ rose.
God's First Three Feasts ARE The Gospel!
Tomorrow, we will look at God's Fourth Feast...
Next Post
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