FROM WHICH WILL YOU BE CHOSEN?
“For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth” (Deut 7:6).
In previous articles we talked about having the gift of God's Holy Spirit given in measure and how perfection is a process. At Pentecost last year we addressed God's two leavened wave loaves of bread, which are recognized by the Lord as “first fruits” from the wheat harvest.
In the book of Acts, we find Pentecost is the spiritual birthday of the “Church of God.” Luke, the first Church historian, writes of the early years of the church: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 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 ).
In the Old Testament, Moses was instructed to tell us to count from the first day of the week during the Days of Unleavened Bread, to find when Pentecost was to be observed. “And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall you number fifty days; and you shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the first-fruits unto the Lord” (Lev 23:15-17). Vs. 18-19, lists the offerings that go with the two loaves. Now vs. 20 -21, “And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the First-fruits [of the wheat harvest] for a wave offering before the Lord, with the two Lambs: they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. And you shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: you shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”
The count for Pentecost was always started on wave sheaf Sunday, during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Historically, it was on this day that Christ was offered to God the Father, and accepted as the First of the first fruits of the barley harvest!
God's called, and chosen were also confirmed with their token of responsibility on this historical day of “Pentecost” [Sunday], the first day of the week. When studying in the Old Testament, we know the wave sheaf represents Christ the First of the barley first fruits - the One without sin! And 50 days later the two wave loaves of bread baked with leaven representing the 2nd harvest of the wheat first fruits - unto the Lord.
The definition for first- fruits of the barley harvest in the Old Testament is Strong's numbers 7225 and 7218 reveals this meaning: 1). Chief-est; 2). Highest part of priest; 3). Head; 4). Ruler; 5). Beginning of kingdom; 6). First earliest of nations; 7). First of fruits; 8). First phase; 9). Chief; 10). Choicest part; 11). First of its kind. But, the definition for the firstfruits of the wheat harvest is Strong's number 1061, meaning: 1). the first of the crops and fruit that ripened, was gathered, and offered to God according to the ritual of Pentecost; 2). the bread made of the new grain offered at Pentecost; 3). the day of the first-fruits (Pentecost).
The New Testament definition of “first fruits,” is Strong's number 536 and 756: 1). Used of persons consecrated to God; 2). Leading the rest in time; 3.) Those who have the first fruits of future blessings in the Spirit; 4). Used of persons superior in excellence to others of the same class; 5). Be the first to do anything; 6). Chief leader or ruler. These definitions are taken from Thayer's Greek Lexicon and the New Brown, Driver, Briggs, Hebrew Lexicon, copyright 1993. Using these two Lexicons to find the two language definitions for first fruits reminded me of all the comparable “two's” God uses throughout His Word.
There are two commanded summons that were issued by God involving the day of Pentecost. One is found in the Old Testament and another is in the New Testament. First the New Testament summons, “And [Christ] being assembled together with them, commanded them [summoned them] that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, said, you have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence” (Acts 1:4-5). Here we read Christ summoned His disciples to not depart from Jerusalem but wait there for the promise of the Father to give them His Holy Spirit. In Acts chapter 2, that promise was fulfilled.
The other commanded summons is given in Exodus 24. Prior to this summons the Israelites promised to do what ever the Lord asked them to do. “And he [Moses] took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, all that the Lord has said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning all these words” (Exo 24: 7-8).
Next, we find Moses, Aaron, his sons and seventy elders had been summoned to mount Sinai. “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and Seventy of the elders of Israel: and they saw the God of Israel: and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in His clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink” (Exo. 24:9-11). It would be interesting to know what they ate and drank!
Moses, along with these leaders of Israel, were inducted into office in this remarkable ceremony as they partook of the eating and drinking - just as we are when we partake of the memorial Passover. A question comes to mind; was all this a prototype of the coming marriage supper that we read of in Rev.19? “And he saith unto me, write, blessed are they which are called [summoned] unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And He saith unto me, these are the true sayings of God” (Rev 19:9). This is just a thought- a provoking question that merits our attention.
Back now to our subject on the two leavened loaves of bread. God uses the two spring, early and late, harvest as symbolic types of His spiritual harvests. The two leavened wave loaves made from the late spring, early summer wheat represents two Church groups mentioned in Revelation 7 and Revelation 11. When reading verse 17 in Leviticus 23, it stated clearly they are “the first fruits unto the Lord.” These two wheat loaves still have leaven in them because they represent human beings with a little human nature yet in them! The Apostle Paul was inspired by God to tells us, “For All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Paul also said, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).
Most of you witnessed this year at Passover season, one group keeping Passover at God's appointed time, as we are advised to do. “Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at his appointed season [appointed time]. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, you shall keep it in his appointed season [appointed time]: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall you keep it” (Numbers 9:2-3). These are the firstfruits from the unleavened barley harvest.
The second groups of first fruits [two wave loaf with leaven in them] kept Passover last year 1 day late, this year they were two days late! Next year, 2008, they will be one month late! Notice: the Churches that follow the Jewish Hebrew calendar, also known as the “Sacred calendar,” will be keeping Pentecost this year one week late! [See Revelation 11:3-4, two witnesses and two churches with them].
No doubt the Israelites of old were glad they put the sacrificed lamb's redeeming blood on their door post at the right time [appointed time] as they were commanded to do! If any today are late keeping God's memorial Passover at its appointed time, they will not come under the protection of Christ' redeeming blood!! They will experience going through part of a tribulation. People do not like to hear that, but its not me saying that - it's what God's Word teaches.
The Church that will not go through a tribulation are those with the Philadelphia church attitude, that is told “it will have little strength.” This Church is encouraged by its messenger, that said, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial [temptation, testing, trouble, and pain] which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” ( Rev 3: 10).
Reviewing John's vision in Revelation 12, we learn of two church groups. The first one goes to a place of protection that we just read in Rev 3: 10, and a second one goes through the tribulation!
When reading Revelation 12:14-16, we recognize the group that goes to a place of safety [protection], “And to the woman [woman represents a church] were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” Now in verse 17, John writes of the second group that keeps the commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, [the church that went to a place of protection ] and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 12:17). Why did this second group not go to a place of safety with the first group? IT IS BECAUSE, they did not keep God's appointed Passover time and they missed coming under the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ - they practice postponing God's annual Holy Days!
Those that went to a place of protection, are identified in Rev 12: verse 6, and in verse 11, which clues us in as to why they are protected. “And the woman [the church] fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” And verse 11, “And [those who kept the Passover at its appointed day] they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” These did not postpone Passover as the Jewish calendar teaches, but kept Passover on its true appointed day!
Those that John calls the “remnant” in verse 17, is the church group of people that are recognized in Revelation 7, as the 144,000 and mixed multitude that God seals after the sixth seal, and at the beginning of the seventh seal, when there is silence in heaven for half an hour, as it tells us in Rev 8:1. “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.” This silence of the seventh seal forms a “bridge” between the opening of the seals and the angels to start the blowing of the seven trumpets of God's wrath, called “The Day of the Lord.”
The Revelation 7, 144,000 remnant and mixed multitude will go through Satan's wrath, “Woe one” and “Woe two,” along with the two witnesses and the two church's mentioned in Revelation 11.
Revelation 7, tells us what the remnant had to go through and what they finally understood about what they had not done to make their robes white. “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me [John], What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And [the elder] said unto him, sir, you know. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:13-14).
The remnant finally caught on as to when the true 14th day is for God's protective memorial Passover and what coming under the blood of the Lamb at its appointed time means. Just a side note and a reminder: the first group that is qualified as “first fruits,” who first trusted the Lord and first trusted His truth - were the ones taken to the place of protection after the 4th seal had been opened, represented by a pale horse. They will not go through woe one or woe two, of the tribulation of Satan's wrath. Why do I say that? The answer is found in Paul's epistle. “According as He [God] has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; wherein He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself” (Eph 1:4-9).
We talked about this mystery and trumpet of God before. “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will: that we should be to the praise of His glory, who first Trusted in Christ. In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” The key statements are made in these last two verses. 1. “Who first trusted in Christ.” 2. After that you heard [paid attention]. 3. To the “word of truth” 4. And you were “sealed with the Holy Spirit.” In the symbolism of scripture, a “seal” signifies a finished transaction or ownership and security.
Both will at the same time, go through the period of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, we read about in Matthew 24 and in Revelation chapter 6.
With this back ground, a question arises - is this first-fruit barley group that God speaks of in Revelation 19, verses 7-8, that has made herself ready, the one Christ like a thief comes for, meaning unnoticed? “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the Marriage of the lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
We read Christ's words - a personal statement from Jesus Christ: “Behold, I come as a thief [meaning un-noticed]. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments.” Is this wedding garments that Christ is speaking of ? Christ continues, “Lest he walk naked, and they see his shame” (Rev 16:15).
Notice what the Apostle Peter said in his sermon, that will help prove the point of Christ being un-noticed. “And we are witnesses of all things which He [Jesus] did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly” (Acts 10:39-40). In verse 41 after he stated “ and showed Him openly,” “Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, [the verse goes on to show He was no phantom of the disciples imagination] even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead.”
It seems pretty clear who is in control of what we see and hear. We all know the story of the 10 virgins: five were wise and five were foolish. The five that were foolish ran out of oil for their lamps, they begged from the wise, but were told to go and buy their own. And while they were gone to buy the oil of truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Matt 25: verse 10 tells us: “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” In verse 13, Christ ends that parable by saying, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
There is found in Luke 12, the wise advice given to the five foolish virgins and the remnant people of Rev. 12:17, that keep the commandments and testimony of Christ, that do not at this time come under the protection of the blood of Jesus Christ, the sacrificed lamb, because they postponed Passover by keeping the Jewish Hebrew calendar!! “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and you yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, When He will return from the wedding; that when He cometh and knocks, they may open unto Him immediately. Blessed are those servants, [of Rev 7] whom the Lord when He comes shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them”(Luke 12:35-37-38).
Scripture strongly suggests there is going to be a marriage supper some time prior to the Feast of Trumpets! Is it going to be on the day of Pentecost? The question is: Are we ready to be summoned to be the bride ? Are we ready to hear God's voice summon us? As did Moses, Daniel, Paul, and the witnesses?
In Revelation 11, we witness a great voice summon the two witnesses to ascend up to the clouds. “And they [the two witnesses] heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them” (Rev 11:12).
The Apostle John helps us understand who this voice is. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). In vs. 16, Christ speaks of the remnant sheep: “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd.”
Have you ever noticed how a great voice like God's is not heard by the unqualified? His Voice, summons only those who are to become His bride and those who are invited to the marriage supper and to rule in His kingdom.
Two more examples of God's called hearing a voice is Daniel and the Apostle Paul. Daniel experienced a vision and heard a voice but the men that were with him neither saw the vision nor heard the voice. “Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and His face as the appearance of lightning, and His eyes as lamps of fire, and His arms and His feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of His words like the voice of a multitude. And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves” (Daniel 10: 5-7).
Apostle Paul had a similar experience and he alone understood the voice who spoke to him. “And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecute you Me? And I answered, who art you, Lord? And He said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of Him that spake to me.
Those who are to be the bride and rule with Christ in the kingdom will be invited by the Lord's own voice when He comes in secret- quietly, and un-noticed to enter His marriage and kingdom. That could be during the days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread--recognizing Christ is the first of the first fruits!
The eventual result of the intervention of the Lord will cause His people to sing again as their forefathers sang with Moses at the time of their deliverance from Egypt! “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits [unleavened] unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Rev 14:1-5).
“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded” (2 Chron 15:7).
James Russell