GOD'S UNFOLDING
PURPOSE
[Ed. Note: This teaching is
not to be confused with the commentary by the
same name published in the third volume of The
Manifested Sons of God almost 3 years later.
There is no relationship between the two
articles.]
It is very thrilling, but also very sobering to
realize that God is moving by His Spirit in this very
day in which we live to REVEAL to His servants
that which is shortly to come to pass. Truly the Lord is
FAITHFUL in that which He has promised. For we read in
Amos 3:7, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he
reveals his
secret to his
servants the prophets," Dare we
believe that this scripture is TRUE? Is God revealing
Himself and His plan? Judge for yourself as you read the
following prophecy which was given on the night of
August 4, l964. Surely God's unfolding purpose for the
consummation of this age is being made known to us more
clearly as we are able to receive it. "The secret things
belong to the
Lord our God: but those things which are REVEALED belong
to us and to our children
forever… “(Deut. 29:29). Praise His
Name!
[prophecy]
"Many things shall come on this land says the Lord.
For I have decreed it and it shall come to pass. Do you
think that man can thwart My Word which declares my plan
that all nations shall engage in mortal combat in a
day of judgment and retribution? Yes, and I say
that much confusion shall come on my people in
the days that are ahead. For three times will I bring
terror on
this nation.
"From the east will I cause consternation. For
out of the east will arise a plague, a scourge, which
will cause great lamentation and woe, and it shall
bring peril on the nation.
But the end is not yet.
"After this, says the Lord,
will come a peril from the south. For in mighty terror
and anguish will nations rise up under the banner of the
sickle to scourge this land with consternation and fear.
For out of the south will come the terror of revolution,
as nations rise up to overthrow the yokes that have
bound them, But they know not the truth, neither do they
know which way to go, but in ignorance will acclaim
leadership which will lead them astray. And they will
fashion weapons of destruction to gnash at those they
believe to have been their tormentors, and great shall
be the cry of anguish which shall come from the
people of this land as they behold the
consternation and fear that comes from the
south.
"And then comes great hope
from the west. For out of the westernmost part of this
land will I begin a great movement to bring revival to
my people. For I have chosen this place, even this city
(Portland, Oregon) to be one of the key places
for this revival to be given, Dare you to believe
that this is true? I say, if you shall believe,
you shall see, says the Lord,
And from this west coast I shall spread this revival
until it shall encompass the land to bring rest and
hope and comfort to my people, says the
Lord.
"For this is a preparation, says the Lord; a
preparation for the third and last time of great
consternation which shall come on my people.
For this shall be a time of great darkness and
tearfulness; yes, and great
destruction. For great destruction shall come from the
north, says
the Lord, as the enemy shall come in like a flood. For
from the north will I bring great destruction on this land and
on its
people, says
the Lord „ And many shall perish in that day. For it
shall be a quick work and a time swiftly encompassed,
for verily none would escape if my grace had not decreed
a time of shortening, says the Lord
Almighty who made heaven and earth and all that [is
in it]. For I have decreed it and none can stay my hand.
For my people have become lamentably wicked, says the Lord,
and my sword of judgment shall come to purge and cleanse
and sweep clean the land so that I may begin anew to
build and to plant and to bring forth a people who shall
honor me and who shall become the nucleus of a world
confederacy of my people; which shall become peoples and
nations of righteousness for all the world to see. For truly
righteousness shall spring forth as out of dry ground;
as the budding and blossoming forth of that which
comes
from a rod which I shall plant in truth and in
holiness.
"Therefore shall you (vessels
prepared by God) go forth in this day which I have
appointed, says the Lord,
to be a rod in my hand, a rod of truth and divine
appointment to spring forth by my miraculous power and
grace, to warn my people and to bring forth to fruition
a remnant in righteousness and holiness; to take my
truth across the breadth of this land, says the Lord,
so that when the revival begins a people will be
prepared to receive and to rise up as a mighty army to
go forth in this last day to declare my soon coming; to
ready a people for my
appearing.
"For truly I will have a people in the land, says the Lord.
First, a remnant which shall do exploits in my Name and
prepare in abundance for a great harvest in the
land and for a time appointed. For the sickle
which I will put in their hand is the sickle of
truth—truth for the present—for this time appointed; as
faithful stewards to bring forth my wine of truth and
righteousness for this day. For new wine
indeed I have prepared, and vessels to receive the wine
of preparation; a wine too potent to be received
but by a remnant prepared, says the Lord.
But you (the
vessels prepared) shall be used to prepare a harvest in
abundance, says the Lord;
for in a time of travail I will bring forth (Isa.
66:7-9), and in a time of grief will I be sought, and
then it shall spring forth, and from sea to sea it shall
encompass, says the
Lord. From
the east to the west shall it spring forth in truth and
holiness (all across the
land).
"But the time is not yet, for a remnant must
first be prepared and this I am doing now, says the Lord.
Be not affrighted at that which shall shortly come on you, for it is
my preparation, says the Lord.* And I will
send you
forth to trumpet this message of preparation; for a
remnant must first be prepared, and then, and only then,
shall a great harvest come. For out of the
north and east shall a scourge arise and many shall fall
in that day, but out of the west shall hope arise, even
as out of the south shall come bewilderment and fear, says the
Lord.
*This refers to a personal
trial I went through, but it also indicates that
God will test all those He is
preparing.
"Beginning in you (the vessels
prepared) shall be a whirlwind and it shall encompass
many, for I shall blow on you says the Lord,
and mighty things shall be wrought m my name and for my
sake. For those I have prepared shall go forth as a
mighty whirlwind to shake and uproot and plant again,
and many shall come and behold the mighty hand of my
truth.
Be not afraid, therefore, for I shall encompass
you by my
Spirit, and make you a strong
tower and as a fenced and walled city which shall be
compassed by the enemy, but they shall not be able to
penetrate, says the
Lord.
"For some of my prepared ones shall remain
through the tribulation plagues that shall come on the earth,
and shall not be partakers of the first-fruits which
shall be taken out. Even so shall
they be a partaker of the first ripe of my harvest which
shall be left in the earth to act as a ferment of
righteousness and truth till all lumps are fully
prepared, says the Lord.
For there shall be three lumps prepared (Mt. 13:33). A
lump of prepared ones to fully partake of all that I
have (100-fold); a lump of second ones (60-fold) who
shall see my glory but shall not enter into the
glories of the celestial Kingdom; and a lump of third
ones (30-fold) who shall be cast out into tribulation
conditions without the fulness of my protection (the
"many stripes" of Lk. 12:45-47), for they will have to
endure much hardship and suffering, and there shall
be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.
"But those fully trusting in me, and prepared by
me, need not be fearful in that day, says the Lord.
For those I have taken out (the Firstfruits—Rev.
14:1-5) shall encompass my people and protect and speak
to them in
the day of trouble. And they shall be
to those who
remain a protecting shield in the wilderness of testing,
says the
Lord. (Rev. 12:6).
"Shall not the leaven of truth be used to leaven
these lumps, says the Lord.
For as a woman (Rev. 12:1, Mt. 13:33) who desires
to see come forth from the oven the fulness of that
which she has kneaded and prepared, so shall I give my
people the desire and the means to be a ferment in the
earth in the last days. One lump shall be of the east, a
lump of the south, and one of the west (symbolically
speaking—the same as the 100, 60, & 30 fold). The
eastern lump shall be cast out (into tribulation
conditions—the "stripes" of Lk. 12:47), says the Lord,
for they have sought their own desires first. Even so
shall they partake of the scourge and not receive the
completeness of protection in that day. A lump
shall be of the south. They shall speak forth my truth,
but they will have come in too late to be partakers with
the saints in light who shall know and be in the fulness
in that day. Even so, they shall receive my complete
protection, for they are sons of righteousness and sons
of the kingdom, though it be but the earthly. For this
shall be their lot: to enter that which is earthly in
fulness of physical stature and perfection
(immortality), being partakers in the first-fruits of
the earthly inheritance (in preparation for the coming
millennial kingdom).
"But the western lump shall be greater than they,
for they shall enter into that which is heavenly. For
even as the first-fruits which are taken beforehand (at
the beginning of the great tribulation), so shall they
be taken in that day (at the close of the
tribulation—the great multitude of Rev, 7:9-17) to be to me a helpmeet
in the heavenlies as I seek to conform all things to my
own realm.
"Shall I not rule, says the Lord?
Shall I not seek to bring all things to myself?
Indeed, I will! And many shall be used of me to carry
out my purpose, says the Lord.
For this is the westernmost lump which shall arise out
of the Holy of Holies even to Me, says the Lord.
(See Philippians 3:21).
"Partakers, partakers, partakers, says the Lord.
All shall be partakers (the three "lumps"—30, 60, &
100 fold). The difference is in time and in realm
of glory. For the earthly glory is not the heavenly;
neither is the heavenly the earthly (I Cor. l5:40-4l).
But each in his own sphere shall show forth my
glory.
"Are you willing to be a ferment, says the Lord?
For a ferment will I require to bring this forth, says the Lord.
For there is a ferment of truth as well as a ferment of
evil. The ferment of truth works slowly, penetrating the
fibers of the soul to bring forth that which I have
prepared. Consider, consider, that which I say to you, my child, for my
ways are not your ways, and I will cause you to seek
the higher ways."
[commentary]
The following comments were made at the time the
prophetic word was first published. I reprint them here
just as originally given. I will add some further
comments later, emphasizing the prophetic aspects of the
message.
In the prophecy God says, "Are you willing to be
a ferment, . . for a ferment will I require to
bring this forth." According to the dictionary, a
"ferment" is any substance whose presence in
another body produces the peculiar effervescence and
decomposition called fermentation; commotion; heat;
tumult; agitation. Fermentation is a chemical process
which causes decomposition or conversion of
an organic substance into new compounds in
the presence of a ferment, generally indicated by a
sensible internal motion, the development of
heat, and the liberation of bubbles of gas; in common
language, the process by which grape juice is converted
into wine.
Jesus said, "No man puts new wine into
old bottles (wineskins), " (Mark 2:22). This is because
the "fermenting" action of the new wine is too much for
the already stretched and "rigid" condition of the old
wine skin. New wine is that which is still in the
process of fermentation, not having yet become a
"mature" wine. From one perspective new wine is a type
of NEW TRUTH. In the prophecy God says: "For new wine
indeed I have prepared and vessels to receive the wine
of preparation, a wine too potent to be received
but by a remnant prepared, says the Lord."
This called-out remnant is being prepared as a NEW
vessel or wineskin to receive the TRUTHS and WORKINGS OF
THE SPIRIT too potent for the average Christian and
church group. Each one must become a NEW VESSEL to the Lord,
completely flexible to what the Lord wants to reveal TO
us or to do IN us.
What happens when the Lord begins to reveal new
truth to you? It begins a process of "fermentation"
within you. It causes a commotion, tumult and agitation,
because it so often disrupts ideas or concepts that you
had previously heId to. Like leaven it is a "substance"
within which produces an effervescence and
decomposition (of the old), breaking down,
restructuring and elevating, readying
for His Spirit-FIRE to do the final work.
This "work" continues until that truth has become
"mature" in us. Like "mature" wine it is then
incorruptible, purifying and lasting. New wine wilt
either ferment property and become a mature wine, or it
will sour and turn to vinegar, So with new truth
in us; it will either do its proper fermentation in us
and MATURE us or it will turn us SOUR, depending on our
readiness or lack of it. The prophecy says: "The ferment
of truth works slowly, penetrating the fibers of the
soul to bring forth that which I have prepared." Most of
us are SLOW to receive that which is new to us. It takes
TIME for the new truth to do its "work" and to finally
"mature" in us. In the
meantime we may experience a lot of "fermenting" action
within.
And now for a few comments on the "firstfruits."
Remember that according to the Bible PATTERN the
firstfruits was that part of the harvest which
ripened first and preceded the main harvest.
In the prophecy the "firstfruits "is divided into two
groupings: (1) the "firstfruits" which shall be
taken out preceding the main harvest, and (2)
"the first ripe of My harvest which shall be left in
the earth to act as a ferment of righteousness and
truth till all lumps are fully prepared" during the main
harvest.
Again when we go to the Bible PATTERN we find
that the "firstfruits " was especially dedicated to
God and as it was faithfully presented to Him,
it was the guarantee of the rest of the harvest.
In Lev, 23:10-12 we find instructions for a "sheaf" of
the firstfruits to be presented to the Lord in a special
ceremony at the Passover season at the beginning of the
barley harvest. In this special presentation they did
not pluck out all of the first ripe grain,
but only a "sheaf" OF the firstfruits (Lev. 23:10) which
was "cut OUT" of the harvest field and BROUGHT TO THE
PRIEST to be "waved "before the Lord. Josephus, the
great Jewish historian, says that this sheaf was of
barley, and that until this ceremony had been performed,
no harvest work was to be
done.
I personally believe this "wave sheaf" is the
"manchild" of Rev. 12:5 which is "caught up" to the
throne of God preceding the 3 & 1/2 years of
"wilderness" tribulation. It is also represented by
the 144,000 of Rev. 14:1-5 who are described as "the
firstfruits to God and to
the lamb." There is a very special reason why this
"sheaf" of the firstfruits is taken out
(translated and given glorified bodies) BEFORE the
tribulation. In the prophecy the Lord says: "Those
I have taken out shall encompass you and
protect you and
speak to you in the day
of trouble. And they shall be to you and to My people a
protecting shield in the wilderness of testing." Having
received their glorified bodies, we can see how
they could perform such "messenger service " just
as our Lord did after He was raised from the dead as He
continued to appear and speak to the disciples in His
glorified body for a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3). Rev. 12:6 says
that this "firstfruits manchild" shall "feed" the church
in the wilderness.
In contrast to the "firstfruits sheaf" to be
taken out, note the prophecy speaks of the "first ripe"
of My harvest which shall be left in the earth to
act as a ferment of righteousness and truth till
all lumps are fully prepared … for there shall be three
lumps prepared." These three lumps are to be brought
forth to final fruition during the 3 & 1/2
year tribulation period which is the time of
the final great harvest of human souls on the earth.
The "firstfruits remnant" which God is now calling and
preparing (with the exception of the "sheaf" to be taken
out) WILL BECOME the "ferment" left in the earth to do
the work. Even now a measure of this work is
being done, and we must be willing to become a
"fermenting-effervescing" (bubbling, lively and
sometimes even agitating) substance within the larger
body of Christendom; not by some "fleshly "methods, but
by the power of the Word of God and the working of His
Spirit.
We are to be like the woman in the parable
recorded in Mt. 13:33 who took and hid leaven (ferment)
in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
In the prophecy God says: "Shall not the leaven be used
to leaven these lumps, says the Lord?
(the leaven in this instance represents the truth which
becomes the "ferment" to do the work). And as
a woman who desires to see come forth from the oven
the fulness of that which she has kneaded and
prepared, so shall I give you the
desire and the means to be a
ferment among my people, to bring forth three
lumps In these last days." The final and complete
fulfillment will be by the "woman in the wilderness" of
Rev. 12:6 AFTER the "manchild" is caught up to the
throne of God." The woman is protected from the "face of
the serpent" (Rev. 12:14) during the tribulation time,
that she might accomplish her work and be
a "leavening" influence.
In the parable in Mt. 13:33 the woman "leavens"
three measures, and in the prophecy there is
mentioned three lumps, The "lumps" would
represent the "measures" of meal AFTER the leaven of the
Word of truth and the fire of God's Spirit had done the
necessary work.
The three "lumps" to be brought forth in these
last days represent the 30, 60, & 100 fold grouping
of Christians. The 100-fold is spoken of in the prophecy
as "the lump of prepared ones to fully partake of
all that I have." They shall be "joint-heirs"
with Christ to "rule and reign" within the glories of
the celestial (heavenly) kingdom, and over the earth. OF
them the prophecy also says: "For even as the
firstfruits which were taken beforehand (the
first of the 100-fold group), so shall you be taken in
that day to be to me a helpmeet
in the heavenlies as I seek to conform all things to my
own realm… For this is the westernmost lump which shall
arise out of the Holy of Holies even to me, says the
Lord."
The 60-fold is the "lump of second ones, which
shall see my glory but shall not enter into the glories
of the celestial kingdom, " It will be their lot to
enter that which is earthly in fulness of physical
stature and perfection—deathless life or
immortality in physlcal (terrestrial) bodies
instead of glorified (celestial) bodies (I Cor.
15:40). The
30-fold is the "lump of third class citizens who shall
be cast out (into tribulation conditions) because of
their folly and will have to endure much hardship and
suffering, for there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth." They shall "partake of the scourge and not
receive the completeness of protection in that
day." I believe, however, that if they "endure" in faith
to the end of the tribulation period, (Mt. 24:13), God
will save or preserve their lives from the vials of His
wrath, and they along with the 60-fold, will inherit the
earthly phase of the kingdom. But, unlike the 60-fold,
they will not be immediate candidates for immortality
for their physical bodies, but will have to first
prove themselves and move up to 60-fold status before
their change can come. I believe that some time after
the millennium (1000 years of peace) that those who are
living in immortal physical bodies will be translated
and receive their glorified bodies, for it is not God's
purpose for any of His children to remain "clod-hoppers"
and earth-bound forever. As the prophecy says,
"Partakers, partakers, partakers, says the Lord.
All (30-60-100-fold) shall be partakers. The
difference is in TIME and in REALM of GLORY." All shall
eventually be released from the earthly and put on the
celestial and heavenly glory in God's time, each to
enter that REALM God has chosen for
them.
As we survey the past ten years since this
prophetic word was first received, we can see that
history has already confirmed much of it. Many
things have come on theland of America, and what
we have seen is just the beginning of the judgmental
"woes" that are coming. I will not presume to be able at
this point to forecast all that the Lord has in mind in
this prophetic message. But I will comment on a measure
of fulfillment that we have seen. First, God says that
out of the east would arise a plague and scourge
which would bring great lamentation and woe, bringing
peril on the nation. I do not believe
this "plague" refers primarily to some physical disease
or scourge of epidemic proportions, although this could
be a part of it in time, even as we have
seen in a small measure what has been called "Asian flu
"and other diseases from the east invade this
country. But we have seen great "consternation" come on this land
because of the Communist "scourge" which has
increasingly raged in the east during the last 10 years,
especially in Viet Nam, In 1964 the Viet Nam issue
affected very few Americans, but in the succeeding years
it almost tore this country apart, bringing considerable
"peril" to the very fabric of our nation, I believe the
agonizing Viet Nam war was a partial fulfillment of the
scourge out of the east.
As we look to the future, it is not
likely that the continuing Communist scourge can be held
back in the east, even as we see countries such as
Cambodia tottering on the
brink of collapse, and South Viet
Nam being increasingly
weakened. Inroads into
other nations are also being made, such as
Thailand,
India,
etc. So that we can expect that the "cards" will be
increasingly "stacked" against us as a nation in
the far eastern countries.
But perhaps recent developments in
the near east (or Middle
East) are even more ominous for our nation than those in
the Far
East. Look what has happened in the last ten
years since the prophetic word was given. There have
been two wars between the Jews and Arabs (1967 &
1973), with the Russians increasingly aiding and
abetting the Arab countries. Suddenly the Arabs awoke to
the fact that they have the power to cut the jugular
vein of the west in their great OIL reserves which the
western nations (including America)
need. Leaders of western nations, including our own
secretary of state. Henry Kissinger, have recently
warned of the great economic PERIL which the nations of
the west are threatened with as the Arabs have chosen to
use their oil weapon with astronomically increased
prices. It takes little imagination to see how the Arabs
(egged on, no doubt, by Russia) will increasingly
try to BLACKmail the west into accepting their
position against Israel. And
without doubt the greatest "consternation "and
"PERIL" are going to come to our nation out of the EAST
when the final showdown comes in the Middle East.
For I do not believe that America will abandon
Israel to the
destruction of the Russian armed and backed Arab
countries,
The prophetic word mentions next
the peril from the south.
The prophecy is quite specific in stating that this
relates to nations south of our border in central
and south America rising up in revolution, increasingly
espousing pro-leftist ideologies and lashing out at the
USA. The last ten
years have seen the "rising tide" along this line. We
have read in the papers of the increasing kidnapping of
officials of American corporations in these countries
and the demanding of money, food, etc. as ransom. This
is the result of increased leftist guerilla activity
that is threatening the tenuous stability of most South
American nations. I recently talked to
missionaries of long-standing in South America, and
their report is that the political situation in most
S.A. nations
is extremely volatile. We saw one nation
(Chile) come
under the domination of a communist government, only to
overthrow it in bloody fighting, but it
is quite evident that there is still much
pro-leftist sentiment in the country and in time bloody
conflict could erupt there again.
In time, the revolutionary tide of the south is
going to greatly affect our nation and bring great
consternation and fear.
[Ed. note: this commentary
was produced in 1974. The prophecy of the southern
scourge indeed saw a much greater fulfillment in the
1980’s through the communist revolutions in
Grenada,
El
Salvador and
Nicaragua
under the Sandinistas, all creating great
consternation for the Reagan administration leading to
what became known as
“Contra-gate.”]
The prophecy then mentions great
hope coming from the west,
and specifically mentions the western-most part of the
USA as being
the "spring-board" for a move of the Spirit, which will
bring great hope to the nation. If this prophetic word
concerning the west had come only through me, I
would hesitate to publish it, but similar prophecies
have come from a number of vessels of God through the
past several years. However, the message is very clear
that this will be a nationwide move of the Spirit, and
where it comes from and what vessels God uses to give it
impetus is not of great importance. We must all be ready
to be used of God in whatever way He chooses, and for
His glory alone. I believe that the promised move of the
Spirit and the promised revival is for the most part yet
in the future. However, we have seen in the last ten
years an increasing preliminary move of the Spirit
which has been coined by some as the "charismatic
"movement, and which has affected large numbers in
all denominations. In harmony with the pattern that God
has spoken, this movement received its primary initial
impetus from the west coast. But what we have seen is
only small and fragmentary in comparison to the mighty
out-pouring which we know is coming. Praise the Lord!
May He hasten the day.
[Ed. note: in the 1990s-2000s,
numerous prophecies also began declaring that revival
in the
United
States would
come from the east, specifically
New
England! This does not have to indicate
contradiction, but can indicate different movements to
come at different times. As Brother Earls elsewhere
points out, the ways of God are manifold, i.e.,
“many-sided”]
The Lord states that the mighty
revival He will send is to be a preparation for the final time
of great consternation which shall come on this nation. The perils from
the east and south bring great internal fear and no
doubt some turmoil (mass unrest resulting in
demonstrations and even riots and destruction as
tensions increase), but the time of great destruction on
our nation will come with the peril from the north.
It seems evident that this is a reference to
Russia being
able to send missiles over the polar cap, descending on
our large cities from the north. This will take place
during the final phase of the all-out war called
Armageddon, or "The battle of that great day of God
Almighty" (Rev. 16:14-16).
The prophecy makes it clear that God will
intervene to shorten the time of battle lest all would
be destroyed, and this is in harmony with Jesus'
statement in Mt. 24:22, I personally do not believe that
there will be as much destruction in the
United
States as will
take place in areas such as the Middle East and
Europe. But certainly we will not
escape atomic judgment, and it seems quite certain that
many of our cities will suffer greatly, and great
numbers killed.
I
will make a few final comments on the thought
expressed in the prophetic word that not all
Christians will receive the same degree of protection in
the tribulation days ahead; neither will all Christians
enter into the same degree of glory and reward in
the coming Kingdom. Multitudes of
Christians have been lulled into complacency by the
sleep-inducing dogma that all Christians will be
raptured before any great tribulation falls on the world. I won't take the
time here to dispel the darkness of such
unscriptural teaching, but simply state that the vast
majority of Christians will go through the great
tribulation. Since this is true, it becomes of paramount
importance that we let the Lord PREPARE us for the
coming days of trouble.
The need to prepare is clearly
given by Jesus in Lk. 12:35-48. Read the whole passage
and note that Jesus is dealing with conditions related
to His second coming. It is very clear that
servants of His who get careless and are not making
themselves ready will have different treatment than
those who are keeping themselves in tune with the Lord
and doing His will. Verse 47 states emphatically that
the servant who knew the Lord's will but did not PREPARE
himself, shall be "beaten" with many stripes. Remember,
the whole passage deals with end-time conditions,
and the "many stripes" are without doubt a symbolic
description of the buffeting trials and circumstances of
the tribulation without the completeness of the Lord's
protection. Fewer stripes will be given those who
had less understanding of the Lord's will, but they will
STILL receive "stripes" in the tribulation
conditions (vs. 48). I believe it will be primarily the
30-fold who will receive these more severe dealings of
God rather than the 60 or 100 fold, as the prophecy
seems to indicate.
In Rev. 11:1-2, we read that John
was given a reed like to a rod to measure the temple
and those that worship therein. The "temple" would refer
to the Holy
Place and Holy
of Holies, which typify the 60 and 100 fold Christians
respectively. But John was told not
to measure the outer court, for it would be given
to the Gentiles to be trodden down for forty two months
(the tribulation period). The outer court would
typify the 30 fold Christian who is too far removed
(spiritually) from what the Lord is doing to be measured
by the rod (Word of God) and counted among those who
will receive the completeness of His
protection. The "treading down"
by the Gentiles would symbolically correspond to
the "many stripes" of Luke 12:47. Further indication of
Christians to be "chastised" by tribulation
conditions is found in Rev. 2:22 & 3:16. I
won't take time to explain in detail now, but in
each of the last four of the letters to the seven
churches of Asia, is a reference to either the
coming of the Lord or to the great tribulation.
This indicates that what arose within the Church during
the historical periods represented by these
churches continues to the end. In this end time, every
Christian will be partaking of or experiencing the
spiritual conditions symbolically pictured in one
of these churches: either the spiritual " idolatry "and
"fornication" of the Thyatira church, the "deadness" of
the Sardis church, the faithfulness, purity and
power of the Philadelphia church, or the pride,
complacency and lukewarmness of the Laodicean
church,
Look at Rev. 2:21-23, where Jesus
commands those of Thyatira to repent or He will "cast
them into great tribulation" (to receive "many stripes"
or even to be killed by the tribulation conditions. Lest
some think He is not talking about Christians here, He
declares in vs. 23 that He will do these things that
"all the churches shall know that I am he that searches the reins and hearts; and I
will give to every one of you
according to your works." In other words. He is not
dealing with the question of eternal salvation, but of
works (obedience or lack of it) and the necessity of
"chastening" through tribulation conditions,
because of unwillingness to repent. In the letter to the
lukewarm Laodicean church Jesus emphasizes this with
these words: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:
be zealous therefore and repent" (Rev. 3:19). Remember,
He is talking to the church and not to the world. To the
same Laodicean church He declares: "Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold
nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth (Rev.
3:16). Spit them out where? No doubt,
into the great tribulation to receive the necessary
"stripes", even as those in the outer court of Rev. 11:
2 are "cast out" (marginal reading) to be "trodden
down." In light of these facts, it is no wonder that
when teaching about His second coming and the related
events in the world, Jesus admonished many times of the
importance of "watching" and of being
prepared.
[Next:
A REMNANT PREPARED
]
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